ELON, NC – Elon University’s Josh Rowan (Gainesville, GA/West Hall HS) and Mike Warren (Linden, NC/Pine Forest HS) were named to
Don Hansen’s National Weekly Football Gazette NCAA-IAA All-Southeast Region squad Thursday afternoon. Rowan was tabbed to the first team while Warren was chosen to the second unit.
Rowan, a 6-1, 260-pound senior offensive lineman, also earned First Team All-Big South Conference and Dopke.com Big South Conference Performer of the Year honors last month. He registered an 82-percent season grade with 19 linebacker knockdowns, 13 pancake blocks, 31 decleaters and only one sack allowed for the 2002 campaign. He led the Phoenix in the weight room with team-best performances in the bench press (425 pounds), the squat (735) and the power clean (355).
Rowan helped the Phoenix to finish first in the Big South Conference and 15th in NCAA-IAA in rushing offense with 223.1 yards per game last season. Entering the campaign, the second-year team co-captain was named an honorable mention preseason All-American by The Sports Network, a third team preseason All-American by Football Gazette and a National Strength and Conditioning Association All-American. He was ranked the sixth-best NCAA-IAA offensive tackle in the country by The Sports Network last summer.
The two-time Football Gazette National Offensive Lineman of the Week is also a stellar performer in the classroom. Rowan has collected Verizon Second Team Academic All-District, Academic All-Big South Conference and Division I-AA Athletics Directors Association Academic All-Star accolades for the 2002 campaign.
Warren, a 6-2, 230-pound redshirt-sophomore linebacker, amassed 82 total tackles, including 13 for a loss of 43 yards in his first season with the Phoenix since transferring in from North Carolina State University. He also recovered a pair of fumbles as well as a pair of pass deflections.
The First Team All-Big South selection was declared a Conference Defensive Player of the Week once and was an honorable mention pick for the honor six other weeks this fall. Warren led the Phoenix to first in the Big South in rushing defense at 156.8 yards per game. He finished third in the league in total tackles and second in tackles for loss.
Via his First Team All-Region status, Rowan is now eligible for All-American distinction, to be announced later this month. Warren and the rest of Elon’s 11 returning defensive starters will propel the Phoenix into its first season of Southern Conference play next fall.
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