MURRAY STATE LEADS ALL-OVC CHARGE

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Murray State not only won its second consecutive Ohio Valley Conference football championship this season, the Racers romped through the league undefeated for the second year in a row.

And not surprisingly, the Racers had the most players -- seven -- named to the All-OVC first team that was released Tuesday.

The All-OVC squad was selected by the league's head football coaches and sports information directors.

Leading the way for the Racers are quarterback Mike Cherry, who was named OVC Offensive Player of the Year, and Houston Nutt, who was named OVC Coach of the Year for the second straight season.

Eastern Kentucky had six selections, led by linebacker Tony McCombs, the OVC Defensive Player of the Year.

Middle Tennessee State had four selections, followed by Eastern Illinois and Tennessee Tech with three each, Tennessee State with two and Southeast Missouri State University with one.

Southeast Missouri State's All-OVC performer is sophomore tight end Mitch Fryer, who caught 25 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns this year.

Making the second team from Southeast are defensive lineman Angel Rubio, linebacker Brian Burton and defensive back Greg Klund.

Rubio was 10th in the OVC in tackles (102), third in sacks (7) and fourth in tackles for loss (15).

Burton was second in the OVC in tackles (132) while Klund was third in interceptions (5).

Three Indians made the honorable-mention list: offensive linemen Durand Frierson and Mike Nielson and linebacker Bobby Haggerty.

Cherry completed 170 of 301 passes for 2,406 yards and 18 touchdowns this season. The 2,406 yards passing was the sixth-highest single-season total in OVC history.

In addition to Cherry, other all-league players for the Racers are running back Anthony Downs, wide receiver Reginald Swinton, placekicker Rob Hart, defensive lineman Anthony Hutch, linebacker Ronnie Merritt and defensive back William Hampton.

McCombs led Eastern Kentucky and ranked fourth in the OVC in tackles with 123. He also was tied for ninth in the league with five sacks and had 10.5 tackles for loss.

Other Colonels joining McCombs on the team are offensive linemen Roger Orlandini and Brandyon Brantley, running back William Murrell, linebacker Britt Bowen and defensive back Scooter Asel.

-- From staff and wire reports