Northwestern University Athletics
Eight Wildcats Earn All-Big Ten Honors on Defense/Special Teams
11/28/2017 11:15:00 AM | Football
EVANSTON, Ill. — Senior safety Godwin Igwebuike was named a consensus Second-Team All-Big Ten selection to lead a group of eight Northwestern Wildcats honored Tuesday morning.
One of the nation's surest open-field tacklers, Igwebuike was named to the All-Big Ten Team for the second straight season after finishing with 72 tackles (46 solo), a team-high nine pass breakups and two interceptions. The Pickerington, Ohio, native made at least five tackles in eight of 12 games, racking up a season-high 14 at Duke on Sept. 9 and 11 versus Penn State on Oct. 7.
Redshirt first-year linebacker Paddy Fisher, who was named the Big Ten Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Big Ten Network Monday, and sophomore defensive end Joe Gaziano were voted to the second team by the media and third team by the league's coaches. Senior safety Kyle Queiro was named a consensus third-team selection.
Senior defensive tackle Tyler Lancaster, junior linebacker Nate Hall, first-year defensive end Samdup Miller and first-year kicker Charlie Kuhbander received honorable mention plaudits from the coaches and media.
Fisher led all FBS rookies and ranked fourth in the Big Ten with 110 tackles in his first season on the field. His 62 solo tackles also lead all FBS first-year players and are the 37th most in the country, wile his four forced fumbles lead the Big Ten and rank seventh nationally. The Katy, Texas, native had a season-high 19 tackles in a triple-overtime win versus No. 16 Michigan State and had 18 tackles at Duke as the only Power 5 player in the country to post two games with at least 18 tackles. Fisher's 14 solo tackles versus the Spartans are tied for the most in a FBS game in 2017.
Gaziano earned All-Big Ten honors for the first time after leading the league with eight sacks, all of the solo fashion. The sophomore made seven of his eight sacks in league play and had at least one tackle for loss in eight of the 'Cats' nine conference games. He is already tied with Dean Lowry for eighth in program history with 12.5 sacks entering the bowl game.
Queiro had a breakout senior campaign with a team-high four interceptions and career highs in tackles (58), tackles for loss (5.5) and pass breakups (8). He finished third in the Big Ten in interceptions, picking off a career-high two and breaking up three passes in the Wildcats' win at Nebraska on Nov. 4.
Lancaster has been an immovable force in the trenches this season and a key reason the Wildcats rank ninth in the country in rushing defense. The senior has career highs this season in tackles (38), tackles for loss (9), assisted tackles (24) and sacks (2).
Hall ranks second in the Big Ten and 13th in the country with 16.5 tackles for loss this season. He is second on the team with 79 tackles and has made a career-high five sacks in his junior campaign. He was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after making seven tackles, including three for loss, 2.5 sacks, intercepting a passing and recovering a fumble in the Wildcats' 39-0 shutout of Minnesota on Nov. 18. Hall's 16.5 tackles for loss are the sixth most in NU single-season history.
The first-year duo of Miller and Kuhbander wrapped up the 'Cats' honorable-mention plaudits. Miller leads all Big Ten rookies with 5.5 sacks this season, while Kuhbander ranks second in the Big Ten in field goal percentage and has converted 12 of his last 13 attempts.
The All-Big Ten offense will be announced on Wednesday, Nov. 29.
Northwestern wrapped up the regular season with a 42-7 win over in-state rival Illinois to improve to 9-3 overall and 7-2 in the Big Ten, and await a bowl destination that will be announced on Sunday, Dec. 3.
One of the nation's surest open-field tacklers, Igwebuike was named to the All-Big Ten Team for the second straight season after finishing with 72 tackles (46 solo), a team-high nine pass breakups and two interceptions. The Pickerington, Ohio, native made at least five tackles in eight of 12 games, racking up a season-high 14 at Duke on Sept. 9 and 11 versus Penn State on Oct. 7.
Redshirt first-year linebacker Paddy Fisher, who was named the Big Ten Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Big Ten Network Monday, and sophomore defensive end Joe Gaziano were voted to the second team by the media and third team by the league's coaches. Senior safety Kyle Queiro was named a consensus third-team selection.
Senior defensive tackle Tyler Lancaster, junior linebacker Nate Hall, first-year defensive end Samdup Miller and first-year kicker Charlie Kuhbander received honorable mention plaudits from the coaches and media.
Fisher led all FBS rookies and ranked fourth in the Big Ten with 110 tackles in his first season on the field. His 62 solo tackles also lead all FBS first-year players and are the 37th most in the country, wile his four forced fumbles lead the Big Ten and rank seventh nationally. The Katy, Texas, native had a season-high 19 tackles in a triple-overtime win versus No. 16 Michigan State and had 18 tackles at Duke as the only Power 5 player in the country to post two games with at least 18 tackles. Fisher's 14 solo tackles versus the Spartans are tied for the most in a FBS game in 2017.
Gaziano earned All-Big Ten honors for the first time after leading the league with eight sacks, all of the solo fashion. The sophomore made seven of his eight sacks in league play and had at least one tackle for loss in eight of the 'Cats' nine conference games. He is already tied with Dean Lowry for eighth in program history with 12.5 sacks entering the bowl game.
Queiro had a breakout senior campaign with a team-high four interceptions and career highs in tackles (58), tackles for loss (5.5) and pass breakups (8). He finished third in the Big Ten in interceptions, picking off a career-high two and breaking up three passes in the Wildcats' win at Nebraska on Nov. 4.
Lancaster has been an immovable force in the trenches this season and a key reason the Wildcats rank ninth in the country in rushing defense. The senior has career highs this season in tackles (38), tackles for loss (9), assisted tackles (24) and sacks (2).
Hall ranks second in the Big Ten and 13th in the country with 16.5 tackles for loss this season. He is second on the team with 79 tackles and has made a career-high five sacks in his junior campaign. He was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after making seven tackles, including three for loss, 2.5 sacks, intercepting a passing and recovering a fumble in the Wildcats' 39-0 shutout of Minnesota on Nov. 18. Hall's 16.5 tackles for loss are the sixth most in NU single-season history.
The first-year duo of Miller and Kuhbander wrapped up the 'Cats' honorable-mention plaudits. Miller leads all Big Ten rookies with 5.5 sacks this season, while Kuhbander ranks second in the Big Ten in field goal percentage and has converted 12 of his last 13 attempts.
The All-Big Ten offense will be announced on Wednesday, Nov. 29.
Northwestern wrapped up the regular season with a 42-7 win over in-state rival Illinois to improve to 9-3 overall and 7-2 in the Big Ten, and await a bowl destination that will be announced on Sunday, Dec. 3.
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