Portland State wide receiver Tremayne Kirkland and center Brennen Carvalho were each named first team All-Big Sky Conference today in a vote of the league's nine head coaches. Kirkland and Carvalho lead a list of Vikings that include three second-team selections and nine players receiving honorable mention.

Kirkland, a senior from Sacramento, was named team Most Valuable Player on Sunday. For the year, he had 84 receptions for 1,059 yards and 10 touchdowns in just 10 games. His 84 catches led the Big Sky Conference, ranked second in the nation, and is the second-most for a season in PSU history. He became the first PSU receiver to eclipse 1,000 yards since 2001. Kirkland also carried the ball 12 times for 64 yards and one touchdown. His 11 scores and 1,234 all-purpose yards led the team.

Senior Brennen Carvalho was coming off an All-American junior season, but made the switch from guard to center this year. The move was successful, as he earned first team All-Big Sky Conference honors for the third straight year. Carvalho started 39 consecutive games for the Vikings.

Named to the second team All-Conference were defensive end Cole Smith, offensive tackle Daren Heerspink and fullback Olaniyi Sobomehin.

Smith, a senior from Springfield, was named second team All-Conference for the second straight year, as was Daren Heerspink, a senior from Lynden Washington. Smith had 30 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles this year. Heerspink was in his third season as the starting right tackle.

Sobomehin, a senior from Portland, led the team with 515 rushing yards, had 40 receptions for 377 yards and scored 11 touchdowns. His season was shortened to nine games due to a wrist injury.

Honorable mention All-Conference selections include SR WR Kenneth Mackins, SR DT Philip Humphrey, SR DE Casey Tyler, SR LB Jordan Senn, JR LB Andy Schantz, FR LB Ryan Pederson, JR LB KJ McCrae, SR FS Micheal Dorsey and SO Special Teams Player Logan Dose.

Eastern Washington quarterback Matt Nichols was named the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Defensive end Kroy Biermann of Montana was named Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Weber State quarterback Cameron Higgins was the Newcomer of the Year.

A complete All-Conference list is attached in pdf format.