The Portland State Vikings Football Team had four players named second team All-Big Sky Conference and three others earned honorable mention as the league released its post-season awards on Tuesday. Voting for awards was done by league coaches.
 
Senior fullback Andrew Van Buren, senior offensive lineman Shiloh Ta'ase, senior defensive lineman Dino Kahaulelio and junior kicker Gianni Smith were all named second team All-Big Sky. Senior wide receiver Jermaine Braddock, sophomore linebacker Parker McKenna and freshman all-purpose back Quincy Craig earned honorable mention.
 
Van Buren, 6-foot, 240-pounder from West Hills, CA, rushed 56 times for 244 yards and three touchdowns this season. He played a vital role as a blocker for a running game that averaged 224.0 yards per contest – second-best in the Big Sky and sixth-best in the nation.
 
Ta'ase, a 6-3, 310-pound guard from Seattle, was a mainstay for the Vikings for four seasons. He played in 43 games, including 36 starts before an injury in the season's sixth game abruptly ended his career. He was vital in the Vikings outstanding running game and pass protection.
 
Kahaulelio, a 6-foot, 285 pounder from Santa Rosa, CA, started in the middle for the Viking defense. He made 24 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, had an interception and a pass breakup on the season.
 
Van Buren, Ta'ase and Kahaulelio were also Viking team co-captains.
 
Smith, a 6-1, 205-pound junior from Oak Park, CA, made eight of nine field goals this season to lead the Big Sky in field goal percentage (.889). He holds the PSU record for career percentage (18-23, .783) over three seasons. Smith was named Big Sky Conference and National Special Teams Player of the Week after kicking field goals of 51, 55 and 42 yards against UC Davis on Nov. 4. He was also 42-44 on extra points and had 45 touchbacks on 63 kickoffs.
 
Braddock, a 6-1, 190-pound transfer from San Jose State, is originally from Covina, CA. He led the Vikings in receptions with 54, receiving yards with 636, and receiving touchdowns with seven. Braddock ranked in the top six in the Big Sky in each category.
 
McKenna, a 6-foot, 220-pounder from Beaverton High School, led Portland State in tackles with 75 for the season. He also had a team-high nine tackles for loss, three pass breakups and an interception. McKenna was 11^th in the Big Sky in tackles.
 
Craig might have been picked higher had he been able to stay healthy. The 5-9, 185-pound back from Garden Grove, CA was PSU's top offensive player for six games. He had 410 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns as well as 19 receptions for 207 yards and three more TDs. The team's punt returner as well, Craig was averaging 124.8 yards all-purpose yards per game to lead the Big Sky at the time. In October, he was named one of 22 freshmen across the nation to the Jerry Rice Award Watch List for the National Freshman of the Year. Unfortunately, an injury at Northern Arizona (10/14) ended his season.

Portland State just completed its 2023 season at 5-6 overall, 4-4 in the Big Sky Conference.
 

BIG SKY CONFERENCE POST-SEASON HONORS

 
2023 Individual Award Winners
Offensive Player of the Year: Lan Larison, RB, UC Davis
Defensive Player of the Year: Alex Gubner, DL, Montana
Newcomer of the Year: Clifton McDowell, QB, Montana
Freshman of the Year: Eli Gillman, RB, Montana
Coach of the Year: Bobby Hauck, Montana*
 
* - Unanimous Selection  
 
First Team All-Conference Offense
QB: Gevani McCoy, Idaho
RB: Lan Larison, UC Davis
RB: Anthony Woods, Idaho
FB: Derryk Snell, Montana State
WR: Efton Chism III, Eastern Washington*
WR: Hayden Hatten, Idaho*
WR: Chedon James, Idaho State
WR: Junior Bergen, Montana
TE: Marshel Martin, Sacramento State
TE: Treyton Pickering, Montana State
OL: Noah Atagi, Weber State*
OL: Marcus Wehr, Montana State
OL: Rush Reimer, Montana State
OL: Brandon Casey, Montana
OL: Jordan Ford, UC Davis
OL: Jackson Slater, Sacramento State
AP: Sean Chambers, Montana State
 
* - Unanimous Selection  
 
First Team All-Conference Defense
DL: Alex Gubner, Montana*
DL: Brody Grebe, Montana State
DL: Elijah Ponder, Cal Poly
DL: Zach Kennedy, UC Davis
DL: Eloi Kwete, Northern Arizona
LB: Braxton Hill, Montana
LB: Winston Reid, Weber State
LB: Armon Bailey, Sacramento State
LB: Nolan Askelson, Montana State
LB: Jack Kelly, Weber State
DB: Marcus Harris, Idaho
DB: Maxwell Anderson, Weber State
DB: Cameron Broussard, Sacramento State
DB: Marlon Jones Jr., Eastern Washington
DB: Corbin Walker, Montana
DB: Trevin Gradney, Montana
 
* - Unanimous Selection  
 
First Team All-Conference Special Teams
K: Ricardo Chavez, Idaho
P: Brendan Hall, Montana State
KR: Abraham Williams, Weber State
PR: Junior Bergen, Montana
ST: Garrett Graves, Montana
 
Second Team All-Conference Offense
QB: Tommy Mellott, Montana State
RB: Eli Gillman, Montana
RB: Julius Davis, Montana State
FB: Andrew Van Buren, Portland State
WR: Jermaine Jackson, Idaho
WR: Coleman Owen, Northern Arizona
WR: Jared Gipson, Sacramento State
TE: Hayden Meacham, Weber State
TE: Blake Gobel, Eastern Washington
OL: Jonny Bottorff, Northern Arizona
OL: Shiloh Ta'ase, Portland State
OL: Garrett Weichman, Cal Poly
OL: Jordan Lutui, Weber State
OL: Omer Aigbedlion, Montana State
OL: AJ Forbes, Montana
AP: Trent Tompkins, UC Davis
 
Second Team All-Conference Defense
DL: Jett Stanley, Sacramento State
DL: Sebastian Valdez, Montana State
DL: Brayden Wilson, Weber State
DL: Dino Kahaulelio, Portland State
DL: Chubba Ma'ae, UC Davis
LB: Evan Tattersal, UC Davis
LB: Teddye Buchanan, UC Davis
LB: Levi Janacaro, Montana
LB: Riley Wilson, Montana
LB: Nick Eaton, UC Davis
DB: Rex Connors, UC Davis
DB: Alex McLaughlin, Northern Arizona
DB: Donovan Saunders, Cal Poly
DB: Calvin Pitcher, Idaho State
DB: George Steele, Northern Arizona
DB: Tizell Lewis, Northern Colorado
 
Second Team All-Conference Special Teams
K: Gianni Smith, Portland State
P: Ricardo Chavez, Idaho
KR: Michael Wortham, Eastern Washington
PR: Jermaine Jackson, Idaho
ST: Sean McCormick, Idaho
 
Honorable Mention (Had at least 3 votes)
QB: Kekoa Visperas, Eastern Washington
RB: Marcus Fulcher, Sacramento State
RB: Devon Starling, Northern Arizona
WR: Jermaine Braddock, Portland State
WR: Hendrix Johnson, Northern Arizona
OL: Chris Walker, Montana
OL: Ivan Garza, Sacramento State
OL: Journey Grimsrud, Montana
OL: Nathan Mejia, Sacramento State
OL: Ayden Knapik, Idaho
OL: Austin Lawrence, Northern Colorado
OL: Justus, Perkins, Montana State
OL: Jake Parks, UC Davis
AP: Quincy Craig, Portland State
 
DL: Keyshawn James-Newby, Idaho
DL: David Rowe, Idaho State
DL: Marcus Howard, Northern Colorado
DL: Mark Ho Ching, Northern Arizona
DL: Dallas Afalava, Idaho
LB: Tre Thomas, Idaho
LB: Parker McKenna, Portland State
LB: Xe'ree Alexander, Idaho
LB: Jacob Stanton, Northern Colorado
DB: Tommy McCormick, Idaho
DB: Jehiel Budgett, UC Davis
DB: Rylan Ortt, Montana State
DB: Naseme Colvin, Weber State
DB: Dillon Juniel, Sacramento State
 
K: Hunter Ridley, UC Davis
P: Cal McGough, Sacramento State
P: Hunter Green, Northern Colorado
P: Jack Burgess, Weber State
KR: Jermaine Jackson, Idaho
PR: Haze Hadley, Weber State
ST: Hendrix Johnson, Northern Arizona