By
Chris Martin
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Nash, Wnek All-Pac-10 academic selections
Even though the Arizona football team finished its season with five consecutive defeats, 15 Wildcats were honored by the Pacific 10 Conference Monday.
Sophomore linebacker Lance Briggs and sophomore return specialist Bobby Wade were All-Pac-10 first team selections.
"I'm happy," senior defensive end Joe Tafoya said. "It means that a lot of other people around the Pac-10 have recognized the program and the players."
Briggs led the team 113 tackles, 11 of which were for a loss. It was the first time Briggs had been honor by the Pac-10.
Wade, UA's No. 1 wide receiver, made 26 punt returns for 262 yards and one touchdown.
Tafoya said that the awards will be especially sweet for the team's younger players, including Wade and Briggs.
"I'm really happy for our younger players," he said. "They're going to be players to watch for. With all the turmoil going on in the coaching room, it's good to have standout players. They're going to be leaders that are looked up to by others."
Four Arizona players - senior offensive lineman Marques McFadden, Tafoya, freshman cornerback Michael Jolivette and junior kick blocker Peter Hansen were named to the All-Pac-10 second team.
Hansen said he thought his award was unnecessary.
"It's kind of ridiculous," he said. "I play (in) like seven plays a game a lot of the time. There are guys like (senior long snapper) Nate Campbell who were perfect in their career that didn't get anything."
Jolivette, who has been compared to former UA All-American Chris McAlister, led the with five interceptions and was fourth on the team with 42 tackles.
Tafoya, the Wildcats' defensive captain, led the team with sacks (6) and tackles for loss with 18.
UA seniors - quarterback Ortege Jenkins, center Bruce Wiggins, tight end Brandon Manumaleuna, defensive end Idris Haroon, linebacker Antonio Pierce; along with junior defensive tackle Keoni Fraser and sophomore place kicker Sean Keel were named to the honorable mention All-Pac-10 team.
Washington senior quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo was named the Pac-10's Offensive Player of the Year while Arizona State senior linebacker Adam Archuleta was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Year.
Oregon State head coach Dennis Erickson was named Pac-10's Coach of the Year and Sun Devil defensive end Terrell Suggs was named Freshman of the Year.
UA junior safety Brandon Nash and junior halfback Eli Wnek received honors from the conference for their off the field work. Both were named to the Pac-10 All-Academic first team.
"Not only are we a fine athletic school, but we're fine academically," Tafoya said. "It's nice to back that up with guys like Eli and Brandon."
Hansen agreed.
"It's a great thing with everybody down on us," he said. "The awards say a lot about how (former UA head coach Dick) Tomey feels about us. We focus on more than one thing."
Tafoya said UA's academic successes have come courtesy of Wildcat coaches that stressed academics during his tenure as a player.
"Our coaches do classroom checks," he said. "They don't only care about what goes on on the field. A lot of people involved really do care."
