Sophomore tight end caught eight TD passes in 2018
Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina football sophomore TE Owen Cosenke was today named third-team FCS All-America by The Associated Press following the 2018 season. Cosenke’s selection represents the third-straight season that WCU has landed a player on the AP’s All-America squad – the second-longest consecutive years in putting a player on the honorary team since accomplishing the feat for five-straight seasons from 1983 to 1987.
Cosenke is just the second Catamount tight end to garner All-America plaudits from the Associated Press, joining Alonzo Carmichael (1983-86) who garnered first-team honors in 1985 and a second-team nod in 1986. It is the second-straight year for post-season honors for Cosenke who a year ago garnered Freshman All-America honors from Phil Steele in 2017.
A product of Aldie, Va., Cosenke recorded career highs with 23 receptions for 261 yards last season with a team-high eight touchdown catches. His eight scores ranked third in the SoCon and were the most by a league tight end in 2018 – and are the most in a single-season by a Catamount tight end all-time. Cosenke tallied TDs in six of WCU’s 11 seasonal games including a stretch of four-straight games with a touchdown catch.
A first-team All-Southern Conference selection by both the head coaches and voting media, Cosenke averaged 11.3 yards per reception on the year. He posted a career-best six catches for 66 yards and a pair of scores in the near upset over No. 25 ETSU.
Combined, a total of 10 Southern Conference players from six different member schools were spread between the three honorary teams announced by the AP. Samford led the way with three All-Americans including DL Ahmad Gooden on the first team and QB Devlin Hodges and top-target WR Kelvin McKnight on the second team. League champion ETSU put two on the squad including first-team honoree OL Matt Pyke and second-team selection DB Tyree Robinson. Furman likewise had two players honored in second-team PK Grayson Atkins and second team LB in freshman Adrian Hope.
Chattanooga and Wofford joined WCU with one All-America selection from the AP in first team DL Isaiah Mack from UTC and Terrier third team OL Justus Basinger.
All told, 43 schools placed players on the 2018 AP FCS All-America team with 22 institutions receiving multiple selections. North Dakota State received the most with seven selections including three, first-team honorees. Click here for the complete 2018 AP FCS All-America Teams.
Western Carolina’s Associated Press All-America Selections:
1949 — Art Byrd, OL
1971 — Steve Williams, DT
1972 — Steve Yates, LB (2nd)
1974 — Jerry Gaines, WR; Steve Yates, LB (1st)
1976 — Darrell Lipford, RB
1983 — Tiger Greene, DB (2nd); Eric Rasheed, WR (2nd)
1984 — Louis Cooper, DE (1st); Tiger Greene, DB (1st); Steve Kornegay, P (1st); Kirk Roach, PK (1st); Mark Buffamoyer, DL (2nd)
1985 — Alonzo Carmichael, TE (1st); Clyde Simmons, DE (1st)
1986 — Kirk Roach, PK (1st); Alonzo Carmichael, TE (2nd)
1987 — Kirk Roach, PK (1st)
1992 — Todd Harkins, OL (3rd); Kerry Hayes, KR (3rd)
1993 — Kerry Hayes, KR (1st)
1998 — Eric Johnson, DB (1st); Ken Hinsley, P (3rd)
1999 — Josh Jones, PK (3rd)
2007 — Eddie Cohen, WR (2nd)
2016 — Detrez Newsome, AP (1st)
2017 — Ian Berryman, P (2nd); Detrez Newsome, RB (3rd)
2018 – Owen Cosenke, TE (3rd)
The Associated Press – complete release: https://www.apnews.com/d0a591efc4c64799988614650b8673a1
