Matt Spaeth Named First Team AP All-American

University of Minnesota senior tight end Matt Spaeth has been named to the first team of the 2006 Associated Press All-America Team. This is the second major honor for Spaeth in the last week as he won the John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end last Thursday.

This is the second consecutive season that the Gophers have had a
first-team AP All-American as Matt Spaeth follows Greg Eslinger, who was the
first-team center in 2005. It is the first time since former Gopher
defensive end Bob Stein was an AP All-American in 1967-68 that
Minnesota has been represented in consecutive seasons on the AP
All-American First Team.

Spaeth becomes the Gophers’ 43rd first-team AP All-American and the
first Gopher tight end to earn the award since Doug Kingsriter in 1971.
Spaeth is also the fourth first-team AP All-American during Glen
Mason’s tenure at Minnesota, joining Eslinger, strong safety Tyrone
Carter (1999) and center Ben Hamilton (1999).

Spaeth, who was named the Bronko Nagurksi Award winner this season as
the Gophers’ Most Valuable Player, was named first-team All-Big Ten by
both the media and the coaches for the second consecutive season in
2006. He was also selected as one of the honorees for this year’s Big
Ten Sportsmanship Award. Spaeth received honorable-mention recognition
by both the coaches and media in 2004, his sophomore season.

In 2006 Spaeth became the school’s all-time leader in career receptions
(109) and receiving yards (1,293) by a tight end, surpassing current
Indianapolis Colt Ben Utecht in both categories. He also ranks ninth
all-time in career receiving touchdowns with 12. Spaeth was second on
the team in receptions and receiving yards in 2006, catching 47 passes
for 564 yards with four touchdowns.


ALL-TIME MINNESOTA FIRST-TEAM AP ALL-AMERICANS
Year    Player            Position
2006    Matt Spaeth        TE
2005    Greg Eslinger        C
1999    Tyrone Carter        SS
    Ben Hamilton        C
1971    Doug Kingsriter    TE
1968    Bob Stein        End
1967    Bob Stein        End
1965    Aaron Brown        End
1963    Carl Eller        Tackle
1961    Bobby Bell        Tackle
    Sandy Stephens    QB
1960    Tom Brown        G
1956    Bob Hobert        Tackle
1954    Bob McNamara    HB / FB
1953    Paul Giel        HB
1952    Paul Giel        HB
1949    Leo Nomellini        Tackle / Guard
    Clayton Tonnemaker    C
1948    Leo Nomellini        Tackle/ Guard
1943    Bill Daley        FB
    Herb Hein        End
1942    Dick Wildung        Tackle
1941    Bruce Smith        HB
    Dick Wildung        Tackle
1940    George Franck        HB
1938    Francis Twedell    Guard
1937    Andy Uram        FB
1936    Ed Widseth        Tackle
1935    Dick Smith        Tackle
1934    Frank “Butch” Larson    End
    Francis “Pug” Lund    HB
1933    Francis “Pug” Lund    HB
1931    Clarence Munn        Guard
1929    Bronko Nagurski    FB/Tackle
1928    George Gibson        Guard
    Kenneth Haycraft    End
1927    Harold Hanson        Guard
    Herb Joesting        FB
1926    Herb Joesting        FB
1923    Ray Ecklund        End
    Earl Martineau        HB
1917    George Hauser        Tackle
1916    C.I. “Shorty” Long    QB
1915    Bernie Bierman    FB
    Merton Dunningan    Guard
1914    Lorin Solon        End
1913    Clark Shaughnessy    FB
    Lorin Solon        End
1904    Moses Strathern    End
1903    Fred Schact        Tackle