FB's Josh Ostrue gets AP Little All-America honor

December 18, 2009

St. Thomas center Josh Ostrue (JR-South St. Paul) added another elite honor Thursday as he was named to the Associated Press Little All-America team. He was selected to the second of three teams, one of 15 offensive linemen in all to be honored.

Ostrue was the lone MIAC player and one of just 20 Division III players named on the 108-man squad for NAIA and NCAA Division II and III.

He's the second Tommie football player in 60 years to receive the AP honor. Tight end Ryan Davis was saluted in 1994.

D3Football.com will announce its All-America teams on Saturday afternoon following the Stagg Bowl.

Click here to view the AP Little All-America team:

http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20091217/APS/912172527

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Earlier this week, Ostrue was announced as a repeat honoree on the 25-player Division III All-America team named by the American Football Coaches' Association (AFCA). The AFCA unit tabs one kicker, a punter, a utilty player and 22 position players.

Ostrue becomes the first Tommie football player to make any All-America teams both as a sophomore and as a junior.

Ostrue has started all 33 games on his UST career. Last season, he won the Rimington Trophy as Division III's top center, and also made AFCA first-team All-America and D3Football.com All-America.

In the 23 games since Ostrue moved to center, St. Thomas has posted 24 100-yard rushing performances and has allowed just 11 sacks, including only three this season.

Ostrue helped St. Thomas compile a record-setting 2009 season, including an 11-2 record and the program's first NCAA playoff appearance in 19 seasons. He's been a key player as the Tommies have made the biggest two-year improvement in Division III football -- from a 2-8 finish in 2007 to 7-3 last season to 11-2 in 2009.

This fall, the Tommies’ 70 touchdowns ranked third most in D-III, behind Mount Union and UW-Whitewater. UST also broke school season records for rushing yards (3,238), total offense (5,556 yards), and points (506). The Tommies were the lone conference team -- and one of just eight Division III programs -- to reach 11 football victories.

Ostrue helped block for All-American candidate Ben Wartman, whose 1,827 rushing yards in 2009 are the third most among all NCAA players and second most in Division III. Wartman’s rushing total (reached in 13 games) also ranks second in both St. Thomas and MIAC history, behind Gary Trettel’s 1,861 yards in 12 games for the 1990 Tommies.

One other MIAC player was honored on the elite AFCA squad -- St. John's linebacker Ryan Wimmer.

Click here for AFCA news release:

http://www.afca.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9300&ATCLID=204848735