Dec. 16, 2009

2009 Associated Press FCS All-America teams.

DAVIS, Calif. - UC Davis linebacker Mike Morales, named last month as the Great West Conference Defensive Player of the Year, was selected on Wednesday to the prestigious Associated Press Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-America first team, it was announced.

Morales, a 6-foot, 240-pound senior from Los Altos, is the third Aggie to earn first-team honors on the Associated Press team since 2006, joining free safety Jonathan Barsi who was selected in 2006 and defensive tackle John Faletoese who earned recognition last year.

Morales helped anchor the Aggie defense in 2009, posting a team-high 81 tackles, nearly 30 more than anyone else on the team. Included in his total stops were 44 solo tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-losses and a half-sack. Morales, who was twice named the league's defensive player of the week in 2009, also had two interceptions which he returned for 44 yards, and broke up three passes.

He had three games with double-digit tackles, including 13 against rival Cal Poly on Nov. 7 and a dozen against South Dakota during the Aggies' exciting 24-23 overtime victory on Oct. 10. One of his finest efforts came against national power Boise State in early October, a game in which he had 13 tackles including two assisted stops at the 1-yard line during an impressive UC Davis goal-line stand in the first quarter.

Morales finished his career second on the program's career charts for solo tackles (135), third for career stops (261) and sixth for assisted tackles (126). He also posted five career interceptions.

Morales was one of two Great West players named to the Associated Press All-America teams. Wide receiver Tysson Poots of Southern Utah was named to the second-team offense.

UC Davis finished the 2009 campaign with a 6-5 overall record while also capturing the Great West Conference championship.