FERRIS STATE’S CARLTON BREWSTER RECEIVES CACTUS BOWL INVITATION

Standout Bulldog Wide Receiver To Play For East Team In Division II All-Star Game

Ferris State University senior flanker Carlton Brewster (Grand Rapids/Creston) is among 42 individuals named to the East Team who will be showcasing their talents at the sixth annual Cactus Bowl Division II All-Star Game in Kingsville, Texas.

Carlton Brewster will compete in the Cactus Bowl All-Star Game on Jan. 6 in Kingsville, Texas.

The all-star contest will be held Friday, Jan. 6, 2006, at Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s Javelina Stadium in Kingsville, Texas.

The Cactus Bowl features the top NCAA Division II players in the nation and proceeds from the contest will once again go to the Shriners Hospitals for Children. This year’s game will be televised live by Fox Sports Southwest and covered by the Fox Sports Network nationally for the sixth straight season. The Cactus Bowl originally began as the Snow Bowl and was played in Fargo, N.D.

With his selection, Brewster becomes the 13th Bulldog football player invited to compete in the Cactus Bowl. Former Ferris State participants include Rich Eash (1994), Ed Philion (1994), Chadd Richard (1995), Jerry Prys (1996), Doc Proctor (1999), Dennis Strey (1999), Dave Zuiderveen (2000), Clarence Coleman (2001), DeRen Ellis (2003), Matt McCoy (2004), Kevin Myers (2005), and Whitney Bell (2005). McCoy was a Cactus Bowl invitee but didn't participate due to an injury.

A 2005 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America honoree, Brewster paced Ferris State in receiving this season for the third consecutive year with 60 catches for 921 yards and seven TD’s in 11 games. Along with the AFCA honor, Brewster received D2Football.com All-Northwest Region First-Team laurels and was a repeat All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) First-Team selection this fall. The 5-11, 214-pound wideout, who garnered Ferris State Most Valuable Offensive Skill Player Award accolades for the second straight season, totaled five 100-yard plus receiving performances, including a season-best 137 yards and two TD’s on eight catches against Northern Michigan (10/15).

He presently ranks 36th among the NCAA Division II national statistics leaders in receiving yards per game (83.7 ypg.) and is listed 46th in receptions per game (5.5 avg.). His 921 yards in receiving this season represented the 10th highest single-season total on the Bulldogs’ receiving yardage chart.

Brewster concluded his four-year Bulldog career as the school’s second all-time leading receiver with 3,184 receiving yards and 25 TD’s on 234 catches in 43 career outings. He placed fifth among the conference’s career receiving yards leaders with 2,923 total yards on 213 receptions in league games only. Brewster , who was an All-America Honorable Mention honoree by Don Hansen’s Football Gazette and D2Football.com a season ago, ranks third on FSU’s career leaders list in kickoff returns (1,197 yds.), fourth in punt returns (588 yds.), fifth in all-purpose yards (5,029 yds.), and eighth in scoring (164 pts.).

Ferris State finished 3-8-0 overall for the 2005 season, which included a 3-7-0 GLIAC mark.

Brewster was one of six individuals from GLIAC-member schools named to the East Team for the all-star contest. Joining him on offense are tight end Keith Recker of Hillsdale, guard Nick Degg of Northwood, Grand Valley State tackle Josh Bourke. Safety-linebacker Devin Conwell of Ashland and Saginaw Valley State linebacker John DiGiorgio are conference representatives on defense.

An events schedule for the 2006 Cactus Bowl along with East and West Team rosters is available at www.cactusbowl.org.