Sully Laiche - PJ Burkhalter

Football

Laiche, Burkhalter named STATS FCS All-America First Team

THIBODAUX, La. – The awards continue to pile up for Nicholls State University football's Sully Laiche and P.J. Burkhalter as the two were named to the 2019 STATS FCS All-America First Team, the organization announced Thursday.
 
With his selection, Laiche, who is a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, joined former teammate kicker Lorran Fonseca (2017) as a three-time first-team honoree. The honor is the second first-team all-American nod for Buckhalter and third overall. 
 
Laiche was one of the most dominant defensive players at any position this year, racking up 12 sacks, 22.5 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles. Laiche recorded three sacks in three different games, and had one in each of the Colonels' playoff games. 
 
Burkhalter, who was voted the Southland's top offensive lineman, played at center and guard to clear the way for the Colonels' potent rushing attack. Nicholls finished at 197.1 yards per game on the ground to lead the SLC, and in league play, the squad averaged over 30 more yards rushing than the second-highest team. 
 
For the complete STATS FCS All-America Team, please see below.
 
2019 STATS FCS ALL-AMERICA TEAM
 
*-Order of quarterbacks to be determined by the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award on Jan. 10
 
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
*QB – Case Cookus, senior, 6-4, 205, Northern Arizona; Trey Lance, freshman, 6-3, 221, North Dakota State; or Kevin Thomson, junior, 6-2, 200, Sacramento State
RB – Pete Guerriero, junior, 5-10, 190, Monmouth
RB – James Robinson, senior, 5-10, 220, Illinois State
WR – Juwan Green, senior, 6-0, 187, UAlbany
WR – Aaron Parker, senior, 6-3, 208, Rhode Island
WR – Samori Toure, junior, 6-3, 190, Montana
TE – Adam Trautman, senior, 6-6, 253, Dayton
OL – P.J. Burkhalter, junior, 6-3, 330, Nicholls
OL – Liam Fornadel, junior, 6-4, 308, James Madison
OL – Drew Himmelman, junior, 6-10, 315, Illinois State
OL – Kyle Murphy, senior, 6-4, 302, Rhode Island
OL – Dillon Radunz, junior, 6-6, 298, North Dakota State
 
DEFENSE
DL – Ron'Dell Carter, senior, 6-3, 269, James Madison
DL – John Daka, senior, 6-2, 227, James Madison
DL – Sully Laiche, senior, 6-2, 270, Nicholls
DL – Derrek Tuszka, senior, 6-5, 246, North Dakota State
LB – Cam Gill, senior, 6-3, 240, Wagner
LB – Zach Hall, senior, 6-0, 238, Southeast Missouri
LB – Dante Olson, senior, 6-3, 240, Montana
LB – Christian Rozeboom, senior, 6-2, 230, South Dakota State
DB – Anthony Adams, sophomore, 6-0, 180, Portland State
DB – Jeremy Chinn, senior, 6-3, 211, Southern Illinois
DB – Kordell Jackson, junior, 5-11, 163, Austin Peay
DB – Greg Liggs Jr., senior, 5-11, 198, Elon
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK – Luis Aguilar, junior, 6-1, 190, Northern Arizona
P – Alex Pechin, 5th, 6-0, 210, Bucknell
LS – Matthew O'Donoghue, junior, 6-1, 250, Montana
KR – Earnest Edwards, senior, 5-10, 175, Maine
PR – Montrell Washington, junior, 5-10, 170, Samford
AP – Chris Rowland, senior, 5-8, 180, Tennessee State
 
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
*QB – TBD
RB – Jah-Maine Martin, junior, 5-10, 214, North Carolina A&T
RB – Alex Ramsey, junior, 6-0, 225, VMI
WR – Cade Johnson, junior, 5-10, 180, South Dakota State
WR – Kristian Wilkerson, senior, 6-1, 214, Southeast Missouri
WR – DeAngelo Wilson, junior, 5-8, 165, Austin Peay
TE – Charlie Taumoepeau, senior, 6-3, 245, Portland State
OL – Kyle Anderton, senior, 6-4, 302, Austin Peay
OL – Mitch Brott, senior, 6-6, 300, Montana State
OL – Dieter Eiselen, senior, 6-4, 300, Yale
OL – Blake Jeresaty, junior, 6-2, 290, Wofford
OL – Marcus Pettiford, senior, 6-4, 286, North Carolina A&T
OL – Alex Taylor, senior, 6-9, 310, South Carolina State
 
DEFENSE
DL – Eli Mencer, senior, 6-1, 229, UAlbany
DL – Aaron Patrick, senior, 6-4, 245, Eastern Kentucky
DL – Nasir Player, senior, 6-5, 271, ETSU
DL – Bryce Sterk, senior, 6-5, 261, Montana State
DL – Jonah Williams, senior 6-5, 275, Weber State
LB – Jeremiah Chambers, senior, 6-2, 224, Abilene Christian
LB – Jabril Cox, junior, 6-3, 233, North Dakota State
LB – Willie Eubanks, junior, 6-2, 215, The Citadel
LB – Jonas Griffith, senior, 6-4, 250, Indiana State
LB – Donnell Rodgers, senior, 6-1, 238, North Dakota
DB – Brandon Easterling, junior, 6-0, 203, Dayton
DB – Luther Kirk, senior, 6-2, 195, Illinois State
DB – Artevius Smith, senior, 5-10, 179, ETSU
DB – Isiah Swann, senior, 6-0, 195, Dartmouth
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK – Grayson Atkins, junior, 5-10, 188, Furman
P – Matt McRobert, junior, 6-2, 195, Sam Houston State
LS – Chandler Collins, senior, 6-4, 235, Missouri State
KR – Gamar Girdy Brito, senior, 5-9, 190, Houston Baptist
PR – Terry Williams, senior, 5-10, 165, UT Martin
AP – Javon Williams Jr., freshman, 6-1, 239, Southern Illinois
 
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
*QB – TBD
RB – Jordan Bentley, senior, 6-1, 195, Alabama A&M
RB – Julius Chestnut, sophomore, 6-1, 215, Sacred Heart
RB – Ulonzo Gilliam, sophomore, 5-9, 185, UC Davis
WR – Michael Bandy, senior, 5-10, 190, San Diego
WR – J.P. Shohfi, senior, 6-1, 209, Yale
WR – Quan Shorts, senior, 6-2, 195, Northwestern State
TE – Matthew Gonzalez, senior, 6-3, 230, Robert Morris
TE – Ben Ellefson, senior, 6-3, 250, North Dakota State
OL – Spencer Blackburn, senior, 6-2, 290, Eastern Washington
OL – Liam Dobson, junior, 6-3, 340, Maine
OL – A.J. Farris, senior, 6-2, 285, Monmouth
OL – Zack Johnson, senior, 6-6, 315, North Dakota State
OL – Zach Larsen, senior, 6-1, 305, Southern Utah
OL – Connor Mignone, junior, 6-4, 290, Central Connecticut State
 
DEFENSE
DL – Chris Livings, senior, 6-2, 234, McNeese
DL – George Obinna, senior, 6-3, 240, Sacramento State
DL – Darius Royster, senior, 6-2, 215, North Carolina Central
DL – Elerson Smith, junior, 6-7, 245, Northern Iowa
DL – Nick Wheeler, senior, 6-2, 255, Colgate
LB – Bryson Armstrong, junior, 5-11, 212, Kennesaw State
LB – Dimitri Holloway, senior, 6-2, 217, James Madison
LB – Rico Kennedy, senior, 6-3, 235, Morgan State
LB – Da'Jon Lee, senior, 6-2, 245, Saint Francis
LB – Solomon Muhammad, senior, 6-1, 235, Alcorn State
LB – Keith Woetzel, senior, 6-0, 225, Lehigh
DB – Abu Daramy-Swaray, senior, 5-10, 190, Colgate
DB – Ferlando Jordan, sophomore, 6-0, 180, Southeastern Louisiana
DB – Robert Rochell, junior, 6-2, 176, Central Arkansas
DB – Adam Smith, senior, 6-0, 190, James Madison
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK – Storm Ruiz, senior, 5-10, 170, Stephen F. Austin
P – D.J. Arnson, junior, 6-0, 185, Northern Arizona
P – Chris Faddoul, junior, 5-11, 210, Florida A&M
LS – Ethan Ray, junior, 6-0, 185, Charleston Southern
KR – Jimmie Robinson, senior, 5-8, 175, Bethune-Cookman
PR – Mike Roussos, sophomore, 6-0, 195, Columbia
AP – JaVaughn Craig, senior, 6-2, 210, Austin Peay
 
 
 

Players Mentioned

Lorran Fonseca

#49 Lorran Fonseca

K
5' 11"
Senior
P.J. Burkhalter

#64 P.J. Burkhalter

OL
6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
Sully Laiche

#55 Sully Laiche

DL
6' 2"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Lorran Fonseca

#49 Lorran Fonseca

5' 11"
Senior
K
P.J. Burkhalter

#64 P.J. Burkhalter

6' 3"
Redshirt Junior
OL
Sully Laiche

#55 Sully Laiche

6' 2"
Senior
DL