Nine Buckeyes Earn All-Big Ten Conference Honors

The Big Ten announced its selections for its all-conference teams Monday night. Two Buckeyes earned first-team honors, four earned second-team honors and three earned honorable mention.

Here is the official press release from the Ohio State department of athletics:

Nine Earn All-Big Ten Conference FB Honors

Two first team selections: safety Kurt Coleman and offensive guard Justin Boren

Nine members of the 2009 Big Ten Conference champion Ohio State football team were honored with conference post-season awards Monday. Two Buckeyes – Kurt Coleman and Justin Boren – were selected first-team all-Big Ten Conference. Coleman, a senior safety, was named to the all-Big Ten first-team by both the conference coaches and the media. Boren, a junior offensive guard, was named first-team by the media voters and second-team by the head coaches.

Ohio State, whose 19-member senior class has tied the school record with 43 wins the past four years, has extended its run of Big Ten championships and BCS bowl games to five consecutive by winning a tough, November slate of games on the road against Penn State, at home against Iowa and at Michigan. The team will begin preparation for the Jan. 1, 2010 Rose Bowl game after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Four Buckeyes were named second-team all-Big Ten by both the coaches and the media: junior running back Brandon Saine, junior defensive linemen Thaddeus Gibson and Cameron Heyward, and junior linebacker Ross Homan.

Honorable mention accolades went to junior offensive guard Bryant Browning (a coaches and media selection), junior cornerback Chimdi Chekwa (coaches) and sophomore quarterback Terrelle Pryor (media).

Coleman, a quarter-finalist for the Lott Trophy and a nominee for the Wuerffel Trophy which honors exemplary community service with academic and athletic achievement, was also named Ohio State's sportsmanship award honoree.

The two first-team selections represents a five-year low for Ohio State, or since the 2004 campaign produced two first-teamers: linebacker A.J. Hawk and kicker Mike Nugent. Iowa led the league with seven first-team selections this season with Penn State and Wisconsin next with five apiece. Michigan State and Michigan each had three first-team picks with Purdue and Northwestern joining Ohio State with two first-teamers apiece. Indiana had one named to the all-conference first-team.