Denver, Colo.-----Safety Duke Ihenacho became San Jose State University's first three-time, first-team All-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) football player when the 2011 all-conference selections were named today.

In a vote by the conference's eight coaches, Ihenacho was named to the All-WAC first team for the third time in four years. He completed his senior season with 73 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, and a team-high six pass break-ups in 2011. Ihenacho intercepted one pass, forced two fumbles and recovered two fumbles, one of which he turned into a touchdown in the Colorado State victory. He was a first-team choice in 2008 and 2009.

SEVEN SPARTANS NAMED 2011 ALL-WAC

For the second time since joining the WAC in 1996, three San Jose State players were first-team honorees. Defensive end Travis Johnson (Sunnyvale, Calif.) and tight end Ryan Otten (Loomis, Calif.), two juniors in 2011, joined Ihenacho on the first-team. The first time was in 2008 with Ihenacho, defensive lineman Jarron Gilbert and cornerback Christopher Owens receiving first-team All-WAC recognition.

Johnson currently ranks 12^th nationally with his 9.5 quarterback sacks and 28^th nationally with his 15.5 tackles for loss. Otten caught 52 passes for 739 yards and five touchdowns. He is the highest ranking tight end nationally in receiving yards per game at 67.2 for 739 yards and his 14.2 yards per catch average is tops among Football Bowl Subdivision tight ends that meet the minimum of four receptions per game.

Ihenacho is just the fourth San Jose State football player to be named a first-team all-conference choice three-times in the Spartans' 41 years of conference affiliation dating back to 1970. Linebacker Carl Ekern (1973, 1974, 1975), defensive lineman Wilson Faumuina (1974, 1975 and 1976) and defensive back Gerald Small (1975, 1976, 1977) were three-time, first-team All-Pacific Coast Athletic Association (PCAA) selections.

Linebacker Keith Smith (Covina, Calif.), running back Brandon Rutley (Martinez, Calif.), offensive tackle David Quessenberry (Carlsbad, Calif.) and wide receiver Noel Grigsby (Los Angeles, Calif.) were second team choices. Smith, the team's top tackler with 104 tackles, was a second-team player as a freshman in 2010.