A Big Sky Conference-best five Montana Grizzlies have earned All-America honors from HERO Sports, the online sports news outlet announced Monday – the first of several FCS All-America lists to be released in the coming weeks. The Griz had two first-team selections, one second-team pick, and a pair of third-team honorees to lead the league.
Recognized as first-team All-Americans were a pair of UM record-breakers in linebacker Dante Olson, who became the Big Sky’s all-time leading tackler on Friday, and wide receiver Samori Toure, who posted the most single-season receiving yards in Montana history.
Olson, a top-three finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, repeated as a HERO Sports first-team All-American after leading all of Division-I football (FCS and FBS) in total tackles for a second-straight season, capping his phenomenal senior year with a school and conference record 179 stops.
Toure also etched his name in the FCS record books, breaking Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss’ 1996 record for most receiving yards in a playoff game with 303 against Southeastern Louisiana.
Robby Hauck earned second-team honors as a sophomore after picking up a Freshman All-American nod in 2018 following his second-straight season as one of the top-ten tacklers in the Big Sky. Hauck finished the year as UM’s third-leading tackler with 129 stops, now tied with Colt Anderson and his uncle Tim Hauck for the fifth most stops in a single season in UM history.
In just two seasons, Hauck is already one of the top-40 tacklers in program history with 224 tackles in 25 games, an average of nearly nine per-game.
Electrifying punt returner and record-setting wide receiver Jerry Louie-McGee earned third-team All-America honors as a returner.
The senior finished his career tied with Marc Mariani and Levander Seagers for the most punt return touchdowns in program history (three), and No. 6 among UM’s all-time leaders in punt return yards per game. He also shattered Montana’s all-time pass reception record with 230 in his illustrious career.
Rounding-out Montana’s haul of All-America honorees was Big Sky Newcomer of the Year Marcus Knight, who also etched his name in the Grizzly record books with 1,030 rushing yards and 25 total touchdowns for 150 points – the second-most in all of D-I football behind Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor.
In his first year at UM, Knight became the Grizzlies’ all-time leader in single-season rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns, and scoring, breaking Chase Reynolds’ 2008 and 2009 school records.
Montanans on HERO SPORTS All-America Teams
First Team
WR – Samori Toure, Jr., Montana
LB – Dante Olson, Sr., Montana
Second Team
DB – Robby Hauck, So., Montana
Third Team
RB – Marcus Knight, So., Montana
PR – Jerry Louie-McGee, Sr., Montana
Complete HERO Sports All-America Team – By School
| AA TEAM | POS | PLAYER | YEAR | SCHOOL |
| 3RD TEAM | LB | Jeremiah Chambers | Sr. | Abilene Christian |
| 1ST TEAM | RB | Jordan Bentley | Sr. | Alabama A&M |
| 3RD TEAM | LS | Colton Menges | Sr. | Alcorn State |
| 1ST TEAM | WR | DeAngelo Wilson | Jr. | Austin Peay |
| 1ST TEAM | ATH | JaVaughn Craig | Sr. | Austin Peay |
| 1ST TEAM | DB | Kordell Jackson | Jr. | Austin Peay |
| 3RD TEAM | OL | Kyle Anderton | Sr. | Austin Peay |
| 1ST TEAM | P | Alex Pechin | Sr. | Bucknell |
| 3RD TEAM | DB | Isiah Swann | Sr. | Dartmouth |
| 1ST TEAM | TE | Adam Trautman | Sr. | Dayton |
| 3RD TEAM | DB | Brandon Easterling | Jr. | Dayton |
| 3RD TEAM | DL | Aaron Patrick | Sr. | Eastern Kentucky |
| 3RD TEAM | QB | Eric Barriere | Jr. | Eastern Washington |
| 1ST TEAM | DB | Greg Liggs, Jr. | Sr. | Elon |
| 2ND TEAM | DL | Nasir Player | Sr. | ETSU |
| 2ND TEAM | P | Chris Faddoul | Jr. | Florida A&M |
| 2ND TEAM | DL | Andre Walker | Sr. | Houston Baptist |
| 3RD TEAM | KR | Gamar Brito | Sr. | Houston Baptist |
| 1ST TEAM | RB | James Robinson | Sr. | Illinois State |
| 1ST TEAM | DB | Luther Kirk | Sr. | Illinois State |
| 3RD TEAM | OL | Drew Himmelman | Jr. | Illinois State |
| 3RD TEAM | LB | Jonas Griffith | Sr. | Indiana State |
| 1ST TEAM | LS | Josh Brady | Sr. | Jacksonville State |
| 2ND TEAM | WR | Josh Pearson | Sr. | Jacksonville State |
| 2ND TEAM | DB | Marlon Bridges | Sr. | Jacksonville State |
| 1ST TEAM | OL | Mac Patrick | Sr. | James Madison |
| 1ST TEAM | DL | Ron’Dell Carter | Sr. | James Madison |
| 2ND TEAM | QB | Ben DiNucci | Sr. | James Madison |
| 2ND TEAM | DL | John Daka | Sr. | James Madison |
| 2ND TEAM | LB | Dimitri Holloway | Sr. | James Madison |
| 2ND TEAM | ST | D’Angelo Amos | Jr. | James Madison |
| 3RD TEAM | RB | Percy Agyei-Obese | Jr. | James Madison |
| 3RD TEAM | OL | Liam Fornadel | Jr. | James Madison |
| 3RD TEAM | DB | Adam Smith | Sr. | James Madison |
| 3RD TEAM | PK | Ethan Ratke | Jr. | James Madison |
| 2ND TEAM | LB | Bryson Armstrong | Jr. | Kennesaw State |
| 3RD TEAM | FB | Bronson Rechsteiner | Sr. | Kennesaw State |
| 1ST TEAM | KR | Earnest Edwards | Sr. | Maine |
| 1ST TEAM | RB | Pete Guerriero | Jr. | Monmouth |
| 3RD TEAM | QB | Kenji Bahar | Sr. | Monmouth |
| 3RD TEAM | OL | John Gallina | Sr. | Monmouth |
| 1ST TEAM | WR | Samori Toure | Jr. | Montana |
| 1ST TEAM | LB | Dante Olson | Sr. | Montana |
| 2ND TEAM | DB | Robby Hauck | Soph. | Montana |
| 3RD TEAM | RB | Marcus Knight | Soph. | Montana |
| 3RD TEAM | PR | Jerry Louie-McGee | Sr. | Montana |
| 1ST TEAM | ATH | Troy Andersen | Jr. | Montana State |
| 2ND TEAM | OL | Mitch Brott | Sr. | Montana State |
| 2ND TEAM | DL | Bryce Sterk | Sr. | Montana State |
| 2ND TEAM | DB | Brayden Konkol | Sr. | Montana State |
| 1ST TEAM | DL | Sully Laiche | Sr. | Nicholls |
| 2ND TEAM | OL | PJ Burkhalter | Jr. | Nicholls |
| 3RD TEAM | LB | Allen Pittman | Sr. | Nicholls |
| 2ND TEAM | RB | Jah-Maine Martin | Jr. | North Carolina A&T |
| 2ND TEAM | OL | Marcus Pettiford | Sr. | North Carolina A&T |
| 3RD TEAM | LB | Donnell Rodgers | Sr. | North Dakota |
| 1ST TEAM | QB | Trey Lance | Fr. | North Dakota State |
| 1ST TEAM | OL | Dillon Radunz | Jr. | North Dakota State |
| 1ST TEAM | OL | Zack Johnson | Sr. | North Dakota State |
| 1ST TEAM | DL | Derrek Tuszka | Sr. | North Dakota State |
| 1ST TEAM | LB | Jabril Cox | Jr. | North Dakota State |
| 2ND TEAM | OL | Cordell Volson | Jr. | North Dakota State |
| 2ND TEAM | DB | James Hendricks | Sr. | North Dakota State |
| 3RD TEAM | TE | Ben Ellefson | Sr. | North Dakota State |
| 1ST TEAM | PK | Luis Aguilar | Jr. | Northern Arizona |
| 2ND TEAM | QB | Case Cookus | Sr. | Northern Arizona |
| 3RD TEAM | P | DJ Arnson | Jr. | Northern Arizona |
| 3RD TEAM | WR | Isaiah Weston | Soph. | Northern Iowa |
| 3RD TEAM | DL | Elerson Smith | Jr. | Northern Iowa |
| 2ND TEAM | TE | Charlie Taumoepeau | Sr. | Portland State |
| 1ST TEAM | OL | Kyle Murphy | Sr. | Rhode Island |
| 1ST TEAM | WR | Aaron Parker | Sr. | Rhode Island |
| 2ND TEAM | KR | Ahmere Dorsey | Sr. | Rhode Island |
| 1ST TEAM | QB | Kevin Thomson | Jr. | Sacramento State |
| 2ND TEAM | AP | Elijah Dotson | Jr. | Sacramento State |
| 2ND TEAM | LB | Da’Jon Lee | Sr. | Saint Francis |
| 2ND TEAM | PR | Montrell Washington | Jr. | Samford |
| 3RD TEAM | WR | Michael Bandy | Sr. | San Diego |
| 1ST TEAM | LB | Zach Hall | Sr. | SEMO |
| 2ND TEAM | WR | Kristian Wilkerson | Sr. | SEMO |
| 1ST TEAM | OL | Alex Taylor | Sr. | South Carolina State |
| 1ST TEAM | LB | Christian Rozeboom | Sr. | South Dakota State |
| 2ND TEAM | RB | Pierre Strong Jr. | Soph. | South Dakota State |
| 2ND TEAM | LS | Bradey Sorenson | Sr. | South Dakota State |
| 3RD TEAM | WR | Cade Johnson | Jr. | South Dakota State |
| 3RD TEAM | DB | Ferlando Jordan | Soph. | Southeastern Louisiana |
| 1ST TEAM | DB | Jeremy Chinn | Sr. | Southern Illinois |
| 1ST TEAM | AP | Chris Rowland | Sr. | Tennessee State |
| 3RD TEAM | ATH | Brandon Rainey | Jr. | The Citadel |
| 2ND TEAM | RB | Karl Mofor | Jr. | UAlbany |
| 2ND TEAM | WR | Juwan Green | Sr. | UAlbany |
| 3RD TEAM | DL | Eli Mencer | Sr. | UAlbany |
| 1ST TEAM | PR | Terry Williams | Sr. | UT Martin |
| 3RD TEAM | AP | Alex Ramsey | Jr. | VMI |
| 2ND TEAM | LB | Cam Gill | Sr. | Wagner |
| 1ST TEAM | DL | Jonah Williams | Sr. | Weber State |
| 2ND TEAM | PK | Trey Tuttle | Jr. | Weber State |
| 3RD TEAM | RB | Josh Davis | Soph. | Weber State |
| 3RD TEAM | DL | LaCale London | Sr. | Western Illinois |
| 1ST TEAM | ST | Bill Murray | Sr. | William & Mary |
| 2ND TEAM | ATH | Joe Newman | Sr. | Wofford |
| 3RD TEAM | OL | Justus Basinger | Sr. | Wofford |
| 2ND TEAM | OL | Dieter Eiselen | Sr. | Yale |
| 3RD TEAM | ST | Spencer Matthaei | Sr. | Yale |