EWU’s Cooper Kupp named to All-America first team

Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp is an All-American for the third straight year.

After catching 114 passes for 1,642 yards and 19 touchdowns, Kupp earned first-team honors on the FCS All-America team announced Thursday by College Sports Madness.

Joining Kupp from Eastern were second-team selection Aaron Neary at guard and Clay DeBord at tackle.

Additional All-America squads are expected to be announced soon, including those selected by the American Football Coaches Association, STATS, Associated Press and the Walter Camp Football Foundation.

Kupp earned first-team All-America honors on six of seven teams released in 2014 and all nine announced in his freshman season in 2013.

All three players were preseason All-America selections, and all three hail from East of the Cascade Mountains in Washington. Kupp is a 2012 graduate of Davis High School in Yakima; Neary is a 2011 graduate of Hanford HS in Richland; and DeBord is a 2011 graduate of Asotin.

Together, that trio earned first-team All-Big Sky Conference honors and helped Eastern rank eighth in FCS in total offense with an average of 478.5 yards per game, including the nation’s top passing offense (353.3 per game).

Kupp, who became only the second wide receiver in 42 years to win the Big Sky Conference Offensive MVP Award, is also one of three finalists to win the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year Award which will be announced in January.

DeBord started a school-record 51 games as an Eagle, playing in a total of 52. Neary started 24 of the 46 games he played, while Kupp has started all 39 he’s played in three seasons.