Seven Badgers Earn First Team All-Big Ten Honors

Wisconsin's senior tailback Montee Ball was voted the Big Ten's top running back for the second straight year, headlining a list of seven Badgers selected first team All-Big Ten by either the media or coaches.

In total, 16 different Badgers were honored, including junior tight end Jacob Pedersen who was a somewhat surprising winner of the Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year award. Pedersen was a first-team pick by the coaches, honorable mention by the media.

Eight players from the defense and special teams received all-conference votes. That does not include senior safety Shelton Johnson, Wisconsin's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient. On the offensive side, six more players received votes, including Ball, who won his second Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year award just two days after setting a new NCAA record for career touchdowns.

Junior wide receiver Jared Abbrederis, currently fourth in the Big Ten with 764 receiving yards, joined Ball as a consensus first-team pick. Along the much-maligned offensive line, senior tackle Ricky Wagner (consensus) and junior Travis Frederick (media) were named to the first team. Junior Ryan Groy was a second-team pick by the coaches.

Linebackers Mike Taylor and Chris Borland led the way on defense, just as they have all year. Taylor, a senior, was a first-team pick by the media, while the coaches voted Borland, a junior, to the first team. Senior cornerback Devin Smith was a second-team selection by the media as well. All three received honorable mention from the other group.

Senior cornerback Marcus Cromartie, junior lineman Beau Allen, junior safety Dezmen Southward, and junior defensive end David Gilbert round out the consensus honorable mention picks on defense. Another junior lineman, Ethan Hemer, received votes from the coaches. Redshirt freshman Drew Meyer was honorable mention at punter.

View entire All-Big Ten teams

2012 All-Big Ten Conference football teams

Offense

Montee Ball - First team (consensus)
Jared Abbrederis - First team (consensus)
Rick Wagner - First team (consensus)
Travis Frederick - First team (media), Honorable mention (coaches)
Jacob Pedersen - First team (coaches), Honorable mention (media)
Ryan Groy - Second team (coaches), Honorable mention (media)

Defense

Mike Taylor - First team (media), Honorable mention (coaches)
Chris Borland - First team (coaches), Honorable mention (media)
Devin Smith - Second team (media), Honorable mention (coaches)
Beau Allen - Honorable mention (consensus)
Marcus Cromartie - Honorable mention (consensus)
David Gilbert - Honorable mention (consensus)
Dezmen Southward - Honorable mention (consensus)
Ethan Hemer - Honorable mention (coaches)

Special Teams

Drew Meyer - Honorable mention (consensus)

Big Ten Sportsmanship Award

Shelton Johnson