Filani Named to Playboy All-America Team
May 02, 2006 | Football
May 2, 2006
LUBBOCK, Texas - Senior wide receiver Joel Filani (Phoenix, Ariz./Paradise Valley) has been selected to the 2006 Playboy 50th Anniversary All-America Team, the publication announced Wednesday. He becomes the eighth Red Raider to be honored with the distinction as former Red Raiders named to the team include E.J. Holub (1960), Dan Irons (1977), Ted Watts (1980), Tracy Saul (1992), Zach Thomas (1995), Ricky Williams (1999) and Aaron Hunt (2002).
"It's an honor to be named to such a prestigious team," Filani said. "I feel blessed to be able to go out and play the sport I love. I'm looking forward to the season, and am going to focus this off-season to working hard and becoming a better player."
Filani, who will graduate with a degree in business May 13, has been ranked among the nation's top five receivers by ESPN's Mel Kiper and recognized as one of the top receivers in college football by CollegeFootballNews.com.
Filani is coming off of a season that was witness to a breakout year for the 6-foot-3, 222-pound wide receiver. Entering 2005, he had 19 receptions, 319 yards and two touchdowns in 25 career games. Over the course of last season, he led the Big 12 Conference with 87.3 yards per game and became the fifth player in school history to record over 1,000 receiving yards with 1,048 on 65 receptions. Filani totaled eight touchdowns on the season and averaged 16.1 yards per catch. His 255 receiving yards at Nebraska set a school record and, along with three scoring receptions, earned him SBC Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors.
"This is a tremendous compliment to Joel and his talents," Texas Tech Head Coach Mike Leach said. "He is deserving of every award that comes his way, and to be named to the Playboy All-America team is no exception. This is a highly coveted award and he is in the company of many great players, past and present, who have been named to the team."
The publication is celebrating its 50th year of the Playboy All-American tradition, a tradition that has included such players as Dan Marino, John Elway, Troy Aikman, Barry Sanders, Michael Vick and Peyton Manning. Coaches such as USC's Pete Carroll and former Alabama great Paul "Bear" Bryant also have been honored by the publication.
