Short earned Hewlett-Packard All-American First Team honors for the second consecutive season. He finished the 2002 season with 71 receptions for 705 yards and 17 touchdowns. His 17 scoring catches broke his own school and North Coast Athletic Conference record of 13 set in 2000 and again in 2001. He caught four TD passes in the Monon Bell victory against DePauw, tying a school record and setting a Monon Bell Classic record. He finished his career with 45 touchdown receptions, more than any other receiver in Indiana collegiate history. Short also finished with a school-record 243 receptions, and finished third on the Wabash career receiving yards list with 2,773. Short was a Don Hansen's Football Gazette First Team All-North Region selection and a 2002 American Football Coaches Association All-American.
Boulais was selected to the HP All-American First Team at linebacker after leading the Little Giants for the fourth consecutive season in tackles. He topped the 100-tackle mark for the second time in his career, finishing the year with 102 (42 solo, 60 assisted). Boulais also finished his career as the second-leading tackler in school history with 364. He anchored a Wabash defensive unit that ranked in the top-ten in rushing defense and scoring defense throughout most of the year. The Little Giants held the opposition to 75.7 yards on the ground, currently eighth-best in the nation. The opponents averaged only 15.3 points per game against the Little Giants this season. Boulais’ efforts this season earned him the Hank Critchfield NCAC Defensive Player of the Year Award. Boulais was a 2002 Verizon Academic All-District V Second Team selection and was named to the 2002 Don Hansen's Football Gazette All-North Region Second team.
Knott earned HP Third Team All-American honors at quarterback. He won the Mike Gregory NCAC Offensive Player of the Year Award for the second consecutive season. Knott owns nearly every quarterback record in the Wabash and NCAC record book. He is the only quarterback in Indiana collegiate history to throw for over 10,000 yards and 100 touchdowns in a career, and is one of only 16 in NCAA history to accomplish the feat. He threw for a school-record 2,954 yards and a school and conference-record 35 TDs. Knott finished his career with 11,213 passing yards and 116 touchdown passes. He also showed his mobility, rushing for 261 yards this season and 841 yards in his career, giving him 12,054 yards of total offense in four years in a Wabash uniform. He finished his career against Mount Union having started in every game from his freshman to senior season. He was named to the 2002 Don Hansen's Football Gazette All-North Region Third Team.
For a complete list of the 2002 Hewlett-Packard All-American team, go to:
http://www.brockport.edu/~athletics/2002%20HPAA%20team.htm