EAST STROUDSBURG - Punter Nick Krut and cornerback Lionel Mitchell have been selected to represent East Stroudsburg University in the 2009 Valero Cactus Bowl, which will be played on Friday, January 9 at Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Krut (Clarks Summit/Abington Heights) and Mitchell (Snellville, Ga./Hargrave Military Academy) are the seventh and eighth ESU players to be selected to play in Division II's senior all-star game since it was introduced in 1994. The Warriors finished the 2008 season with a 9-2 record, the eighth nine-win season in school history.

Krut led Division II with a 46.0-yard punting average and posted the second-highest average in all divisions of college football in 2008. ESU also led the nation in net punting at 39.7 yards per punt, nearly two yards better than any other school in Division II. Krut was named to the Daktronics Division II All-America first team last week and had a 42.4-yard career average, the best in school history, in his three seasons on campus.

Mitchell started 10 games at cornerback in his only season at ESU after earning three letters at the University of Alabama. A first team All-PSAC East selection, Mitchell was rarely tested with the Warriors but managed 44 tackles and four pass break-ups. His presence helped sophomore cornerback David Castillo rank second in the PSAC with 15 passes defensed, including three interceptions.

Fullback Anthony Carfagno was the last Warrior selected to participate in the Cactus Bowl after his senior year in 2005. Punter Adam Hostetter went following the 2001 season and linebacker Kevin Nagle and offensive lineman Shepard Alston were both selected in 2000, the first year the game was played in Kingsville.

The all-star game was previously known as the Snow Bowl and played in Fargo, N.D. Linebacker Joe Menton made the trip after his senior year in 1995, and record-setting quarterback Damian Poalucci played in the game following the 1997 season.

Krut and Mitchell are two of 11 players from the PSAC on the 42-member East squad. There have been over 100 players drafted into the NFL who played in the Cactus Bowl. All net profits from the Cactus Bowl are donated to Shriners Hospitals for Children.

East Team
QB - Corey Russell - Tusculum
QB - Kevin McCabe - California, PA
RB - Mike McLendon - North Alabama
RB - Sammy Milton - Elizabeth City State
RB - George Washington III - Mars Hill
WR - Mike Washington - West Chester
WR - Julius Pruitt - Ouachita Baptist
WR - Garett Manning - Henderson State
WR - Edward Gant - North Alabama
WR - Dyshaun Edwards - Tiffin
WR - Chad Schroeder - Delta State
TE - Denayne Davidson-Dixon - Edinboro
TE - Bob Ruffing - Ouachita Baptist
OL - Kennis Jones - West Chester
OL - Desi Mayner - Saginaw Valley State
OL - Louis West - Henderson State
OL - Nate Hollins - Ashland
OL - Ross Conn - Harding
OL - Sam Allen - Grand Valley State
OL - Mark Ellis - Delta State
OL - Jeremy Ashcraft - Arkansas Tech
PK - Tom Schneider - North Alabama
CB - Darren Banks - West Liberty State
CB - Matt Black - Saginaw Valley State
CB - Otis Ballard - Carson-Newman
CB - Barry Tate - Lenoir-Rhyne College
CB - Lionell Mitchell - East Stroudsburg
CB - Steven Jackson - Fort Valley State
S - Rodrick Jones - Elizabeth City State
S - Dante Dunn - Wayne State
LB - Dan Skuta - Grand Valley State
LB - Terrence Jackson - Indiana, PA
LB - Darren Burns - California, PA
LB - Anthony King - Delta State
LB - Justin Scott - Tusculum
DL - Jon Ochs - Bloomsburg
DL - Jahlim Cuttino - Southern Connecticut
DL - Sammy Hill - Stillman
DL - Jacob Visser - Ferris State
DL - Chris Dowdell - Mars Hill
DL - Christopher Murphy - Gannon
P - Nick Krut - East Stroudsburg

West Team
QB - Ted Schlafke - Minnesota-Duluth
QB - Keith Null - West Texas A&M
RB - Caleb Farabi - Pittsburg State
RB - Brian McNeill - Nebraska-Omaha
RB - Daniel Thomas - Angelo State
WR - Charly Martin - West Texas A&M
WR - Johnathan Ferguson - Abilene Christian
WR - Jarrett Byers - Northeastern State
WR - Marques Nelson - Pittsburg State
WR - Jareko Taylor - Texas A&M-Kingsville
WR - John Means - Western New Mexico
TE - Zack Miller - Nebraska-Omaha
TE - Todd Burkoth - Winona State
OL - Dennis Cooper - Cheyney
OL - Darron Sheppard - Texas A&M-Commerce
OL - Tom Pestock - Northwest Missouri State
OL - Devin Livingston - Tarleton State
OL - Joseph Thompson - Abilene Christian
OL - Reid Kirby - Northwest Missouri State
OL - Nick Urban - Winona State
OL - Dustin Finn - Central Oklahoma
PK - Jared Keating - Mesa State
CB - Terrell Phelps - Bemidji State
CB - Tremaine Wright - Tarleton State
CB - Gerrett Burl - East Central
CB - Devon Hughes - Henderson State
CB - Gregory Toler - St. Paul's College
CB - Jerome Mann - St. Paul's College
S - Tyler Yelk - Minnesota-Duluth
S - Jabir Perkins - Texas A&M-Kingsville
LB - Jared Brock - West Texas A&M
LB - Mark Meng - Fort Lewis
LB - Jeff Souder - Nebraska-Omaha
LB - Blake Freese - Minnesota State-Mankato
LB - K.C. Asiodu - Central Oklahoma
DL - Ryan Kees - St. Cloud State
DL - Les Hammers - Truman State
DL - John Wood - Central Missouri
DL - Matt Cox - Western Oregon
DL - Chris Burnkhorst - Minnesota State-Mankato
DL - Ronald Green - Eastern New Mexico
P - Jamie Hanson - Missouri Western