Western Illinois University Athletics

At Western Illinois
2008 (Senior season): A repeat honoree on the all-conference honorable mention list... also a second-team academic all-conference honoree... started all 11 games, 10 at strong linebacker... had a season-best 10 tackles at Arkansas, and again versus UNI... registered three sacks on the season, including two at North Dakota State... also forced a fumble at NDSU... returned an interception 21 yards at South Dakota State... was the team's third-leading tackler with 63 stops, seven of which were for a loss... handled long-snapping duties again... was again named to the FCS Athletics Directors Academic All-Star Team... earned Western Illinois' Red Miller Award... named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Academic Second Team... earned the Missouri Valley Football Conference Presidents Award for Academic Excellence.

2007 (Redshirt-Junior season): Named to the Gateway All-Conference Honorable Mention Team... one of 51 players nationally named to the FCS Athletics Directors Academic All-Star Team... started all 11 games... ranked third on the team and 15th in the league in tackles (7.4 per game)... also appeared among the league’s top 10 in sacks (3rd), tackles for loss (9th) and passes defended (7th)... had three games with double-digit tackles, including a career-high 12 against South Dakota State... career-high three tackles for loss (-21 yards) against Youngstown State... registered five total sacks (-36 yards) and 7.5 tackles for loss (-43 yards)... returned an interception 38 yards against Illinois State... broke up seven passes... also a very accomplished long snapper... won Western Illinois’ Robert Blaha, Sr. Scholarship Award... earned the Presidents Council Award, the Gateway Conference’s highest academic honor... named to the Gateway Academic All-Conferece First Team... also received the Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award and was named to the league honor roll.

2006 (Junior season): Started game one, registering seven tackles, one tackle for loss, one pass breakup and one fumble recovery... suffered an eventual season-ending injury against Morehead State... still handled punt snapping duties at Wisconsin... received a medical redshirt.

2005 (Sophomore season): Registered 52 tackles, five tackles for loss and two pass break-ups in 11 games... starter in six games... recovered two fumbles, including one returned for a touchdown... recorded 26 solo tackles... also recorded two sacks... recorded first career touchdown on a fumble return against Iowa Wesleyan... honorable mention selection on the Gateway Academic All-Conference Team.

2004 (Redshirt-Freshman season): Had 54 tackles, two tackles for loss and three pass break-ups in 11 games... recorded 25 solo tackles, including a personal-best eight against Northern Iowa... also recorded a personal-best 10 total tackles against Northern Iowa... also registered three pass break-ups against Nebraska, Cheyney and Quincy... ranked fourth on the squad in total tackles... started all 11 games at linebacker... earned Gateway All-Newcomer honors... also worked as the Leathernecks’ starting long snapper.

2003 (Freshman season): Medical redshirt

High School
An all-conference and all-state pick as a senior... averaged 15 tackles per game... registered 226 stops as a two-year starter at linebacker... served as a long snapper... earned a 52-1 wrestling record as a senior... had a perfect 5.0 GPA.

Personal
Son of Jeff and Gloria Cherry... born April 26, 1984... major is kinesiology... carries a 3.556 GPA.