Aug. 19, 2011

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The University of Illinois announced the fourth group of players on the All-Decade Team Friday, with receivers Arrelious Benn, Brandon Lloyd and Walter Young, and tight end Michael Hoomanawanui being named to the 31-player team. The squad, which honors Illini who played between 2000-10, was compiled by a combination of fan voting and input from Division of Intercollegiate Athletics staff.

Benn was one of the highest-regarded recruits in program history and he made an immediate splash, breaking UI freshman records for receptions and receiving yards - 54 and 676, respectively - in 2007 and returning a kickoff for a touchdown against Penn State on Sept. 29, Illinois' first since 2004. He posted Illinois' sixth 1,000-receiving-yard season in 2008 when he caught 67 passes for 1,055 yards, and he stands tied for fourth in career catches in UI history with 159. He ranks sixth with 2,221 receiving yards and fifth in single-season catches with 67 in 2008. Benn's 12 catches against Minnesota on Oct. 11, 2008, are tied for third-most in school history, his 1,055 yards in 2008 rank fifth in UI history and his five 100-yard games place him seventh on that record list. He was a fourth-team All-American by Phil Steele and a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the media in 2008. Benn was a second-round pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2010 NFL Draft and is beginning his second season with the Bucs in 2011.

Hoomanawanui caught a career-high 25 passes for 312 yards in 2008 and finished his career with 38 catches for 469 yards. He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick in 2008 and started 21 games in his career. Hoomanawanui was a fifth-round selection by the St. Louis Rams in the 2010 NFL Draft and is beginning his second year with the Rams in 2011.

Lloyd stands as one of the best receivers in school history and is one of only two players in school history to post two 1,000-yard seasons, along with David Williams. He ranks second in UI history in career receiving yards with 2,583 and third in career receptions with 160. He also is second in career touchdown catches (21) and 100-yard games (12), shares the single-season touchdown receptions record with Williams (10) and ranks third in season TDs with nine in 2002. Lloyd caught 65 passes in both 2001 and 2002, standing sixth on the single-season receptions list, and his 12 catches against Northwestern on Nov. 22, 2001, stand tied for third-most in a game in UI history. He also compiled six 100-yard games in 2001, tying Williams' school record, and his 178 yards against California on Sept. 1, 2001, are tied for sixth-best in a game in school history. He was a second-team All-Big Ten selection in both 2001 and 2002, and was taken in the fourth round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He led the NFL in receiving yards in 2010 while playing for the Denver Broncos and returns to the Broncos in 2011 for his ninth year in the league.

Young earned the third receiver spot on the All-Decade Team after finishing his career third on the career receiving yardage record list (2,382) and sixth on the career receptions chart (147). He is tied for third with 15 career touchdown catches and his eight TD grabs in 2001 are tied for fourth in a season in UI history. His 890 receiving yards in 2001 rank ninth and his 178 receiving yards in the 2002 Sugar Bowl stand tied for sixth in a single game. He also ranks seventh in career 100-yard games with seven and his four 100-yard games in 2002 stand tied for seventh. He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection in 2002 and was a seventh-round pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played for the Panthers in 2003 and the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2006.

A new position group of the All-Decade Team will be announced each weekday from Aug. 16-26.

The Illini open the 2011 season by hosting Arkansas State at 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 3. It is the first of five consecutive home games and eight total home games, the most in Memorial Stadium history. Season and single-game tickets are available at http://www.athletics.illinois.edu/tickets/.

All-Decade Team
Arrelious Benn, WR
Brandon Lloyd, WR
Walter Young, WR
Michael Hoomanawanui, TE
Jeff Allen, OL
Jon Asamoah, OL
Luke Butkus, OL
David Diehl, OL
Martin O'Donnell, OL
Tony Pashos, OL
Will Davis, DL
Corey Liuget, DL
Brandon Moore, DL
Chris Norwell, DL
Derrick Strong, DL
Jason Reda, PK
Pierre Thomas, KR
Steve Weatherford, P