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SPORTS SHORTS: Smith makes it UNI duo in Senior Bowl

MOBILE, Ala. — Northern Iowa defensive lineman Elerson G. Smith accepted an invitation to the Reese’s Senior Bowl, joining teammate and offensive tackle Spencer Brown.

UNI is one of two schools, the other being Michigan, with two accepted Senior Bowl invites.

Smith was the Phil Steele FCS Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and earned Preseason First-Team All-American honors from Stats Perform. He was a First-Team All-MVFC honoree last season and was named AFCA First-Team All-American after picking up 14 sacks, 14 quarterback hurries, 21.5 tackles for loss and 63 total tackles.

Smith is the 10th Panther to accept a senior bowl invite. He is currently in Minneapolis training to get ready for the Senior Bowl and the rest of the draft process.

The Senior Bowl is slated for Jan. 30, 2021, in Mobile, Ala., while Northern Iowa is scheduled to begin its football season on Feb. 20 at home against Illinois State.

ISU’s Scott on Lisa Leslie Watch List

AMES — Iowa State women’s basketball senior center Kristin Scott was named to the Lisa Leslie Award Watch List for the second-consecutive year, the WBCA announced Friday.

Last season, Scott finished the year as Iowa State’s second-leading scorer with 14.2 points per game. She was also the second-leading rebounder with 6.9 boards per contest. Scott earned honorable mention Preseason All-Big 12 honors to kick off the 2020-21 season.

Last season, Scott’s exceptional play earned her a spot as a top-10 finalist for the honor.

In early February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2021 Lisa Leslie Award will be narrowed to just 10. In early March, five finalists will be presented to Ms. Miller and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee.

Iowa State, which is currently ranked 15th nationally in the Preseason AP Poll, will open the 2020-21 season on Nov. 25 at noon against Omaha in Hilton Coliseum.

Bailey, McDonald added to watch list

AMES — Iowa State’s JaQuan Bailey and Will McDonald are two of 20 players who made the updated Ted Hendricks Award Watch List, announced by the Ted Hendricks Foundation.

The award is given annually to the nation’s best defensive end.

Bailey and McDonald have helped the Cyclones rank 36th nationally in sacks per game (2.71) and 27th in the nation in tackles for loss per game (7.4).

Bailey, a senior from Jacksonville, Fla., is Iowa State’s all-time career leader in sacks (23.5) and tackles for loss (42.5).

Bailey leads the team in tackles for loss with 11, ranking second in the Big 12 Conference, and is second on the team in sacks (5), ranking fourth in the league. Bailey equaled single-game school marks in sacks (3.5) and tackles for loss (4.0) vs. TCU and was honored as the Big 12’s Defensive Player of the Week for his performance.

Bailey also leads all Cyclone down linemen with 28 tackles.

A native of Pewaukee, Wis., McDonald has established himself as one of the best third-down specialists in the nation. McDonald is currently tied for first in the Big 12 with 5.5 sacks and has 6.5 tackles for loss.

McDonald has been credited with a sack in five of seven games this season and has 10.5 sacks in his last 11 games dating back to last season. His 12.5 career sacks ties for eighth in school history.

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