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MOORHEAD, Minn.-- Concordia senior defensive lineman Travis Almquist has been selected to play for the American Football Coaches Association’s Division III all-star team that will represent the United States against the Mexican National Team in the 2005 Aztec Bowl on December 17 in Toluca, Mexico.

Almquist, a senior from Fargo, N.D., was an All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection for the Cobbers in 2005. He finished the season with 34 tackles and 13.5 tackles for loss.

Almquist is one of 46 NCAA Division III seniors from around the country who will make up this year’s team. Former Central (Iowa) College Head Coach Ron Schipper will coach the team for the ninth consecutive year.

He becomes the sixth player in program history to play in the game. Last year offensive lineman Nick Didier was chosen to play in the prestigious game. Derek Flann played in the 2002 Aztec Bowl. Defensive standout Mark Hankel played in the 2000 game, Jake Estenson participated in 1999 and Tory Langemo played in the inaugural AFCA Aztec Bowl back in 1997.

The Aztec Bowl is the traditional season-ending game for Mexico’s college football season. The game has been played 34 times since 1947 with the last eight contests featuring the United States-Mexico match-up. The United States is 7-1 in the series and defeated Mexico, 23-3, in the 2004 game in Cancun.

Chitwood Sports Media of Jefferson, Texas will again provide a live webcast of the Aztec Bowl in 2005. Along with the game webcast on December 17, announcers Charlie Chitwood and Ned Fratangelo will provide 90-minute preview shows on December 14, 15 and 16. The preview shows will originate from the Team USA hotel and will begin each night at 6:30 p.m. CST.

The preview shows and game webcast can all be accessed via the AFCA’s website at www.afca.com and via the Aztec Bowl website at www.aztecbowl.com. Postgame results will also be available at www.afca.com.

Aztec Bowl Alumni: Two former Team USA members, London Fletcher and Clint Kriewaldt, are currently playing in the National Football League. Fletcher, who played collegiately at John Carroll and was a member of the 1997 U.S. team, is a linebacker with the Buffalo Bills. Kriewaldt was the Detroit Lions’ 1999 fifth-round draft pick out of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and played in the 1998 Aztec Bowl. He is currently a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.