Nov. 28, 2007
NORMAL, Ill. -
Illinois State wide receiver Eyad Salem (Elgin, Ill./Larkin HS) and defensive back Kelvyn Hemphill (San Antonio /O'Connor HS) were two of 23 student-athletes named to the 2007 Gateway Football Conference All-Newcomer Team Wednesday.
Salem, a sophomore who transferred to Illinois State from Minnesota State-Moorhead, ranked second on the team with 31 catches for 460 yards and four touchdowns, while averaging 14.8 yards per catch and 41.8 receiving yards per game. During the 2007 season, Salem notched a seven-catch, 106-yard receiving game, including a touchdown, at Missouri. He also grabbed nine balls for 176 yards and a touchdown against Western Illinois and finished with seven catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns at North Dakota State.
Hemphill ranked sixth on the team with 46 tackles, 29 of which were solo efforts, while playing in all 11 games with eight starting assignments. He finished the year with one interception, at Youngstown State, and two pass breakups. The redshirt-freshman also posted 2.5 tackles for loss and blocked an extra-point attempt at North Dakota State.
Gateway coaches, sports information directors and a media panel selected the team. The top-11 vote-getters on offense and defense, plus ties, were named to the team.
