Dec. 19, 2008

Wayne State University senior defensive back/return specialist Dante Dunn (Lansing, Mich./Waverly) has been selected to participate in the 2009 Cactus Bowl, a Division II All Star game slated for January 9 in Kingsville, Texas.

Dunn won the 2008 WSU Defensive Most Valuable Player award as well as the Special Teams Most Valuable Player award. He was a Daktronics First Team All-Region selection at both safety and return specialist. The GLIAC Defensive Back of the Year (which includes linebackers) and First Team All-GLIAC at both positions, Dunn led all WSU defensive backs and finished 17th in the GLIAC with 82 tackles. He was fourth in the GLIAC in passes defended with 12 (3 interceptions and 9 break-ups).

Dunn finished fifth in the nation in kickoff return average (30.7). He was a three-time GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week in 2008 and had two of the three GLIAC kickoff returns for a TD in 2008. Dunn also blocked two punts, one vs. Indianapolis which went for the game's only score to earn him D2Football.com National Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

The Cactus Bowl was originally known as the Snow Bowl and was played in Fargo, North Dakota from 1994 through 2000. Starting in 2001, the Snow Bowl was renamed the Cactus Bowl and has been played in Kingsville, Texas. There have been over 100 players drafted into the NFL who played in the Cactus Bowl. All net profits from the Cactus Bowl are donated to Shriners Hospitals for Children. The 2009 edition of the Cactus Bowl will feature 19 All-Americans and is headlined by six of the 24 Harlon Hill Trophy candidates.