FARMINGTON, Utah — Eastern Washington quarterback Eric Barriere was named Big Sky football preseason MVP on Friday, in voting by media and others.

Idaho linebackers Christian Elliss and Tre Walker joined him on the all-Big Sky preseason team.

Montana linebacker Jace Lewis was named Big Sky preseason defensive MVP.

Barriere, a senior, finished 2019 fifth in the voting for the Walter Payton Award, and earned third-team FCS All-America honors from HERO SPORTS. He was a third-team All-Big Sky selection a year ago, among a heavily talented quarterback group.

Lewis, a native of Townsend, Mont., was a first-team All-Big Sky honoree in 2019, when he registered 131 tackles to rank in the top-25 in the FCS.

Both Elliss and Walker also earned HERO Sports preseason All-Big Sky honors last week. Both also took home All-Big Sky honors a season ago.

Elliss led the Vandals in 2019 with 4.5 sacks and finished second on the squad with 104 total tackles. Walker led the Vandals with 138 tackles in 2019, the second-highest total in the conference. Walker led the Big Sky with 74 solo tackles.

2020 BIG SKY FOOTBALL PRESEASON

ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

OFFENSE

QUARTERBACK — Eric Barriere, Eastern Washington

WIDE RECEIVERS — Samuel Akem, Montana; Samori Toure, Montana; Pierre Williams, Sacramento State

LINEMEN — Conlan Beaver, Montana; Ben Bos, Weber State; Lewis Kidd, Montana State*; Tristen Taylor, Eastern Washington; Taylor Tuiasosopo, Montana State; Ty Whitworth, Weber State*

TIGHT END — Marshel Martin, Sacramento State

RUNNING BACK — Josh Davis, Weber State; Elijah Dotson, Sacramento State

FULLBACK — Clay Moss, Weber State

ALL-PURPOSE — BJ Perkinson, Sacramento State

KICKER — Luis Aguilar, Northern Arizona

PUNT RETURNER — Rashid Shaheed, Weber State

KICK RETURNER — Malik Flowers, Montana

DEFENSE

TACKLES — Bryce Rodgers, UC Davis; Jared Scheiss, Weber State

ENDS — Josiah Erickson, Sacramento State; George Tarlas, Weber State

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS — Nick Eaton, UC Davis; Christian Elliss, Idaho

INSIDE LINEBACKERS — Jace Lewis, Montana; Tre Walker, Idaho

DEFENSIVE BACKS — Anthony Adams, Portland State*; Daron Bland, Sacramento State; Robby Hauck, Montana; Eddie Heckard, Weber State; Devon King, UC Davis

PUNTER — DJ Arnson, Northern Arizona

SPECIAL TEAMS — Emmanuel Daigbe, Portland State

* Denotes unanimous selection