James is also a Sports Network first-team preseason All-America selection.
A 6-foot, 190-pound junior, he paced WKU with 87 points in 2005 after connecting on all 42 extra-point attempts as well as 15-of-17 field goals. In addition to ranking 11th nationally with 1.36 field goals per game and 22nd with 7.91 points per contest — he topped the Gateway Football Conference in both categories — James finished among the top 10 on several lists in the Topper record book. He set one record by making 10 consecutive field goals from Oct. 1-Nov. 5, and also tied the school’s game standard with nine extra points in a win over West Virginia Tech, while ranking fourth in field goals and ninth in scoring.
For his efforts, the Fayetteville, Ga., native was selected to I-AA.org’s All-Star Team, was chosen third-team all-Northwest Region by Hansen’s Football Gazette and was a first-team all-Gateway Conference honoree following the season.
James also picked up national weekly accolades twice during the ’05 campaign, as he was named the Special Teams Player of the Week by The Sports Network following WKU’s victories over instate rival Eastern Kentucky and Illinois State after kicking the game-winning field goal in each contest.
