KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Senior tight end Branden Ledbetter has been invited to participate in the third annual Texas vs. the Nation All-Star Challenge presented by Western Refining,which will take place in El Paso, Texas, on Jan. 31, 2009.  Ledbetter becomes the second Bronco in as many seasons to be invited to the game after former offensive tackle James Blair participated in the game in 2008.

Ledbetter is eight games into his final season in the Brown & Gold and is already at or near the top of every receiving category for tight ends in program history.  He broke the touchdowns record last season with his 14th career scoring grab and has added five more in 2008 to come into WMU's game with Eastern Michigan with 19.  He is just one touchdown reception away from having six in a season for the third-straight year.

The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native is second in receiving yards (1,434) by a WMU tight end and third in receptions (124).  He needs 20 more catches to surpass the mark set by former Bronco, and current WMU tight ends coach, Jake Moreland.  He needs 314 more yards to eclipse the receiving yards mark.

Ledbetter is on the John Mackey Award Watch List, given to the nation's top tight end, for the second-consecutive year and has twice been named the John Mackey National Tight End of the Week in his career.

The inaugural Texas vs. the Nation Challenge kicked-off Friday, Feb. 2, 2007 at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas. Texans have always had a sense of pride in their football and the Texas vs. the Nation Challenge provided a venue to feature all-star collegiate seniors from Texas pitted against the best from around the United States. In the inaugural game, Team Nation ultimately came through defeating the Texans, 24-20.

Ledbetter and the rest of the Western Michigan Broncos take on Eastern Michigan on Nov. 1 at Waldo Stadium (2 p.m.) and then battle Illinois in the first game ever hosted by WMU at Ford Field on Nov. 8.  Please contact 1-888-4-WMU-TIX or visit www.wmubroncos.com/fordfield for tickets.