WAYNE STATE’S JOIQUE BELL, SAGINAW VALLEY STATE’S JOHN JACOBS HEADLINE 2009 AFCA DIVISION II COACHES’ ALL-AMERICA TEAM

Click here for printer-friendly (PDF) version of release

Click here to view this release on the AFCA web site

WACO, TEX. - Wayne State (Mich.) runningback Joique Bell and Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) linebacker John Jacobs headline the 2009 AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America Team announced today by the American Football Coaches Association.

Two other GLIAC players, Grand Valley State University senior offensive lineman Nick McDonald and Hillsdale College senior offensive lineman Jared Veldheer, also garnered All-America honors.

The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best - the coaches themselves.

At the conclusion of the regular season, Bell led all four NCAA divisions in rushing yards per game (189.45), scoring (17.5 points per game) and all-purpose yards (217.5 per game).  He rushed for 2,084 yards, the 15th-best mark in NCAA Division II history, while his 17.5 points per game average was the eighth-best mark in D-II history. For his career, Bell had 6,728 rushing yards (sixth in D-II/8th in NCAA history), while his 152.91 rushing yards per game is 11th in D-II and 25th in NCAA history.

Jacobs led Division II in total tackles with 149 and ranked third with 71 solo tackles. He also recorded 14.5 tackles for a loss, four interceptions and 3.5 sacks.  Jacobs tied for the GLIAC lead in interceptions (4) this season while helping the Cardinals to a 9-3 record and an appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time since the 2005 season. 

McDonald anchored a Grand Valley State offensive line that ranked third among Division II programs and led the GLIAC in QB sacks allowed (6) in 11 games during the 2009 regular season. In addition, McDonald was a key contributor to a GVSU offense that ranked first in the GLIAC in rushing (237.8 ypg), third in passing (227.4 ypg), first in total offense (465.2 ypg) and second in scoring (36.9). Grand Valley State is 51-3 during McDonald's playing career. 

During his Hillsdale career, Veldheer led the Chargers to a 30-16 record from 2006-09 and was named First-Team All-GLIAC twice. He blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher each season of his career, and the Chargers had two of their highest-scoring seasons in their history (2007 and 2009) during Veldheer's career. In 2009, Veldheer helped lead Hillsdale to a second-place finish in the GLIAC and the team's first-ever NCAA Division II playoff appearance.

2009 AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America Team
Offense

 
Defense

 
Specialists

 *-2006 AFCA All-American

Team Background:  The AFCA has selected an All-America team every year since 1945. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best - the coaches themselves.

The five teams now chosen for each AFCA division evolved from a single 11-player squad in 1945. From 1945 until 1967, only one team was chosen. From 1967 through 1971, two teams, University Division and College Division, were selected. In 1972, the College Division was split into College I and College II. In 1979, the University Division was split into two teams - FBS and FCS. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III respectively. In 2006, the AFCA started selecting an NAIA-only team.

From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 offensive, 11 defensive) team was chosen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker were added to the team. In 1997, a return specialist was added, giving us the current 25-player team. The return specialist position was replaced by anall-purpose player in 2006.

Selection Process: The AFCA's Division II All-America Selection Committee is made up of three head coaches from each of the AFCA's nine districts, one of whom serves as a district chairman, along with another head coach who serves as the chairman of the selection committee. The coaches in each district are responsible for ranking the top players in their respective districts prior to a conference call between the district chairmen and the committee chairman on which the team is chosen.

Top Teams:  Texas A&M-Kingsville has been represented a total of 32 times by 28 players on the AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America Team. Trailing Texas A&M-Kingsville is Indiana (Pa.) (18/16), Pittsburg State (17/14), North Alabama (15/14), Northwest Missouri State (15/11), American International (14/13), Carson-Newman (14/13), Grand Valley State (14/13), Ferris State (14/12), Texas A&M-Commerce (14/12).

Consecutive Years: Texas A&M-Kingsville had at least one player named to the AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America Team for 18 straight seasons, from 1986 to 2003, the longest streak by any team in Division II.

Repeat After Me:  Texas A&M-Kingsville's Johnny Bailey is the only player to earn Coaches' All-America honors in four consecutive years at any level. Bailey was a four-year pick at runningback in 1986-87-88-89. 

One Player, Two Schools: Punter Mark Bounds is the only player to earn Coaches' All-America honors at two different schools. He was named to the AFCA College Division I team in 1990 while playing for West Texas A&M. He transferred to Texas Tech after West Texas dropped football and earned I-A All-America honors as a Red Raider in 1991.

Class Distinction: This year's Division II Coaches' All-America Team is made up of 17 seniors, seven juniors and one sophomore.

First Time School: Quintez Smith of Shaw is the first player from his school to earn AFCA Coaches' All-America Team honors.

-(AFCA)-