Three GLIAC Players Named to the AFCA Division II Football All-America Team
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Release courtesy of Vince Thompson, AFCA Director of Media Relations
WACO, TEX. — West Liberty tight end Ryan Travis and Morehouse defensive lineman Derrin Nettles headline the 2010 AFCA Division II Coaches’ All-America Team announced today by the American Football Coaches Association.
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.
Travis led the nation in receiving yards per game (140.2) and was No. 4 in the nation in total receiving yards (1,402). He scored 15 touchdowns and averaged 11.1 yards per catch. Nettles was No. 2 in the nation in tackles for loss (27.5). He also recorded 59 total tackles, 37 of which were solo, with nine sacks, 12 quarterback hurries and seven forced fumbles.
2010 AFCA Division II Coaches’ All-America
Team
Offense
| Pos. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) |
| WR | Edmund Gates | 6-1 | 200 | Sr. | Abilene Christian | Chris Thomsen | Vernon, Texas (Vernon) |
| WR | Fred Williams | 6-0 | 195 | Sr. | St. Cloud State | Scott Underwood | Milwaukee, Wis. (South Division) |
| TE | Ryan Travis | 6-3 | 235 | Sr. | West Liberty | Roger Waialae | Massillon, Ohio (Tuslaw) |
| OL | Cameron Bradfield | 6-5 | 295 | Sr. | Grand Valley St. | Matt Mitchell | Grand Rapids, Mich. (Creston) |
| OL | Amini Silatolu | 6-3 | 320 | Jr. | Midwestern St. | Bill Maskill | Tracy, Calif. (West) |
| OL | Brandon Fusco | 6-5 | 305 | Sr. | Slippery Rock | George Mihalik | Cranberry Township, Pa. (Seneca Valley) |
| OL | Chandler Rearden | 6-1 | 265 | Jr. | Lenoir-Rhyne | Fred Goldsmith | Greenwood, S.C. (Greenwood) |
| OL | Taylor Boggs | 6-3 | 303 | Sr. | Humboldt St. | Rob Smith | Upland, Calif. (Upland) |
| QB | Eric Czerniewski | 6-0 | 190 | Sr. | Central Missouri | Jim Svoboda | Montgomery City, Mo. (Montgomery County) |
| RB | Phil Milbrath | 5-9 | 200 | Sr. | Michigan Tech | Tom Kearly | Norway, Mich. (Norway) |
| RB | Jonas Randolph* | 5-10 | 185 | Jr. | Mars Hill | Tim Clifton | Daleville, Ala. (Daleville) |
Defense
| Pos. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) |
| DL | Brandon Williams | 6-3 | 325 | So. | Missouri Southern St. | Bart Tatum | Kirkwood, Mo. (Rockwood Summit) |
| DL | Marc Schiechl* | 6-3 | 260 | Sr. | Colorado Mines | Bob Stitt | Lakewood, Colo. (Bear Creek) |
| DL | Daniel Webb | 6-1 | 260 | Sr. | Emporia St. | Garin Higgins | Ft. Collins, Colo. (Rocky Mountain) |
| DL | Derrin Nettles | 6-4 | 305 | Sr. | Morehouse | Rich Freeman | Montgomery, Ala. (Sidney Lanier) |
| LB | Tressor Baptiste | 6-0 | 240 | Sr. | Texas A&M-Kingsville | Bo Atterberry | New York, N.Y. (Curtis) |
| LB | Larry Dean | 6-0 | 216 | Sr. | Valdosta St. | David Dean | Tifton, Ga. (Tift County) |
| LB | Adam Bighill | 5-10 | 222 | Sr. | Central Washington | Blaine Bennett | Montesano, Wash. (Montesano) |
| DB | Craig Ray | 6-1 | 206 | Sr. | Indianapolis | Bob Bartolomeo | Plainfield, Ind. (Plainfield) |
| DB | Ryan Jones | 5-11 | 195 | Sr. | Northwest Missouri St. | Mel Tjeerdsma | Liberty, Mo. (Liberty) |
| DB | Nate Robinson | 5-9 | 158 | Jr. | Northeastern St. (Okla.) | Kenny Evans | Rockingham, N.C. (Richmond Senior) |
| DB | Caleb Singleton | 6-4 | 215 | Sr. | Western Oregon | Arne Ferguson | Salem, Ore. (West Salem) |
Specialists
| Pos. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | School | Coach | Hometown (High School) |
| P | Ronnie Partridge | 5-10 | 183 | Jr. | Stillman | L.C. Cole | Ridge Spring, S.C. (Ridge Spring-Monetta) |
| PK | Steve Ivanisevic | 5-11 | 195 | Sr. | Washburn | Craig Schurig | Darien, Ill. (Hindsale South) |
| AP | Stephan Neville | 5-8 | 168 | Jr. | Stonehill | Robert Talley | Foxborough, Mass. (Foxborough) |
*-2009 AFCA All-American
Team Background: 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 an all-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 33 times by 29 players on the AFCA Division II Coaches’ All-America Team. Trailing Texas A&M-Kingsville is Indiana (Pa.) (18/16), Pittsburg State (17/14), Northwest Missouri State (16/12), Grand Valley State (15/14), North Alabama (15/14), Abilene Christian (14/13), American International (14/13), Carson-Newman (14/13), Ferris State (14/12) and 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. Northwest Missouri State has the longest current streak with a player selected to the AFCA Division II Coaches’ All-America Team at 15 straight seasons, from 1996 to present.
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 18 seniors, six juniors and one sophomore.
First Time Schools: Amini Silatolu of Midwestern State, Ronnie Partridge of Stillman, Stephan Neville of Stonehill and Ryan Travis of West Liberty have all earned AFCA?Coaches’ All-America Team honors for the first time for their schools this year.
For more information on the AFCA?and its programs log on to the AFCA’s website at www.afca.com.
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