AFCA Names DIII Coaches’ All-America Team
December 15, 2011 No CommentsDubuque wide receiver Michael Zweifel and Benedictine (Ill.) running back John Borsellino headline the 2011 AFCA Division III Coaches’ All-America Team announced 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.
Zweifel led the nation in total receiving yards (1,915), receiving yards per game (174.09) and receptions per game (12.73). He set a new Division III record with 140 catches this season, and is the all-time NCAA leader (all divisions) with 463 career receptions. Borsellino finished second in the nation in all-purpose running, averaging 219.27 yards per game. He rushed for 1,354 yards, had 296 yards receiving, 184 punt return yards and 578 kick return yards.
| 2011 AFCA Division III Coaches’ All-America Team | |||
| Offense | |||
| Pos. | Name | School | Coach |
| WR | Michael Zweifel | Dubuque | Stan Zweifel |
| WR | Justin Gallo | Union (N.Y.) | John Audino |
| TE | Kyle Fiedorowicz | North Central | John Thorne |
| OL | Curtis James | St. Thomas (Minn.) | Glenn Caruso |
| OL | Ben Rogers | Hampden-Sydney | Marty Favret |
| OL | Ben Hume | Centre | Andrew Frye |
| OL | Alex Smith | Salisbury | Sherman Wood |
| OL | Nate Menkin | Mary Hardin-Baylor | Pete Fredenburg |
| QB | Alex Tanney | Monmouth (Ill.) | Steve Bell |
| RB | Levell Coppage | Wis.-Whitewater | Lance Leipold |
| RB | Chris D’Andrea | Montclair St. | Rick Giancola |
| Defense | |||
| Pos | Name | School | Coach |
| DL | Chris Bickford | Rochester | Scott Greene |
| DL | Chris Mayes* | Wesley | Mike Drass |
| DL | Ryan Jenkins | Illinois Wesleyan | Norm Eash |
| DL | Anthony Marascio | Lycoming | Mike Clark |
| LB | CJ Gum | Wabash | Erik Raeburn |
| LB | Nick Clark | Alfred | Dave Murray |
| LB | Patrick McDonough | Muhlenberg | Mike Donnelly |
| DB | Nick Driskill | Mount Union | Larry Kehres |
| DB | Shawn Brown | New Jersey | Eric Hamilton |
| DB | Chris Greenwood | Albion | Craig Rundle |
| DB | Derek Dreher | Wis.-La Crosse | Joe Dettwiler |
| Specialists | |||
| Pos | Name | School | Coach |
| P | Cote Schacherl | Howard Payne | Steve Fanara |
| PK | Allen Cain | Texas Lutheran | Danny Padron |
| AP | John Borsellino | Benedictine (Ill.) | Jon Cooper |
| *-2010 AFCA All-American | |||
Team Background:?The AFCA?has selected an All-America team every year since 1945. 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 — Division I-A and Division I-AA.
In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II?and Division III,?respectively. The AFCA?began selecting an NAIA-only team in 2006. Also in 2006, the Division I-A and Division I-AA teams were renamed Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)?and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS),?respectively.
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 been replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006.
The Award:?Members of the AFCA Coaches’ All-America Team receive a plaque commemorating their selection to the team.
Top Teams: Mount Union leads all schools with 19 players chosen to the AFCA Division III Coaches’ All-America Team a total of 20 times since 1972. The Purple Raiders are followed by Augustana (Ill.) (19/17), Wittenberg (19/17), Washington &?Jefferson?(17/15), Wisconsin-La Crosse (16/16), Central (Iowa) (14/13), Linfield (14/13), Mississippi College (14/13), Montclair State (14/12), Emory &?Henry (13/13), Ithaca (13/13), Wisconsin-Whitewater (13/11), Widener (13/10), Wheaton (12/11), St. John’s (Minn.) (11/11), Salisbury (11/11), Frostburg St. (11/10), Springfield (Mass.) (11/10), Wesley (11/9) and Millsaps (11/8).
Consecutive Years: With Chris Mayes’ second straight selection this year, Wesley has had a player chosen for seven consecutive years, from 2005 to present, the longest current streak. From 2000-09, Mount Union had a player chosen for 10 straight seasons, which is the longest streak in Division III. The Purple Raiders also had one player chosen for six consecutive seasons from 1993-98. Second on the list is Washington and Jefferson, who had a player chosen for All-America honors for nine straight seasons (2002-10). Emory & Henry is third on the list, having had a player named AFCA All-American for eight straight seasons from 1985-1992. Augustana (Ill.), Mary Hardin-Baylor and Wheaton have had players selected for six consecutive seasons from 2000-05, 2006-11 and 2003-08, respectively.
Repeat After Me:?No player has earned AFCA?Division III All-America honors four times, however Texas A&I (now Texas A&M-Kingsville) runningback Johnny Bailey did earn Coaches’?All-America honors four straight years (1986-87-88-89) in AFCA?College Division I (now AFCA Division II).
Five players have earned AFCA Division III?Coaches’ All-America Team?honors three times. They are:?DB Tom Deery, Widener, 1979-80-81; RB Scott Reppert, Lawrence, 1980-81-82; RB Joe Dudek, Plymouth State, 1983-84-85; DL Sean Brewer, Millsaps, 1990-91-92; and P Jeff Shea, California Lutheran, 1995-96-97.
Class Distinction:?This year’s AFCA?Division III?Coaches’ All-America Team is made up of 20 seniors and five juniors.
First Time Schools: Two new schools have had players earn AFCA?Division III?Coaches’ All-America honors this year. Wide receiver Michael Zweifel of Dubuque and defensive lineman Ryan Jenkins of Illinois Wesleyan have earned All-America honors for their schools for the first time in 2011.
Back-to-Back:?Wesley defensive lineman Chris Mayes is the only player to earn AFCA Division III?Coaches’ All-America honors for the second consecutive season in 2011.
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.
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