NEWS RELEASE 100 Legends Lane • Waco, Texas 76706 • (254) 754-9900 • Fax: (254) 754-7373 • www.afca.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DECEMBER 19, 2016 AFCA CONTACT: Vince Thompson, Director of Media Relations 254-754-9900 EASTERN WASHINGTON’S COOPER KUPP AND MISSOURI STATE’S DYLAN COLE HIGHLIGHT THE 2016 AFCA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SUBDIVISION COACHES’ ALL-AMERICA TEAMS WACO, TEX. — Four-time AFCA All-American Cooper Kupp of Eastern Washington and Norfolk State linebacker Deon King headline the 2016 AFCA Football Championship Subdivision 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. Beginning this year, the AFCA has started selecting a first and second team. 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. Kupp, who became the first player in FCS history to be named a four-time AFCA All-American, leads FCS in receiving yards per game (126.7), is second in receptions per game (8.9), and is third in receiving touchdowns (15). Kupp has now broken 15 FCS, 11 Big Sky and 25 EWU records in his illustrious career. Cole led the FCS with 142 total tackles and was second in the nation with 85 solo tackles. He also recorded eight tackles for loss, two interceptions, four pass breakups and three forced fumbles. 2016 AFCA Football Championship Subdivision Coaches’ All-America Team - First Team Offense Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School) WR **Cooper Kupp 6-2 215 RSr. Eastern Washington Beau Baldwin Yakima, Wash. (Davis) WR Brian Brown 6-2 205 Sr. Richmond Danny Rocco Richmond, Va. (Hermitage) TE Dallas Goedert 6-4 250 Jr. South Dakota State John Stiegelmeier Britton, S.D. (Britton-Hecla) OL Erik Austell 6-4 285 RSr. Charleston Southern Jamey Chadwell Warner Robins, Ga. (Central Fellowship Christian) OL Julie’n Davenport 6-7 315 Sr. Bucknell Joe Susan Paulsboro, N.J. (Paulsboro) OL Zack Johnson 6-4 331 Sr. North Dakota State Chris Klieman Apple Valley, Minn. (Eastview) OL Mitchell Kirsch 6-6 300 RSr. James Madison Mike Houston Washington, D.C. (St. John’s College) OL Isaiah Pinson 6-3 267 Jr. The Citadel Brent Thompson Wellford, S.C. (Byrnes) QB Jeremiah Briscoe 6-3 220 Jr. Sam Houston State K.C. Keeler Houston, Texas (Stratford) RB Khalid Abdullah 5-10 220 Sr. James Madison Mike Houston Newport News, Va. (Heritage) RB Chase Edmonds 5-9 205 Jr. Fordham Andrew Breiner Harrisburg, Pa. (Central Dauphin East) Defense Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School) DL *Keionta Davis 6-4 270 Sr. Tennessee-Chattanooga Russ Huesman Chattanooga, Tenn. (Red Bank) DL Samson Ebukam 6-3 240 Sr. Eastern Washington Beau Baldwin Portland, Ore. (David Douglas) DL Tanoh Kpassagnon 6-7 290 Sr. Villanova Andy Talley Ambler, Pa. (Wissahickon) DL Karter Schult 6-4 269 Sr. Northern Iowa Mark Farley Tripoli, Iowa (Tripoli) LB Dylan Cole 6-1 240 Sr. Missouri State Dave Steckel Rogersville, Mo. (Logan-Rogersville) LB Christian Kuntz 6-2 228 RSr. Duquesne Jerry Schmitt Pittsburgh, Pa. (Chartiers Valley) LB Darius Leonard 6-3 220 RJr. South Carolina State Buddy Pough Lake View, S.C. (Lake View) DB *Donald Payne 6-0 223 Sr. Stetson Roger Hughes Fayetteville, Ga. (Landmark Christian) DB Tre Dempsey 5-10 179 Jr. North Dakota State Chris Klieman Lakeland, Fla. (Lakeland) DB Casey DeAndrade 5-11 216 Sr. New Hampshire Sean McDonnell East Bridgewater, Mass. (East Bridgewater) DB Brendan Langley 6-2 193 Sr. Lamar Ray Woodard Marietta, Ga. (Kell) Specialists Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School) P Miles Bergner 6-0 225 Sr. South Dakota Bob Nielson Longmont, Colo. (Longmont) PK Eric Medina 5-11 195 Sr. Texas Southern Michael Haywood LaPorte, Texas (LaPorte) AP Detrez Newsome 5-10 210 Jr. Western Carolina Mark Speir Raeford, N.C. (Hoke County) **-2013-2014-2015 All-American *-2015 All-American -(MORE)- 2016 AFCA FCS COACHES’ ALL-AMERICA TEAM PAGE 2 OF 3 2016 AFCA Football Championship Subdivision Coaches’ All-America Team - Second Team Offense Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School) WR Karel Hamilton 6-1 202 Sr. Samford Chris Hatcher Valrico, Fla. (Strawberry Crest) WR Chad Williams 6-2 193 Sr. Grambling State Broderick Fobbs Baton Rouge, La. (Madison Prep) TE Eric Saubert 6-5 251 RSr. Drake Rick Fox Hoffman Estates, Ill. (Hoffman Estates) OL *Casey Dunn 6-3 290 Sr. Jacksonville State John Grass Trussville, Ala. (Hewitt-Trussville) OL *Corey Levin 6-5 305 Sr. Tennessee-Chattanooga Russ Huesman Dacula, Ga. (Dacula) OL Michael Coe 6-3 300 Sr. North Dakota Bubba Schweigert Carlsbad, Calif. (Carlsbad) OL Daniel Cooney 6-8 315 RSo. San Diego Dale Lindsey Western Springs, Ill. (Fenwick) OL Carl Jones 6-2 285 RSr. North Carolina Central Jerry Mack Nashville, Tenn. (Pearl-Cohn) QB Gage Gubrud 6-2 195 RSo. Eastern Washington Beau Baldwin McMinnville, Ore. (McMinnville) RB Tarik Cohen 5-6 179 Sr. North Carolina A&T Rod Broadway Bunn, N.C. (Bunn) RB Lenard Tillery 5-10 200 RSr. Southern Dawson Odums Baton Rouge, La. (McKinley) Defense Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School) DL Pat Afriyie 6-2 240 Jr. Colgate Dan Hunt Sandy Hook, Conn. (Loomis Chaffee) DL P.J. Hall 6-1 280 Jr. Sam Houston State K.C. Keeler Seguin, Texas (Seguin) DL Darius Jackson 6-3 237 RJr. Jacksonville State John Grass Bessemer, Ala. (McAdory) DL Javancy Jones 6-2 245 Sr. Jackson State Tony Hughes Macon, Miss. (Noxubee County) LB Kourtney Berry 6-0 210 RSr. Alabama State Brian Jenkins Merrillville, Ind. (Merrillville) LB Chad Geter 6-2 253 RSr. Gardner-Webb Carroll McCray Irmo, S.C. (Dutch Fork) LB Folarin Orimolade 6-0 235 Sr. Dartmouth Buddy Teevens Burtonsville, Md. (Blake) DB Mike Basile 6-1 200 Jr. Monmouth (N.J.) Kevin Callahan Brick, N.J. (Memorial) DB Deion Harris 6-3 180 Jr. North Dakota Bubba Schweigert Hibbing, Minn. (Hibbing) DB Phillip Henry 6-2 225 RSr. South Carolina State Buddy Pough Manning, S.C. (Manning) DB Cole Reyes 6-2 215 Jr. North Dakota Bubba Schweigert Schaumburg, Ill. (Schaumburg) Specialists Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School) P Jake Ryder 6-0 182 Sr. Towson Rob Ambrose Olney, Md. (Sherwood) PK Griffin Trau 5-8 180 RSo. Richmond Danny Rocco Culver, Ind. (Western Reserve Academy) AP *Willie Quinn 5-5 150 Sr. Southern Dawson Odums Miami, Fla. (Jackson) *-2015 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 — Division I-A and Division I-AA. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. In 2006, the Division I-A and Division I-AA teams were renamed Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), 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. A return specialist was added in 1997, giving us the current 25-player team. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006. Top Teams: Delaware has the most AFCA All-America selections of any current FCS school with 29 selections by 26 players. The Blue Hens are followed by Montana (28/27), Eastern Kentucky (26/24), Eastern Washington (26/22), North Dakota State (23/21), Northern Iowa (22/19), Grambling State (20/19), New Hampshire (20/17), Lehigh (19/19), Furman (19/18), South Carolina State (19/18), North Dakota (19/17), Portland State (18/17), Weber State (18/17), Eastern Illinois (18/16), Youngstown State (18/16), Northern Colorado (17/14), Montana State (16/16), Western Illinois (16/15), Cal Poly (16/14), James Madison (15/15), Abilene Christian (15/14), Stephen F. Austin (15/14), Tennessee State (15/14) and South Dakota State (15/12). 2016 Conference-by-Conference Breakdown: Colonial – 7; Big Sky – 6; Missouri Valley – 6; Southwestern Athletic – 6; Southern – 5; Mid-Eastern Athletic – 4; Big South – 3; Patriot – 3; Pioneer – 3; Southland – 3; Ohio Valley – 2; Ivy – 1; Northeast – 1. -(MORE)- 2016 AFCA FCS COACHES’ ALL-AMERICA TEAM PAGE 3 OF 3 Consecutive Years: Eastern Kentucky leads all schools, having had at least one player named to the AFCA FCS Coaches’ All- America Team in each of the first 15 years a FCS team was chosen (1979-93). Eastern Washington has the longest current streak at nine straight years from 2008 to present. Double Duo: For the first time in FCS Coaches’ All-America Team history, teammates have earned back-to-back honors. Tennessee- Chattanooga’s Keionta Davis (DL) and Corey Levin (OL) were both named to the 2015 and 2016 teams. They join seven duos in FBS: USC’s Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush (2004 and 2005); Army’s Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard (1945 and 1946); Notre Dame’s George Connor and Johnny Lujack (1946 and 1947); Michigan State’s Bubba Smith and George Webster (1966 and 1967); Ohio State’s Jack Tatum and Jim Stillwagon (1969 and 1970); Notre Dame’s Ken MacAfee and Ross Browner (1976 and 1977) and Colorado’s Joe Garten and Alfred Will iams (1989 and 1990).