WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Slippery Rock senior defensive end Marcus Martin and Texas A&M-Commerce senior quarterback Luis Perez headline the 2017 D2CCA All-America squad as the Ron Lenz Players of the Year as released Wednesday by the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America. Martin closes a storybook career as a four-team D2CCA All-American earning second-team honors in each of the previous three seasons before gaining first-team mention as a senior. The 2017 Gene Upshaw Award winner as NCAA Division II’s top lineman also became the first D2 player to ever be named as one of five finalists for the Ted Hendricks Award as the best defensive end in college football. The West Mifflin, Pa. native finished runner-up for the Hendricks Award to North Carolina State’s Bradley Chubb. On the field, Martin proved to be a terror in each of his four seasons finishing his career as the NCAA all- division leader with 56.0 sacks. He also broke the all-time Division II record for tackles for loss, finishing with 92.5 to shatter the former record of 77.0. He is the only player to earn four straight yearly awards from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference earning league Rookie of the Year honors in 2014 then following three consecutive PSAC Defensive Player of the Year accolades. Martin also stood out in the classroom as a CoSIDA Academic All American in each of the last three years as he was named to the second twice and first team once over the last three years. He was one of 13 national finalists from all divisions and only Division II finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy (Academic Heisman). Earlier this fall, Martin was named as a member of the National Football Foundation’s National Scholar- Athlete Class, which included an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. Perez has posted a 24-3 record as a starting quarterback at Texas A&M-Commerce over the past two seasons leading the Lions to their first NCAA Division II national championship game this season. The Chula Vista, Calif. native is a Harlon Hill finalist after leading NCAA Division II with 4,676 passing yards and 44 touchdowns. Perez has completed 70.3 percent of his passes to rank third nationally while posting the second-best pass efficiency in D2 at 161.8. The reigning J.W. Rollins Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Year posted 10-consecutive 300- yard passing games this season including a campaign-best 482-yard effort against Tarleton State. He has thrown at least four touchdown passes seven times this season and went 269 pass attempts without an interception after throwing two in Texas A&M-Commerce’s lone loss of the season at Midwestern State. Perez is NCAA Division II’s active passing leader at 7,714 yards over the past two seasons with 74 touchdowns and five interceptions. The Ron Lenz National Player of the Year award was named for long time South Dakota State sports information director Ron Lenz in 2008. Lenz was instrumental in the foundation of the Division II All- America program beginning in 1993. The Division II Conference Commissioners Association encourages and promotes Division II athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education. The CCA is a key communications link among the conferences as they discuss views, policies and regulations that impact Division II intercollegiate athletics and works closely with the NCAA as a communications channel to NCAA Division II member colleges and universities. Ron Lenz Players of the Year Offense 2017 - Luis Perez (QB), Texas A&M-Commerce 2016 - Dustin Dvorak (QB), Colorado School of Mines 2015 - Jason Vander Laan (QB), Ferris State 2014 - Jason Vander Laan (QB), Ferris State 2013 - Franklyn Quiteh (RB), Bloomsburg 2012 - Zach Zulli (QB), Shippensburg 2011 - Jonas Randolph (RB), Mars Hill 2010 - Eric Czerniewski (QB), Central Missouri 2009 - Joique Bell (RB), Wayne State (Mich.) 2008 - Bernard Scott (RB), Abilene Christian Defense 2017 - Marcus Martin (DL), Slippery Rock 2016 - Luck Baar (DL), McKendree 2015 - Matt Judon (DL), Grand Valley State 2014 - Darius Allen (DL), Colorado State-Pueblo 2013 - Matt Longacre (DL), Northwest Missouri State 2012 - Ethan Westbrooks (DL), West Texas A&M 2011 - Jamarkus Gaskins (LB), Albany State 2010 - Larry Dean (LB), Valdosta State 2009 - Michael Johnson (LB), North Alabama 2008 - Myles Burnsides (S), Northwest Missouri State ALL-AMERICANS IN THE TITLE GAME: A total of our D2CCA Football All-Americans will take the field in Saturday NCAA Division II National Championship Game at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City. Texas A&M-Commerce boasts a pair of first teamers in seniors Luis Perez (QB) and Jared Machorro (OL), while West Florida possesses two second-teamers in juniors John Williamson (DL) and Marvin Conley (S). REPEAT AFTER ME: The 2017 version of the D2CCA All-America team features a four-team honoree in Ron Lenz Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Martin, who was a second-team pick in 2014, 2015 and 2016 before gaining first-team honors this season. Humboldt State senior running back Ja’Quan Gardner is a three-time selection as a first-teamer in 2015 and a second-teamer in 2016 before claiming first- team mention this season. Texas A&M-Commerce senior Jared Machorro (2nd in 2016), Humboldt State senior Alex Cappa (2nd in 2015), Shepherd senior Lavonte Hights (1st in 2016), Ferris State junior Zach Sieler (1st in 2016), Central Washington senior Kevin Haynes (2nd in 2016) and Catawba senior Kyle Kitchens (2nd in 2015) all repeated on the first team, while Tuskegee senior Osband Thompson (1st in 2016, 2016 Super Region Two Defensive Player of the Year) and Ferris State senior Tavierre Thomas (1st in 2016) repeated as All-Americans on the second team. PLAYER OF THE YEAR TRENDS: A quarterback claimed Ron Lenz Offensive Player of the Year honors for the fourth consecutive year as Texas A&M-Commerce’s Luis Perez followed Ferris State’s Jason Vander Laan (2014, 2015) and Colorado School of Mines’ Dustin Dvorak (2016). Bloomsburg running back Franklyn Quiteh was the last non-signal caller to earn the honor. A defensive lineman garnered Ron Lenz Defensive Player of the Year for the sixth consecutive season as Slippery Rock’s Marcus Martin followed West Texas A&M’s Ethan Westbrooks (2012), Northwest Missouri State’s Matt Longacre (2013), Colorado State-Pueblo’s Darius Allen (2014), Grand Valley State’s Matt Judon (2015) and McKendree’s Lucky Baar (2016). Albany State linebacker Jamarkus Gaskins was last stand-up player to claim top defensive honors as a linebacker in 2011. NATIONAL STATISTICAL LEADERS ON FIRST TEAM: Gannon junior Marc Jones earned first-team honors after leading the nation in rushing yards per game (197.8), while Texas A&M-Commerce senior Luis Perez stands as D2’s passing leader at 334 yards per game. Central Oklahoma senior receiver J.T. Luper also gained first-team accolades leading the nation with 9.2 receptions and 132.8 receiving yards per game. Fellow first-teamer Weston Carr of Azusa Pacific was the second leading receiver at 132.5 yards per game. Slippery Rock senior Marcus Martin topped the nation with 1.41 sacks and 2.4 tackles for loss per game. Assumption junior Deonte Harris was D2’s top punt returner at 26.3 yards per attempt, while Emporia State Sr. Justin Marcha’ led the nation in punting with a 45-yard average. THE SUPER REGION: Super Region Four boasted a total of 12 first-team All Americans followed by Super Regions 1 and 3 with six each. SR4 totaled 18 players on the D2CCA All-America squad followed by SR1 with 13 and SR3 with 11 while SR2 finished with eight. WILDCATS: Central Washington, the champions of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC), landed a team-high with five D2CCA All Americans including three on the first team and two on the second. Assumption, the champs of the Northeast-10 Conference, was second with three selections. CONFERENCE COUNTS: The Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) led the way with eight total selections including six first-team pics. The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) was next with seven total selections followed by the Gulf South Conference (6), Great American Conference (4), Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (4) and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (4). THE TOTALS Region 1st 2nd Total SR4 7/5 4/2 18 SR1 3/3 5/2 13 SR3 3/3 3/2 11 SR2 0/1 1/6 8 Conference 1st 2nd Total GNAC 4/2 1/1 8 PSAC 1/1 3/2 7 Gulf South 0/0 1/5 6 GAC 1/1 2/0 4 GLIAC 1/1 1/1 4 NSIC 1/2 0/1 4 LSC 2/0 1/0 3 NE-10 1/1 1/0 3 RMAC 0/1 2/0 3 MIAA 1/1 0/0 2 Mountain East 1/1 0/0 2 SAC 0/1 0/0 1 GLVC 0/0 0/1 1 GMAC 0/0 1/0 1 SIAC 0/0 0/1 1 Teams 1st 2nd Total Central Washington 3 2 5 Assumption 2 1 3 Harding 2 0 2 Humboldt State 2 0 2 Shepherd 2 0 2 Texas A&M-Commerce 2 0 2 Ashland 1 1 2 Ferris State 1 1 2 Minnesota State 1 1 2 Slippery Rock 1 1 2 West Alabama 0 2 2 West Chester 0 2 2 West Florida 0 2 2 Azusa Pacific 1 0 1 Catawba 1 0 1 Central Oklahoma 1 0 1 Colorado State-Pueblo 1 0 1 Emporia State 1 0 1 Gannon 1 0 1 Sioux Falls 1 0 1 Winona State 1 0 1 Arkansas-Monticello 0 1 1 Colorado Mesa 0 1 1 Colorado School of Mines 0 1 1 Edinboro 0 1 1 Findlay 0 1 1 Indiana (Pa.) 0 1 1 McKendree 0 1 1 Midwestern State 0 1 1 North Alabama 0 1 1 Southern Arkansas 0 1 1 Tuskegee 0 1 1 West Georgia 0 1 1 All America Football Team - 2017 Coordinator: Trey Reed | Midwestern State | [email protected] RON LENZ PLAYERS OF THE YEAR Luis Perez (QB), Texas A&M-Commerce Marcus Martin (DL), Slippery Rock Offensive Player of the Year Defensive Player of the Year Perez leads Texas A&M- Martin closed out a Commerce into its first NCAA remarkable career winning the Division II national champion- Gene Upshaw Award as the ship game.