Three MIAA Stars Named AFCA All-Americans

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Three MIAA football standouts have been named to he 2009 AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America Team, it was announced by the American Football Coaches Association.

Washburn linebacker Zach Watkins, the 2009 MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, was selected to the team along with Northwest Missouri defensive back Myles Burnsides and Nebraska-Omaha kicker Greg Zuerlein.

2009 AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America Team

Offense
Pos Name                  Ht.  Wt. Cl. School                  Coach             Hometown (High School)
WR  Frederick Bruno       5-8  205 Jr. Wayne St. (Neb.)        Dan McLaughlin    Miami, Fla. (Miami Springs)
WR  Mike Harris           6-1  192 Sr. Shippensburg            Rocky Rees        East Earl, Pa. (Garden Spot)
OL  Nick McDonald         6-5  310 Sr. Grand Valley St.        Chuck Martin      Sterling Heights, Mich. (Henry Ford II)
OL  Andy Schoonover       6-3  301 Sr. Minnesota St.-Mankato   Todd Hoffner      Boyceville, Wis. (Boyceville)
C   Jack Hiett            6-2  255 Sr. Nebraska-Kearney        Darrell Morris    Arvada, Colo. (Arvada West)
OL  Jared Veldheer        6-9  321 Sr. Hillsdale               Keith Otterbein   Grand Rapids, Mich. (Forest Hills Northern)
OL  Tony Washington       6-7  305 Sr. Abilene Christian       Chris Thomsen     New Orleans, La. (Alcee Fortier)
QB  Nick Graziano         6-2  227 Sr. Arkansas Tech           Steve Mullins     Moraga, Calif. (Campolindo)
RB  Joique Bell*          6-1  223 Sr. Wayne St. (Mich.)       Paul Winters      Benton Harbor, Mich. (Benton Harbor)
RB  Isaac Odim            6-0  215 Jr. Minnesota-Duluth        Bob Nielson       Rochester, Minn. (Century)
RB  Jonas Randolph        5-10 185 So. Mars Hill               Tim Clifton       Daleville, Ala. (Daleville)

Defense
Pos Name                  Ht.  Wt. Cl. School                  Coach             Hometown (High School)
DL  Xavier Brown          6-5  245 Jr. C.W. Post               Bryan Collins     Bay Shore, N.Y. (Brentwood)
DL  Marc Schiechl         6-3  255 Jr. Colorado Mines          Bob Stitt         Lakewood, Colo. (Bear Creek)
DL  Eugene Sims           6-6  235 Sr. West Texas A&M          Don Carthel       Mt. Olive, Miss. (Mize)
DL  Cedric Thornton       6-5  266 Jr. Southern Arkansas       Bill Keopple      Star City, Ark. (Star City)
LB  Lardester Hicks-Green 6-1  235 Sr. Delta St.               Ron Roberts       Chicago, Ill. (Steinmetz)
LB  John Jacobs           6-2  230 Sr. Saginaw Valley St.      Jim Collins       Prudenville, Mich. (Midland Dow)
LB  Zach Watkins          6-0  235 Sr. Washburn                Craig Schurig     Independence, Mo. (Truman)
LB  Buddy Wood            6-3  214 Sr. Central Washington      Blaine Bennett    Chattaroy, Wash. (Riverside)
DB  Myles Burnsides       5-11 195 Sr. Northwest Missouri St.  Mel Tjeerdsma     Maryville, Mo. (Maryville)
DB  Josh Jones            5-10 185 Sr. Harding                 Ronnie Huckeba    Carson, Calif. (Bishop Montgomery)
DB  Quintez Smith         6-0  186 Sr. Shaw                    Darrell Asberry   Dublin, Ga. (Dublin)

Specialists
Pos Name                  Ht.  Wt. Cl. School                  Coach             Hometown (High School)
P   Kevin Berg            6-0  180 Jr. Chadron St.             Bill O'Boyle      Longmont, Colo. (Longmont)
PK  Greg Zuerlein         6-0  183 Jr. Nebraska-Omaha          Pat Behrns        Lincoln, Neb. (Pius X)
AP  Akwasi Owusu-Ansah    6-1  205 Sr. Indiana (Pa.)           Lou Tepper        Columbus, Ohio (Whetstone)
*-2006 AFCA All-American