WICHITA FALLS, Texas - West Liberty University's record-setting senior tandem of tight end Ryan Travis and quarterback Zach Amedro have earned NCAA Division II All-America honors for the second consecutive season.
Travis was a first-team selection while Amedro garnered second-team honors when the 18th annual Daktronics NCAA Division II All-America Team was announced Tuesday night.
Travis and Amedro are West Liberty's fourth and fifth multi-year All-Americans. This is the first time in more than 80 seasons of West Liberty football that two Hilltoppers teammates have earned All-America honors in back-to-back years.
Both players have left their mark on the college football scene at the school, conference and national level.
Amedro, a 6-foot, 200-pound senior from Moundsville, was a two-time Harlon Hill Award finalist who threw for more yards (14,733) and completed more passes (1,079) than any quarterback in NCAA Division-II history while leading West Liberty to back-to-back national scoring and total offense championships - another NCAA Division-II first.
In just 10 games as a senior, the two-time WVIAC and Super Region One Player of the Year completed 329 of 485 passes for 4,085 yards (405.8 ypg.) and 38 TDs. He completed an Division II season-high 44 passes against national semifinalist Shepherd and threw an Division II season-high eight TD passes against Seton Hill while ranking among the top three nationally in passing yards per game, total offense per game, completions per game and points responsible for.
During his four years as West Liberty's starting quarterback, Amedro also set NCAA Division II career records for passing yards per game (334.8), 300-yard passing games (30), 300-yard total offense games (29), consecutive 300-yard passing games (14) and consecutive 300-yard total offense games (14) while ranking No. 2 all-time in total offense (14,598), touchdown passes (126) and total offense per game (331.8).
Travis, a 6-3, 235-pound senior from Massillon, Ohio, led the nation with 126 catches for 1,402 yards this fall and tied the Division II single-season mark for tight ends with 15 touchdown catches.
The sure-handed tight end was the nation's only college football player - all divisions - to catch at least 10 passes in every game this season. His 126 catches and 12.6 catches per game rank No. 2 all-time in the NCAA Division II annals.
A converted running back who didn't become a full-time receiver until his junior year, Travis followed up a 104-catch season as a junior with his record-setting performance this fall to finish his career with 285 career receptions. That's the fifth-highest total in NCAA Division II history.
Tom Priest was West Liberty's first multiple All-American, earning first-team NAIA All-America honors in 1970 and 1971. Mickey Sworden was a second-team NAIA All-American in 1971 and 1972 while Darren Banks remains the only player in WVIAC history to earn first-team NCAA Division II All-America honors in three straight seasons (2006-07-08).
Senior quarterback Eric Czierniewski of Central Missouri was voted NCAA Division II Offensive Player of the Year after averaging 371.9 passing yards and 3.3 touchdowns per game in 14 games for the Mules.
Valdosta State (Ga.) senior linebacker Larry Dean was voted NCAA Division II Defensive Player of the Year after setting a school record with 340 career tackles. Amedro, Czierniewsky and Grand Valley State QB Blake Bolles will be guests of honor at the Harlon Hill Trophy Banquet in Florence, Ala. on Friday.
The Daktronics All-America Team is the culmination of a nationwide balloting process involving all sports information directors from the 148 football-playing schools in the NCAA Division II ranks.
2010 DAKTRONICS NCAA DIVISION II ALL-AMERICA TEAM
First Team
Offense
OL-Cameron Bradfield, 6-5, 295, sr., Grand Valley State
OL-Trevis Turner, 6-7, 330, sr., Abilene Christian
OL-Brandon Fusco, 6-5, 305, sr., Slippery Rock
OL-Michael Tribue, 6-3, 260, sr., Carson-Newman
OL-Kyle Thornton, 6-4, 245, sr., North Alabama
WR-Jamorris Warren, 6-1, 195, sr., Central Missouri
WR-Fred Williams, 6-0, 195, sr., St. Cloud State
TE-RYAN TRAVIS, 6-3, 235, SR., WEST LIBERTY
QB-Eric Czierniewski, 6-0, 190, sr., Central Missouri
RB-Phil Milbrath, 5-9, 200, sr., Michigan Tech
RB-Franklyn Quiteh, 5-10, 197, fr., Bloomsburg
Ret-Garrett Tidwell, 5-10, 180, sr., Angelo State
PK-Gareth Rowlands, 6-1, 215, sr., Tusculum
Defense
DL-Marc Schiechl, 6-3, 260, sr., Colorado School of Mines
DL-Courtney Harris, 6-3, 260, sr., North Alabama
DL-Malcolm Jenkins, 6-5, 235, sr., Elizabeth City State
LB-Larry Dean, 6-0, 216, sr., Valdosta State
LB-Travis Brisco, 6-1, 240, sr., Urbana
LB-Nate Dreiling, 6-4, 218, fr., Pittsburg State
LB-Kiel Fechtelkotter, 6-0, 220, sr., Minnesota-Duluth
CB-Stevie Harden, 5-8, 167, sr., Valdosta State
CB-Ryan Jones, 5-11, 195, sr., Northwest Missouri State
S-Tillman Stevens, 6-0, 175, sr., Eastern New Mexico
S-Jeremy Jones, 5-10, 190, jr., Wayne State (Mich.)
P-George Shamblin, 6-0, 205, jr., Angelo State
Second Team
Offense
OL-Orion Matthies, 6-7, 330, sr., Nebraska-Kearney
OL-Chandler Rearden, 6-1, 265, sr., Lenoir-Rhyne
OL-Matt Desotell, 6-3, 300, sr., Michigan Tech
OL-Amini Silatolu, 6-3, 320, jr., Midwestern State
OL-Harrison Lingenfelter, 6-3, 300, sr., Nebraska-Omaha
OL-Dennis Bergland, 6-2, 312, sr., Nebraska-Omaha
WR-Edmund Gates, 6-1, 200, sr., Abilene Christian
WR-Deante Gist, 5-9, 170, jr., Tusculum
TE-DeMarco Cosby, 6-3, 240, sr., Central Missouri
QB-ZACH AMEDRO, 6-0, 200, SR., WEST LIBERTY
RB-Isaac Odim, 6-0, 215, sr., Minnesota-Duluth
RB-Josh Birmingham, 5-8, 185, fr., Central Oklahoma
Ret-D.J. Winfield, 5-9, 175, jr., Minnesota-Duluth
PK-Steve Ivanesevic, 6-2, 209, sr., Washburn
Defense
DL-Armonty Bryant, 6-6, 245, so., East Central
DL-Aston Whiteside, 6-2, 270, jr., Abilene Christian
DL-Maurice Harris, 6-2, 230, sr., Mars Hill
LB-Tressor Baptiste, 6-0, 240, sr., Texas A&M-Kingsville
LB-Matt Freed, 6-0, 215, sr., East Stroudsburg
LB-Chad Kilgore, 6-1, 230, jr., Northwest Missouri State
LB-Harrison Bryant, 6-0, 210, sr., North Alabama
CB-Keon Robinson, 5-11, 187, so., Shepherd
CB-Chad Daniel, 5-11, 180, sr., North Alabama
S-Craig Ray, 6-1, 206, sr., Indianapolis
S-Ron Parker, 6-1, 210, sr., Newberry
P-Kevin Berg, 6-0, 185, sr., Chadron State
