Football | 12/10/2019 11:05:00 AM
December 10, 2019-Hornet linebacker
Jace McDown has earned Emporia State's 56th Academic All-America® honors as presented by CoSIDA. The Columbus, Kan. native was named a Second-Team Academic All-American® by CoSIDA.
A health and human performance major with a 3.98 GPA, McDown earned First-Team All-MIAA honors this season. He finished the season tied for second in the MIAA with 95 total tackles and 58 solo tackles. He had four games with double figure tackles including a career high 15 against Neb.-Kearney.
The red-shirt junior has 231 career tackles in 33 career games, with 222 of them coming in the last two years.
He was a member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and ESU Athletic Director's Honor Roll as well as being named an MIAA Scholar Athlete.
This is the 15th time an Emporia State football player has earned CoSIDA Academic All-America® honors. Emporia State also had players named Academic All-America four times by the NAIA.
McDown is one of eight MIAA players to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America® honors this season. This is the fourth straight year Emporia State has had an Academic All-American in football, the longest active streak in the MIAA.
To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. The Division II Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2019-20 Division II Academic All-America® teams program.
Emporia State's defense was ranked second in the MIAA in total defense, leading the MIAA in pass defense and ranking third in rush defense. McDown is one of 15 starters set to return for next season with eight returners on offense and seven on defense.
Over the last ten years the Hornets have been in or within one win of advancing to the post season eight times. Emporia State went to the NCAA Division II Playoffs in 2013, 2015 and 2016 and advanced to the National Quarterfinals in 2015. They were Kanza Bowl Champions in 2012, Corsicana Bowl Champions in 2018 and just missed bowl opportunities in 2010, 2011 and 2017.
NCAA DIVISION II – Academic All-America®
First Team
Pos Name School Yr. GPA Major
QB Brant Grisel University of Charleston Sr. 3.95 Biology / Pre-Medical
RB Deonte Glover Shepherd University Gr. 3.70/3.75 MBA
RB Austin Micci (1) Colorado State-Pueblo Sr. 3.78 Business Management (UG / MBA (3+2)
WR Henry Litwin Slippery Rock University Jr. 3.66 Safety Management
WR Shane Zylstra (1) Minnesota State-Mankato Sr. 3.44 Biomedical Science
TE Preston Guerra Colorado State-Pueblo Jr. 3.96 Business Management
OL Ronnie Clifton (2) Lenoir-Rhyne University Gr. 3.85 Business Administration
OL Ryan Dodd Pittsburg State Gr. 3.87/4.00 Business Administration (UG) / MBA (G)
OL Derek Ivey Stonehill College Jr. 3.91 Economics
OL Shawn Rouse Missouri Western Sr. 3.86 Construction Engineering
OL Ryan Spelhaug (1) Northwest Missouri Sr. 3.92 Business Economics
K Ethan Knudson Wayne State College Sr. 3.92 Industrial Technology & Construction Management
ST Stevann Brown Chadron State College Sr. 3.69 Education
DL Ned Bingaman Pittsburg State Sr. 3.97 Justice Studies
DL Zach Mohs Northern State University Sr. 3.98 Biology / Chemistry
DL Ricky Robinson Shepherd University Jr. 3.87 Business Administration
DL Levi Wyrick Pittsburg State Sr. 4.00 Education
LB Tyler Bradfield (2) Grand Valley State University Jr. 3.98 Finance
LB Kyle Rosenbrock Colorado State-Pueblo Sr. 3.94 Engineering
LB Clay Shreve Ashland University Sr. 3.96 Music Education
DB Sam Fareri (2) Clarion University Sr. 3.82 Rehab Science
DB Brandon Morrison West Liberty University Gr. 3.86 Criminology (G)
DB Braden Sweet (#) Southwestern Oklahoma Gr. 3.98/4.00 Accounting (UG) / Business Admin. (G)
DB Kyle Toth Wayne State University Sr. 3.83 Kinesiology
P Logen Neidhardt Ohio Dominican University Jr. 3.78 Exercise Science
Second-Team
Pos. Name School Yr. GPA Major
QB Jaden Barr Truman State University Gr. 3.95/4.00 Leadership
RB Deshawn Jones (2, #) Missouri Science & Tech. Sr. 3.49 Biological Sciences
RB Antonio Wimbush Carson-Newman University Sr. 3.50 Business
WR Nate Couturier Davenport University Gr. 4.00 Accounting
WR Dakota Larson Northern State University So. 3.88 Environmental Science
TE Marqus Andrews (1) Northwest Missouri Sr. 3.48 Chemistry
OL Nathan Belisle Minnesota State - Moorhead Sr. 3.79 Accounting
OL Dan List Colorado State-Pueblo Sr. 3.72 History
OL Levi Murphy East Stroudsburg University Sr. 3.90 Secondary Education / History
OL Andrew Strickland Wingate University Sr. 3.80 Accounting
OL Nick Zimmerman University of Sioux Falls Gr. 3.82/3.82 Business, Management, Marketing
K Tanner Harding Notre Dame College Jr. 3.87 Psychology
ST Pippin Davis Valdosta State University Jr. 3.67 Middle Grades Education
DL Kolbie Foster (2) Wayne State College Sr. 3.82 Family Consumer Sci. & Fashion Merchandising
DL Dan Monson Minnesota Duluth Sr. 3.75 Civil Engineering
DL Mikal Toliver (2) Urbana University Sr. 3.76 Sport Management
DL J.T. Turner Concord University Jr. 4.00 Business Administration
LB Alex Goettl (1) Minnesota State-Mankato Sr. 3.93 Biology
LB Clayton Horn Lenoir-Rhyne University Sr. 3.78 Accounting
LB Jace McDown Emporia State Sr. 3.98 Health & Human Performance
DB Ben Gutschow St. Cloud State University Sr. 3.91 Bio-Medical Studies
DB Geoff Keating (1) Colorado School of Mines Sr. 3.96 Mechanical Engineering
DB Vincent Persichetti Frostburg State Sr. 3.57 Sociology / Law & Society
DB Alex Shillow Texas A&M-Commerce Gr. 3.85 Sports Management (UG) / MBA (G)
P Todd Morrow Pittsburg State Sr. 3.52 Construction Management
CoSIDA Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year: Brant Grisel, University of Charleston (W.Va.)
(1) – CoSIDA Academic All-America® first team selection in 2018
(2) – CoSIDA Academic All-America® second team selection in 2018
(#) – CoSIDA Academic All-America® second team selection in 2017
Emporia State All-time Academic All-Americans
as presented by CoSIDA
2019-20 Football
Jace McDown 2nd Team
2018-19 Women's Track/XC Brianna Schmitz 2nd Team
Football
Landon Nault 1st Team
2017-18 Men's Track/XC Wyatt Sander 3rd Team
Football
Marcus Houghton 1st Team
Football
Landon Nault 2nd Team
2016-17 Football
Marcus Houghton 2nd Team
2014-15 Softball Taylor Zordel 2nd Team
Baseball Justin Harris 1st Team
Men's Track/XC Payson Maydew 1st Team
Men's Track/XC Donald Wilcox 2nd Team
Women's Track/XC Peyton Weiss 3rd Team
2013-14 Men's Track/XC Payson Maydew 2nd Team
2012-13 Football
Ben Carlson 1st Team
2011-12 Women's Track/XC Katelyn Mona 1st Team
2010-11 Baseball Kevin Wempe 3rd Team
2007-08 Baseball Brian Majors 2nd Team
Women's Basketball Michelle Stueve 2nd Team
2005-06 Softball Bree Beattie 2nd Team
Softball Melissa Stevens 3rd Team
Women's Track/XC Kristen Larson 1st Team
2004-05 Softball Melissa Stevens 3rd Team
2003-04 Football Brad Johnson 1st Team
Football Tyler Paul 1st Team
Women's Track/XC Rachel Goetz 1st Team
2002-03 Football Tyler Paul 1st Team
Baseball Josh Stratman 2nd Team
Women's Track/XC Kadri Kelve 1st Team
Women's Track/XC Sarah Wuertz 1st Team
2001-02 Football Pat Amon 2nd Team
2000-01 Women's Basketball Emily Bloss 1st Team
1999-00 Women's Basketball Emily Bloss 1st Team
1998-99 Women's Track & Field Deandra Doubrava 1st Team
Women's Basketball Emily Bloss 2nd Team
1995-96 Women's Cross Country Angela Cathcart 1st Team
Women's Track & Field Angela Cathcart 1st Team
1995-96 Football Mike Reese 2nd Team
1994-95 Women's Volleyball Kristi King 1st Team
Women's Track & Field Angela Cathcart 3rd Team
1986-87 Women's Volleyball Kindra Jo Wells 2nd Team
1985-86 Baseball Phil McKinzie 1st Team
Men's Basketball Craig Stromgren Hon. Mention
Softball Becky Barnett Hon. Mention
1984-85 Baseball Phil McKinzie 1st Team
1983-84 Women's Track & Field Nancy Gray 3rd Team
Women's Track & Field Lesha Wood 3rd Team
1982-83 Football Dave Robertson 2nd Team
Softball Robie Lewis 1st Team
Women's Gymnastics Cora Zaletel 1st Team
1980-81 Men's Basketball Steve Henson 2nd Team
Women's Basketball Judy Becker 3rd Team
1979-80 Football Tom Lingg 1st Team
Men's Basketball Curt Pickert 2nd Team
1973-74 Football Mike White 2nd Team
Men's Basketball Phil Pettay 3rd Team
1972-73 Football Bruce Buchanan 2nd Team
NAIA Football Academic All-Americans
1985 Ike Diel
William McManus
1986 William McManus
1990 Shannon Smith
