Mankato, Minn. — Minnesota State senior offensive lineman
Andy Schoonover (Boyceville, Wis.) has been named to the 2009 Football Gazette All-America Team which was announced Tuesday.
Senior defensive back/return specialist
Kelvin Rodgers (East St. Louis, Ill.) was also mention as an Honorable Mention selection.
This marks the 22nd year Don Hansen’s Football Gazette, a recognized authority on small college football, has selected an NCAA Division II All-America team. The national publication selected All-Region teams with the first-team and second-team All-Region players from each of the four geographic regions (Super Region One – former Northeast; Super Region Two – former Southeast; Super Region Three – former Northwest; Super Region Four - former Southwest) comprising the national ballot, which was voted upon by a select national panel.
A total of 157 players earned some form of Football Gazette All-America honors. Players from 83 of the 150 football-playing schools in Division II earned Football Gazette All-America accolades.
Mavericks earning All-Region honors from the Football Gazette include: First-Team: sophomore defensive back Jesse Hamilton (Racine, Wis.), Schoonover and Rodgers; Second-Team: redshirt-freshman running back Jake Aberg (Winterset, Iowa), senior offensive lineman Matt Gray (Fullerton, Calif.); Third-Team: Senior linebacker Kevin Klug (Caledonia, Minn.).
To view a bio on each of these athletes, please see support material below.
The Mavericks finished the 2009 season with a 10-2 record and advanced to the NCAA Playoffs for the second straight season.
All-American Bios
Andy Schoonover Notes: Was a First-Team All-NSIC South Division pick...Named an All-American by the AFCA...Also selected as a First-Team All-America by the Football Gazette and was a Second-Team All-American by d2football.com...Earned First-Team All-Region honors by Daktronics and the Football Gazette...Started MSU's loss to Hillsdale and started in 33 of the 39 games he played in during his career...Helped anchor a Maverick offensive line that rushed for 2,601 yards and 34 touchdowns and protected a Maverick quarterback corps that threw for 2,169 yards and 23 scores.
Kelvin Rodgers Notes: Was named to the First-Team All-NSIC South Division squad as both a defensive back and a return specialist...Was First-Team All-American by D2football.com...Named an Honorable-Mention All-American by the Football Gazette...Became the 23rd Maverick in school history to accept an invitation to the Cactus Bowl... Played in all 12 games last year and played in 45 games as a Maverick, earning a start in 25...Recorded a season-high seven tackles in MSU's win over Southwest Minnesota State (10/24)...Had three or more tackles in 11 of12 games...Hauled in three interceptions on the year and returned one interception 60 yards for a touchdown against Truman State (8/29)...Returned a fumble 19 yards for a touchdown in MSU's win over MSU Moorhead (10/17)...Blocked two kicks in MSU's win at Concordia (10/10)...Returned 29 kicks for 691 yards and a touchdown...Took his only kick return to the endzone – a 78-yard run – in MSU's win at Upper Iowa (10/31)...Had 21 punt returns for 246 yard...Finished his career at Minnesota State ranked on several career charts, including: punt return yards (first, 770), kick return yards (first, 2,255), kick returns (first, 88), punt returns (tied-first, 61), average yards per punt return (third, 12.62), average yards per kick return (fourth, 25.62), all purpose yards (ninth, 3,174) interceptions (tied ninth, 8).
All-Region Picks:
Jake Aberg Notes: Was named First-Team All-NSIC South and Second-Team All-Region by Daktronics and the Football Gazette...Aberg played in all 11 games last year and finished with a team-high 188 yards for 1,201 yards and 10 touchdowns...Averaged 100.1 yards per game...Named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 205 yards in MSU's win over Wayne State (9/19)...Finished the year with five 100-yard games, including three straight to close the season...Had 168 yards rushing in MSU's playoff loss to Hillsdale (11/14)...Caught nine passes for 152 yards and one touchdown...His 1,201 yards last season was tied for the third-highest single-season total in school history.
Matt Gray Notes: Was a Second-Team All-Region pick by the Football Gazette...Started in MSU's loss to Hillsdale (11/14) and has started 20 of MSU's last 32 games...Was a Second-Team All-NSIC South selection...Helped anchor a Maverick offensive line that rushed for 2,601 yards and 34 touchdowns and protected a Maverick quarterback corps that threw for 2,169 yards and 23 scores.
Jesse Hamilton Notes: Was a First-Team All-NSIC South selection and a First-Team All-Region pick by Daktronics and the Football Gazette...Tied the school record for single-season interceptions with seven...Was third on the team with 69 tackles – 43 of which were unassisted...Had 14 tackles in MSU's loss to Hillsdale (11/14) and 10 tackles in MSU's win against Bemidji State (9/5)...Had four games where he racked up five or more solo tackles...Had a pair of interceptions in MSU's wins over Wayne State (9/19) and Winona State (9/26) and had a stretch where he recorded six interceptions in four games...Also broke up five passes, forced three fumbles and blocked two kicks.
Kevin Klug Notes: Was a First-Team All-NSIC South selection...Was a Second-Team All-Region selection by Daktronics and a Third-Team All-Region selection by the Football Gazette...Finished with 63 tackles – the fourth highest tally on the team...In MSU's 54-3 win over Concordia (10/10), Klug blocked a punt that was recovered in the endzone for a Maverick touchdown...Klug continued his block party in MSU's 59-14 win over MSU Moorhead (10/17) when he blocked two Dragon punts....For his special team's efforts (he also had two tackles on special teams against MSUM), Klug was named the NSIC's Special Team's Player of the Week.
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