LIBERTY, Mo. --- Tusculum College's Deonte Gist
has earned D2football.com All-America honorable mention recognition
with the release of the 2011 All-America squad.
Gist, a 5-9, 175-pound senior from Wellford, S.C., earns his third
All-America honor this season as a return specialist/all-purpose
runner after earning Daktronics Second Team honors and was an
honorable mention choice by Beyond Sports College Network. The
2011 consensus All-Region standout has shined on Tusculum's special
teams, where he led the South Atlantic Conference in kickoff return
average at 29.43 yards per return, which is eighth in the country.
Of his 21 returns, two were for touchdowns, including a 94-yarder
against Brevard and a 92-yarder at Newberry, giving him a
school-record four career kickoff returns for touchdown.
Gist led the league in receptions for a second straight year, averaging 8.1 catches per contest, which are second in the nation (NCAA II). The 2010 consensus All-America receiver capped his outstanding career with 81 receptions for 900 yards and four touchdowns this season. His 81 catches are tied for the fourth most in school history, while his 900 yards are eighth-best in TC history and 31st in the country. His 90 receiving yards per game average is also 24th in DII.
Gist ends his Tusculum career as the program's all-time leader in all-purpose yards (4,374) and kickoff returns yards (1,593). His 2,540 career receiving yards are second in TC history, while his 12 career games with 100 receiving yards are a Tusculum-best. He also posted 20 outings with 100 all-purpose yards, including eight straight games in 2011. His 1,642 all-purpose yards in 2011 are the third-most in school history, while his 164.2 yards per game average is second in the league and 12th in the country.
Gist and teammate Rashaad Carter established a NCAA II record this year for the most career receptions by two players from the same team. Carter (210) and Gist (207) combined for 417 catches between them from 2008-2011. The TC duo was the top two receivers for a Tusculum offense that averaged 311 passing yards per game (7th in NCAA II).
- TC -
2011 D2Football.com All-America Team
First Team
QB Dane Simoneau Washburn
RB Jonas Randolph Mars Hill
RB Joe Glendening Hillsdale
WR Thomas Mayo California (Pa.)
WR Trevor Kennedy Mercyhurst
TE Joe Don Duncan Dixie State
OL Joe Long Wayne State (Mich)
OL Amini Silatolu Midwestern State
OL Rishaw Johnson California (Pa.)
OL Kyle Thornton North Alabama
OL Garth Heikkinen Minnesota Duluth
DL David Bass Missouri Western
DL Brandon Williams Missouri Southern
DL Randy Colling Gannon
DL Aston Whiteside Abilene Christian
LB Nate Dreiling Pittsburg State
LB Chad Kilgore Northwest Missouri
LB Shawn Loiseau Merrimack
DB Arthur Hobbs Nebraska-Kearney
DB Dontae Smith East Central
DB Jeremy Jones Wayne State (Mich)
DB Rontez Miles California (Pa.)
AP John Brown Pittsburg State
K Greg Zuerlein Missouri Western
P Taylor Accardi Colorado Mines
Second Team
QB Chris Mills Indianapolis
RB David Carter Morehouse
RB Rashaad Slowley Southern Connecticut
WR Troy Burrell Wayne State (Mich)
WR Jamar Howard Central Missouri
TE David Cannon Central Missouri
OL Brian Folkerts Washburn
OL Ryan Schraeder Valdosta State
OL Tyler Hendrickson Concordia-St. Paul
OL Chandler Rearden Lenoir-Rhyne
OL Stephen Goodin Nebraska-Kearney
DL Todd Storm Michigan Tech
DL Gus Toca Pittsburg State
DL Thomas Mulabah California (Pa.)
DL Jamie Meder Ashland
LB Lee Meisner CSU-Pueblo
LB Deon Lacey West Alabama
LB Jamarkus Gaskins Albany State
DB Janoris Jenkins North Alabama
DB Marvin Matthews St. Cloud State
DB Alton Keaton Winston-Salem
DB Clarence Laster Southwestern Oklahoma
AP Jordan Simmons Northwest Missouri
K David Nadeau Minnesota Duluth
P Gregg Berkshire Ashland
Honorable Mention
QB Micah Davis Delta State
QB Mitchell Gale Abilene Christian
QB Kevin Morton Kutztown
QB Ryan Osiecki New Haven
RB Nicholas Cooper Winston-Salem
RB Travis Daniels UNC Pembroke
RB Keidrick Jackson Midwestern State
RB Daronte McNeill Elizabeth City
RB Lyndon Rowells Humboldt State
RB Matt Willis West Alabama
RB Jonathan Woodson Texas A&M-Kingsville
WR Chris Bowden Wingate
WR Devin Goda Slippery Rock
WR Brittan Golden West Texas
WR Charles Johnson Grand Valley
WR Trey McVay Northeastern State
WR Jon Meadows West Virginia Wesleyan
WR Tyler Steffan Mary
WR Isaiah Voegeli Merrimack
TE Brian Leonhardt Bemidji State
TE Ryan Shelley Southeastern Oklahoma
TE Phillip Supernaw Ouachita Baptist
OL Cordell Bell Minnesota State
OL Edmund Kugbila Valdosta State
OL Cody Johnson Northwest Missouri
OL Darrell Leopold Delta State
OL Jason Slowey Western Oregon
OL Ken Van Huele Midwestern State
OL Rod Williams Northwest Missouri
DL Jonas Celian West Virginia Wesleyan
DL Richard Daniel Wayne State (Neb.)
DL Tim Green Lincoln (Pa)
DL Dakota Palan-Johnson Washburn
DL Drew Vanderlin Michigan Tech
LB Jeremy Aguilar Texas A&M-Kingsville
LB Jordan Campbell New Mexico Highlands
LB Jason Catchings East Central
LB Rocco DeLorenzo Adams State
LB Marcus Dowtin North Alabama
LB Rob Huberty Minnesota Duluth
LB Alex Whitehill Fort Hays
LB Ian Wild Mercyhurst
LB Derrik Zappa Minnesota Duluth
DB Casey Curran Washburn
DB Dominique Davenport Delta State
DB Elijah Olabode Pittsburg State
AP Deonte Gist Tusculum
AP Josh Renel Wayne State (Mich.)
K Kyle Major CSU-Pueblo
P Randy Weich Wayne State (Neb.)
