--- Four Tusculum College student-athletes have been named to the 2013 Don Hansen Football Gazette NCAA Division II All-America Team.

Tight end Wesley Powell was named to the All-America second team, while quarterback Bo Cordell was selected as the third team signal caller. Wide receiver Justin Houston and linebacker Brian Alexander garnered All-America honorable mention accolades.

Powell earns All-America recognition for the first time in his collegiate career. The 2013 consensus earns All-Region pick becomes the third tight end in program history to become an All-American, joining Michael Rodriguez (2010) and Jarrell NeSmith (2008, 2009).

The a 6-10 junior from Titus, Ala. (Elmore County HS), finished third on the team with 38 receptions for 520 yards (8th in SAC) and four touchdowns. He averaged 47.3 receiving yards per game (9th in SAC), including a career-best 110 yards on seven grabs against Mars Hill. In his 31 career outings, he has made 81 receptions for 853 yards and seven touchdowns.

Cordell, who finished fourth in the national voting for the Harlon Hill Trophy (DII National Player of the Year), has wrapped up one of the most prolific careers ever by a collegiate signal caller. This marks his second All-America recognition this year, earning third team honors by Beyond Sports Network.

The Cincinnati, Ohio native (Indian Hill HS) owns 15 NCAA Division II records, including career passing yards (16,265 - 4th all NCAA divisions), career completions (1,397 - 3rd all NCAA divisions), career pass attempts (2,187 - 3rd all NCAA divisions) career total offensive yards (16,432 - 4th all NCAA divisions) and total offensive plays in a career (2,572 - 2nd all NCAA divisions).

Cordell was named the 2013 Daktronics Region Two and South Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Year. He led the SAC in six statistical categories including: passing yards (3,920 - 4th in NCAA II), passing yards per game (356.4 ypg - 4th in NCAA II), points responsible for (178 - 32nd in NCAA II), points responsible for per game (16.2 ppg - 37th in NCAA II) and total offense (365.1 ypg - 4th in NCAA II). Cordell's 3,920 passing yards are the third-most in school history and fifth-best in SAC history, while his 4,020 total offensive yards are third most in both the TC and SAC record books. Cordell completed 25 touchdown passes in 2013, which are the third most by a Tusculum player and eighth-most by a SAC quarterback. He owns 13 SAC football records, including career touchdown passes (112) and touchdowns responsible for (127), marks he established in his collegiate finale against Mars Hill University.

Alexander, a senior from Union Point, Ga., finished second in the conference with his 126 tackles, which are the second most in Tusculum history. The two-time All-SAC linebacker averaged 11.5 tackles per game, which is the second-best average in the league and 11th in the country as he garners his inaugural All-America honor. He recorded 10 or more tackles on seven occasions in 2013, including a career-high 20 stops at Carson-Newman University. He also tallied 18 tackles, including two behind the line of scrimmage in a home win against Catawba College. The Greene County (Ga.) HS product finished the season with six tackles for loss and three sacks, while forcing a fumble and blocking a kick.

Alexander is the program's all-time leader in tackles with 366 stops to his credit. He is also seventh in career tackles for loss (36) and sacks (13) as he posted double-digit tackles on 15 occasions.

Houston, a sophomore from Cleveland, Tenn., led the conference in receptions per game, averaging 11 catches per contest, the second highest average in the nation (NCAA II) as he earns his second All-America honor this year. Houston also led the SAC in all-purpose yards per game (191.40 ypg - 10th in NCAA II) and finished second in the conference in receiving yards per game (134.7 ypg - 4th in NCAA II) and eighth in total receiving yards (1,347 - 9th in NCAA II).

Houston's season totals in receptions (110), receiving yards (1,347) and all-purpose yardage (1,914) are all single-season records at Tusculum. The 2013 Beyond Sports Network All-American and Daktronics All-Region second team honoree tallied seven touchdown catches and returned a kickoff for a program-best 99-yard return for a score earning him SAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Earlier this year, he established a school single-game record with 317 all-purpose yards at Brevard.

For his career, Houston has made 150 receptions (6th in TC history) for 1,740 yards (8th in TC history) and 11 touchdowns for the Bradley Central High School graduate.

The Football Gazette All-America Team carries out the legacy of long-time small college football advocate Don Hansen, who passed away at age 75 on Aug. 29, 2010. Hansen, a native of Brookfield, Ill., started and published Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette for three decades, selecting NCAA Division II All-America teams for the first time in 1988.