BROOKINGS, S.D. - Tusculum College's Gareth
Rowlands and Deonte' Gist have been named to the 2010 Daktronics
NCAA Division II All-America Football Team announced officials
Tuesday. Rowlands was named the First Team placekicker, while Gist
was tabbed as one of the Second Team wide receivers.
Rowlands, a 6-1, 215-pound senior from Benllech, Wales, becomes the
fifth player in school history to earn First Team All-America
recognition (Donald Amaker - 2002; Ricardo Colclough - 2003; Alan
Dunn - 2003; Jarrell NeSmith - 2008).
The two-time All-South Atlantic Conference First Team pick enjoyed
one of the finest seasons ever by a league kicker. He established
school and league single-season records with his 111 points and 21
field goals made. Rowlands leads the nation in field goals made
per game (1.91) and is sixth in scoring (10.09 ppg). His 111
points are the most this season by a NCAA II kicker. He went
21-for-26 in field goals, including a string of 10 in a row towards
the end of the season, which is a new school record. His streak of
53 consecutive made extra points is also a new school record. He
is one of the 10 national finalists for the Fred Mitchell Award,
which honors the college division (FCS, DII, DIII, NAIA)
placekicker of the year.
Rowlands' 270 points are the most in school history by a kicker and second amongst all Pioneers. The two-time All-Region standout has accounted for 45 career field goals made, which are a new Tusculum record and tied for 25th most in NCAA II history. Rowlands is also a two-time ESPN Academic All-District selection.
Gist, a 5-9, 170-pound junior from Wellford, S.C., accounted for one of the greatest seasons for a receiver in SAC history. His 1,183 receiving yards are a new school record and the third most in conference history. The Byrnes High School graduate also established school records with his 96 receptions and 1,713 all-purpose yards.
The 2010 All-SAC First Team honoree averaged a league-best 107.55 receiving yards per game, which are 17th best in the nation this year. His 8.73 receptions per contest were also tops in the league and fourth in the country. Gist tallied 10 or more catches in five games and posted over 100 receiving yards in seven of his 11 contests. He established a school single-game record with 279 all-purpose yards at Catawba, including a 79-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Gist finished the year with nine touchdowns, including eight TD receptions.
The is in its 18th year of sponsorship by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every sport at every level of competition. The team is voted on by the NCAA Division II members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), with online nomination and the voting process powered by AthleticSite.com, the official internet provider for TusculumPioneers.com.
- TC -
2010 Daktronics NCAA Division II All-America
Team
First Team Offense
TE - Ryan Travis, West Liberty State
OL - Cameron Bradfield, Grand Valley State
OL - Trevis Turner, Abilene Christian
OL - Brandon Fusco, Slippery Rock
OL - Michael Tribue, Carson-Newman
OL - Kyle Thornton, North Alabama
WR - Jamorris Warren, Central Missouri
WR - Fred Williams, St. Cloud State
QB - Eric Czerniewski, Central Missouri
RB - Franklyn Quiteh, Bloomsburg
RB - Phil Milbrath, Michigan Tech
RS - Garrett Tidwell, Angelo State
PK - Gareth Rowlands, Tusculum
First Team Defense
DL - Marc Schiechl, Colorado Mines
DL - Courtney Harris, North Alabama
DL - Malcolm Jenkins, Elizabeth City State
LB - Larry Dean, Valdosta State
LB - Travis Brisco, Urbana
LB - Nate Dreiling, Pittsburg State
LB - Kiel Fechtelkotter, Minnesota-Duluth
S - Tillman Stevens, Eastern New Mexico
S - Jeremy Jones, Wayne State (Mich.)
CB - Stevie Harden, Valdosta State
CB - Ryan Jones, Northwest Missouri
P - George Shamblin, Angelo State
Second Team Offense
TE - DeMarco Cosby, Central Missouri
OL - Orion Matthies, Nebraska-Kearney
OL - Chandler Rearden, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL - Matt Desotell, Michigan Tech
OL - Amini Silatolu, Midwestern State
OL - Harrison Lingenfelter, Nebraska-Omaha
OL - Dennis Bergland, Nebraska-Omaha
WR - Edmund Gates, Abilene Christian
WR - Deonte' Gist, Tusculum
QB - Zach Amedro, West Liberty State
RB - Isaac Odim, Minnesota-Duluth
RB - Josh Birmingham, Central Oklahoma
RS - D.J. Winfield, Minnesota-Duluth
PK - Steve Ivanisevic, Washburn
Second Team Defense
DL - Armonty Bryant, East Central
DL - Aston Whiteside, Abilene Christian
DL - Maurice Harris, Mars Hill
LB - Tressor Baptiste, Texas A&M-Kingsville
LB - Matt Freed, East Stroudsburg
LB - Chad Kilgore, Northwest Missouri
LB - Harrison Bryant, North Alabama
S - Craig Ray, Indianapolis
S - Ron Parker, Newberry
CB - Keon Robinson, Shepherd
CB - Chad Daniel, North Alabama
P - Kevin Berg, Chadron State