Football | 12/17/2010 2:10:13 PM
NEW YORK – West Liberty University's record-setting tandem of tight end Ryan Travis and quarterback Zach Amedro added yet another “first” to their growing resume on Friday.
The senior standouts became the school's first two-time AP Little All-Americans when the worldwide news organization announced its 77th annual Little All-America Team.
The AP Little All-America Team encompasses all college football players from NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA institutions. It served as the nation's only small-college All-America team for more than three decades and is still regarded as the most selective of all the postseason All-America teams.
Travis was named first-team tight end for the second consecutive year while Amedro was a second-team selection this season after earning first-team honors as a junior.
West Liberty was the only West Virginia Conference team with multiple selections on this year's Little All-America honor roll. The only other WVIAC player to be honored was Shepherd defensive back Keon Robinson, who was a second-team selection.
TRAVIS, a 6-3, 235-pound senior from Massillon, Ohio led the nation with 126 catches and an average of 140.2 yards per catch. The 126 receptions were the second-highest single-season total in NCAA Division II history and his average of 12.6 catches per game also ranks No. 2 all-time in Division II. The only college receiver in the nation – all divisions – to catch at least 10 passes in every game this season, Travis also tied the NCAA Division II single-season record for tight ends with 15 TD catches.
A converted running back, Travis exploded onto the regional and national scene as a junior with 104 catches for 1,250 yards to earn consensus All-America honors and set the stage for his record-setting senior season. Travis finished his career with West Liberty school records for catches (285), receiving yards (3,228) and touchdown catches (34). Travis's 285 career catches are No. 5 all-time in NCAA Division II.
AMEDRO, a 6-0, 200-pound senior from Moundsville, W.Va., is in Florence, Ala. this weekend as a guest of honor at the Harlon Hill Trophy Banquet after finishing in the top three of the voting for NCAA Division II Player of the Year for the second straight season. Amedro threw for more yards (14,733) and completed more passes (1,079) than any quarterback in NCAA Division II history while leading the Hilltoppers to back-to-back national scoring and total offense championships in his junior and senior years.
A two-time WVIAC and Super Region One Player of the Year, Amedro completed 329-of-485 passes for 4,085 yards (405.8 ypg.) and 38 TDs this fall. He ranked among the top three nationally in passing yards per game, total offense per game and completions per game and points responsible for. The four-year starter holds NCAA Division II career records for passing yards per game (334.8), 300-yard passing games (30), 300-yard total offense games (29), consecutive 300-yard passing games (14) and consecutive 300-yard total offense games (14) while ranking No. 2 all-time in total offense (14,598), touchdown passes (126) and total offense per game (331.8).
This marks the fourth consecutive year that West Liberty has had at least one player earn first-team Little All-America honors. Defensive back Darren Banks was a first-team pick in 2008 while wide receiver Almonzo Banks – no relation – was a 2007 AP Little All-American.
2010 AP LITTLE ALL-AMERICA TEAM
FIRST TEAM
Offense
Quarterback - Eric Czerniewski, senior, 6-0, 190, Central Missouri.
Running backs - Franklyn Quiteh, freshman, 5-10, 197, Bloomsburg; Phil Milbrath, senior, 5-9, 200, Michigan Tech.
Linemen - Brandon Fusco, senior, 6-5, 305, Slippery Rock; Cameron Bradfield, senior, 6-5, 295, Grand Valley State; Brett Grozinger, senior, 6-4, 285, Northwest Missouri State; Koby Parker, junior, 6-3, 320, Hardin-Simmons; Trevis Turner, junior, 6-7, 335, Abilene Christian.
Receivers - Fred Williams, senior, 6-0, 195, St. Cloud State; JaMorris Warren, senior, 6-1, 195, Central Missouri.
TIGHT END - RYAN TRAVIS, SENIOR, 6-3, 235, WEST LIBERTY.
All-purpose player - Cecil Shorts, senior, 6-2, 210, Mount Union.
Kicker - Steve Ivanisevic, senior, 5-11, 195, Washburn.
Defense
Linemen - Derrin Nettles, senior, 6-4, 304, Morehouse; Marc Schiechl, senior, 6-3, 260, Colorado School of Mines; Malcolm Jenkins, senior, 6-5, 235, Elizabeth City State; Matt Hoffman, senior, 6-3, 215, Rowan.
Linebackers - Larry Dean, senior, 6-0, 216, Valdosta State; Matt Wenger, senior, 6-0, 225, North Central (Ill.); Kiel Fechtelkotter, senior, 6-0, 220, Minnesota-Duluth.
Backs - Ryan Jones, senior, 5-11, 195, Northwest Missouri State; Caleb Singleton, senior, 6-4, 215, Western Oregon; Henry Melendez, senior, 5-10, 200, Trinity, Conn.; Stevie Harden, senior, 5-8, 157, Valdosta State.
Punter - Ronnie Partridge, junior, 5-10, 183, Stillman.
SECOND TEAM
Offense
QUARTERBACK - ZACH AMEDRO, SENIOR, WEST LIBERTY.
Running backs - Levell Coppage, junior, Wisconsin-Whitewater; Isaac Odim, senior, Minnesota-Duluth.
Linemen - Amini Silatolu, junior, Midwestern State (Texas); Taylor Boggs, senior, Humboldt State; Michael Tribue, senior, Carson-Newman; Matt Weber, senior, Wisconsin-Whitewater; Kyle Thornton, senior, North Alabama.
Tight end - Josh Baker, senior, Northwest Missouri State.
Receivers - Edmund Gates, senior, Abilene Christian; Tyler Beiler, senior, Bridgewater, Va.
All-purpose player - Anthony Stewart, senior, Central Missouri.
Kicker - Gareth Rowlands, senior, Tusculum.
Defense
Linemen - Courtney Harris, senior, North Alabama; Chris Mayes, junior, Wesley; Daniel Webb, senior, Emporia State; Aston Whiteside, junior, Abilene Christian.
Linebackers - Travis Brisco, senior, Urbana; Kyle McGivney, junior, Luther; Nate Dreiling, freshman, Pittsburg State.
Backs - Craig Ray, senior, Indianapolis; Tillman Stevens, senior, Eastern New Mexico; Mike Langhurst, senior, Aurora; Keon Robinson, sophomore, Shepherd.
Punter - Jared Jenkins, senior, Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
THIRD TEAM
Offense
Quarterback - Ben McLaughlin, senior, Louisiana College.
Running backs - Jim Bower, senior, Marine Maritime; Jesse Lewis, junior, Colorado State-Pueblo.
Linemen - Chandler Rearden, junior, Lenoir-Rhyne; Quintin Borders, senior, Union, Ky.; Dustin Davis, senior, Mary Hardin-Baylor; Orion Matthies, senior, Nebraska-Kearney; Matt Desotell, senior, Michigan Tech.
Tight end - Patrick Mengelkoch, senior, Wisconsin-Stout.
Receivers - Mike Preston, senior, Heidelberg; Joe Hasting, senior, Washburn.
All-purpose player - Stephan Neville, junior, Stonehill.
Kicker - Tyler Funk, senior, Carthage.
Defense
Linemen - Eddie Vallery, senior, Wittenberg; Seth Kimball, senior, Eastern Oregon; Brandon Williams, sophomore, Missouri Southern; Maurice Harris, senior, Mars Hill.
Linebackers - Matt Freed, senior, East Stroudsburg; Tressor Baptiste, senior, Texas A&M-Kingsville; Will Hawkins, senior, Millsaps.
Backs - Garrett Williams, senior, Delta State; Jared Millikan, junior, Anderson, Ind.; Ron Parker, senior, Newberry; Jeremy Jones, junior, Wayne State.
Punter - Derek Jambon, junior, Arkansas-Monticello.
