CIAA puts six on Daktronics All-America Football Team
December 12, 2006
The CIAA placed six players on the 2006 Daktronics, Inc. Division II All-America Football team. Representatives from North Carolina Central, St. Augustine's and Elizabeth City State were named to the team selected by sports information directors of NCAA Division II member institutions.
National finalist and defending champion Grand Valley State (Mich.) placed six players on the first-team while national finalist and defending runnerup Northwest Missouri State had three players chosen, including two first-team selections.
This is the 14th year the Daktronics All-America team has been selected by a vote of sports information directors from NCAA Division II football playing members. The team is sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition.
The defending national champion Lakers, who have a championship game rematch with the Bearcats on Saturday, not only had six first-team picks, but four of those selections led their positions in voting. Grand Valley senior quarterback Cullen Finnerty, senior wide receiver Eric Fowler, senior defensive lineman Mike McFadden and junior offensive lineman Brandon Barnes were tabbed tops for their positions by the voters.
McFadden was the leading vote-getter in the defensive line for the second straight season.
Northwest Missouri State was led by junior first-team tight end Mike Peterson, a leading vote-getter, along with junior first-team offensive lineman Reid Kirby and senior second-team linebacker Thomas Smith.
North Carolina Central also had three selections to the team, all second-teamers.
Chadron State (Neb.) running back Danny Woodhead led all players with the number of votes accumlated. The junior who led Division II in rushing with 2,756 yards this season, collected 86 percent of the votes cast.
Pittsburg State (Kan.) senior running back Germaine Race became the fourth player in the 14 seasons of the team to earn a place on the All-America first-team three consecutive seasons.
It was the first time in three years that a player was named to the Daktronics All-America team three straight seasons.
Finnerty, Race and Woodhead are the top three finalists for the 2006 Harlon Hill Award that will be announced Friday night.
Shepherd (W.Va.) senior Dan Peters earned top honors at defensive safety, receiving the most votes for the second year in a row.
Other players who received the most votes at their positions are North Alabama senior Anthony Merritt at All- Purpose Back, Wayne State (Mich.) junior David Chudzinski at place kicker, West Texas A&M sophomore Jared Brock at linebacker, West Liberty State (W.Va.) junior Darren Banks at cornerback, and East Central (Okla.) senior Curtis Lilly at punter.
East Stroudsburg (Pa.) senior receiver Evan Prall pulled off a rare double this season.
Prall was named to the second team as both a wide receiver and as an all-purpose back.
