WACO, TEXAS — Fifty of NCAA Division II's elite football student-athletes were named to the American Football Coaches' Association All-America Team, as released by the organization on Wednesday, Dec. 6. Delta State University senior running back Chris Robinson (5-9, 196, Bude, Miss.) was named to the squad for a second consecutive season, joining former Statesmen Chris Booker (OL/2001-2002) and Michael Eubanks (LB/2006-2007) as DSU's only back-to-back AFCA All-American selections.

Robinson, who guided the Statesmen to a 9-4 overall record and a second round appearance in the NCAA Division II Championship Playoff, led the Gulf South Conference in rushing with 1,326 yards and 18 touchdowns while topping the league in scoring with 20 touchdowns. His 1,326 yards rushing are fifth on the single season list at DSU while his 2,300 career yards rank seventh.

In just two seasons, the Bude, Miss., native, scored 44 touchdowns to tie two-time All-American Trevar Deed for the school record. His 44 touchdowns rank sixth on the GSC career scoring list as well.

Click here for a complete listing of the 2017 AFCA All-America Teams.

ABOUT THE AFCA ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
Team Background: The five teams now chosen for each AFCA?division evolved from a single 11-player squad in 1945. From 1945 until 1967, only one team was chosen. From 1967 through 1971, two teams – University Division and College Division – were selected. In 1972, the College Division was split into College I and College II. In 1979, the University Division was split into two teams — FBS and FCS. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II?and Division III,?respectively. In 2006, the AFCA started selecting an NAIA-only team. From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 offensive, 11 defensive) team was chosen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker were added to the team. In 1997, a return specialist was added, giving us the current 25-player team. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006.

Selection Process: The AFCA's Division II?All-America Selection Committee is made up of three head coaches from each of the AFCA's seven districts, one of whom serves as a district chairman, along with another head coach who serves as the chairman of the selection committee. The coaches in each district are responsible for ranking the top players in their respective districts prior to a conference call between the district chairmen and the committee chairman on which the teams are chosen.

The Award:?Members of the AFCA Coaches' All-America First Team will receive a plaque commemorating their selection to the team, while members of the Second Team will receive a certificate.

Consecutive Years: Texas A&M-Kingsville had at least one player named to the AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America Team for 18 straight seasons, from 1986 to 2003, the longest streak by any team in Division II. Northwest Missouri State is second, having had 16 straight selections from 1996 to 2011. Pittsburg State has the third longest streak at nine straight selections from 1988 to 1996. Texas A&M-Commerce has the longest active streak with five straight selections from 2013 to today. 

Top Teams: Texas A&M-Kingsville has been represented a total of 34 times by 30 players on the AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America Team, to lead all schools. Trailing Texas A&M-Kingsville is Texas A&M-Commerce (22/19), Northwest Missouri State (21/16), North Alabama (20/19), Pittsburg State (20/16), Indiana (Pa.) (19/17), Ferris State (19/15), Carson-Newman (16/15), Grand Valley State (16/15), Ashland (15/14), Mississippi College (15/14), New Haven (14/14), American International (14/13), Valdosta State (14/12), Colorado Mesa (13/11), Catawba (13/10), Indianapolis (12/12), Saginaw Valley State (12/12), Angelo State (12/11), Eastern New Mexico (11/9), LIU-Post (11/9), Slippery Rock (11/9), West Georgia (10/10), West Texas A&M (10/10), Winston-Salem State (10/10), Central Washington (10/9), Sioux Falls (10/9), St. Cloud State (10/9), Central State (10/8), Mars Hill (10/8) and Minnesota State (10/7).

Back-to-Back:?Eastern New Mexico running back Kamal Cass, Texas A&M-Commerce offensive lineman Jared Machorro, Slippery Rock defensive lineman Marcus Martin, Ferris State defensive lineman Zach Sieler, Tuskegee linebacker Osband Thompson and Delta State running back Chris Robinson are the six players who earned AFCA Division II?Coaches' All-America honors for the second consecutive season in 2017.

Three-peat:?Catawba linebacker Kyle Kitchens became the fourth player in Division II history to be named to three straight AFCA All-America Teams. Kitchens was a first-team selection in 2015 and 2017, and a second-team selection in 2016. He joins Brandon Williams, a defensive lineman from Missouri Southern State (2010-12), running back Jonas Randolph from Mars Hill (2009-11) and Tywan Mitchell, a wide receiver from Minnesota State (1996-98).

Repeat After Me:  Texas A&M-Kingsville's Johnny Bailey is the only player to earn AFCA All-America honors in four consecutive years at any level. Bailey was a four-year pick at running back in 1986-87-88-89.

Two Players, Two Schools:?Punter Mark Bounds and placekicker Greg Zuerlein are the only players to earn AFCA All-America honors at two different schools. Bounds was named to the AFCA?College Division I?team in 1990 while playing for West Texas A&M. He transferred to Texas Tech after West Texas dropped football and earned I-A All-America honors as a Red Raider in 1991. Zuerlein was named to the Division II Coaches' All-America Team in 2009 while playing for Nebraska-Omaha. He transferred to Missouri Western State after Nebraska-Omaha dropped its football program and earned Division II honors in 2011 as a Griffon.

Class Distinction:?This year's Division II?Coaches' All-America Team is made up of 37 seniors, 10 juniors, two sophomores and one graduate student.

It's Been A While: Wide receiver J.T. Luper from Central Oklahoma and defensive back Max Redfield from Indiana (Pa.) have earned AFCA Coaches' All-America Team honors for their schools for the first time since 2007 and 2009, respectively.

First Time's A Charm: Gannon running back Marc Jones, Assumption all-purpose player Deonte Harris and place-kicker Cole Tracy earned honors for their schools for the first time in AFCA Division II?Coaches' All-America Team history.