WACO, Texas – The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) announced its 2022 Division II All-America Teams naming five MIAA football players to its list of honorees.
 
Five MIAA football student-athletes were named to the AFCA’s Division II All-America Teams for the 2022 season. Pittsburg State received two All-America selections in Trase Jeffries and PJ Sarwinski. Nebraska Kearney’s TJ Davis, Emporia State’s Xavier Cason and Northwest Missouri’s Elijah Green also earned All-America status from the AFCA.
 
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.
 
Trase Jeffries, offensive lineman of the Gorillas, was the only MIAA football player to be named to the 2022 AFCA Division II All-America First Team. Jeffries helped pave the way up front for the Pitt State offense to average 32.1 points and 373.8 total yards per game as the Gorillas posted an unblemished record in conference play, capturing the 2022 MIAA Championship and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division II national playoffs during a 12-1 campaign. The redshirt-junior form Broken Arrow, Okla. also received All-MIAA First Team recognition for a second consecutive season this fall.
 
The Lopers' TJ Davis was named a Second Team All-America quarterback by the AFCA for the second consecutive season. The two-time MIAA Offensive Player of the Year had another productive fall as UNK went 8-3 in the MIAA and was nationally and regionally ranked throughout the fall. For the regular season, he was the second-best rushing quarterback in the NCAA with 1,136 rushing yards. He was just one of two Division II quarterbacks to run and throw (1,370 passing yards) for over 1,000 yards while tallying 29 touchdowns (16 rushing and 13 passing). Davis also had a 146.6 passer efficiency, five 100-yard rushing games and 10 straight games with a touchdown toss.
 
The Hornets’ Xavier Cason joined Davis on the Second Team Offense as a lineman. Cason was the starting left tackle on a Hornet offense that was tenth in the nation in sacks allowed while ranking 11th in the nation in passing offense and 25th in total offense this season. This season, Carson led ESU with 64.5 knockdowns, including a career best of 11.5 against Nebraska Kearney and another with ten against Central Missouri.
 
Northwest Missouri’s lineman Elijah Green was named a Second Team Defense All-America selection. Green was named the 2022 MIAA Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league in sacks (12) and tackles-for-loss (22). Green was also finalist for the Gene Upshaw Division II Defensive Lineman of the Year Award.
 
Joining Green on Second Team Defense was PSU’s PJ Sarwinski after leading the Gorillas defense to the 2022 MIAA title. The sixth-year linebacker posted a team-leading 84 tackles (41 solo) with 10.5 tackles-for-loss, 3.0 quarterback sacks and four pass breakups. He also earned First Team All-MIAA honors for the second straight season.
 
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.
 
The MIAA’s 2022 AFCA All-America football student-athlete are listed below. To view the full list of NCAA Division II football student-athletes who received 2022 All-America honors from the AFCA, click here.
 
2022 AFCA Division II All-Americans
First Team, OL – Trase Jeffries – Pittsburg State, R-Jr.
Second Team, QB – TJ Davis – Nebraska Kearney, R-Sr.
Second Team, OL – Xavier Cason – Emporia State, Sr.
Second Team, DL – Elijah Green – Northwest Missouri, Sr.
Second Team, LB – PJ Sarwinski – Pittsburg State, Gr.