CHICAGO – Ten Southern Conference football student-athletes earned spots on the Stats Perform FCS All-America teams announced Monday, with Samford and VMI leading the way with three apiece.

All three of VMI’s selections were first-team picks, with wide receiver Jakob Herres, linebacker Stone Snyder and long snapper Robert Soderholm earning the distinction after helping the Keydets to their first SoCon title since 1977 and their first-ever FCS playoffs appearance.

Samford defensive back Chris Edmonds earned first-team honors, while quarterback Liam Welch and placekicker Mitchell Fineran earned spots on the second team.

ETSU running back Quay Holmes earned a first-team spot at all-purpose back, giving the SoCon five total first-team selections. Teammate Tre-mond Shorts, the SoCon’s Jacobs Blocking Award co-winner, earned a second-team spot on the offensive line.

Furman tight end Ryan Miller and Wofford fullback Nathan Walker were both slotted on the second team.

Herres, Holmes and Welch were all among the 16 finalists for the Walter Payton Award, while Snyder and Edmonds were among the 18 finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award, with Snyder among three finalists invited to the announcement of the winner.

Herres and Welch were named the SoCon co-Offensive Players of the Year by the league’s coaches, while Snyder was one of the coaches’ co Defensive Players of the Year. The league’s media named Herres and Snyder their players of the year.

For Stats Perform’s full release, click here.

2020-21 STATS PERFORM FCS ALL-AMERICA TEAM
FIRST TEAM
 
OFFENSE
QB – Eric Barriere, senior, 6-0, 200, Eastern Washington
QB – Cole Kelley, senior, 6-7, 260, Southeastern Louisiana
RB – Percy Agyei-Obese, senior, 6-0, 204, James Madison
RB – Julius Chestnut, junior, 6-1, 215, Sacred Heart
RB – Otis Weah, sophomore, 5-9, 195, North Dakota
FB – Hunter Luepke, sophomore, 6-1, 245, North Dakota State
WR – Avante Cox, junior, 5-10, 170, Southern Illinois
WR – Jakob Herres, junior, 6-4, 211, VMI
WR – Tyler Hudson, sophomore, 6-2, 185, Central Arkansas
TE – Trae Barry, senior, 6-7, 245, Jacksonville State
OL – P.J. Burkhalter, senior, 6-3, 330, Nicholls
OL – Garrett Greenfield, sophomore, 6-6, 295, South Dakota State
OL – Drew Himmelman, senior, 6-10, 315, Illinois State
OL – David Kroll, senior, 6-7, 315, Delaware
OL – Cordell Volson, senior, 6-7, 310, North Dakota State
OL – Ty Whitworth, senior, 6-4, 300, Weber State
 
DEFENSE
DL – Jared Brinkman, senior, 6-2, 290, Northern Iowa
DL – Isaiah Chambers, grad, 6-5, 250, McNeese
DL – Mike Greene, senior, 6-3, 285, James Madison
DL – Jahari Kay, senior, 6-2, 255, Sam Houston
DL – Jordan Lewis, junior, 6-3, 195, Southern
LB – Colby Campbell, senior, 6-0, 230, Presbyterian
LB – La’akea Kaho’ohanohano-Davis, junior, 6-1, 215, Southern Utah
LB – Connor Mortensen, senior, 6-0, 215, Weber State
LB – Stone Snyder, sophomore, 6-3, 225, VMI
LB – Tre Walker, junior, 6-1, 235, Idaho
DB – Chris Edmonds, sophomore, 6-2, 205, Samford
DB – Nicario Harper, sophomore, 6-1, 205, Jacksonville State
DB – Kordell Jackson, senior, 5-9, 188, Austin Peay
DB – Robert Rochell, senior, 6-0, 195, Central Arkansas
DB – Kedrick Whitehead, junior, 5-11, 195, Delaware
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK – Ethan Ratke, senior, 5-10, 185, James Madison
PK – Antonio Zita, senior, 5-9, 170, Tennessee State
P – Garret Wegner, senior, 6-0, 197, North Dakota State
P – Daniel Whelan, senior, 6-6, 215, UC Davis
LS – Kyle Davis, junior, 5-11, 210, James Madison
LS – Robert Soderholm, sophomore, 6-1, 216, VMI
KR – Christian Watson, junior, 6-4, 200, North Dakota State
PR – Devron Harper, junior, 5-10, 165, Gardner-Webb
AP – Quay Holmes, junior, 6-1, 216, ETSU
AP – Javon Williams Jr., sophomore, 6-2, 245, Southern Illinois
 
SECOND TEAM
 
OFFENSE
QB – Eric Schmid, junior, 6-1, 180, Sam Houston
QB – Liam Welch, grad, 6-2, 194, Samford
RB – Juwon Farri, sophomore, 5-10, 195, Monmouth
RB – Karl Mofor, senior, 5-9, 229, Albany
RB – Pierre Strong Jr., junior, 5-11, 210, South Dakota State
FB – Nathan Walker, junior, 6-0, 225, Wofford
WR – Talolo Limu-Jones, senior, 6-5, 220, Eastern Washington
WR – Keith Pearson, senior, 5-9, 175, Presbyterian
WR – DeAngelo Wilson, senior, 5-9, 173, Austin Peay
TE – Ryan Miller, junior, 6-2, 221, Furman
TE – Rodney Williams II, senior, 6-4, 235, UT Martin
OL – AJ Farris, senior, 6-2, 300, Monmouth
OL – Brian Foley, senior, 6-4, 314, Holy Cross
OL – Tylan Grable, sophomore, 6-7, 260, Jacksonville State
OL – Kyle Nunez, junior, 6-2, 340, Stony Brook
OL – Tre’mond Shorts, junior, 6-4, 326, ETSU
OL – Colby Thomas, senior, 6-2, 295, Sam Houston
 
DEFENSE
DL – D.J. Coleman, junior, 6-6, 265, Jacksonville State
DL – Kevin Glajchen, senior, 6-2, 270, San Diego
DL – Malik Hamm, junior, 6-3, 260, Lafayette                                              
DL – Kobie Turner, junior, 6-3, 285, Richmond
LB – Bryson Armstrong, senior, 5-11, 205, Kennesaw State
LB – Logan Backhaus, senior, 6-4, 205, South Dakota State
LB – Ryan Greenhagen, junior, 6-1, 235, Fordham                      
LB – Matthew Jackson, junior, 6-2, 205, Eastern Kentucky
LB – Storey Jackson, senior, 6-3, 225, Prairie View A&M
LB – James Kaczor, junior, 6-0, 211, North Dakota State
LB – Tristan Wheeler, sophomore, 6-2, 228, Richmond
DB – Qua Brown, senior, 5-11, 206, Southern Illinois
DB – Marcis Floyd, sophomore, 6-0, 188, Murray State
DB – Don Gardner, senior, 6-1, 185, South Dakota State
DB – Nijuel Hill, senior, 5-10, 185 Delaware
DB – Ferlando Jordan, junior, 6-0, 180, Southeastern Louisiana
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK – Mitchell Fineran, 5-10, 183, junior, Samford
P – Cade Coffey, senior, 6-1, 199, Idaho
P – Noah Gettman, junior, 6-5, 205, Sacred Heart
LS – Ross Kennelly, senior, 5-11, 213, North Dakota State
KR – Rashid Shaheed, senior, 6-0, 180, Weber State
PR – Jequez Ezzard, grad, 5-9, 190, Sam Houston
PR – Tyrin Ralph, senior, 5-8, 170, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
AP – Kevin Brown, senior, 5-9, 204, UIW
AP – Dejoun Lee, senior, 5-7, 185, Delaware