(Chicago, IL, USA, January 12, 2016) - The best 50 student-athletes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision have been named to the College Sporting News 2015 Fabulous Fifty FCS All-America Team. Six players won the annual awards, along with the head coach of the year that was announced among other honors. An additional 17 players received enough votes to earn honorable mention honors.  

The 11 selections for the MVFC are second among all FCS leagues.

MVFC PLAYERS HONORED
The Adrian "AP" Peterson FCS Offensive Player of the Year Award: Marshaun Coprich, RB, senior, 5-9, 205, Illinois State
Offensive Lineman Of The Year: Joe Haeg, OT, senior, 6-6, 310, North Dakota State
Special Teams Player Of The Year: Ben LeCompte, P, senior, 5-10, 196, North Dakota State
Playoff MVP: Nick DeLuca, junior, LB, 6-3, 244, North Dakota State

MORE "FAB FIFTY" OFFENSE
FB Andrew Bonnet, senior, 6-3, 250, North Dakota State
WR Jake Wieneke, sophomore, 6-4, 210, South Dakota State

MORE "FAB FIFTY" DEFENSE
CB Deiondre' Hall, senior, 6-2, 190, Northern Iowa
DB C.J. Smith, senior, 5-11, 183, North Dakota State

HONORABLE MENTION
WR Anthony Warrum, junior, 6-2, 190, Illinois State
OL Zack Johnson, junior, 6-4, 327, North Dakota State
DB Tim Kilfoy, senior, 6-1, 215, Northern Iowa

Also highlighted this year were the three major awards, for top coach, offensive and defensive players named in honor of the FCS legends Coach Roy Kidd, Adrian "AP" Peterson and James "Boomer" Grigsby.

Unlike other All-American teams, the CSN honor’s squad is designed to be like a real team, capable of taking the field and competing in a game. It includes everything from quarterbacks who can run or pass and often-overlooked fullbacks, to long snappers and other special teams performers. The Fabulous Fifty also emphasizes players who have exhibited character and other team-oriented traits, not just lofty statistics, or talent.

Five-time reigning national champion North Dakota State led the number of selections of the College Sporting News Fabulous Fifty Division I FCS All-American team released today with three major award winners and five total selections.

In total, 34 teams and all 13 conferences are represented on the team. Jacksonville State and The Citadel landed three players on the squad, while seven other teams also had multiple selections – Montana, Chattanooga, Charleston Southern, Fordham, Northern Arizona, Eastern Washington, and William & Mary.

Bruce Barnum led his Portland State Viking team to the school’s best-ever season at the Division I level in his first season as a head football coach to take the CSN Coach Roy Kidd (Best FCS Coach) Award. He led the Vikings to 9-3 record in 2015. The Vikings beat two FBS programs in the same season for the first time in their history, including a first-ever win over a PAC-12 team (Washington State) and also had the FCS’s largest margin of victory over an FBS opponent over North Texas (66-7). PSU went 5-1 against nationally-ranked teams and was ranked as high as fifth in the nation at the end of the season. The Vikings were given the #6 National Seed in the playoffs but succumbed to Northern Iowa in the second round match-up.

The Adrian "AP" Peterson FCS Offensive Player of the Year Award went to running back Marshaun Coprich from Illinois State. The senior Coprich was a two-time Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year. He led the league in every rushing category and ranks No. 2 in the FCS in rushing yards (1,967) and rushing yards per game (151.3), and No. 3 in points per game (11.2). He helped Illinois State to a share of the MVFC title for a second-consecutive season and led the Redbirds to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons.

Southern Utah defensive end James Cowser was honored as the James "Boomer" Grigsby FCS Defensive Player of the Year Award as the Defensive Player of The Year for 2015. He was the Big Sky Conference's defensive player of the year in helping the Thunderbirds claim its first Big Sky title. He totaled 19 tackles for loss and 13 sacks, which propelled him to becoming the FCS all-time leader with 80 TFLs and 43.5 sacks for his career.

Joe Haeg, All-Missouri Valley Football Conference offensive tackle also at NDSU was named as CSN’s Offensive Lineman of The Year for a second straight season. The senior Haeg graded out at 91 percent and had 45 knockdowns for an offensive line that allows the fewest sacks and tackles for loss in the MVFC. He also helped the Bison lead the Missouri Valley Football Conference in rushing (244.0), time of possession (36:20) and third down conversions (50%).

Fellow Bison in punter Ben LeCompte was named the Special Teams Player of the Year. The senior led the MVFC and ranked second in the FCS with a 46.1 punting average. His 44.5 career punting average ranks as the best in NDSU and MVFC history and fourth in FCS history. The Bison led the league and ranked fourth nationally in net punting (39.25). LeCompte punted 48 times within the regular season with 20 inside the 20-yard line, 17 punts of 50-plus yards, and a season-long of 73 yards. He also had a memorable playoff game against conference foe Northern Iowa where he Ben LeCompte averaged 45.0 yards on six punts with five inside the 20 and a long of 62 yards.

CSN’s Freshman of The Year honors went to All-Big Sky and Northern Arizona quarterback Case Cookus. He had one of the best freshman campaigns in FCS history. He broke the long-standing FCS record for the most touchdown passes by a freshman. The previous record was 31 touchdown passes set in 2004. Cookus tallied 37 touchdown passes leading not only all FCS freshmen, but also all of the quarterbacks in the nation. He had the lowest amount of interceptions by any quarterback with 3,000 or more passing yards and led the nation in completion percentage for the majority of the season. He also broke the NAU season records for touchdown passes, completion percentage, and yards per pass attempt.

North Dakota State junior linebacker Nick DeLuca was named the Playoff Most Valuable Player. In the four playoff games, he tallied 49 tackles just in the playoffs with 4.5 of those being for a loss. He also added an interception and a forced fumble—both in the national championship game against Jacksonville State. DeLuca was the runner-up for the All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Player of the Year.

The Big Sky Conference led the "Fab Fifty’ team with 14 members, while the Missouri Valley Football Conference was second with 11 student-athletes.

Below are the full team and honorable mention selections:

COLLEGE SPORTING NEWS 2015 "FAB FIFTY" ALL-AMERICAN TEAM
The Roy Kidd FCS Coach of the Year Award: Bruce Barnum, Portland State
The Adrian "AP" Peterson FCS Offensive Player of the Year Award: Marshaun Coprich, RB, senior, 5-9, 205, Illinois State
The James "Boomer" Grigsby FCS Defensive Player of the Year Award: James Cowser, DE, senior, 6-4, 258, Southern Utah
Offensive Lineman Of The Year: Joe Haeg, OT, senior, 6-6, 310, North Dakota State
Special Teams Player Of The Year: Ben LeCompte, P, senior, 5-10, 196, North Dakota State
Freshmen of the Year: Case Cookus, QB, 6-4, 200, Northern Arizona
Playoff MVP: Nick DeLuca, junior, LB, 6-3, 244, North Dakota State

MORE "FAB FIFTY" OFFENSE
QB Eli Jenkins, junior, 6-2, 205, Jacksonville State
QB Jacob Huesman, senior, 6-2, 220, Chattanooga
RB Chase Edmonds, sophomore, 5-9, 196, Fordham
RB Kade Harrington, junior, 5-8, 190, Lamar
RB Jacobi Green, senior, 5-9, 192, Richmond
FB Andrew Bonnet, senior, 6-3, 250, North Dakota State
FB Tyler Renew, junior, 5-11, 217, The Citadel
AP Tarik Cohen, junior, 5-6, 173, North Carolina A&T
OC Casey Dunn, junior, 6-3, 285, Jacksonville State
OG Corey Levin, junior, 6-5, 305, Chattanooga
OG Garrick Mayweather, Jr, 6-3, 319, Fordham
OT Clay DeBord, senior, 6-6, 305, Eastern Washington
OT Donald Jackson III, senior, 6-2, 290, Sam Houston State
OL Jonathan Burgess, senior, 6-2, 305, Liberty
OL Erik Austell, junior, 6-3, 285, Charleston Southern
TE Ben Braunecker, senior, 6-4, 240, Harvard
TE Beau Sandland, senior, 6-5, 250, Montana State
WR Jamaal Jones, senior, 6-1, 192, Montana
WR Cooper Kupp, junior, 6-2, 195, Eastern Washington
WR Jake Wieneke, sophomore, 6-4, 210, South Dakota State
WR Emmanuel Butler, sophomore, 6-3, 210, Northern Arizona

MORE "FAB FIFTY" DEFENSE
DT Javon Hargrave, senior, 6-2, 295, South Carolina State
DT Mitchell Jeter, senior, 6-0, 275, The Citadel
DE Tyrone Holmes, senior, 6-4, 245, Montana
DE Victor Ochi, senior, 6-2, 255, Stony Brook
DL Noah Spence, junior, 6-3, 261, Eastern Kentucky.
DL Keionta Davis, junior, 6-4, 260, Chattanooga
LB Deon King, senior, 6-1, 220, Norfolk State
LB Darnell Sankey, senior, 6-2, 250, Sacramento State
LB Kourtney Berry, junior, 6-0, 215, Alabama State
LB Don Cherry, senior, 6-1, 240, Villanova
LB John Hugunin, 5-11, 232, Drake
LB Christian Kuntz, junior, 6-1, 210, Duquesne
CB Deiondre' Hall, senior, 6-2, 190, Northern Iowa
CB Jermaine Hough, senior, 5-10, 185, Jacksonville State
DB C.J. Smith, senior, 5-11, 183, North Dakota State
DB Dee Delaney, sophomore, 6-1, 191, The Citadel
S DeAndre Houston-Carson, senior, 6-2, 195, William & Mary
S Patrick Onwuasor, senior, 6-2, 225, Portland State

MORE "FAB FIFTY" SPECIAL TEAMS
K Nick Dorka, sophomore, 6-0, 180, William & Mary
P Ian Berryman, freshman, 6-0, 200, Western Carolina
KR Willie Quinn, senior, 5-5, 145, Southern
PR Ellis Onic II, sophomore, 5-6, 163, Northern Colorado
LS Joseph Smith, junior, 6-3, 200, Charleston Southern

HONORABLE MENTION
QB Vad Lee, senior, 6-1, 225, James Madison
RB Troymaine Pope, senior, 5-9, 205, Jacksonville State
RB John Santiago, freshman, 5-9, 170, North Dakota
WR Brendan Flaherty, junior, 6-2, 200, Holy Cross
WR Anthony Warrum, junior, 6-2, 190, Illinois State
WR Justin Watson, sophomore, 6-3, 210, Penn
WR Tyler Dube, senior, 6-0, 170, Sacred Heart
OL Cole Toner, senior, 6-7, 300, Harvard
OL Zack Johnson, junior, 6-4, 327, North Dakota State
OL Aaron Neary, senior, 6-4, 300, Eastern Washington
TE Jordan Powell, sophomore, 6-3, 246, New Hampshire
DL Dino Fanti, senior, 6-1, 265, Eastern Illinois
DL O.J. Mau, junior, 6-2, 308, Gardner-Webb
LB Bo Brown, senior, 6-1, 216, McNeese State
LB Will Ratelle, senior, 5-11, 250, North Dakota
DB Marcus Alford, senior, 5-10, 160, Northern Arizona
DB Tim Kilfoy, senior, 6-1, 215, Northern Iowa