Ten Missouri Valley Football Conference student-athletes represent the league on the 2025 AFCA FCS All-America Team, announced Dec. 18 by the organization.

MVFC SELECTIONS

FIRST TEAM
QB Beau Brungard, Youngstown State
RB L.J. Phillips Jr., South Dakota
WR Bryce Lance, North Dakota State
OL Trent Fraley, North Dakota State
LB Tye Niekamp, Illinois State
LB Logan Kopp, North Dakota State
P Max Pelham, South Dakota State 

SECOND TEAM
OL Griffin Empey, North Dakota State
DL Kobe Clayborne, South Dakota State
DB Shadwel Nkuba II, Illinois State

 

WACO, TEX. — Youngstown State quarterback Beau Brungard and Furman defensive lineman Joshua Stoneking headline the 2025 FCS Coaches’ All-America Team announced today by the American Football Coaches Association. The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions.

Brungard, the Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive MVP and a top three finalist for the Walter Payton Award, became the first player in FCS history with a 300-yard passing and 200-yard rushing game. He threw for 328 yards and two touchdowns, then ran for 200 yards and added three rushing touchdowns in a 40-35 win over Illinois State. Brungard sits second in FCS in total offense per game (361.7), tied for first in total points scored (168), first in points responsible for (326) and fifth in rushing yards (first among QBs) with 1,468. 

Stoneking is a top three finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award after he led FCS in sacks (14.5), tackles for loss (23.0) and tackle yards for loss (132). He had at least one tackle for loss in 11 of 12 games this season and finished with 79 total tackles, nine quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, two pass breakups and one blocked kick.  

First Team-Offense
Pos	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	School
QB	Beau Brungard	6-0	215	Jr.	Youngstown St.
RB	Joshua Dye	5-11	205	R-So.	Southern Utah
RB	L.J. Phillips Jr.	5-9	225	R-So.	South Dakota
WR	Jared Richardson	6-2	220	Sr.	Penn
WR	Nico Brown	6-0	185	Sr.	Yale
WR	Bryce Lance	6-3	209	Sr.	North Dakota St.
TE	*Chris Corbo	6-5	250	Sr.	Dartmouth
OL	Roger Smith	6-4	330	Sr.	South Carolina St.
OL	Logan Weedman	6-5	295	Sr.	Tennessee Tech
OL	Temi Ajirotutu	6-5	310	Gr.	Villanova
OL	Trent Fraley	6-1	303	Jr.	North Dakota St.
OL	Mike Bartilucci	6-1	300	Gr.	The Citadel
First Team-Defense
Pos	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	School
DL	Kaleb Proctor	6-3	280	Sr.	SE Louisiana
DL	Keyshawn Johnson	6-3	230	Jr.	UT Martin
DL	Lando Brown	5-11	215	R-Sr.	Southern Utah
DL	Joshua Stoneking	6-3	264	R-So.	Furman
LB	James Conway	6-2	235	Gr.	Fordham
LB	*Tye Niekamp	6-3	240	Jr.	Illinois St.
LB	Logan Kopp	6-1	221	Sr.	North Dakota St.
DB	Charles Demmings	6-1	190	Sr.	Stephen F. Austin
DB	Abu Kamara	6-1	208	Jr.	Yale
DB	Caden Dowler	6-0	205	Jr.	Montana St.
DB	Maximus Pulley	5-11	200	Sr.	Wofford
First Team-Special Teams
Pos	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	School
PK	Carson Smith	5-11	176	R-Sr.	Austin Peay
P	Max Pelham	6-1	195	Sr.	South Dakota St.
AP	*Michael Wortham	5-9	190	R-Sr.	Montana

 

Second Team-Offense
Pos	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	School
QB	Taron Dickens	5-11	180	R-So.	Western Carolina
RB	Rodney Nelson	5-8	195	R-So.	Monmouth (N.J.)
RB	Eli Gillman	6-0	213	R-Jr.	Montana
WR	Jalen Jones	5-9	175	R-Fr.	Alabama St.
WR	Samuel Gbatu Jr.	5-10	185	Sr.	UC Davis
WR	Josh Derry	5-9	180	Jr.	Monmouth (N.J.)
TE	Ian Simpson	6-3	235	Sr.	UC Davis
OL	Erik Gray	6-1	256	Jr.	Stephen F. Austin
OL	Langston Jones	6-3	325	Sr.	Lehigh
OL	Griffin Empey	6-3	298	So.	North Dakota St.
OL	Cameron Smith	6-7	354	Gr.	Alabama St.
OL	Stryker Rashid	6-5	295	R-Jr.	Idaho St.
Second Team-Defense
Pos	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	School
DL	Kobe Clayborne	6-0	280	Sr.	South Dakota St.
DL	Quincy Ivory	6-3	239	Sr.	Jackson St.
DL	Jacob Psyk	6-3	265	Gr.	UC Davis
DL	Andrew Zock	6-2	250	So.	Mercer
LB	Jaydon Southard	6-1	225	Sr.	Stephen F. Austin
LB	KK Reno	6-0	220	Sr.	SE Louisiana
LB	Luke Banbury	6-2	230	Gr.	William & Mary
DB	Jarod Washington	6-2	188	Sr.	South Carolina St.
DB	*Jalen Jones	6-0	195	Sr.	William & Mary
DB	Jaeden Jones	6-0	190	So.	Monmouth (N.J.)
DB	Shadwel Nkuba II	6-1	190	Sr.	Illinois St.
Second Team-Special Teams
Pos	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	School
PK	Cade Hechter	6-2	245	Jr.	UT Martin
P	*Jeff Yurk	6-2	224	R-Sr.	Elon
AP	Ja’briel Mace	5-9	175	So.	Villanova

Team Background: The five teams now chosen for each AFCA division evolved from a single 11-player squad. 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 — Division I-A and Division I-AA. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. In 2006, the Division I-A and Division I-AA teams were renamed Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), respectively. In 2006, the AFCA started selecting an NAIA-only team. The AFCA added a second team in 2016.

From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 offensive, 11 defensive) team was chosen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker were added to the team. A return specialist was added in 1997. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006. AFCA added a third wide receiver in 2024. 

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.