WACO, Texas – Valdosta State graduate defensive back
Larry Elder and graduate offensive lineman
Will Flowers earned American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) First Team All-America honors, the organization announced Wednesday.
The Blazers are one of eight schools to have multiple selections and one of two schools to have multiple first team honorees as West Alabama had a first team defender in Trevon Lambert and first team place kicker in Elijah Guyton.
In addition, West Florida return specialist Virgil Lemons earned second team honors as an all-purpose back among Gulf South Conference members. Ferris State, who VSU battles on Saturday in the national championship, also had two selections – one on first team (OL, Lawrence Hattar) and one on second team (QB, Trinidad Chambliss). Central Missouri, Charleston, Harding, Colorado School of Mines and Southern Arkansas were the other schools with multiple selections along with VSU, UWA and Ferris State.
Central Missouri quarterback Zach Zebrowski and Wingate defensive lineman Marquise Fleming headline the 2024 Division II Coaches' All-America Teams. Zebrowski, a Harlon Hill finalist, earned his second straight AFCA All-America honor by leading Division II in passing yards per game (393.67), passing yards (4,724), passing touchdowns (40), total offense (443.6 yards per game) and points responsible for (302). The MIAA Offensive Player of the Year also added 599 rushing yards with 10 rushing touchdowns.
Fleming, also a Harlon Hill Trophy finalist, won the Gene Upshaw Award as the nation's best lineman and took home his second straight AFCA All-America honor. In 2024, Fleming had 58 tackles, 19.5 tackles for a loss, eight sacks, 14 quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles. He is college football's active leader in both career sacks (38) and tackles for a loss (71.5).
Elder, a native of Richmond, Va., was named GSC Co-Defensive Player of the Year this season and first team D2CCA All-Super Region Two for the Blazers, as he leads the team with 93 total tackles and 53 solo stops. He has 11 tackles for loss for 52 yards to lead the team, while he has registered 3.5 sacks for 26 yards. Elder has one interception with three pass breakups, one fumble return and four forced fumbles. He earned GSC Defensive Player of the Week three times, while registering double-digit tackles twice. He had a season-high 12 tackles at Delta State (11/9) and is part of a defense that currently is second nationally in scoring defense allowing just 11.0 points per game, while the team is ninth nationally in total defense allowing just 254.5 yards per game and sixth nationally in passing defense at just 131.5 yards allowed per contest. The Blazers sit third in the league in rushing defense allowing just 122.9 yards per game. Individually, Elder is fifth in the GSC in solo tackles per game at a 4.0 clip, while he is fifth in the league in total tackles per game at a 7.0 clip.
Flowers, a native of LaGrange, Ga., earned All-Gulf South Conference First Team honors and D2CCA Firs Team All-Super Region Two this season. He has started all 13 games thus far at center for the Blazers earning first team all-league honors. He has over 40 knockdown blocks and has graded out at 97 percent for the season for the highest on the team. He blocks for an offense that is tenth nationally in total offense at 459.2 yards per game, while it is the 20
thpassing offense at 252.5 yards per game and 13
th in rushing offense (206.8). Not only do the Blazers excel in keeping points off the board, but also in putting points on the board as they are seventh nationally in scoring offense at 42.2 points per game.
Elder and Flowers are getting ready for the NCAA Division II National Championship on Saturday, Dec. 21, in McKinney, Texas, where the Blazers will battle Ferris State for the third time in the title game in six years.
2024 AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America - First Team
Offense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
QB *Zach Zebrowski 6-2 208 R-Sr. Central Missouri Josh Lamberson Woodbury, Minn. (East Ridge)
RB Chavon Wright 5-8 200 R-Jr. Charleston (W.Va.) Quinn Sanders Opa Locka, Fla. (Cedar Grove)
RB #Jada Byers 5-7 185 Sr. Virginia Union Alvin Parker Bridgeton, N.J. (St. Joseph's)
WR Reggie Retzlaff 6-3 212 Sr. Colorado St.-Pueblo Philip Vigil Corona, Calif. (Centennial)
WR Terrill Davis 6-0 180 Jr. Central Oklahoma Adam Dorrel Choctaw, Okla. (Choctaw)
WR Tyler Kahmann 6-3 206 Gr. Emporia St. (Kan.) Garin Higgins Haysville, Kan. (Campus)
TE Sam Pitz 6-6 245 Gr. Minnesota-Duluth Curt Wiese Appleton, Wis. (West)
OL Lawrence Hattar 6-5 335 Sr. Ferris St. (Mich.) Tony Annese Livonia, Mich. (Churchill)
OL Montriel Lee 6-2 300 Jr. Central Oklahoma Adam Dorrel Del City, Okla. (Del City)
OL Jake Dugger 6-3 300 Sr. Harding (Ark.) Paul Simmons Searcy, Ark. (Harding Academy)
OL Gabe Brown 6-4 320 Sr. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) Scott Wooster Grand Rapids, Mich. (East Kentwood)
OL Will Flowers 6-3 283 Gr. Valdosta St. (Ga.) Tremaine Jackson LaGrange, Ga. (LaGrange)
Defense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
DL Trevon Lambert 6-3 205 Gr. West Alabama Brett Gilliland Atmore, Ala. (Escambia County)
DL Myles Menges 6-4 260 Sr. Fort Hays St. (Kan.) Chris Brown Bushton, Kan. (Central Plains)
DL Ricky Freymond 6-5 265 R-Jr. Western Colorado Jas Bains Chino, Calif. (Ontario Christian)
DL *Marquise Fleming 6-1 240 Gr. Wingate (N.C.) Rashaan Jordan Charlotte, N.C. (Olympic)
LB Benari Black 6-2 215 Sr. Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) Maurice Flowers Charlotte, N.C. (North Meck)
LB Clay Schulte 5-11 210 Sr. Indianapolis (Ind.) Chris Keevers Oak Harbor, Ohio (Oak Harbor)
LB Cam Hollobaugh 6-0 220 R-Jr. Walsh (Ohio) John Fankhauser Warren, Ohio (JFK)
DB Lashon Young 5-11 175 So. Miles (Ala.) Sam Shade Sweet Water, Ala. (Sweet Water)
DB Larry Elder 6-0 200 Gr. Valdosta St. (Ga.) Tremaine Jackson Richmond, Va. (Fork Union Military)
DB Josiah Johnson 5-11 210 Sr. Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) Todd Knight Little Rock, Ark. (Pulaski Academy)
DB Dion Kuinlan 5-10 190 Gr. Assumption (Mass.) Andy McKenzie Bethpage, N.Y. (Plainedge)
Specialists
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
PK Elijah Guyton 6-1 185 R-So. West Alabama Brett Gilliland Cullman, Ala. (Fairview)
P Blake Doud 6-5 215 R-Jr. Colorado School of Mines Pete Sterbick Parker, Colo. (Legend)
AP DeJuan Bell 5-9 160 Gr. Fort Valley State (Ga.) Shawn Gibbs North Augusta, S.C. (North Augusta)
2024 AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America - Second Team
Offense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
QB Trinidad Chambliss 6-1 200 Jr. Ferris St. (Mich.) Tony Annese Grand Rapids, Mich. (Forest Hills Northern)
RB Ronald Blackman 5-11 190 Jr. Tiffin (Ohio) Brett Ekkens Gahanna, Ohio (Lincoln)
RB LJ Turner 5-9 195 Jr. Catawba (N.C.) Tyler Haines Palm Bay, Fla. (Heritage)
WR Jo Hayes 5-10 175 Gr. North Carolina-Pembroke Mark Hall Peanut City, Va. (Norcom)
WR Brice Peters 5-11 190 Sr. Bemidji St. (Minn.) Brent Bolte White Bear Lake, Minn. (White Bear Lake)
WR *Max McLeod 6-3 200 R-Sr. Colorado School of Mines Pete Sterbick Seattle, Wash. (Bainbridge)
TE Henry Dryden 6-3 220 R-Jr. South Dakota Mines Charlie Flohr Boise, Idaho (Boise)
OL Donovan McCollister 6-3 280 R-Sr. Charleston (W.Va.) Quinn Sanders Nelsonville, Ohio (York)
OL Yoesph Carter 6-4 295 Gr. Findlay (Ohio) Kory Allen Cincinnati, Ohio (Princeton)
OL Marshall Foerner 6-7 305 Sr. Minnesota St. Todd Hoffner Plano, Ill. (Marmion Academy)
OL Jaheim Bassham 6-2 280 Sr. California (Pa.) Gary Dunn Erie, Pa. (Cathedral Prep)
OL *Gabe Clark 6-6 320 R-Sr. Central Missouri Josh Lamberson Lawrence, Kan. (Free State)
Defense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
DL Gage Price 6-3 285 Sr. Harding (Ark.) Paul Simmons Hamburg, Ark. (Hamburg)
DL Dawson Scott 6-4 250 Sr. Southern Arkansas Brad Smiley Mexia, Tex. (Mexia)
DL Jamair Diaz 6-1 235 So. Glenville St. (W.Va.) Mike Kellar Passaic, N.J. (Passaic)
DL Jake Fisher 6-5 260 Sr. Northwest Missouri St. Rich Wright Smithville, Mo. (Smithville)
LB *Micah Cretsinger 6-2 240 Sr. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) Ryan Brady Jackson, Mich. (Jackson)
LB Garrett Cox 5-11 230 R-Sr. Indiana (Pa.) Paul Tortorella Avondale, Pa. (Kennett)
LB Colin Stuhr 6-0 215 R-Jr. Colorado Mesa Miles Kochevar Littleton, Colo. (Dakota Ridge)
DB *Peyton Buckley 6-1 207 Sr. Augustana (S.D.) Jerry Olszewski Rice Lake, Wis. (Rice Lake)
DB *Melvin Smith Jr. 6-1 185 Sr. Southern Arkansas Brad Smiley Bossier City, La. (Airline)
DB *Tanner Volk 6-1 189 Sr. Central Washington Chris Fisk Portland, Ore. (Aloha)
DB Cameren Grodhaus 6-2 210 Gr. Davenport (Mich.) Sparky McEwen Wellsville, Ohio (Southern Local)
Specialists
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Coach Hometown (High School)
PK Brandon Perez 6-1 205 So. East Central (Oka.) John Litrenta Crandall, Tex. (Crandall)
P Brenden Lach 6-1 185 Sr. Michigan Tech Dan Mettlach South Lyon, Mich. (South Lyon)
AP Virgil Lemons 6-0 190 Sr. West Florida Kaleb Nobles Deerfield Beach, Fla. (Deerfield Beach)
*-2023 AFCA All-American #-2022 AFCA All-American
