KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Six Frontier Conference players were selected to the NAIA football All-America teams, which were announced Wednesday.
Montana Western offensive lineman Marcus Lombard and Carroll defensive lineman Hunter Peck made the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) NAIA All-America first team. Southern Oregon running back Gunner Yates was also a first-team choice.
Lombard, a 6-foot-1, 300-pound redshirt senior from Laie, Hawaii, helped the Bulldog offense break the program single-season record for total offense with 5,773 yards. They totaled 3,735 passing yards and 498 points this season, both of which also set program single-season records.
Peck, a senior from Windsor, Colo., was the Frontier Conference defensive player of the year after recording 50 tackles (22 solo), 6.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. He finished his Carroll career with 132 total tackles (67 solo), 26.5 tackles for loss, 17 sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Yates, a sophomore, led the NAIA with 1,488 rushing yards and ranked second in rushing yards per game (135.3), rushing touchdowns (27) and total touchdowns (29).
The AFCA second team included Western wide receiver Eli Nourse and Montana Tech offensive lineman Brandon Spencer.
Nourse, a sophomore from Dillon, led Western this season with 1,205 receiving yards, breaking his own single-season record, and 12 touchdowns.
Spencer, a senior center from Lolo, anchored Tech's offensive line. The Orediggers ranked in the NAIA's top 10 in scoring, rushing yards, yards per carry, yards per completion, first downs, third-down percentage, fourth-down percentage and time of possession.
The AFCA recognizes first and second teams, and the NAIA adds third-team honors. View the complete teams.
On the third team is Kaysan Barnett, a senior defensive back from Rocky Mountain. Barnett totaled 61 tackles, including six for loss, and added one interception, six pass breakups and a blocked kick.
