Hounds' Stevens earns another award

PORTALES — Safety Tillman Stevens has captured another postseason honor, this time being selected to the Daktronics Division II All-American first team.

The Lone Star Conference North Division Defensive Back of the Year, Stevens led the LSC and finished tied for seventh in the nation with 11.1 tackles per game. He also tied for the conference lead and was 11th in the country with six interceptions.

The senior from Baytown, Texas, was one of four LSC players to earn first-team honors.

Other LSC first-teamers were Abilene Christian offensive lineman Trevis Turner, Angelo State return specialist Garrett Tidwell and Angelo State punter George Shamblin.

The Ron Lenz Players of the Year include a pair of record breaking performers.

Central Missouri’s Eric Czerniewski topped NCAA Division II with 5,207 passing yards and 46 touchdown passes while leading the Mules to an 11-3 mark and a national quarterfinal appearance to earn Offensive Player of the Year honors.

Valdosta State’s Larry Dean led the Blazers to an NCAA Division II postseason appearance, tallying 122 tackles in 11 games while becoming the Gulf South Conference’s career tackles leader.

Stevens’ selection marks the second consecutive year in which a Greyhound defensive back has been selected an All-American. Rodney Mitchell made Don Hansen’s Football Gazette All-American first team and Daktronics second team in 2009 as a junior.

The Hounds finished 5-6 this season.

In a four-season career with the Greyhounds that spanned 44 games, Stevens finished with 283 tackles and 12 interceptions.

The teams are voted on by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).