WACO, TEXAS — West Chester University senior defensive end,
Ch'aim Smith (York, Pa./York Suburban) was named to the 2019 AFCA Division II Coaches' first team All-America squad it was 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. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best — the coaches themselves.
The 6-4, 255 lbs., pass rusher becomes the 15th West Chester player to earn first team All-America honors by the AFCA and 16th overall while also listing as just the second defensive lineman in school history to be so honored, joining former NFL lineman Chuck Weber, a member of the Philadelphia Eagles' 1960 pro football championship squad, who was honored in 1952 – ending a 67-year drought for the down linemen up front from West Chester.
Smith finished the season with 61 tackles in West Chester's 12 games. He ranked third on the team in tackles with 29 solo and 32 assisted stops. He led the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) with 20.5 tackles for a loss while ranking ninth in the country in Division II. His 8.5 sacks ranked sixth in the PSAC and 33rd nationally. In his four-year career, Smith finished second all-time at West Chester with 25 sacks while placing third in school history in tackles for a loss with 43.5.
Smith completes his prolific career with 157 career tackles, including 74 solo and 83 assisted. He also was credited with 18 QB hurries and eight pass breakups during his career in purple and gold. His 18 QB hurries are second to only Andrew Cohen's 22 since 2003. He forced a pair of fumbles and recovered four. He also blocked a pair of kicks. His 57 tackles in 2016 led the squad in that category as a sophomore. Smith appeared in 47 games, leading West Chester to a PSAC East title three times (2015, 2017-18) and an overall conference crown in 2018. He played on three squads that reached the NCAA Tournament (2017-19).
2019 AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America - First Team
Offense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Hometown (High School)
QB Rogan Wells 6-3 210 R-Jr. Valdosta St. (Ga.) Fort Mill, S.C. (Fort Mill)
RB *Jaleel McLaughlin 5-9 175 So. Notre Dame (Ohio) Marshville, N.C. (Forest Hills)
RB Nate Gunn 6-2 220 Sr. Minnesota St. Minooka, Ill. (Minooka)
WR *Craig Rucker 5-7 175 Sr. Mars Hill (N.C.) Orlando, Fla. (Edgewater)
WR Zimari Manning 6-2 200 Sr. Tarleton St. (Texas) Long Beach, Calif. (LB Wilson)
TE Zach Davidson 6-7 245 R-Jr. Central Missouri Webb City, Mo. (Webb City)
OL Tanner Owen 6-5 290 Jr. Northwest Missouri St. Kearney, Mo. (Kearney)
OL Grant Stewart 6-2 305 R-Sr. Colorado School of Mines Southlake, Texas (Southlake Carroll)
OL Jake Lacina 6-4 300 Sr. Augustana (S.D.) St. Paul, Minn. (Cretin-Derham Hall)
OL Quentin Hall 6-6 300 Sr. Assumption (Mass.) Plymouth, Mass. (Thayer/Milford Academy)
OL Phillip McDowell 6-5 315 Sr. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) Inman, S.C. (Boiling Springs)
Defense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Hometown (High School)
DL Jackson Wibbels 6-1 243 Sr. Colorado St.-Pueblo Colorado Springs, Colo. (Pine Creek)
DL Ch'aim Smith 6-4 255 Gr. West Chester (Pa.) York, Pa. (York Suburban)
DL Demetrice Lofton 6-4 245 So. Morehouse (Ga.) Fairburn, Ga. (Creekside)
DL Austin Edwards 6-5 280 Sr. Ferris St. (Mich.) Lansing, Mich. (Waverly)
LB Drew Seers 6-1 227 Jr. Lindenwood (Mo.) St. Louis, Mo. (Parkway West)
LB Vada King 6-1 225 Sr. Delta St. (Miss.) Smith, Ala. (Smith Station)
LB CJ Miller 6-1 215 Sr. St. Anselm (N.H.) Clinton, Md. (Gwynn Park)
DB Demetri Morsell 5-11 170 So. Bowie St. (Md.) Upper Marlboro, Md. (Wise)
DB Brandon Anderson 6-1 200 R-Sr. Edinboro (Pa.) Willingboro, N.J. (Holy Cross)
DB Nick Ciccio 6-0 190 R-So. Colorado Mesa Castle Pines, Colo. (Lutheran)
DB Michael Junker 5-10 180 Sr. Bemidji St. (Minn.) Hastings, Minn. (Hastings)
Specialists
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Hometown (High School)
PK Jordan Walters 6-2 200 Sr. East Stroudsburg (Pa.) Sciota, Pa. (Pleasant Valley)
P JoseLuis Moreno 6-0 180 Sr. Minot St. (N.D.) San Lorenzo, Calif. (Bishop O'Dowd)
AP Tobias Harris 5-9 180 So. West Texas A&M Pflugerville, Texas (Hendrickson)
*-2018 AFCA All-American
2019 AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America - Second Team
Offense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Hometown (High School)
QB Brook Bolles 6-3 205 R-Sr. Central Missouri Lincoln, Neb. (North Star)
RB Justin Felder 5-8 175 So. Stonehill (Mass.) Springfield Gardens, N.Y. (Holy Cross)
RB JaQuan Hardy 5-10 225 R-Jr. Tiffin (Ohio) Westlake, Ohio (Westlake)
WR Tariq Bitson 6-2 200 R-Jr. Adams St. (Colo.) Tulsa, Okla.
WR *Shane Zylstra 6-5 215 Sr. Minnesota St. Spicer, Minn. (New London-Spicer)
WR Mike Strachan 6-5 225 R-Jr. Charleston (W.Va.) Freeport, Bahamas (Liberty Christian)
OL Tyler Allison 6-3 315 Sr. Ferris St. (Mich.) Clinton Township, Mich. (Chippewa Valley)
OL Adonis Sealey 6-2 283 Sr. Valdosta St. (Ga.) Hamer, S.C. (Dillon)
OL Andrew Strickland 6-4 290 Sr. Wingate (N.C.) Raleigh, N.C. (Millbrook)
OL Kyle Hinton 6-3 310 Sr. Washburn (Kan.) Peoria, Ariz. (Liberty)
OL Joseph Gonzales 6-6 315 Sr. Western Oregon Springfield, Ore. (Thurston)
Defense
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Hometown (High School)
DL *Chris Garrett 6-4 230 Jr. Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) Milwaukee, Wis. (Wisconsin Lutheran)
DL Antonio Washington 6-1 274 R-Jr. Southern Arkansas Marshall, Texas (Marshall)
DL Jaquan Artis 6-2 245 Sr. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) Kinston, N.C. (Kinston)
DL Chauncy Haney 6-5 245 Sr. North Greenville (S.C.) Irmo, S.C. (Keenan)
LB Leon Eggleston 5-11 224 R-Sr. Wayne St. (Mich.) Sylvania, Ohio (Southview)
LB Clay Shreve 6-1 233 Sr. Ashland (Ohio) Mogadore, Ohio (Lake)
LB Chris Hoad 6-0 228 Sr. Texas-Permian Basin Leander, Texas (Rouse)
DB Junior Faulk 6-1 200 Jr. Delta St. (Miss.) Jayess, Miss. (Salem)
DB Desmond Fairell 6-0 185 Sr. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) Miami, Fla. (Miami Senior)
DB Kyle Dugger 6-2 220 Sr. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) Decatur, Ga. (Whitewater)
DB Mercardo Anderson 5-10 195 R-Sr. Henderson St. (Ark.) Ashdown, Ark. (Ashdown)
Specialists
Pos Name Ht. Wt. Cl. School Hometown (High School)
PK Dante Brown 5-10 185 Sr. Fort Hays St. (Kan.) Mississauga, Ontario (Canada Prep)
P Zach Gaines 6-1 218 Sr. West Alabama Calera, Ala. (Calera)
AP Trey Vaval 6-0 165 Fr. Missouri Western St. Blue Springs, Mo. (Blue Springs South)
* - 2018 AFCA All-American
Team Background: The five teams now chosen for each AFCA division evolved from a single 11-player squad in 1945. 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 — FBS and FCS. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. In 2006, the AFCA started selecting an NAIA-only team.
From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 offensive, 11 defensive) team was chosen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker were added to the team. In 1997, a return specialist was added, giving us the current 25-player team. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006. In 2016, the AFCA added a second team All-America.
Selection Process: The AFCA's Division II All-America Selection Committee is made up of three head coaches from each of the AFCA's seven districts, one of whom serves as a district chairman, along with another head coach who serves as the chairman of the selection committee. The coaches in each district are responsible for ranking the top players in their respective districts prior to a conference call between the district chairmen and the committee chairman on which the teams are chosen.
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.
Top Teams: Texas A&M-Kingsville has been represented a total of 34 times by 30 players on the AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America Team, to lead all schools. Trailing Texas A&M-Kingsville is Texas A&M-Commerce (23/21), Ferris State (23/19), Northwest Missouri State (23/18), Pittsburg State (20/16), Indiana (Pa.) (19/17), Carson-Newman (18/17), Ashland (17/16), Grand Valley State (16/15), Valdosta State (16/14), Mississippi College (15/14), New Haven (14/14), American International (14/13), Colorado Mesa (14/12), Central Missouri (13/12), Angelo State (13/11), Catawba (13/10), Minnesota State (13/9), Indianapolis (12/12), Saginaw Valley State (12/12),
West Chester (16/15), Slippery Rock (12/10), Mars Hill (12/9), West Georgia (11/11), West Texas A&M (11/11), Central Washington (11/10), Sioux Falls (11/10), California (Pa.) (11/9), Delta State (11/9), Eastern New Mexico (11/9), Glenville State (11/9), Chadron State (10/10), Winston-Salem State (10/10), St. Cloud State (10/9), Central State (10/8) and Southern Arkansas (10/8).
Class Distinction: This year's Division II Coaches' All-America Team is made up of 32 seniors, 10 juniors, six sophomores, one freshman and one graduate studen
