Courtesy of Benedict Athletics
WACO, TEXAS — Benedict College junior defensive back Traviontae Brown has been named to the 2018 AFCA?Division II?Coaches’ All-America Teams announced today by the American Football Coaches Association. Brown, selected to the second team, becomes the first Benedict football player in school history to be named All-American by the AFCA.
Brown had five interceptions and led the SIAC with 12 passes defended. He finished with 14 total tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Brown was one of two players from the SIAC named to the squad, joining Miles linebacker Austin Stephens.
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 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.
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.
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.