Parts of this release courtesy of the Hillsdale College and Wayne State University Sports Information Departments
Liberty, Mo. -- Hillsdale College junior Joe Glendening (East Grand Rapids, Mich.), and Wayne State University seniors Joe Long (Lapeer, Mich./East) and Jeremy Jones (Grand Rapids, Mich./Rockford) earned 2011 D2football.com First-Team All-America honors.
Click here to see the full D2football.com All-America release
Glendening led Hillsdale to the 2011 GLIAC championship with a record-breaking season on the ground. He established single-season school-records in three major categories: carries (325), rushing yards (1,604) and touchdowns (27). He broke his own carries record, set last year, and the school’s rushing yardage record that had stood for 19 years. But the oldest record Hillsdale College had on its record books – in any sport – was shattered by Glendening with his 27 rushing touchdowns. The old record was 24, set by Nate Clark back in 1955.
Long was the recipient of the 2011 Gene Upshaw Award as top Division II lineman (both offensive and defensive). Long was voted to the Daktronics All-America First Team as well as the Associated Press Little All-America First Team. He started all 49 games at left tackle breaking the school record for both career and consecutive starts. A four-time all-league performer (first team in 2010 and 2011, and Honorable Mention All-GLIAC in 2008 and 2009), Long helped WSU rush for 9,808 yards in his 49 games and compile a 35-14 record.
Jones was earlier named to the AFCA (American Football Coaches Association) All-America team along with being voted to the Daktronics All-America Second Team and the Associated Press Little All-America First Team. He led WSU in solo tackles (73), total tackles (106), interceptions (9), interception return yards (196) and quarterback hurries (4), was second in tackles for loss (12.5), and third in both sacks (6.5) and pass break-ups (5). His nine picks led the GLIAC and were tied for second in the NCAA. Jones set the WSU career record for interception return yards (406) and ranks fourth all-time with 17 career interceptions returning three for touchdowns. His 291 career tackles (184-107) is tops among all defensive backs in WSU history and ranks ninth among all players. Jones is second all-time with 23 pass break-ups and 40 passes defended.
The D2football.com Second-Team All-America honorees from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) were University of Indianapolis sophomore quarterback Chris Mills (Lafayette, Ind./Lafayette Central Catholic); senior receiver Troy Burrell (Port Huron, Mich.) of Wayne State; Michigan Technological University senior defensive lineman Todd Storm (Calumet, Mich.); Ashland University teammates sophomore defensive lineman Jamie Meder (Parma, Ohio/Valley Forge) and senior punter Gregg Berkshire (Ashland, Ohio).
The GLIAC football players who received D2football.com Honorable Mention accolades are: Charles Johnson (Elsmere, Ky./Eastern Kentucky), a junior receiver from Grand Valley State University; Michigan Tech senior defensive lineman Drew Vanderlin (Green Bay, Wis./Southwest), and Wayne State all-purpose senior Josh Renel (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams).
