• Complete 2015 AFCA FCS All-American Team (PDF)
Two Ohio Valley Conference football players have been named to the 2015 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-American Team.
The selections were Jacksonville State junior center
Casey Dunn and Eastern Illinois senior defensive lineman
Dino Fanti. The duo were among the 25 total players selected to the squad.
Dunn, who was previously named a second-team STATS All-American, has anchored an offensive line that set the stage for record-breaking production by the Gamecock offense. In his first season as the starter Dunn has started every game in the middle this season and was one of four first-team All-OVC linemen from JSU, just the third time in OVC history that four of the five first team offensive linemen have been from the same team. Dunn's unit up front has paved the way for an offense that has run for a school-record 4,364 yards, the first 4,000-yard rushing season in school history. The Gamecocks have gained 7,409 yards of total offense, also a new school record and the first time a JSU team has gained 7,000 yards in a season. JSU's 574 points broke the school record of 528 scored in 2013, while its 52 rushing scores broke the school record of 48 set in 2013. Through the air, JSU has passed for a school-record 3,045 yards and thrown 21 touchdown passes, tied for the sixth-most in school history. Junior Eli Jenkins has thrown for 2,731 yards, second-most in school history, while running for 1,073 yards. His 3,804 yards of total offense are over 700 yards more than the previous school record. Senior running back Troymaine Pope has 1,757 rushing yards this season, 280 more than the previous school record and just 29 yards away from the single-season Ohio Valley Conference record. More importantly he has his team in the FCS National Championship Game against North Dakota State on January 9.
Dunn is the first JSU representative on the AFCA team since 1988.
Fanti earned his third All-American honor of the year after previously being named a second-team STATS All-American and a third-team Associated Press All-American. The senior was named the OVC Co-Defensive Player of the Year as he helped lead EIU to a 16th appearance in the FCS playoffs with a 7-5 overall record, 7-1 in the OVC. Fanti was dominant over the final two weeks of the year earning back-to-back OVC Defensive Player of the Week honors including a National Defensive Player of the Week Award during the win over UT Martin. Fanti finished the year with 63 total tackles including 22 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. He had five forced fumbles, nine quarterback hurries, one pass break-up and one fumble recovery. During the year he set both the EIU career and single season record for tackles for loss. Fanti ranked eighth in the FCS in tackles for loss and 41st in sacks.
The AFCA has selected an All-America team every year since 1945.
2015 AFCA FCS All-Americans
OC - Casey Dunn, Jacksonville State
DL - Dino Fanti, Eastern Illinois