NEW YORK, N.Y. – Carson-Newman football running back Andy Hibbett has collected his third All-America honor of the postseason. This time he receives the accolade from the AP Little All-America, which combines Divisions II and III, as well as NAIA into three teams.
Hibbett was placed on the second team.
Hibbett was the Daktronics and Beyond Sports Network Super Region II Offensive player of the Year. He became the third Carson-Newman player to make it the final round of the Harlon Hill Trophy voting. Quarterback Leonard Guyton was a finalists in 2002, while Tyrone Westmoreland was the first Harlon Hill finalists for C-N in 1997. Mars Hill running back Jonas Randolph is the only South Atlantic Conference player to win the award – doing so in 2011.
Hibbett also earned first team All-America honors from the Beyond Sports Network and second team accolades from Daktronics.
Hibbett produced a season for the ages for the Eagles. Hibbett set a school record by rushing for more than 100 yards in eight consecutive games. His 1,394 yards on the season are the eighth highest tally in school history. Hibbett secured his spot in the Eagle record books. With 37 career rushing touchdowns, he moved past Brandon Baker and Antwon Oliver and into sole possession of sixth place on the all-time rushing TD list.
He also winds up with 3,208 career rushing yards. That mark is also the eighth best in school history. Hibbett scored multiple touchdowns in seven games, including a pair of four-touchdown days. He is a two-time SAC offensive Player of the Week, three-time Bojangles Male Athlete of the Week and earned Tennessee Sportswriters Association Offensive Player of the Week honors once. Following the season, he earned first team All-SAC honors.
Hibbett ranked sixth in the nation in rushing yards per game and 10th in scoring. He had 18 TDs in his senior season – 16 on the ground and two through the air.
Hibbett led C-N in rushing in six games and produced four games where he rushed for at least 180 yards. With 30 carries and 221 yards against Tusculum, Hibbett had the 14th-best single game rushing yard tally in school history and its 32nd 200-yard rushing performance.
Throughout the season, Hibbett credited his line.
Against Mars Hill, the senior only had 191 yards and three TDs on seven carries. His 27.3 yards per rush is the second highest total among running backs with more than five carries in a game.
Hibbett's three touchdowns all came in the second half and helped put the game out of reach.
His first score came on a 58-yard dive, his second on a 65-yard scamper and his third on a 55-yard pitch that started to the right and finished with Hibbett meandering his way back left across the field to the pylon for a score.
Hibbett is Carson-Newman's 12th All-American running back. He joins Rodney Wampler (71), Van Williams (81), Hugh Rutledge (82), Kenneth Tyson (84 & 87), Robert Hardy (90), Floyd Mathis (91), Robert Thomas (91), Tyrone Westmoreland (97), Randy Bell (02), Buck Wakefield (09) and Brandon Baker (12).
The Associated Press Little All-America team (top players from Division II, III and NAIA).
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Jason Vander Laan, junior, 6-foot-4, 241 pounds, Ferris State.
Running backs — Terrell Watson, senior, 6-2, 240, Azusa Pacific; Anthony Bilal, junior, 5-7, 170, Lake Erie.
Linemen — Cole Mahnart, senior, 6-6, 310, Nebraska-Kearney; Matthew Reese, senior, 6-3, 314, Tuskegee; Joe Ray, junior, 6-0, 260, Lenoir-Rhyne; Chris Brinkmeier, senior, 6-5, 275, Wartburg; Andrew Muer, senior, 6-3, 275, Minnesota Duluth.
Receivers — Rasheed Bailey, senior, 6-2, 205, Delaware Valley; Keelan Cole, junior, 6-1, 167, Kentucky Wesleyan; Darius Davis, senior, 5-11, 212, Henderson State.
All-purpose player — Lavance Taylor, senior, 5-11, 195, Central Missouri.
Kicker — Anthony Pistelli, sophomore, 5-9, 199, Valdosta State.
DEFENSE
Linemen — Darius Allen, senior, 6-4, 251, Colorado State-Pueblo; Matt Longacre, junior, 6-3, 270, Northwest Missouri State; Alex Hoff, junior, 6-3, 240, Linfield; Lucky Baar, sophomore, 6-2, 230, McKendree.
Linebackers — Tyler Henderson, junior, 6-3, 235, Minnesota State-Mankato; Sosthene Kapepula, senior, 6-3, 221, Wesley; Nores Fradi, senior, 6-1, 216, Wayne State.
Backs — Satiir Stevenson, senior, 5-10, 200, Guilford; Solomon St. Pierre, junior, 5-11, 171, Sioux Falls; Brady Grayvold, senior, 5-11, 200, Wisconsin-Whitewater; C.J. Roberts, senior, 6-0, 180, Colorado State-Pueblo.
Punter — Patrick Carney, senior, 6-0, 215, New Mexico Highlands.
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Kevin Burke, senior, Mount Union.
Running backs — Domonique Hayden, senior, Thomas More; Andy Hibbett, senior, Carson-Newman.
Linemen — Jake VanderKlok, senior, Ferris State; Isaiah Shelton, senior, Shepherd; Mike Lorenzo, senior, Chadron State; Ali Marpet, senior, Hobart; Spencer Clark, senior, Wheaton.
Receivers — Rudy Rudolph, senior, Christopher Newport; Nathan Mourik, junior, Southwest Baptist; Tyler Slavin, senior, New Mexico Highlands.
All-purpose player — Jalen Hendricks, junior, Livingstone.
Kicker — Andrew Franks, senior, Rensselaer.
DEFENSE
Linemen — Nelson Wienke, senior, Michigan Tech; Nick Napolitano, senior, Wingate; Joshua Gordon, junior, Minnesota State-Mankato; Nadim Raddar, junior, Bethany.
Linebackers — Justin Shirk, senior, Bloomsburg; Grant Singer, senior, Mary; Tyler Jenkins, senior, Rowan.
Backs — Jordan Shaw, junior, Shorter; Will Brown, senior, Missouri S&T; Jacob Edelman, senior, Central (Iowa); Ira Jewitt, senior, Louisiana College.
Punter — Nate Ray, senior, Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Sean McCartney, senior, West Chester.
Running backs —Brandon Wegher, senior, Morningside; Logan Lauters, junior, Minnesota Duluth.
Linemen — Travis Hening, junior, East Central (Oklahoma); Joe Magardino, senior, Trinity (Connecticut); T.J. Woodrow, senior, St. Thomas; Josh Meeker, senior, Minnesota State-Mankato; Scotland Coyle, senior, Colorado State-Pueblo.
Receivers — Vernon Johnson, senior, Texas A&M-Commerce; Andre McCullouch, junior, Rocky Mountain; Dushawn Brown, junior, Denison.
All-purpose player —Aramis Greenwood, senior, John Carroll.
Kicker — Brent Wahle, senior, Ohio Dominican.
DEFENSE
Linemen — Alex Markarian, senior, Humboldt State; Cody Buresh, senior, Wabash; Anthony McDaniel, junior, Bowie State; Marcus Martin, freshman, Slippery Rock.
Linebackers — Tanner Botts, senior, Lenoir-Rhyne; Jacob Zilbar, senior, Wisconsin-Platteville; Kole Kadavy, senior, Colorado Mines.
Backs — C.J. Conway, senior, 6-2, 200, Montclair State; Michael Jordan, junior, Missouri Western; Colin Kimball, senior, Mercyhurst; Eric Gargiulo, junior, Montclair State.
Punter — Matt Kussmann, senior, Illinois Wesleyan.
