WACO, Texas – The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced on Monday morning its All-America selections. 

Olivet Nazarene University linebacker Jason Freeman was honored as a first-team selection for the second consecutive season and wide receiver Jalen Dunnigan gathered an Honorable Mention accolade. Freeman becomes the second Tiger in program history to win back-to-back first team All-America honors, joining current Director of Athletics Mike Conway, who won the award in the 1982 and 1983 seasons. Dunnigan is the first Tiger to win the award since offensive lineman James Officer IV in 2019. 

Freeman had an excellent season on the gridiron for the Tigers.  The Zion, Ill. native led the NAIA with 160 total tackles and 16 tackles a game.  Additionally, Freeman stood in third in the conference with 12 tackles-for-loss and fourth with 56 interception return yards off of three picks.  Freeman, this season, was a four-time Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Midwest Defensive Player of the Week and two-time National Defensive Player of the Week.  Freeman's season was highlighted by a 31-tackle effort against Trinity International, which was two off of the school record. 

The Tiger linebacker can add this All-America honor to a list of honors this season including MSFA Midwest and Conference Defensive Player of the Year, MSFA First Team All-Conference, and on the academic side, CoSIDA Academic All-District.  

Dunnigan had a terrific season for the Tigers.  The Tiger wide out caught 45 passes for 708 yards and scored six touchdowns.  Dunnigan was sixth in the MSFA with 70.8 yards a game and ninth in the league with 90.1 all-purpose yards a game.  Additionally, Dunnigan was second in the conference with 178 punt return yards. Earlier this season, Dunnigan broke the school record with 203 receiving yards in the win against Saint Xavier. The Jacksonville, Fla. Native broke into the record books this season as he stands in fourth place all-time with 1,954 receiving yards and is second with 23 career touchdowns. 

Dunnigan adds this All-America nod to a list of honors that include first team All-MSFA for offense and a second team All-MSFA honor for Special Teams.  

ABOUT THE AWARD

Selection Process: The AFCA's NAIA All-America Selection Committee is made up of two 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 team is chosen.

AFCA NAIA Player Selection History: NAIA players who were selected to AFCA All-America teams were named to the AFCA College Division team from 1967-71. In 1972, the AFCA College Division was split to College I and College II. Players from NAIA Division I teams were placed in AFCA College I, while players from NAIA Division II were placed in AFCA College II. That process lasted until 1996, when College I and College II were renamed Division II and Division III. From 1996-2005, all NAIA players who were selected as AFCA All-Americans were placed on the AFCA Division II team. In 2006, the AFCA started selecting an NAIA-only team.

--ONU—

*Contact: Sam Viebrock, Sports Information Director, stviebrock@olivet.edu