Trine's senior trio of Lamar Carswell (Toledo, Ohio), Jeffery Barnett (Fremont, Ohio), and Marcus Winters (Toledo, Ohio) continued to reap postseason accolades, as the three Thunder standouts were named Division III All-Americans by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Monday (Dec. 10).
Carswell was named a First-Team All-American running back after leading NCAA Division III in rushing with 2,294 yards in 2018. Along with breaking multiple Trine season and career records, Carswell, the 2018 MIAA Offensive Most Valuable Player set an MIAA record for rushing yards in a game with 359 yards against Kalamazoo in the regular season finale.
Winters became a two-time All-American with his selection to the Second Team this fall. The two-time MIAA Defensive Player of the Year was part of a Trine defense that allowed just 147.5 yards passing per game. Winters is also a nominee for the Cliff Harris Award, which is presented to the nation's top small college defensive player for NCAA Division II, Division III, and NAIA.
Barnett's all-purpose play garnered Second-Team All-America accolades after averaging 39.0 yards per return in 2018 to rank second in NCAA Division III. Barnett scored three touchdowns this season as a returner, giving the senior five for his career.
The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. The AFCA's Division III All-America Selection Committee is made up of three head coaches from each of the AFCA's eight 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 2018 Division III Coaches' All-America Teams
MIAA Student-Athletes Honored by D3football.com
Trine - Lamar Carswell (1st), Jeffery Barnett (2nd), Marcus Winters (2nd) - Trine story link
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