WACO, Tx. - Two stars of Berry Football have been named to the second team All-America by the AFCA.

Brandon Cade
Cade is familiar to this award, receiving first team All-America honors last season. The senior ran for 1,081 yards on 203 attempts with 17 rushing touchdowns. Averaging 5.3 yards a carry, Brandon lead the SAA in rushing yards and earned himself an SAA Offensive player of the week honor as well and the SAA Offensive Player of the Year. The senior currently leads Berry Football's all-time records in rushing touchdowns (59), rushing yards (3,895), and yards per carry (7.5).

Tonny Garcia
Garcia has been instrumental to Berry's offensive line. Choosing to come back for his fifth year, the graduate held strong all year long at the LG position playing 10 games. He helped clear the way for the team to average 181.6 yards a game with 27 rushing touchdowns. In pass protection he anchored the line that only allowed 8 sacks, personally allowing none. The five year starter is a four time first team All-SAA member and has received All-Region honors for two years from D3.football.com, this is his first All-American honor and well deserved.

These two Vikings are half of the four SAA members named to the 2024 AFCA Division III Coaches' All-America Team.
 

Team Background: The AFCA has selected an All-America team every year since 1945. The five teams now chosen for each AFCA division evolved from a single 11-player squad in 1945. From 1945 until 1967, only one team was chosen.

From 1967 through 1971, two teams – University Division and College Division – were selected. In 1972, the College Division was split into College I and College II.

In 1979, the University Division was split into two teams — Division I-A and Division I-AA.

In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. The AFCA began selecting an NAIA-only team in 2006. Also in 2006, the Division I-A and Division I-AA teams were renamed Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), respectively.

From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 offensive, 11 defensive) team was chosen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker were added to the team. In 1997, a return specialist was added, giving us the current 25-player team. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006. In 2016, the AFCA added a second team All-America.

Selection Process: The AFCA's Division III All-America Selection Committee is made up of head coaches representing each conference 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.

The Award: Members of the AFCA Coaches' All-America First Team will receive a plaque commemorating their selection to the team, while members of the Second Team will receive a certificate.