For Immediate Release
Thursday, December 19, 2019
D2CCA Release

WICHITA FALLS, Texas – The NSIC had six student-athletes named to the 2019 D2CCA All-America squad as released by the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America. First team members included Minnesota State's Evan Heim (OL) and Nate Gunn (RB) and Concordia-St. Paul's Chris Garrett (DL).  Second team members were MSU's Shane Zylstra (WR), Bemidji State's Michael Junker (DB) and Minot State punter JoseLuis Moreno. 

First Team Offense
OL Evan Heim Minnesota State Sr. 6-4 305 DePere, Wisc.
RB Nate Gunn Minnesota State Sr. 6-2 220 Minooka, Ill.
First Team Defense
DL Chris Garrett Concordia-St. Paul Jr. 6-4 230 Milwaukee, Wisc.
Second Team Offense
WR Shane Zylstra Minnesota State Sr. 6-5 215 Spicer, Minn.
Second Team Defense
CB Michael Junker Bemidji State Sr. 5-10 180 Hastings, Minn.
P JoseLuis Moreno Minot State Sr. 6-0 180 San Lorenzo, Calif.

The Division II Conference Commissioners Association encourages and promotes Division II athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education. The CCA is a key communications link among the conferences as they discuss views, policies and regulations that impact Division II intercollegiate athletics and works closely with the NCAA as a communications channel to NCAA Division II member colleges and universities.

ALL-AMERICANS IN THE TITLE GAME: The 2019 NCAA Division II Championship features three D2CCA All Americans – all from Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference champion Minnesota State. Senior offensive lineman Evan Heim is a two-time, first-team D2CCA All-American, while senior running back Nate Gunn gained first-team honors this season after making the second team in 2018. Senior wide receiver Shane Zylstra garnered second-team honors. The Mavericks’ opponent – West Florida – is not represented on the D2CCA All-America team.

REPEAT AFTER ME: Minnesota State’s Evan Heim and Notre Dame’s Jaleel McLaughlin lead a pack of seven repeat performers on the D2CCA All-America team. Heim and McLaughlin earned first-team honors in 2018 and 2019, while Valdosta State’s Adonis Sealey, Minnesota State’s Nate Gunn and Concordia-St. Paul’s Chris Garrett made the move to the first team after claiming second-team mention last year. Notre Dame’s Jimmy Burchett and Mars Hill’s Craig Rucker were once again second-team D2CCA All-America performers. McLaughlin becomes the first student-athlete to earn first-team honors following his true freshman and sophomore campaigns in the program’s 27-year history.