HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana University senior wide receiver/punt returner Darius Lewis was named to the 2024 Associated Press FCS All-America Teams, the AP announced Tuesday.
 
Lewis, a New Orleans, Louisiana native, was an honorable mention selection as an all-purpose player. With his selection, Southeastern has placed at least one player on an All-America team for the 13^th consecutive season. The streak started with SLU Athletics Hall of Famer and former NFL veteran Robert Alford's All-America nod in 2012.  
 
Lewis, Southeastern's top playmaker, was named All-SLC at both wide receiver and punt returner for the second consecutive season last month, earning first team all-conference accolades at both spots.  
 
As a receiver, he finished the year with 82 catches – second-most in school history – for 806 yards and five touchdowns. Lewis closed the regular season ranked fifth in the FCS in receptions and sixth nationally in receptions per game. He was named Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week after catching the game-winning touchdown with two seconds remaining in a 24-23 victory over Stephen F. Austin, capping an 11-catch, 96-yard night versus the Lumberjacks. Lewis finished with 111 yards on eight catches in a 21-9 win over East Texas A&M. He also caught touchdowns passes in wins over Lamar, Northwestern State and Nicholls.
 
As a punt returner, he finished the regular season as the FCS national leader with 18.5 yards per punt return, averaging 22.6 yards per return versus Southland Conference competition. He was named SLC Special Teams Player of the Week after recording returns of 62 and 55 returns in a 37-7 road win at HCU. Lewis averaged 27.3 yards per return in a 41-0 win over Northwestern State and 27.5 yards per return in a 19-16 victory at Nicholls.
 
Lewis was one of 11 Southland Conference representatives on the AP FCS All-America squad. UIW junior wide receiver Jalen Walthall and East Texas A&M sophomore linebacker Brandon Tucker were first team selections. Nicholls senior offensive lineman Evan Roussel, Stephen F. Austin senior kicker Chris Campos and Northwestern State junior linebacker Blake Gotcher were second team choices.
 
Lewis was joined among the honorable mention selections by the UIW duo of quarterback Zack Calzada and defensive back Mason Chambers, the SFA pair of wide receiver Kylon Harris and Jeremiah Walker, as well as Nicholls linebacker Eli Ennis.
 
All told, SLU posted a 7-5 overall record and a 6-1 SLC mark facing 18 Associated Press FCS All-Americans this season. Nonconference foes South Dakota State (four), Tarleton State (two) and Eastern Washington (two) each had multiple representatives on the list.
 
2024 Associated Press FCS All-American Teams
 
First Team Offense
QB – Tommy Mellott, Montana State
RB – Targhee Lambson, Southern Utah; Lan Larison, UC Davis, Kayvon Britten, Tarleton State
OL – Marcus Wehr, Montana State; Charles Grant, William & Mary; Grey Zabel, North Dakota State; Jackson Slater, Sacramento State; Mason Miller, North Dakota State
WR – Efton Chism III, Eastern Washington; Darius Cooper, Tarleton State; Jalen Walthall, UIW
TE – JJ Galbreath, South Dakota
All-Purpose – Lan Larison, UC Davis
K – DC Pippin, Southeast Missouri State
 
First Team Defense
DL – David Walker, Central Arkansas; Mi'Quise Grace, South Dakota; Jeremiah Grant, Richmond; Josiah Silver, New Hampshire
LB – Bryce Norman, Southeast Missouri State; Brandon Tucker, East Texas A&M; Gideon Lampron, Dayton; AJ Pena, Rhode Island
DB – TJ Moore, Mercer; Jalen Jones, William & Mary; Kenny Gallop, Howard; Saiku White, Lafayette
P – Jeff Yurk, Elon
 
Second Team Offense
QB – Cam Miller, North Dakota State
RB – ShunDerrick Powell, Central Arkansas; Roland Dempster, Stony Brook
OL – Joey Lombard, South Dakota; Evan Beernsten, South Dakota State; Luke Smith, East Tennessee State; Evan Roussel, Nicholls; Conner Moore, Montana State
TE – Carter Runyon, Towson; Bryzai White, Northern Arizona
WR – Landon Ruggieri, Bryant; Javonie Gibson, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Ja'seem Reed, San Diego
All-Purpose – Sam Hicks, Abilene Christian; Chandler Brayboy, Elon.
K – Chris Campos, Stephen F. Austin; Gabe Panikowski, Idaho State
 
Second Team Defense
DL – Brody Grebe, Montana State; Eli Mostaert, North Dakota State; Ckelby Givens, Southern; Elijah Williams, Morgan State
LB – Blake Gotcher, Northwestern State; Adam Bock, South Dakota State; Andrew Jones, Grambling
DB – Dennis Shorter, South Dakota; Dalys Beanum, South Dakota State; Jordy Lowery, Western Carolina; Rex Connors, UC Davis; Myles Redding, Mercer; Jabril Hayes, Richmond; JaMichael McGoy, UT Martin
P – James Platte, The Citadel
 
Honorable Mention Offense
QB – Zach Calzada, UIW; Derek Robinson, Monmouth
RB – Charlies Pierre Jr., South Dakota; Malik Grant, Rhode Island; Dwayne McGee, Mercer
OL – Vance Van Every, UT Martin; Alic Ambrosia, Central Connecticut; Delby Lemieux, Dartmouth; George Padezanin, Lehigh; Brandon Casey, Montana; Wyatt Hansen, Eastern Washington; Kobe Sixkiller, Southeast Missouri State; Reid Williams, Chattanooga; Carson Vinson, Alabama A&M; Ayden Knapik, Idaho; Malik McDaniel, Davidson; Nick Taiste, South Carolina State; Tom Elia, Richmond
TE – Lance Mason, Missouri State; Jackson Conners-McCarthy, Marist; Chris Corbo, Dartmouth; Ryder Kurtz, Cornell; Rohan Jones, Montana State
WR – Cooper Barkate, Harvard; Jeff Caldwell, Lindenwood; Matthew Henry, Western Illinois; Bo Belquist, North Dakota; Kylon Harris, Stephen F. Austin
All-Purpose – Darius Lewis, Southeastern; Junior Bergen, Montana; Jermaine Corbett, Merrimack; Taco Dowler, Montana State; Travis Terrell Jr., Jackson State; Sone Ntoh, Monmouth
K – Ritse Vaes, Abilene Christian; James London, Murray State; Kyle Thompson, Weber State; Gerardo Baeza, Jackson State
 
Honorable Mention Defense
DL – Brayden Manley, Mercer; Finn Claypool, Drake; Matt Spatny, Lehigh; Matt Jaworski, Fordham; Keyshawn James-Newby, Idaho; Treqwan Thomas, Alabama State; Ashaad Hall, South Carolina State
LB – Eric Rankin, VMI; Eli Ennis, Nicholls; Noah Martin, Samford; Brendan Bell, Villanova; Tye Niekamp, Illinois State; Ben Bogle, Southern Illinois; Will Shaffer, Abilene Christian; Dontae Lunan, Albany
DB – Kimal Clark, Central Connecticut State; Abu Kamara, Yale; Hayden McDonald, Columbia; Mason Chambers, UIW; Alex McLaughlin, Northern Arizona; Jalen McClendon, Tennessee State; Isas Waxter, Villanova; Nahil Perkins, Fordham; Eric Haney, San Diego; Sammy Anderson, Austin Peay; Oshae Baker, UT Martin; Jeremiah Walker, Stephen F. Austin; Jarod Washington, South Carolina State; Keondre Jackson, Illinois State
P – Grant Burkett, Missouri State; Hunter Green, Northern Colorado
 
TICKETS
For ticket information, contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit www.LionSports.net. Southeastern will continue offering mobile ticketing as the primary source for securing tickets. All tickets will be available via e-mail or text message in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet.
 
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TOUCHDOWN CLUB/S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the football program are encouraged to join the Touchdown Club. Lion football alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Touchdown Club and S Club (football) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern football program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
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