2011 AFCA Division II All-American release

2011 Daktronics All-American release


December 13, 2011 – The All-American wall in the lower level of the George Roche Sports Complex will need space for one more football player in the future.

Junior running back Joe Glendening was named First-Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association Tuesday. He is the first Charger since Jared Veldheer in 2009 to earn a spot on this All-American list.

On Wednesday, Dec. 14, Glendening was one of two running backs selected to the Daktrnocs First-Team All-American list. The Daktronics release is compiled by votes from Division II sports information directors nationwide.

The GLIAC’s rushing champion for each of the past two years, Glendening powered Hillsdale to the 2011 GLIAC regular season championship on the strength of 1,604 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns on 325 carries. All three of those numbers were school single-season records, and his 180 points in GLIAC games tied the conference’s all-time single-season record.

He was named First-Team All-GLIAC, the GLIAC Player of the Year and the Daktronics Super Region 3 Player of the Year following his incredible campaign. Glendening also finished the season with 24 receptions for 270 yards and four touchdowns.

Glendening was held to less than 100 yards by just two opponents, and racked up three games of at least 200 rushing yards, and had five games of four rushing touchdowns each. He also rang up 157 kick return yards, giving him 2,031 all-purpose yards for the season. He averaged 4.9 yards per carry, 11.2 yards per reception and his 18.6 points per game led all of NCAA Division II at the conclusion of the regular season.

Leading the way for Glendening was Hillsdale College’s offensive line, which had the same five players start all 11 games during the season. The linemen were Patrick Ryan, Tim Hornak, D.J. Loy, Nick Landry and Reid Meador. The only senior in that group is Meador, and he started in the NAIA vs. Division II All-Star Game in New York back on Dec. 3.

Glendening is the sixth player to earn All-American status since 2007 at Hillsdale. He's part of an elite group that includes Mark Nicolet (2007), Veldheer and Drew Berube (2009), Troy Weatherhead and Andre Holmes (2010). Glendening was named honorable mention All-American following the 2010 season.

Glendening’s season-high in rushing yards was 262 against Ohio Dominican Oct. 8, and his season-high in carries was 42 at Saginaw Valley State Oct. 1.