Hights, Humphrey earn first team D2CCA All-America Honors
WICHITA FALLS, Texas Senior offensive lineman Lavonte Hights (N. Chesterfield, Va./Meadowbrook) and senior defensive end Myles Humphrey (Upper Marlboro, Md./Dr. Henry A. Wise) of the Shepherd University football team have been named to the 2017 D2CCA All-America Team released Wednesday by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Hights and Humphrey were both first team selections.
Hights, who finished third in the Gene Upshaw award balloting, was a first team choice for the second consecutive year. He set the Shepherd all-time mark for consecutive starts with 49. Hights anchored an offensive line that helped Shepherd rank third nationally in scoring offense, fifth in total offense, and seventh in passing offense.
Humphrey, who earlier in the week gained Academic All-America honors, led the Rams with 12.5 sacks (-70 yards) and 20 tackles-for-loss (-89 yards). He also added four forced fumbles and three pass breakups. He is the program’s all-time leader in career sacks with 40 (-229 yards).
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.
Shepherd finished the season with a 10-1 record as the Mountain East Conference champion. The Rams advanced to the NCAA II playoffs for the 11th time.