Missouri Western senior place kicker Greg Zuerlein and junior defensive end David Bass have added another All-American honor as the Associated Press has named Zuerlein and Bass to the “Little” AP All-America teams. Zuerlein earned first team honors while Bass was selected to the second team. The team consists of players from NCAA Division II, III and the NAIA.

Zuerlein, a first team AFCA All-America and Dakrtonics All-America selection from Lincoln, Neb., led the nation in field goals per game (2.30) and broke a NCAA and MIAA record with 21 consecutive field goals made. He set an MWSU record, with 23 field goals in a regular season and broke a school record, with a 58-yard field goal against Northwest Missouri State twice. He was also first team All-MIAA and Daktronics Super Region Four selections.

He led the conference with an average of 10.7 points per game which is sixth in the nation. He leads the nation with a .952 field goal percentage for any kicker with at least 12 attempts.

Zuerlein became Western’s first MIAA Special Teams Player of the Year and is just the third Western kicker named first team All-MIAA. He was named the D2Football.com Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts in the Griffons 31-28 victory over Northwest Missouri State on November 5. With his 21 consecutive field goals nine of them were from 50 or more yards.

A three-time MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week honoree – the most by any player in that category – Zuerlein is the first Griffon kicker to be selected to the first team.  The last Griffon to earn AP “Little” All-America first team honors was offensive lineman Roger Allen back in 2008.

David Bass was a first team Daktronics All-American selection for the first time in his career. This also marks the first time in his career being named to the AP “Little” All-American second team. The junior defensive end broke a school record with 20 tackles for loss. His 14.5 sacks led the conference and left him one-half sack short of the single season school record. He is 1.5 sacks short of the career record with 28.5. His two, four sack performances each tied a school record for most in a game.

Bass earned MIAA Defensive Player of the Week honors twice and was the D2Football.com Player of the Week once. He was fourth in the nation in sacks per game at 1.21 and 18th in the nation in tackles for a loss with 1.67 per game. He also received first team-All-MIAA for the first time in his career.

— MWSU Sports Information —