Feb. 5, 2010

Allendale, Mich. - Seven Grand Valley State Laker football student-athletes have earned postseason honors following the 2009 football campaign. Grand Valley State, which finished the 2009 campaign with a 13-2 record, has appeared in six in the NCAA DII National Championship game since 2001. The Lakers finished second in both the American Football Coaches Association poll and D2Football.com national rankings. Most recently Senior OT Nick McDonald, junior defensive tackle Danny Richard, senior safety Jacob McGuckin and senior QB Brad Iciek earned Don Hansen's Football Gazette All-Super Region 3 honors.

McDonald (Sterling Heights, Mich./Henry Ford II), who was a consensus first-team all-american, was the top vote getter among offensive lineman en route to earning Daktronics, Inc. First-Team honors. In addition, he was named American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press Little All-America and D2Football.com First-Team All-American. McDonald, who was the 2009 GLIAC Offensive Lineman of the Year as selected by league coaches, was a Football Gazette First-Team All Super Region 3 choice.

Junior defensive tackle Danny Richard (West Bloomfield, Mich.) earned Daktronics, Inc. and D2Football.com First-Team honors after being named the 2009 GLIAC Defensive Lineman of the Year. In addition, Richard was a Football Gazette First-Team All-Super Region 3 selection. Richard led the team in tackles for loss with 19.5 (-79 yards) and QB sacks with 13.0 (-62 yards). Richard ranked fifth on team and first among defensive linemen with 60 total tackles.

Senior SS Jacob McGuckin (Allen Park, Mich.) earned D2Football.com First-Team All-America plaudits, while also earning Daktronics, Inc. and Football Gazette Super Region 3 Second-Team honors. McGuckin ranked second on the team in tackles with 100, while also picking off four passes and recording 8.0 TFL.

Junior LB Justin Victor (Allen Park, Mich.) earned D2Football.com First-Team All-America honors and Daktronics, Inc. honorable mention plaudits. Victor led the Lakers in tackles with 113, while ranking second in tackles for loss (13.5) and third in QB sacks (6.5).

Junior right offensive tackle, Cameron Bradfield (Grand Rapids, Mich./Creston), was a Daktronics, Inc. Second-Team and D2Football.com honorable mention All-America selection. Senior QB Brad Iciek (Grandville, Mich.) earned D2Football.com and Football Gazette all-region honors, while senior WR Blake Smolen (Grosse Ile, Mich.) earned D2Football.com all-region plaudits.

Senior defensive tackle Alex Gilde (McBain, Mich.) was a 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American selection and an NCAA Elite 88 Award winner with the top grade point average at the NCAA Football Championship. In addition, Gilde and Richard were named District Four College Division CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-America honorees. Gilde notched 29 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss (-29) and 4.5 QB sacks (28). Sophomore safety Zach Breen (Rockford, Mich.) was a District Four College Division CoSIDA Second-Team Academic All-America honoree. Breen ranked fourth on the team in total tackles with 63, but missed the Lakers final three playoff games with a knee injury.

Following is a list of All-America and Academic All-America honorees:

OT Nick McDonald (Sterling Heights, Mich./Henry Ford II)

Daktronics, Inc. First-Team

Daktronics, Inc. Super Region 3 First-Team

American Football Coaches Association First-Team

Associated Press Little All-America First-Team

D2Football.com First-Team

Don Hansen's Football Gazette Super Region 3 First-Team

First-Team All-GLIAC

GLIAC Offensive Lineman of the Year

DL Danny Richard (West Bloomfield, Mich.)

Daktronics, Inc. First-Team

Daktronics, Inc. Super Region 3 First-Team

D2Football.com First-Team

Don Hansen's Football Gazette Super Region 3 First-Team

GLIAC Defensive Lineman of the Year

District Four College Division CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-America

SS Jacob McGuckin (Allen Park, Mich.)

D2Football.com First-Team

Daktronics, Inc. Super Region 3 Second-Team honors

Don Hansen's Football Gazette Super Region 3 Second-Team

LB Justin Victor (Allen Park, Mich.)

D2Football.com First-Team

Daktronics, Inc. honorable mention

OT Cameron Bradfield (Grand Rapids, Mich./Creston)

Daktronics, Inc. Second-Team

D2Football.com honorable mention

QB Senior QB Brad Iciek (Grandville, Mich.)

D2Football.com honorable mention Don Hansen's Football Gazette Super Region 3 Third-Team

Harlon Hill Finalist

WR Blake Smolen (Grosse Ile, Mich.)

D2Football.com honorable mention

DL Alex Gilde (McBain, Mich.)

2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American selection

NCAA Elite 88 Award winner

District Four College Division CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-America

LB Zach Breen (Rockford, Mich.)

District Four College Division CoSIDA Second-Team Academic All-America honoree