FHSU Athletics
WICHITA FALLS, Texas - Fort Hays State senior running back Shane Watts was named to the D2CCA All-America Football Team on Wednesday (Dec. 18). Watts was a second-team selection at running back, one of four running backs overall named to the D2CCA All-America Team.
Watts gives FHSU two All-America performers in 2024 with Myles Menges earning AFCA All-America First Team honors as a defensive lineman. Watts was an All-MIAA First Team selection as an all-purpose back, since he led the MIAA in all-purpose yards with 1,769.
Watts ranks fourth in NCAA Division II for total rushing yards (1,303) and all-purpose yards per game (160.8). He ranks eighth in total touchdowns (17) and ninth in total points scored (102). He ranks seventh in points per game (9.3). Watts averaged 5.8 yards per rush attempt in 2024. He produced the 20th 1,000-yard rushing season in FHSU and first since Kenneth Iheme in 2017. The 1,303 rushing yards ranks sixth for a season in FHSU program history.
With six 100-plus yard rushing games in 2024, Watts moved up into a tie with Emmett Pride and Kenneth Iheme for the fifth-most in program history with nine. Watts played just two years at running back after converting from the defensive side of the ball midway through his career at FHSU. With his two 200-plus rushing yard games this year, he tied for the most in program history with Shaquille Cooper, Jordan Hickel, and Andre Smith. Watts (2024) and Cooper (2015) are the only two Tigers to produce a pair of 200-plus yard rushing games in the same season. Watts had a career-best 250-yard rushing game against Emporia State on November 2.
Watts and Menges are the first All-America selections for the Tigers since the 2021 season, when tight end Hunter Budke was a selection by five organizations and offensive lineman Amari Angram-Boldin was a selection by the Don Hansen Football Committee.
Below is the D2CCA All-America Football Team for 2024.
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
POS - PLAYER - SCHOOL
TE - Tre Williams - Limestone (N.C.)
OL - Gabe Brown - Grand Valley State (Mich.)
OL - Bryce George - Ferris State (Mich.)
OL - Will Flowers - Valdosta State (Ga.)
OL - Jake Dugger - Harding (Ark.)
OL - Nic Van de Graaf - Colorado School of Mines
WR - Terrill Davis - Central Oklahoma
WR - Tyler Kahmann - Emporia State (Kan.)
QB - Zach Zebrowski - Central Missouri
RB - Chavon Wright - Charleston (W. Va.)
RB - Jada Byers - Virginia Union
RS - Kha'lil Eason - New Haven (Conn.)
PK - Anthony Beitko - California (Pa.)
DEFENSE
POS - PLAYER - SCHOOL
DL - Ricky Freymond - Western Colorado
DL - Marquise Fleming - Wingate (N.C.)
DL - Khris Walton - Tiffin (Ohio)
LB - Clay Schulte - Indianapolis (Ind.)
LB - Jack Puckett - Central Oklahoma
LB - Benari Black - Johnson C. Smith (N.C.)
LB - Jake Adams - Northern State (S.D.)
S - Tanner Volk - Central Washington
S - Lashon Young - Miles (Ala.)
CB - Andrew Pitts - Angelo State (Texas)
CB - Devin Pringle - Grand Valley State (Mich.)
P - Blake Doud - Colorado School of Mines
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
POS - PLAYER - SCHOOL
TE - Cayden Davis Henderson State (Ark.)
OL - Jake Gannon Bemidji State (Minn.)
OL - Joe Cooper Slippery Rock (Pa.)
OL - Jaheim Bassham California (Pa.)
OL - Donovan McCollister Charleston (W. Va.)
OL - Montriel Lee Central Oklahoma
WR - Reggie Retzlaff Colorado State-Pueblo
WR - Flynn Schiele Colorado School of Mines
QB - Sammy Edwards Valdosta State (Ga.)
RB - Shane Watts Fort Hays State (Kan.)
RB - Ronald Blackman Tiffin (Ohio)
RS - Kobey Stephens Central Oklahoma
PK - Brandon Perez East Central (Okla.)
DEFENSE
POS - PLAYER - SCHOOL
DL - Leonard Henry IV Saginaw Valley State (Mich.)
DL - Todd Hill Slippery Rock (Pa.)
DL - JaMichael Rogers Miles (Ala.)
LB - Wilfredo Diaz Edinboro (Pa.)
LB - Micah Cretsinger23-1 Saginaw Valley State (Mich.)
LB - Colin Stuhr Colorado Mesa
LB - Cam Hollobaugh Walsh (Ohio)
S - Larry Elder Valdosta State (Ga.)
S - Ty Dugger Harding (Ark.)
CB - Nic Cheeley Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.)
CB - Jaaron Joseph Emporia State (Kan.)
P - Brenden Lach Michigan Tech