EIU Has Players On FCS All-American Team

WACO, Texas – Eastern Illinois junior wide receiver Erik Lora headlined the 2012 American Football Coaches Association FCS All-American team released on Monday.  Lora was the only player from the Ohio Valley Conference to be selected on the squad.

Lora set the FCS single season record for receptions this year making 136 catches for 1,664 yards.  Lora led the FCS in both categories as his 1,664 yards receiving was the fourth best single season total in FCS history.  Lora finished fourth in balloting for this year’s Walter Payton Award after earning OVC Offensive Player of the Year honors.  He opened the season with seven straight 100 yard receiving games which ties for the best FCS total since 2000.

Lora becomes the 11th Eastern Illinois player to make the AFCA All-America team and the first since Clint Sellers in 2005.  Other EIU players to earn AFCA All-America honors at the FCS level are Tony Romo (2002), John Jurkovic (1989), Roy Banks (1986), Jerry Wright (1984), Robert Williams (1982 & 83) and Kevin Gray (1981).

Eastern Illinois won the 2012 Ohio Valley Conference regular season championship advancing to the first round of the FCS playoffs, the 14th FCS playoff appearance in program history.

Since 1945, the American Football Coaches Association has selected an All-America team. What makes this team special is that it is the only one selected exclusively by the men who know the most about the players, the coaches themselves.

The AFCA currently selects an All-America team in five divisions: Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III and NAIA. Only one 25-player team is chosen in each division. There are no second or third teams or honorable mention awards.