EIU's Erik Lora Makes Clean Sweep of All-America Teams

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Published on January 21 2013 1:40 pm
Last Updated on January 21 2013 1:40 pm
Written by Millie Lange

Eastern Illinois junior wide receiver Erik Lora has made it a clean sweep of All-America teams at the FCS level as he was named to the College Sporting News 2012 Fabulous Fifty FCS All-America Team.  Lora earned first team honors this year from Sports Network, AFCA, Associated Press and Walter Camp.

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.

EIU head coach Dino Babers was also named on the College Sporting News release as an honorable mention for the FCS Coach of the Year.  Babers was a finalist for the Sports Network FCS Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year and was the AFCA Region Coach of the Year.

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.

COLLEGE SPORTING NEWS 2012 FABULOUS FIFTY FCS ALL-AMERICA TEAM

Coach of the Year: Walt Hameline, Wagner

Offensive Player of the Year: Taylor Heinicke, Old Dominion

Defensive Player of the Year: Marcus Williams, North Dakota State

Offensive Lineman Of The Year: Corey Howard, Central Arkansas

Special Teams Player Of The Year: Austin Shanks, Northern Arizona

Freshmen Of The Year: Vernon Adams, QB, Eastern Washington

Playoff MVP: Brock Jensen, QB, North Dakota State

OFFENSE

QB Taylor Heinicke, Old Dominion, So.

QB Jerick McKinnon, Georgia Southern, Jr.

RB Miguel Maysonet, Stony Brook, Sr.

RB Deonte Williams, Cal Poly, Sr.

RB Jordan McCord, Colgate, Sr.

RB Zach Zenner, South Dakota State, So.

FB Eric Breitenstein, Wofford, Sr.

AP Walter Powell, Murray State, Jr.

C Corey Howard, Central Arkansas, Sr.

OG Earl Watford, James Madison, Sr.

OG Sean Davies, UC Davis, Sr.

OT Will Post, Eastern Washington, Sr.

OT Bill Turner, North Dakota State, Jr.

OL Kaleb Hopson, Sam Houston State, Sr.

OL Mike Sellers, The Citadel, Jr.

TE Kyle Juszcyk, Harvard, Sr.

TE A.C. Leonard, Tennessee State, So.

WR Brandon Kaufman, Eastern Washington, Jr.

WR Aaron Mellette, Elon, Sr.

WR Erik Lora, Eastern Illinois, Jr.

WR Cordell Roberson, Stephen F. Austin, Sr.

WR Quentin Sims, Tennessee-Martin, Sr.

WR Jordan Harris, Bryant, Jr.

DEFENSE

DT Cody Larsen, Southern Utah, Sr.

DT Brent Russell, Georgia Southern, Sr.

DE Brandon Thurmond, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Sr.

DE Caleb Schreibeis, Montana State, Sr.

DL Davis Tull, Tennessee-Chattanooga, So.

DL Zach Wagenmann, Montana, So.

DL Mike Catapano, Princeton, Sr.

DL Colton Underwood, Illinois State, Jr.

LB Robert McCabe, Georgetown, Sr.

LB Grant Olson, North Dakota State, Jr.

LB Jeremy Kimbrough, Appalachian State, Sr.

LB Jody Owens, Montana State, Sr.

LB Keith Pough, Howard, Sr.

LB Matt Evans, New Hampshire, Sr.

DB Marcus Williams, North Dakota State, Jr.

DB Steven Godbolt III, Tennessee State, So.

DB Darnell Taylor, Sam Houston State, Sr.

DB Ben Ericksen, Illinois State, Sr.

DB T.J. Lee III, Eastern Washington, Jr.

DB Kejuan Riley, Alabama State, Sr.

SPECIAL TEAMS

K Jimmy Pavel, Eastern Washington, Sr.

P Patrick Murray, Fordham, Sr.

KR Jerodis Williams, Furman, Sr.

PR Austin Shanks, Northern Arizona, Sr.

LS Rick Lovato, Old Dominion, So.

HONORABLE MENTION:

Coach of the Year: Dino Babers, Eastern Illinois

Coach of the Year: Kevin Higgins, The Citadel

Offensive Player of the Year: Eric Breitenstein, Wofford

Freshmen Of The Year: Sean Price, Appalachian State

Freshmen Of The Year: Zak Browning, Southern Utah

QB Michael Colvin, Lehigh, Sr.

RB Shakir Bell, Indiana State, Jr.

OL Terren Jones, Alabama State, Sr.

TE Justin Perillo, Maine, Jr.

TE Colin Anderson, Furman, Sr.

DE Davis Tull, Tennessee-Chattanooga, So.

DB Robert Alford, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr.

DB Jaquiski Tartt, Samford, So.

P Andy Wilder, Northern Arizona, Jr.