WACO, Texas | The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) released the 2015 Division II Coaches' All-America Team Thursday morning, and Tuskegee University senior linebacker Jewell Ratliff headlines the team.
 
The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best — the coaches themselves.
 
Ratliff becomes just the fifth Golden Tiger to be named to the AFCA All-America team since its inception joining Che Bryant (defensive back – 1998), Andre Dudley (defensive line – 1999), Drayton Florence (defensive back – 2002) and Matthew Reese (offensive line – 2013).
 
The New Orleans native led the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) in total tackles with 148 while being named the SIAC Player (overall) and Defensive Player of the Year this season. The senior finished with 70 solo tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss (51 yards lost) and 3.5 sacks (13 yards lost). He also finished the year with three pass break-ups, one quarterback hurry and two forced fumbles.
 
Ratliff finished second on the team in interceptions with five, returning a pair of those for touchdowns. He also scored a touchdown on a blocked field goal against Albany State, and had two other touchdowns called back.
 
The award is the second such honor for Ratliff this season.

For more information on Tuskegee University athletics, follow us on Twitter @MyTUAthletics and like us on Facebook.
 

OFFENSE
Pos	Name	Ht	Wt	Yr.	School
QB	Jason Vander Laan	6-4	244	Sr.	Ferris State (Mich.)
RB	Damian Baker	5-8	195	Sr.	Carson-Newman (Tenn.)
RB	Ja'Quan Gardner	5-7	190	So.	Humboldt State (Calif.)
WR	Jon Schnaars	6-3	210	R-Sr.	East Stroudsburg (Pa.
WR	Reece Horn	6-3	215	R-Sr.	Indiandapolis (Ind.)
TE	Adam Shaheen	6-6	240	R-So.	Ashland (Ohio)
OL	Shane Thompson	6-3	245	Sr.	Texas A&M-Commerce
OL	Cory Tucker	6-4	305	R-Sr.	Slippery Rock (Pa.)
OL	Joe Ray	6-1	270	Sr.	Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.)
OL	Chris Reaper	6-3	281	Sr.	Findlay (Ohio)
OL	Jordan Morgan	6-4	300	R-Jr.	Kutztown (Pa.)
DEFENSE
Pos	Name	Ht	Wt	Yr.	School
DL	Josh Gordon	6-2	255	Sr.	Minnesota State
DL	Justin Woods-West	6-2	265	Sr.	Central State (Ohio)
DL	Morgan Fox	6-4	259	Sr.	Colorado State-Pueblo
DL	Clayton Callicutt	6-4	275	Sr.	Angelo State (Texas)
LB	Kyle Kitchens	6-2	205	So.	Catawba (N.C.)
LB	Jewell Ratliff	6-1	238	Sr.	Tuskegee (Ala.)
LB	Alex Wahl	6-2	235	R-Sr.	Upper Iowa
DB	Michael Jordan	6-0	200	R-Sr.	Missouri Western State
DB	Marqui Christian	6-1	205	Sr.	MIdwestern State (Texas)
DB	Soloman St. Pierre	5-11	171	Sr.	Sioux Falls (S.D.)
DB	Jordan Shaw	6-2	215	Sr.	Shorter (Ga.)
SPECIAL TEAMS
Pos	Name	Ht	Wt	Yr.	School
PK	Brent Wahle	6-2	175	Sr.	Ohio Dominican
P	Brett Benes	6-0	180	Jr.	Charleston (W.Va.)
AP	Tyreek Hill	5-10	185	Sr.	West Alabama

ABOUT THE AFCA ALL-AMERICA TEAMS: The five teams now chosen for each AFCA division evolved from a single 11-player squad in 1945. From 1945 until 1967, only one team was chosen. From 1967 through 1971, two teams, University Division and College Division, were selected.  In 1972, the College Division was split into College I and College II. In 1979, the University Division was split into two teams — FBS and FCS. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. In 2006, the AFCA started selecting an NAIA-only team.
 
From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 offensive, 11 defensive) team was chosen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker were added to the team. In 1997, a return specialist was added, giving us the current 25-player team. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006.
 
The AFCA's Division II All-America Selection Committee is made up of three head coaches from each of the AFCA's seven districts, one of whom serves as a district chairman, along with another head coach who serves as the chairman of the selection committee. The coaches in each district are responsible for ranking the top players in their respective districts prior to a conference call between the district chairmen and the committee chairman on which the team is chosen.