WACO, Texas – Fort Hays State tight end Hunter Budke was named to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II All-America First Team on Wednesday (Dec. 8). He adds this prestigious honor on top of his All-MIAA First Team selection this season. Fort Hays State has now had an AFCA All-America selection in four of the last five seasons since 2016.
Budke had a big season for the Tigers with 47 receptions for 620 yards and eight touchdowns. He twice had over 100 receiving yards in a game in 2021 with nine catches for 122 yards as his season high at Missouri Western. He produced four or more receptions in seven of 11 contests and led the Tigers in receiving touchdowns for the season. Budke ranked eighth in the MIAA in receptions per game, all among a top 10 list that only included wide receivers aside from him. He was fourth in the MIAA in receiving touchdowns, only behind a trio of All-MIAA wide receivers that had 10 each. He finished 14th in receiving yards overall in the conference, the best among tight ends.
Budke is the first AFCA All-America First Team selection since Nathan Shepherd earned the distinction in 2017 on the defensive line. Shepherd is now in his fourth season with the New York Jets of the National Football League. A year prior to that, defensive end Sie Doe, Jr. was a first-team selection as well. In 2019 kicker Dante Brown was a second-team selection by the AFCA, but received first team honors from several other entities that season.
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