DELAND, Fla. -- Stetson junior defensive back Donald Payne has added another accolade to his long list of accomplishments: He has been named named to the 2015 American Football Coaches Association FCS All-America team.
"Payne will enter his senior season in 2016 with 424 career tackles, good for third in all NCAA football," said Ricky Hazel, Stetson University's associate director of athletics, in making the announcement in a press release Monday to HeadlineSurfer.com and other Florida media outlets.
"Only Connor Harris from Division II Lindenwood (495) and Tyke Kozeal from Division II Nebraska-Kearney (431) have more career tackles than Payne entering 2016."
"Payne will enter his senior season in 2016 with 424 career tackles, good for third in all NCAA football," said Ricky Hazel, Stetson University's associate director of athletics, in making the announcement in a press release Monday to HeadlineSurfer.com and other Florida media outlets. "Only Connor Harris from Division II Lindenwood (495) and Tyke Kozeal from Division II Nebraska-Kearney (431) have more career tackles than Payne entering 2016."
Payne, who has been named the Pioneer Football League Defensive Player of the Year in consecutive years, was also named to the Associated Press FCS All-America and to the STATS All-America second teams.
A native of Fayetteville, Ga., Payne finished the 2015 season with 126 total tackles, including 96 solo stops. Both totals were tops in the PFL for a second straight year. Payne's 16 tackles for a loss tied for the PFL lead and he tied for fifth in the league with 14 total passes defended.
Payne was a near consensus All-American in 2014 after leading all of college football with 185 tackles.
The AFCA has chosen All-America teams every year since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five divisions. The AFCA teams are selected by voting from college football coaches across the nation.