Football

TSU's Allen, UTM's Laros Named to 2023 FCS ADA All-America Team


• Complete FCS ADA Release

Tennessee State defensive lineman Terrell Allen and UT Martin punter Aidan Laros are two of 11 student-athletes nationally named to the 2023 Division I Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) All-America Team.

The 11th annual award recognizes the top student-athletes from FCS institutions across 11 different positions. The 2023 class includes student-athletes from nine different institutions, representing three different conferences. Voting was conducted by a national panel, consisting of media and sports information directors. 

The Big South-OVC was one of just three Conferences nationally to have honorees on the team, joining the Coastal Athletic Conference (CAA) and the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC).

Allen, the Big South-OVC Defensive Player of the Year and one of three players invited to the Buck Buchanan Award announcement, led the FCS in sacks (14.5), sack yardage (123), tackles for loss (28) and tackle yardage for loss (149) in the regular season. The 6-foot, 275-pound senior finished with 65 tackles, including 44 solos, had 10 quarterback hurries, five forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup. This marks the seventh honor for Allen as he was previously named an All-American by the AFCA, Associated Press, FCS Football Central All-American, HBCU, Phil Steele and Stats Perform.

Laros was recently won the FCS Punter of the Year Award after he led the FCS in punting by averaging 47.2 yards per attempt. That also established a program record (breaking the previous mark of 43.62 yards per punt). Overall, he punted 51 times with a long punt of 71 yards – one of three 70-yard punts this season, and averaged more than 50.0 yards per punt in four games.  A total of 18 of his punts were 50 yards or longer, 16 were downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and he had just seven touchbacks. Laros also handled kicking duties for the Big South-OVC Co-Champion Skyhawks, making 10-of-16 field goals (with a long of 43) and converting 43-of-45 point after attempts for 73 total points. He ranked sixth in the Association in scoring (6.67 points/game). Laros was previously named an All-American by the AFCA, Associated Press, FCS Football Central, Phil Steele and Stats Perform.

From the 11 All-America Team honorees, an Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year will be announced on January 3, 2024, in advance of the FCS National Championship Game. The Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year recipients will be recognized at the FCS national championship contest in Frisco, Texas, during an on-field presentation. 
  
The following student-athletes earned 2023 All-America laurels from the FCS ADA, as the top players from each of their positions: 
  
2023 FCS ADA All-America Team
QB - Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State
RB - Jaden Shirden, Monmouth
WR - Dymere Miller, Monmouth
TE - Cam Grandy, Illinois State
OL - Garret Greenfield, South Dakota State
PK - Matthew Cook, Northern Iowa
DL - Terrell Allen, Tennessee State
LB - Dylan Kelly, UAlbany
DB - Cole Wisniewski, North Dakota State
RS - Dylan Laube, New Hampshire
P  - Aidan Laros, UT Martin
  
About the FCS ADA
Now in its 30th year, the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association's mission is to enhance Football Championship Subdivision football. For more information on the FCS ADA, please visit www.fcsada.com. The FCS ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 59th year. For more information on NACDA and the 18 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.