Senior linebacker
Michael Ayers had one of the best individual seasons for a defensive player in the history of Ashland College/University football in 2022.
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The voters for the 2022 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-American team took notice, and on Monday (Dec. 12) afternoon, Ayers was named to the AFCA All-America first team.
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Ayers was in just his second season as an inside linebacker this fall, and his ascension continued apace. He ended the 2022 season with 81 total tackles (48 solo), 10½ tackles for loss, three sacks, an interception, eight pass breakups, 11 quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
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His 28½ career tackles for loss are tied for sixth-most in program history.
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The first-team All-America award is just the latest for Ayers, who also has collected first-team All-Super Region 1 recognition from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA), as well as 2022 Great Midwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year and first-team all-conference laurels.
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Ayers becomes the 19
th member of Ashland football's "Best of the Best" – those who have been lauded as first-team All-Americans over the years. He is the Eagles' first first-team All-American in five years, and the program's first first-team All-American linebacker in 31 years.
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In 2022, Ashland University's football team went 10-2, winning its first outright Great Midwest championship and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.
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ALL-TIME ASHLAND COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
| YEAR |
PLAYER (ORGANIZATION) |
POS. |
| 1970 |
Len Pettigrew (AP) |
LB |
| 1978 |
Keith Dare (Kodak) |
DL |
| 1985 |
Jeff Penko (AP) |
OL |
| 1986 |
Vince Mazza (Kodak) |
PK |
| 1989 |
Doug Powell (Kodak) |
DB |
| 1990 |
Morris Furman (Kodak) |
LB |
| 1991 |
Ron Greer (Kodak/AP) |
LB |
| 1993 |
Bill Royce (AP/FB Gazette) |
DL |
| 1994 |
Sam Hohler (AP) |
DE |
| 2003 |
Toure Carter (AFCA) |
DB |
| 2007 |
Vince Cashdollar (AFCA) |
OL |
| 2008 |
Billy Cundiff (AFCA) |
QB |
| 2011 |
Gregg Berkshire (AFCA) |
PK |
| 2012 |
Taylor Housewright (AFCA) |
QB |
| 2013 |
Jamie Meder (AFCA) |
DL |
| 2015 |
Adam Shaheen (AFCA) |
TE |
| 2016 |
Adam Shaheen (AFCA/D2CCA/D2Football.com) |
TE |
| 2017 |
Dominic Giunta (AP/D2CCA) |
C |
| 2017 |
Travis Tarnowski (AFCA) |
QB |
| 2022 |
Michael Ayers (AFCA) |
LB |
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