Complete AP Little All-America TeamBelton, Texas – University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football player
Teidrick Smith has been named to the Associated Press Little All-America Team released today. Smith becomes the 13
th UMHB player selected to the AP Little All-America squad in the 18-year history of Cru football. The Little All-America Team recognizes players from NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA programs.
Smith, a junior defensive end from Hallettsville High School, was a Third Team Little All-America selection. He set new UMHB and American Southwest Conference single-season records with 18.0 sacks and 27.0 tackles for loss this season. Smith also blocked a school-record six kicks on the year. He finished with 64 total tackles, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and two pass break-ups on the season. Smith has already been named South Region Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-South Region by D3football.com. He was the ASC Defensive Player of the Year and ASC Defensive Lineman of the Year, becoming the first player in conference history to win both of those honors in back-to-back seasons. Smith was also a First Team ASC All-Conference selection this season.
Smith joins former UMHB MLB Preston Meyer, OT Jeff Oliver, OC Matt Bush, P Hunter Hamrick, LB Jerrell Freeman, OT Caleb Woodall, LB Eric Henri, DB Bryson Tucker, OC Dustin Davis, OT Nate Menkin, LB Javicz Jones and DT Silvio Diaz as AP Little All-America honorees. Meyer was honored in 2002, Oliver and Bush were both selected in 2004, Hamrick claimed a spot on the team in 2005, Freeman was selected in 2006 and 2007, Caleb Woodall earned a spot in 2007, Eric Henri was honored following the 2008 season, Tucker was a 2009 honoree, Davis was honored in 2010, Menkin claimed a spot on the 2011 squad, Jones was named to the 2012 team and Diaz earned a spot in 2013.
The Cru finished the 2015 season with an 11-2 overall record and won a share of the ASC with a 4-1 league record. UMHB advanced to the NCAA Division III National Quarterfinals before falling to Linfield College 38-35. The Cru joins Mount Union as the only two Division III programs in the country to win at least one playoff game in each of the past 12 seasons.
