Ray Named AP Little All-American
The Associated Press (AP) named UW-Oshkosh senior punter Nate Ray to its 2014 Little All-America Football Team.
Ray, a second-team selection, was one of 74 players chosen to the three All-America squads. The teams were made up of players from NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA schools.
Ray, who was voted to D3football.com's All-America First Team last week, led the NCAA Division III in punting this past season with an average of 43.9 yards per kick. The 2014 WIAC Special Teams Player of the Year launched 16 punts of 50-plus yards, including a conference-leading 73-yard kick against UW-River Falls and a 71-yard boot against UW-Whitewater. Ray landed 19 of his punts inside the 20-yard line.
Other punters receiving AP Little All-America honors were Patrick Carney from NCAA Division II New Mexico Highlands University and Matt Kussmann from NCAA Division III Illinois Wesleyan University. Carney was selected to the first team and Kussmann to the third.
UW-Whitewater defensive back Brady Grayvold was named to the first team and UW-Platteville linebacker Jacob Zilbar to the third.
The AP began selecting its Little All-America Football Team in 1934.
UW-Oshkosh won six of its last seven games to finish the 2014 season with a 6-4 record. The Titans, who placed second in the WIAC standings with a 6-1 mark, ended the year ranked 20th in the NCAA Division III by D3football.com and 25th by the American Football Coaches Association.
Three of UW-Oshkosh's four losses this past fall were to teams who eventually qualified for postseason play. The Titans lost 41-3 to NCAA Division I Football Championship Series quarterfinalist South Dakota State University, 24-20 to NAIA finalist Marian University (Ind.) and 24-7 to NCAA Division III champion UW-Whitewater.