BISMARCK, ND – A record-shattering season by University of Mary's Danny Kittner has earned the standout wide receiver a spot on the prestigious 2021 AFCAA Division II Coaches' All-American First Team selected by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).
 
All-American status from the AFCA is the biggest honor in a growing list of accolades for Kittner. The native of Gilbert, AZ, was previously named the Northern Sun Offensive Player of the Year, the D2CCA Super Region 4 Offensive Player of the Year, and a first team honoree by both the NSIC and D2CCA Super Region 4. He is the first UMary player to earn All-Region and All-NSIC Offensive Player of the Year honors.
 
The junior was one of just two wide receivers named to the AFCA first team. Only three Northern Sun scholar-athletes received first team accolades and seven were honored as first or second team All-Americans.
 
Kittner is the fourth UMary scholar-athlete to earn AFCA All-American honors, joining Tyler Steffan (2011) and Grant Singer (2013, 2014). Overall he is the 35^th Marauders football player to receive All-American recognition (see list below).
 
Kittner is the NCAA all divisions leader in catches (128), receiving yards (1,723) and all purpose yards (2,251). He also caught 18 touchdowns, second nationally only to his teammate Little.
 
The junior wide receiver shattered UMary and Northern Sun single season records for catches and receiving yards. He tied the NSIC single game record for receptions (19) and set single game UMary records for catches, receiving yards (284) and all purpose yards (378) while tying the school mark for receiving touchdowns in a game (4). His 19 catches are also the 12th best single game total in NCAA Division II history.
 
Kittner eclipsed 100 yards receiving in a game nine times and surpassed 200 yards three times. He caught at least one touchdown pass in nine games and scored multiple touchdowns five times.
 
Kittner's marks also are among the best all-time in NCAA Division II football. He ranks 3rd for most catches in a single season, 5th in receiving yards, 5th in catches per game at 11.6, and is 6th in receiving yards per game at 156.6.
 
Additionally Kittner, who holds for extra points and field goals, scored a 2-point conversion this season and completed two passes in four attempts for 73 yards.
 
According to the release by the AFCA:
"The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best — the coaches themselves.
 
"The AFCA's Division II All-America Selection Committee is made up of three head coaches from each of the AFCA's seven districts, one of whom serves as a district chairman, along with another head coach who serves as the chairman of the selection committee. The coaches in each district are responsible for ranking the top players in their respective districts prior to a conference call between the district chairmen and the committee chairman on which the teams are chosen."
 
NAIA ALL-AMERICAN
1990 Toby Schweitzer (1st team)
1991 Jason Arenz (Honorable Mention), Mike Jaskolski (HM)
1992 Jason Arenz (1st)
1993 Bobby Wagner (2nd team), Jason Aman (HM), Robin Hoe (HM),Todd Lambrecht (HM)
1994 Zach Reitzell (HM)
1995 Steve Clooten (1st), Bryon Hoff (HM), Jeremy Polson (HM)
1996 Neil MacDannald (HM), James Schoales (HM)
1998 Eric Volk (1st)
1999 Eric Volk (1st), David St. Clair (2nd), Seth Maier (HM), Quintin Cradle (HM), Kyle Sires (HM)
2000 Jason Buono (1st), Kyle Sires (HM), A.J. Street (HM)
2001 Brian Fettig (1st), Nikia Parson (1st)
2003 Jake Pfau (1st), Justin Lang (2nd)
2004 Jake Pfau (1st), Matt Gwash (HM)
 
DON HANSEN'S ALL-AMERICAN
1997 Tony D'Amico (1st), Brent Johnson (3rd)
1998 Brent Walker (1st), Tony D'Amico (2nd), Brent Johnson (3rd)
1999 Quentin Cradle (1st), David St. Clair (1st), Eric Volk (1st), Kyle Sires (2nd), Jason Davis (HM), Seth Maier (HM)
2000 A.J. Street (2nd)
2001 Brian Fettig (3rd), Nikia Parson (HM)
2002 Noah Krob (1st), Mickey Mahlmeister (HM)
2013 Troy Guptill (HM), Grant Singer (HM)
2014 Alby Pope, Grant Singer
 
AFCA NCAA DIVISION II ALL-AMERICAN TEAM
2011 Tyler Steffan
2013 Grant Singer
2014 Grant Singer
 
AP LITTLE ALL-AMERICAN
2014 Grant Singer
 
D2FOOTBALL.COM ALL-AMERICAN TEAM
2011 Tyler Steffan (HM)
2013 Grant SInger (HM)
2014 Grant Singer
 
BSN D2 ALL-AMERICAN
2013 Grant Singer (HM)
 
#marauders#