Add one more accolade for Scottie Gallardo. This one, perhaps, biggest of all.
The Fort Lewis College punter was named to the Beyond Sports Network Division II All-America first team Thursday, landing another honor to go alongside a second-team all-region selection and a first-team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference nod.
Leading the nation in average yards per punt usually doesn’t hurt a candidacy, and that was the case with Gallardo. He led all of Division II with a 46.1-average per kick, including a long of 77 yards. Nine punts off the foot of the University of Colorado reverse transfer went for touchbacks, while 22 pinned the opposition inside its own 20-yard line, 27 were longer than 50 yards, and 18 of Gallardo’s punts were fair caught.
Gallardo was joined on the first team by fellow RMAC player Darius Allen of CSU-Pueblo, a defensive end. Chadron State running back Glen Clinton, Chadron State tight end Cody Roes, CSU-Pueblo tight end Roger Pfanneschmid, Colorado Mesa linebacker Jake Edmiston and CSU-Pueblo punter Brandon Kliesen were second-team selections. CSU-Pueblo guard Drew Swartz was an honorable mention selection.
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