SIOUX FALLS – Junior running back Max Mickey of the #8 University of Sioux Falls Football Team has earned a third All-American honor after being recently recognized by HERO Sports. Mickey of Holden, Mo., was named a second team running back on HERO Sports DII All-American squad.
 
In 2016, Mickey, who led NCAA DII in yards per carry at 8.9, helped the Cougars win their first ever NSIC championship and record its first-ever unbeaten regular season at the DII level. The Cougars, which finished a DII-program best 12-1, recorded the school's 12th unbeaten regular season overall. Mickey, who had the second most yards in DII with 1,764, played a key role as the Cougars earned its third straight postseason appearance and second straight NCAA DII playoff appearance. USF hosted two home playoff games for the first time, including its first playoff win (Azusa Pacific, 34-21) before falling in the second round in overtime to Harding, 27-24.
 
Mickey, who was named first team All-NSIC, was named to the first team of the D2 Conference Commissioners Association (CCA) All-American squad as well as to the second team on the American Football Coaches Association team announced earlier.

One of the nation's top backs, Mickey, who averaged 135.7 yards per game (5th, NCAA DII), was one of 42 candidates for the Harlon Hill Award as the DII's top player. Mickey had nine, 100-yard rushing games in 2016 and now has accumulated 13 100-yard rushing games in his career, which ranks fourth on USF career chart. He ranked in the top five nationally in six categories while setting school records in yards per carry,  average yards per game and total yards in a season. He was part of an offense that finished third in the country in rushing yards at 308.1 yards per game and seventh in total offense at 511.3 yards per game.

In a 34-21 win over Azusa Pacific at Bob Young Field in the first round of the playoffs,  Mickey, a business administration major, rushed for 164 yards on 22 carries with three TDs. Six times this season, he had 150 yards or more yards against in a game as he set a career-high with 207 yards and a TD. Mickey was named NSIC Player of the Week on Oct. 10 after averaging 10.3 yards per carry with 15 carries for 156 yards and four total TDs in a win over SMSU when the Cougars rolled up 670 yards in total offense, the best total by the program at the DII level.
 
Fueled by Mickey's season school record 1,764 rushing yards, Cougars set a school record with 4,005 rushing yards or 308.1 per game.  USF averaged 6.9 per carry, which was more than a half-yard better than Wayne State (Mich.) at 6.24 and Harding at 6.18. The offense featured three of the top 11 leading per carry rushers (Max Mickey, 8.65 ypc, first; Luke Papilion, 7.48 ypc, third; and Justin Fulks, 6.55 ypc, 14th) in NCAA DII.