SIOUX FALLS – Junior running back Gabriel Watson and offensive tackles Trey Pipkins and Adam Sheffield of the University of Sioux Falls Football Team (7-4) were recently named to the D2Football.com All-American Team, which was released today (Dec. 31, 2018). Watson and Pipkins were named to the first team while Sheffield was selected honorable mention All-American.

 

A 6-1, 221-pound running back, Watson of Piedmont, Calif., led NCAA DII in three rushing or scoring categories. Watson, who was named to his fourth All-American Team in 2018, recently finished fifth in the voting for the Harlon Hill Trophy as the DII Player of the Year.  Pipkins of Apple Valley, Minn., picked up his fifth All-American honor, including three in the 2018 postseason, while Sheffield of San Jose, Calif., was honored as an honorable mention All-American for the first time. The selection of Pipkins and Sheffield means USF had two offensive linemen and with Watson, three total offensive players selected to an All-American Team.

Members of the 2018 D2Football.com All-American Team were chosen by members of the D2Football.com staff.   Throughout an extensive selection process, many players across the country were considered on the basis of statistics, individual accomplishments and team accomplishments. For the fifth straight year, USF has had a player(s) named to the D2Football.com Team. A year ago, Dennis Gardeck, who is a member of the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL and a five-time All-American in 2017, was honored. Eight-time All-American Max Mickey, six-time All-American Antonio Green and Michael Mehling were honored in 2016 while 16-time All-American Solomon St. Pierre was recognized in 2014 and 2015.

 

Watson, who led NCAA DII in rushing during the regular season, has now been named to the first team on four All-American squads including D2Football.com, D2 CCA, Associated Press as well as the American Football Coaches Association squads. He was also named the D2 Conference Commissioner's Association (D2 CCA) All-Super Region 4 Offensive Player of the Year. Watson, who was earlier named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Player of the Year, was also selected to the D2CCA first team all-region squad. 
 
For the first time, USF has had a finalist for both the Harlon Hill Award and the Gene Upshaw Award with Watson and senior offensive tackle Trey Pipkins, who earned his fifth overall and third postseason All-American honor. 

Watson is the first student-athlete at USF to advance into the Harlon Hill finalist group and the first to be named D2CCA Super Region 4 Offensive Player of the Year. He had a school-record 11 straight games of 100 yards or more rushing while churning for a regular season NCAA-high and school single season mark of 1,957 yards on 269 carries with an NCAA DII-high 26 TDs. The 1,957 yards by Watson ranks second overall nationally but was the top total for the regular season. In setting eight school records this year, Watson owns the top per game average of 177.8 yards per carry in DII, which is also a USF school record. Of players with 200 carries or more, Watson has the top per rush average of 7.41. The 1,957 yards rushing by Watson broke Max Mickey's school record of 1,764 of 2016. Watson's 26 touchdowns is the most in a single season in USF's DII history and second overall (David Ruter, 29 TDs, 1988).

In 2018, Watson had 200 yards rushing and three touchdowns in the first game he played at USF, which was a 27-24 win over Concordia-St. Paul in the home opener. A junior exercise science major, Watson followed up that opening game performance with games of 172 yards and 193 yards. Against Minot State, he accumulated 205 yards rushing on 15 carries with two touchdowns and played just one half.

Watson had a breakout season in his first year with USF. The first-team All-NSIC honoree was named the D2Football.com National Player of the Week after setting a single game USF rushing record of 320 yards on 19 carries with five TDs against MSU Moorhead. A three-time NSIC Player of the Week, he recorded seven games of 150 yards or more with three games of at least 200 yards or more. Watson scored two or more TDs in a game eight times and had at least three TDs four times.

Pipkins, who has accepted an invitation and will participate in the 94^th annual East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 19 in St. Petersburg, Fla., was one of the nation's top offensive lineman this season.

A sports management graduate, Pipkins led USF to a 7-4 record, including 5-2 in the South Division; a 37-11 record, an NSIC title in 2016, and top-10 rushing team in NCAA DII in two of his final three seasons. Pipkins, who finished third in the balloting for the Upshaw Award, was earlier named to the Associated Press first team.  He now has two preseason and two postseason All-American honors or four total.

Selected one of four team captains for USF, Pipkins was named to the D2Football.com and The Podyum preseason All-American teams. This season, Pipkins, a three time All-NSIC honoree, was named first team all-league for the first time. He has been the leader on one of the league's top offensive line units. In 2018, he graded at 91.7 percent (651 positive reps in 710 plays) with 90.5 knockdowns.

Pipkins, who had 234.5 knockdowns in 43 career starts, has allowed just one sack this year and two in his career.  An Academic All-NSIC performer in 2017, he has a 90 percent grade in 10-of-11 games with a season high of 96 percent vs Minot State and graded 94.5 percent against Wayne State, 92.4 percent vs No. 1 Minnesota State and 92.1 percent from Winona State, both road games.

Sheffield, who started 23 straight games for USF, earned his first All-NSIC second-team honor after a season when he graded at 89.5 percent with 70 knockdowns. With Pipkins, Sheffield formed one of the best tackle combos in the NSIC as they combined to grade over 90 percent and allow just two total sacks. In 2018, Sheffield, a media studies major, graded at 89 percent or better in seven games with a high of 94 percent against Minot State. He had 90 percent or better grades five times. Sheffield had a career-high 9.5 knockdowns and an 89 percent grade against No. 1 Minnesota State. In his career, Sheffield totaled 110 knockdowns.