For the fifth time this season, Illinois State linebacker Boomer Grigsby was honored as an all-American this time by College Sports Television as part of the CSTV Inaugural Division I-AA Football All-America Team, announced Monday.
In the last two seasons, Grigsby has been named to seven first team all-America teams becoming the most decorated football player in Illinois State history.
Grigsby was one of three Gateway players to receive first team honors from CSTV. Offensive lineman Buster Ashley from Western Kentucky and linebacker Lee Russell from Western Illinois were the others.
The two-time Gateway Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year led the league in tackles with 179, which also ranked No. 2 nationally in I-AA football. He also ranked No. 2 nationally in solo tackles after accumulating 109 in 2003. Grigsby tallied 110 tackles against Gateway opponents with double-digit tackles in each game.
Grigsbys 179 tackles also set the standard for Redbird juniors, giving him the freshman, sophomore and junior single-season tackle records at Illinois State. He has 451 tackles through three seasons and became only the fourth Redbird in the history of the program to amass 400 tackles in a career. The Canton, Ill., native is also 129 tackles away from passing current assistant coach Galen Scotts school record career tackle mark of 579.
The Illinois State football program has produced at least one all-American player in 18 of its last 22 seasons. Over the last six seasons, the Redbirds have had 21 players honored from 10 different positions.
