NORMAL, Ill. – For the second day in a row, Illinois State stars James Robinson, Drew Himmelman and Luther Kirk were honored for their play in 2019 as each were named to The Associated Press FCS All-America Team presented by Regions Bank.
Robinson and Himmelman were named First-Team selections, while Kirk was tabbed as a Third-Team pick. The trio was also named to the 2019 HERO Sports FCS All-America Team yesterday.
Robinson was named a third-team All-American by The Associated Press in 2018 campaign, but improved his stats in nearly every category this year to earn first-team honors from the organization in 2019. The Rockford, Illinois, native started all 15 games at running back for the Redbirds and led the Missouri Valley Football Conference in rushing yards (1,917), yards per game (127.8) and touchdowns (18). The three-time All-MVFC selection (2017-19) recorded eight 100-plus yard rushing efforts, including a pair of 200-plus yard efforts in the first and second round of the FCS playoffs that included a school-record breaking 297-yard effort in the first-round with at SEMO.
A finalist for the Walter Payton Award, Robinson currently ranks No. 2 in the FCS in rushing yards and yards per game and is sixth in rushing touchdowns. He finished his illustrious career ranked No. 2 in Illinois State history in rushing yards (4,462), rushing touchdowns (44), all-purpose yards (5,236) and total touchdowns scored (46).
The first-team All-America honors from The Associated Press are the first from the organization for Himmelman. The Geneseo, Illinois, native earned All-MVFC First-Team honors as a junior, after helping Robinson post a historic season. A two-time MVFC Offensive Lineman of the Week during the year, Himmelman started all 15 games at left tackle for the Redbirds and graded out at over 90 percent for the season. He earned MVFC Lineman of the Week honors after the Redbirds rushed for 254 yards and three scores in a victory over Eastern Illinois and picked up his second MVFC weekly award after helping ISU rush for 287 yards in a win over Indiana State.
After picking up All-MVFC First-Team honors for the second-straight year at safety for the Redbirds, Kirk joined his teammates on The Associated Press FCS All-America squad as a third-team selection The senior captain from Garland, Texas, started all 15 games at safety for the Redbirds and led the team with 89 tackles on the season to earn All-MVFC First-Team honors for the second-straight season. He also finished the year with six pass breakups, three sacks, four tackles-for-loss and a forced fumble. Kirk had a career-high 10 tackles and two pass breakups against No. 9 UNI and recorded the game-winning sack in a thrilling win over Missouri State. He will join Robinson in representing Illinois State at the prestigious East-West Shrine Bowl™ when it is played on January 18 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
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