NORMAL, Ill. – A pair of Illinois State defensive standouts have more honors to add to their resumes, as Tye Niekamp and Shadwel Nkuba II were selected for the 2025 FCS Coaches' All-America Team announced Thursday by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions.
Both Niekamp and Nkuba were named All-Americans by FCS Football Central on SI, The Associated Press and Stats Perform earlier this week.
Niekamp was one of just three FCS players who was selected as a back-to-back First-Team selection by the AFCA, along with Dartmouth's Chris Corbo and Montana's Michael Wortham. The 2025 Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year and All-MVFC First-Team selection, Niekamp would also finish in the Top-10 of the Buck Buchanan Award voting. The now two-time All-American led the Redbirds and ranked third in the MVFC in tackles with 126 (63 solo) during the regular season and ranked second in the league in tackles-for-loss with 12.0. A three-time MVFC Defensive Player of the Week selection in 2025, Niekamp was also credited with one sack, six pass breakups, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, four quarterback hurries and a safety prior to the playoff run. He had seven double-digit tackling efforts, including five games with 13 or more, and finished the year with back-to-back 16 tackle efforts against South Dakota State and Southern Illinois.
Nkuba made an immediate impact for the Redbirds in his first season, earning All-MVFC First-Team honors and MVFC All-Newcomer Team plaudits. The transfer from Louisiana started in all 12 games at cornerback for the Redbirds and led the Valley and the team in interceptions with four during the regular season. He ranked third on the team with 67 tackles, including 40 solo stops, and was also credited with a sack, 2.5 tackles-for-loss and five pass breakups. Nkuba recorded an interception in four-straight games to start the year and picked up his fifth of the year in the first-round playoff win at Southeastern Louisiana.
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