CLEVELAND – Illinois State junior linebacker Tye Niekamp added another prestigious honor to his trophy case, as he was one of 11 standouts named to the 13th annual 2025 Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association's (FCS ADA) All-America Team, as the top linebacker in the country.
The first year for the awards took place in 2013 and counting 2025, a total of 133 different players, from 70 different institutions, representing 17 different conferences/associations, have been honored.
Niekamp is a consensus First-Team All-American, having previously earned All-America plaudits from FCS Football Central on SI, The Associated Press, Stats Perform, the AFCA, the Walter Camp Football Foundation and Phil Steele.
The 2025 Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year and All-MVFC First-Team selection, Niekamp finished in the Top-10 of the Buck Buchanan Award voting, which is presented to top defensive player in the FCS. 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.
He's added to those numbers in the four-game playoff run for the Redbirds, as he now has 155 tackles on the field just four shy of FCS leader James Conway of Fordham. He has also added two sacks, 14.5 tackles-for-loss, an interception and eight pass breakups for the Redbirds on their run to the National Championship game against Montana State.
Now in its 32nd year, the FCS ADA's mission is to enhance Football Championship Subdivision football. The FCS ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 61st year.
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