Philpott’s elite season earns AFCA Second Team All-American recognition
WACO, Texas – Sophomore punter Tanner Philpott has earned American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Second Team All-America honors after one of the most productive punting seasons in NCAA Division III, becoming Simpson's first All-American since 2018 and only the program's second since 2008.
Philpott totaled 1,757 yards on 40 punts for a 43.9-yard average, the third-highest mark in Division III. Despite Simpson not punting in three games, he still ranked among the nation's best, placing 16 punts inside the 20 (top-20 nationally; fourth-most in program history) and recording 11 punts of 50-plus yards (t-6th in Division III). He matched his career-long 78-yarder against Nebraska Wesleyan on Nov. 15.
A first team all-conference selection and two-time A-R-C Special Teams Player of the Week, Philpott excelled against the toughest competition. In games against the three teams that finished ahead of Simpson in the conference standings, he placed six punts inside the 20 and averaged 45.4 yards per punt, surpassing his season average. His performance and consistency was instrumental in Simpson's first winning season since 2018 and first undefeated regular-season road record since 1997.
Philpott is one of just four American Rivers Conference players recognized on this year's 50-person All-America team. His honor places him among the most decorated specialists in Simpson history. He joins Mike Donnenwerth as the only punter to achieve All-America honors; Donnenwerth was named a Third Team All-American by the Division III Sports Information Directors as a quarterback and punter in 2002.
View the complete AFCA Division III Coaches' All-America Team here.
AFCA All-America Team Background
The AFCA has selected an All-America team every year since 1945. The five teams now chosen for each AFCA division evolved from a single 11-player squad in 1945. From 1945 until 1967, only one team was chosen.
From 1967 through 1971, two teams – University Division and College Division – were selected. In 1972, the College Division was split into College I and College II.
In 1979, the University Division was split into two teams — Division I-A and Division I-AA.
In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. The AFCA began selecting an NAIA-only team in 2006. Also in 2006, the Division I-A and Division I-AA teams were renamed Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), respectively.
From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 offensive, 11 defensive) team was chosen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker were added to the team. In 1997, a return specialist was added, giving us the current 25-player team. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006. The AFCA added a second team All-America in 2016, then a third wide receiver was added to the team in 2024.
