LiCata Named AFCA First Team All-American For Second Consecutive Year
WACO, TX – Senior linebacker
A.J. LiCata (Lake View, NY/Frontier) has been named an American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) First Team All-American for the second consecutive year, marking the 81
st time an Alfred University football player has been named All-American dating back to 1950.
LiCata is one of four returning members of the AFCA All-American First Team in 2017 and only the second Saxon football player to earn AFCA First Team honors in back-to-back years (defensive lineman
Don Miller '08 in 2006 and 2007).
The AFCA's Division III All-America Selection Committee is made up of three head coaches from each of the AFCA's eight districts, one of whom serves as a district chairman, along with another head coach who serves as the chairman of the selection committee. The coaches in each district are responsible for ranking the top players in their respective districts prior to a conference call between the district chairmen and the committee chairman on which the team is chosen. The AFCA has selected an All-America team every year since 1945.
LiCata finished his year with 113 total tackles (58 solo; 55 assisted) and eight tackles for a loss, earning him Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive year and recording the fifth time a Saxon has earned the award in its 12-year existence.
"I'm unbelievably excited that A.J. has been named an AFCA First Team All-American," Head Coach
Bob Rankl said. "It's very well deserved as he stands as our all-time leading tackler here at Alfred University and he is certainly in the conversation as one of the best football players to wear the Purple & Gold."
In 2017, LiCata has been named to the D3Football.com All-East Region First Team, CoSIDA Academic All-District III First Team, Empire 8 First Team Defense, D3Football.com First Team Preseason All-American and recognized as a College Football America Top Division III Player coming into 2017 and Lindy's Sports and Street & Smith Preseason All-American.
He wraps up his career as the top tackler in school history with 412 total tackles. Since LiCata stepped on campus the Saxons have a 33-12 record (.733) and have made three postseason appearances including a trip to the NCAA Division III Football Quarterfinal in 2016 when the Saxons went 12-1, setting a school record for most wins in a season.
AU closed out 2017 with a win in the ECAC James Lynah Bowl over Stevenson University, 29-16. LiCata accumulated eight tackles in the game, including one tackle for a loss.