Portland State senior linebacker Andy Schantz has been tabbed as a second-team preseason All-American by The Sports Network - the main news-gathering source and sponsor of post-season awards for NCAA I FCS football.

Schantz, who will start at inside linebacker again for the Vikings this season, is the top returning player to Head Coach Jerry Glanville's defense. Schantz comes off a season in which he had 85 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three sacks, three forced fumbles, five pass breakups and one fumble return for a touchdown. He earned honorable mention All-Big Sky Conference in 2007.

Schantz accomplished all of that in just nine games as he tore the medial collateral ligament  in his left knee against San diego State on Sept. 22. Amazingly, the native of Santa Clarita, CA missed just two games and - without having surgery - returned to play his best football of the season over the final five weeks.

The on-field signal caller and team leader for the Vikings, Schantz has also become a local television star, as he has been featured in the Camp Glanville reality television series on Comcast Sports Net.

Schantz was the only Viking selected on the Sports Network's three preseason All-America teams. A total of 18 members of the Big Sky Conference were selected among 84 players recognized nationwide.

The Vikings will open their season on Aug. 30, hosting Western Oregon at PGE Park in a 1:05 p.m. game. After non-conference games at UC Davis and Washington State, PSU opens Big Sky Conference play on Sept. 27 at Sacramento State.