Portland State Vikings linebacker Ian Sluss was named a second team All-American by the Sports Network today, continuing the fine tradition of quality linebackers on the Park Blocks.

Sluss, who earned second team All-Big Sky Conference honors for the 2012 season was also selected as the Portland State team MVP. A 6-foot, 225-pound senior from Vista, CA, Sluss led the Vikings with 104 tackles on the season. He had four interceptions and four fumble recoveries, both of which led the Big Sky Conference, and scored three defensive touchdowns. Sluss had 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, three pass breakups and a forced fumble as well in 2012.

Those numbers attest to Sluss being a big-play maker for the Vikings. In a 49-21 win over UC Davis on Oct. 27, Sluss recovered two interceptions (one for a touchdown), two fumbles, had two pass breakups and six tackles. He was named National Defensive Player of the Week for that performance.

Sluss is just the latest linebacker to star for the Vikings. In fact, three former Vikings LBs played in NFL games on Sunday: Adam Hayward (final PSU season '06) with Tampa Bay; Jordan Senn ('07) with Carolina; and Ryan Rau ('11) with Philadelphia. All three of those players were All-Big Sky performers. Hayward was the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year in 2006 as well as an All-American and Buck Buchanan Award finalist. Senn was a two-time Academic All-American. Rau led the Vikings in tackles for three straight seasons (2009-11). Another Viking linebacker, Andy Shantz, was a second-team All-American in 2008.

The Big Sky Conference led all NCAA I FCS leagues with 16 selections to the first, second and third All-America teams. Five made first team, eight made second team and three were on the third team. The Sports Network is the main news gathering source for the NCAA I FCS level and sponsors the national post-season awards (Walter Payton Player of the Year, Buck Buchanan Defensive Player of the Year, Jerry Rice Freshman of the Year, Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year).

Sluss had been named an All-American by another media outlet, CollegeSportsMadness.com, early in the month.

Portland State All-Americans since joining the Big Sky Conference in 1996
(All-American recognitions from Sports Network, AFCA, Associated Press and/or Walter Camp)
1998    Bobby Singh, OL (1)
1999    Terry Charles, WR
2000    Charles Dunn, RB (1), Rashad Floyd, CB, Dan Frantz, P
2001    Terry Charles, WR (1); Ryan Fuqua, RB
2005    Joe Rubin, RB (1)
2006    Adam Hayward, LB (1), Brennen Carvalho, OL (1)
2007    Brennen Carvalho, C (1), Tremayne Kirkland, WR
2008    Andy Schantz, LB
2011    Zach Brown, K (1)
2012   Ian Sluss, LB

(1) indicates first team All-American


2012 The Sports Network FCS All-America Team

With position, player, school, class, height, weight:

First Team - Offense

QB - Taylor Heinicke, Old Dominion, So., 6-1, 195

RB - Miguel Maysonet, Stony Brook, Sr., 5-10, 205; Zach Zenner, South Dakota State, So., 6-0, 215

FB - Eric Breitenstein, Wofford, Sr., 5-11, 230

WR - Erik Lora, Eastern Illinois, Jr., 5-10, 181; Aaron Mellette, Elon, Sr., 6-4, 220

TE - A.C. Leonard, Tennessee State, So., 6-4, 245

OL - Michael Bamiro, Stony Brook, Jr., 6-8, 345; Mike Sellers, The Citadel, Jr., 6-0, 295; Billy Turner, North Dakota State, Jr., 6-6, 300; Earl Watford, James Madison, Sr., 6-4, 290; Bryan Witzmann, South Dakota State, Jr., 6-7, 300

AP - Walter Powell, Murray State, Jr., 6-0, 180

PK - Patrick Murray, Fordham, Sr., 5-7, 160

KR - Jerodis Williams, Furman, Sr., 5-11, 195

First Team - Defense

DE - Caleb Schreibeis, Montana State, Sr., 6-3, 252; Colton Underwood, Illinois State, Jr., 6-4, 255

DT - Cody Larsen, Southern Utah, Sr., 6-4, 300; Brent Russell, Georgia Southern, Sr., 6-2, 300

LB - Matt Evans, New Hampshire, Sr., 6-0, 226; Jeremy Kimbrough, Appalachian State, Sr., 5-11, 240; Robert McCabe, Georgetown, Sr., 6-2, 230; Jody Owens, Montana State, Sr., 6-0, 223

DB - Jaquiski Tartt, Samford, So., 6-1, 220; Cooper Taylor, Richmond, Sr., 6-5, 235; Darnell Taylor, Sam Houston State, Sr., 6-0, 195; Marcus Williams, North Dakota State, DB, Jr., 5-11, 194

P - Andy Wilder, Northern Arizona, Jr., 6-3, 205

PR - Dominic Gunn, Northern Colorado, Sr., 5-11, 170

Second-Team Offense

QB - Gavin McCarney, Colgate, Jr., 6-2, 205

RB - Shakir Bell, Indiana State, Jr., 5-8, 185; Deonte Williams, Cal Poly, Sr., 5-10, 200

FB - Kendall Gaskins, Richmond, Sr., 6-1, 238

WR - Jordan Harris, Bryant, Jr., 6-2, 215; Brandon Kaufman, Eastern Washington, Jr., 6-5, 215; Kevin Norrell, Stony Brook, Sr., 5-10, 200

TE - Kyle Juszczyk, Harvard, Sr., 6-3, 240

OL - Aaron Adams, Eastern Kentucky, Sr., 6-5, 295; Sean Davies, UC Davis, Sr., 6-4, 297; Dakota Dozier, Furman, Jr., 6-4, 291; Rogers Gaines, Tennessee State, Sr., 6-7, 320; Corey Howard, Central Arkansas, Sr., 6-1, 290

AP - Tyler Varga, Yale, So., 5-11, 220

PK - Jimmy Pavel, Eastern Washington, Sr., 5-11, 195

KR - Fabian Truss, Samford, Jr., 5-9, 190

Second Team - Defense

DE - Brandon Thurmond, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Sr., 6-2, 260; Davis Tull, Chattanooga, So., 6-3, 230

DT - Montori Hughes, UT Martin, Sr., 6-4, 330; Caraun Reid, Princeton, Sr., 6-2, 305

LB - Keith Pough, Howard, Sr., 6-3, 225; Stephon Robertson, James Madison, Jr., 5-11, 220; Ian Sluss, Portland State, Sr., 6-0, 225; Jordan Tripp, Montana, Jr., 6-4, 244

DB - Robert Alford, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr., 5-11, 185; Steven Godbolt III, Tennessee State, So., 6-1, 180; T.J. Lee III, Eastern Washington, Jr., 5-9, 170; B.W. Webb, William & Mary, Sr., 5-11, 180

P - Bobby Wenzig, Alabama State, Jr., 6-2, 185

PR - Austin Shanks, Northern Arizona, Sr., 5-8, 185

Third Team - Offense

QB - Casey Brockman, Murray State, Sr., 6-2, 220

RB - Timothy Flanders, Sam Houston State, Jr., 5-9, 210; Jordan McCord, Colgate, Sr., 5-11, 210

FB - Jake Hess, Northern Arizona, Sr., 5-10, 227

WR - Sean Price, Appalachian State, Fr., 6-5, 210; Quentin Sims, UT Martin, Sr., 6-3, 202

TE - MyCole Pruitt, Southern Illinois, So., 6-3, 247

OL - Garrett Frye, Georgia Southern, So., 6-4, 257; Terrance Hackney, Bethune- Cookman, So., 6-6, 310; Kaleb Hopson, Sam Houston State, Sr., 6-6, 300; Terren Jones, Alabama State, Sr., 6-7, 334; Ryan Risch, Colgate, Sr., 6-5, 303; J.C. Tretter, Cornell, Sr., 6-4, 295

AP - Greg Hardin, North Dakota, Jr., 5-11, 168

PK - Ernie Collins, San Diego, Sr., 6-2, 240

KR - Carlos Anderson, Northern Iowa, Sr., 5-8, 172; Colby Walden, Jacksonville, Sr., 5-11, 185

Third Team - Defense

DE - Frank Beltre, Towson, Sr., 6-2, 225; Mike Catapano, Princeton, Sr., 6-4, 270; Nolan Nearhoff, Robert Morris, Sr., 6-2, 250; Zach Wagenmann, Montana, So., 6-4, 240

DT - Chris Burnette, Old Dominion, Sr., 6-4, 290; Robert Simpson, Mississippi Valley State, Jr., 6-4, 255; Jared Smith, New Hampshire, Sr., 6-3, 300

LB - Seth Allison, Central Arkansas, Sr., 5-11, 195; Quinn Backus, Coastal Carolina, So., 5-10, 205; Dorian Bell, Duquesne, Jr., 6-1, 234; Wes Dothard, Chattanooga, Jr., 6-1, 235; Blake Peiffer, Southeast Missouri State, Sr., 6-1, 225; Paul Worrilow, Delaware, Sr., 6-0, 230

DB - Jordan Dangerfield, Towson, Sr., 5-11, 200; Ben Ericksen, Illinois State, Sr., 6-1, 200; Demetrius McCray, Appalachian State, Sr., 6-0, 185; Kejuan Riley, Alabama State, Sr., 6-2, 208; Caleb Schaffitzel, Missouri State, So., 6-0, 214; Johnny Towalid, Indiana State, Sr., 5-11, 170

P - Sam Martin, Appalachian State, Sr., 6-1, 205

PR - Jesse Grandy, Central Arkansas, Sr., 5-11, 165