VERMILLION, S.D. — In the second round of All-America honors, four University of South Dakota Coyotes were named to the STATS Perform All-America teams, announced Wednesday morning. Mi'Quise Grace headlines the group earning his second First Team All-America honors of the season.  
 
In total, 20 MVFC football student-athletes were named to the All-America teams in some capacity in the second-straight major All-America list. Illinois State, North Dakota State, South Dakota, and South Dakota State all had at least one athlete named to the First Team.
 
FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
Mi'Quise Grace, defensive line
The 2024 Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) Defensive Player of the Year picks up First Team All-American accolades after leading the Missouri Valley in tackles for loss (17.0) and sacks (9.5). He had a career day against Indiana State (Nov. 9) where he recorded 4.0 TFLs and 2.5 sacks in the 49-0 shutout win.
 
In the regular season, Grace (So., Cincinnati, Ohio) notched a pair of 2+ sacks games and had one sack in at least six games. He also boasted 1.5+ tackles for loss in seven games, including recording 11.5 in the final fives games of the regular season slate.
 
He heads to Bozeman, Montana with 18.0 tackles for loss with his 9.5 sacks, along with 59 tackles. He's started all 13 games for the Coyotes this season.
 
SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
Dennis Shorter, defensive back
Shorter (Sr., Daytona Beach, Fla.) proved to be one of the best safeties in the conference this season, sitting tied for the league lead with his 12 pass break-ups. He led the MVFC with his 1.20 PBU's in the regular season.
 
He finished the regular season third on the team with 58 tackles and forced a pair of fumbles (second in the MVFC) and was one of 10 Valley athletes to have multiple interceptions with his two. His play this season earned him First Team All-MVFC honors.
 
The Second Team All-American honors for Shorter comes on the heels of being named Second Team by the Associated Press earlier this week.
 
THIRD TEAM ALL-AMERICANS
Joey Lombard, offensive line
The four-year starter and captain on the Coyote offensive line picks up his second career All-America nod with Third Team honors from STATS Perform, following his First Team honors from the Associated Press.
 
Lombard (Sr., Anoka, Minn.) has started all 13 games at center for South Dakota this season and has been instrumental on the line that saw the Coyotes that sat second in total yards (441.6) and rushing yards (224.3) at the end of the regular season. The solid play of the offensive line helped USD land the second-best scoring offense in the Valley this season (37.0ppg) and take home (a share) of the program's first-ever Valley title.
 
In his Coyote career, Lombard has made 47 starts on the Coyote offensive line. That mark leads all current Coyotes on the roster this season.
 
Nick Gaes, defensive line
Gaes (Sr., Alta, Iowa) will wrap up his career with 'All-American' next to his name after earning Third Team All-American honors from STATS Perform for his play in 2024.
 
In a loaded front seven for the Coyotes, Gaes has started 12 of the 13 games played this season. To end the regular season, he sat second in the MVFC with his 8.0 sacks in 10 games. He finished within the top-5 in the conference with his 10.0 tackles for loss, while being one of two Coyotes with double-digit TFLs.
 
This season Gaes picked up his 20^th career sack and heads to Bozeman fourth in program history with 23.0 career sacks. He is a three-year starter for South Dakota earning 28 career starts.