(Kansas City, MO) - The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) have announced the 2021 Fall NAIA Coaches' All-America Teams on Monday morning and Sophomore Casey Rauch and Senior Andrew Foerster were named to the All-America First Team and Second Team respectively.
Casey Rauch, a sophomore from Alexandria, Kentucky, was a first team selection on special teams this season after leading the NAIA in punting in nearly every category. Rauch ended the year being first in punting yard average with a 44.9 average and ended up landing 33 punts inside the opponents 20-yard line. In addition to his All-American honors, Rauch was named to the MSFA First Team All-Special Teams, MSFA Second Team All-Defense, CoSIDA Academic All-District Team, and received an NCCAA Defense/Special Teams Student-Athlete of the Week.
Head Coach Joshua Schumacher praised Rauch's ability to help the Cardinals in the field position battle. "Casey was instrumental in flipping the field as a punter and pinning our opponents near the goal-line."
Andrew Foerster, a senior from Swartz Creek, Michigan, collected his first NAIA selection making the second team this season after leading the team in sacks and being 11th in the NAIA. In addition, he added 14.5 tackles for loss which is 29th best in the NAIA. On top of being named an NAIA All-American, Foerster was named to the MSFA Second Team All-Defense, the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team, and was named as a MSFA Defensive Player of the Week.
Schumacher had high praise for Foerster as well. "It's a great honor for Foerster after leading the MSFA in sacks. We are very happy he came back and played this fall while also juggling his student-teaching."
Both Rauch and Foerster now join Alex Hinojosa (2021 Spring, 1st Team), Ryan Fish (2021 Spring, Honorable Mention), Donovan Corlew (2018 and 2019 Honorable Mention), Joe Conner (2018, 1st Team) and Takari Johnson (2014, 1st Team) as Cardinals throughout program history to be named to the NAIA All-America Teams.
