Texas A&M University-Commerce defensive lineman Charlie Tuaau headlines the 2013 AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America First Team announced today by the American Football Coaches Association.
Tuaau was a first team all-LSC performer and earned the league's top defensive honor – the J.V. Sikes Defensive Player of the Year Award – along with the nod for the league's top defensive lineman at season's end.
All season he proved to be one of the biggest headaches for offensive linemen. The junior from Wahiawa, Hawaii led the Lone Star Conference in both tackles for loss (25.0) and sacks (12.5), ranking among the top-five nationally in both categories. Tuaau finished the season with 59 tackles, including 31 solo stops, with a pair of forced fumbles and fumble recoveries.
He is the sixth AFCA all-America selection in A&M-Commerce's history, all of whom have been on the first team. He is the first Lion defensive lineman to earn the honor, and the first Lion overall since Darvin Peterson in 2006.
The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best — the coaches themselves.
