Heikkinen Repeats As AFCA II All-American

Dec 10, 2012

Northland Sports Online

Garth Heikkinen’s imprint on the University of Minnesota Duluth football program continues to expand as today the senior offensive guard became the first Bulldog ever to be named to the American Football Coaches Association Division II All-American team for a second time.

Heikkinen, who last month was chosen one of eight finalists for the Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year Award (a UMD first), started in a Bulldog-record 54 consecutive games over the past four seasons.

The Bulldogs’ first four-time All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference honoree (North Division first team in 2010-12 and honorable mention in 2009), he anchored an offensive line that allowed the seventh fewest sacks in the nation during the regular season (seven, none of which came at his expense) while paving the way for the third highest-scoring offense in NCAA II football (a school-record 46.5 points per game).

One year ago, Heikkinen attained All-American status from four different groups — AFCA II (first team), D2Football.com (first team), Daktronics (first team), and Associated Press (Little All-American second team).

Since the Duluth Central High School alumnus assumed a starting role at the start of the 2009 season, the Bulldogs went 47-7, captured one NCAA II national championship (2010), three overall NSIC titles and four NSIC North Division crowns, qualified for the NCAA II playoffs four times, and cracked the top 10 in every AFCA II weekly poll but three (all in 2011 and never below No. 15).

Heikkinen has already received one other All-American citation this fall — from Beyond Sports College Network (second team). Sophomore kick returner Aaron Roth (third team) and senior quarterback Chase Vogler (honorable mention) were also BSN All-American selections.

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