AFCA All-America Teams

WACO, Texas - Colorado School of Mines long snapper Josh Hildebrand has been honored as an AFCA Second-Team All-American as part of the organization's year-end national awards.

Hildebrand, a redshirt freshman from Cecil, Ala., was the First-Team All-RMAC selection at long snapper this season, helping Mines lead the RMAC in made field goals (17), go 49-of-50 on PATs, and rank second in the RMAC in net punting (38.9 ypp). Hildebrand helped Mines have the second-lowest return-against average (2.3 yards) in the RMAC this season as he worked with a unit that included two other all-RMAC honorees in kicker Preston Kyle,  who is third nationally in field goals made, and punter Lucas LeSieur, who led NCAA Division II in punting average. 

It is the first time that the AFCA or any other organization has recognized long snappers on its D-II all-America teams, and Hildebrand is joined by first-team selection Graham Carter of Missouri S&T as their first honorees. Since 2023, Mines has now had all-Americans at all three specialist positions with kicker Hunter Pearson (2023) and punter Blake Doud (2023 and 2024) along with Hildebrand. The Orediggers have now had at least one all-American in 11 consecutive seasons dating back to 2014.