Dec. 14, 2015
DeKALB, Ill. – Northern Illinois University sophomore cornerback Shawun Lurry completed his All-America collection Monday when he was named a first team 2015 AutoNation FWAA All-American by the Football Writer’s Association of American (FWAA). He is just the second Huskie player ever chosen to the All-America team selected by the FWAA annually since 1944, as he joins former NIU tailback LeShon Johnson, who was named to the team in 1993.
Lurry, who was selected to the Walter Camp Second Team last Thursday, earned third team All-America honors from the Associated Press on Sunday and received honorable mention recognition from SI.com last week. He is one of two sophomores on the AutoNation FWAA All-America first team defense and is one of only two players from outside the “Power 5” conferences on the entire first team.
“We are really happy to see Shawun named as a first team All-American by the FWAA,” said NIU Head Coach Rod Carey, who has now had three Huskies garner first team honors in his three seasons as head coach. “It is a big deal, especially to see him as just the second player from NIU to be named to this team. This honor shows how far he has come in his preparation for each football game he’s played this year.
Carey said Lurry has worked to take advantage of his opportunities to become an All-American as a sophomore.
“I think coming off the year Paris [Logan] had last year, opponents were looking the other way toward Shawun, so he had opportunities,” Carey said. “Give him credit, because you have to make the plays and he certainly made the plays this year. He has grown a lot, personally and football wise, and we’re looking forward to even more from him in the future.”
Lurry leads the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in interceptions with nine and in interception return yards with 273. His 23 passes defended (nine interceptions and 14 pass break-ups) rank second in the country. He has set the NIU modern day (FBS) school record for interceptions in a season and his 273 return yards in 2015 broke the school’s single season AND career marks.
The West Palm Beach, Florida product averaged 30.3 yards per interception return, another school record, scored on a 64-yard interception return in the MAC Championship game versus Bowling Green and ran his interception versus Boston College back 79 yards to set up a Huskie score. His break-out performance came in the Huskies’ 20-13 loss at No. 1 Ohio State when he intercepted Buckeyes’ quarterback Cardale Jones twice, and broke up two passes.
He made 41 tackles on the season, including 34 solo stops with a season-high eight stops versus Buffalo and six tackles, all solo, in the MAC Championship game.
Lurry is just the fourth NIU player ever to be named a first team All-American. He is the third Huskie in the last three seasons to achieve first team status, joining quarterback Jordan Lynch and safety Jimmie Ward, who were honored in 2013.
The FWAA has selected an All-America team annually since 1944 with the help of its members and an All-America Committee, which represents all the regions in the country. This is just the third season in the modern era (post-1950) that the FWAA has named a second team. The FWAA All-America team is one of five teams used to formulate the NCAA’s annual consensus All-America team.
NIU (8-5) will take on Boise State (8-4) in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 23 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego in the first-ever meeting between two of the winningest FBS teams in the country over the last five seasons.
Tickets are on sale now through the NIU Athletics Ticket Office in the Convocation Center, by calling 815-753-PACK (7225) and online at NIUHuskies.com. Fans unable to attend are encouraged to purchase tickets which will then be donated to military and charity organizations in the San Diego area. For information on tickets, fan travel packages, donated tickets and more, visit Bowl Central at NIUHuskies.com.
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