Shaw’s Quintez Smith Earns Double All-America Honors
Named To First Team By AFCA And Daktronics, Inc.

December 8, 2009

(Raleigh, NC) – Both the American Football Coaches Association and Daktronics, Inc. have named Shaw cornerback Quintez Smith First Team All-America in Division II. Smith received the highest number of votes among cornerbacks in the Daktronics poll.

The double honor comes on the heels of a season where Smith (Sr., Dublin, GA) compiled a number of post-season honors. The CIAA selected him as the Defensive Player of the Year, and both the East Coast Bowl and the HBCU Bowl selected Smith for their All-Star games. At the East Coast Bowl, Smith led all players with 13 tackles.

The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) has selected an All-America Team since 1945, and it is the only team selected solely by coaches. Smith is the first player from Shaw named to the AFCA All-America squad.

This is the 17th Daktronics Division II All-America Team, which is selected by sports information directors of NCAA Division II member institutions.

During the 2009 season, Smith tied a Division II record, returning four interceptions for touchdowns, and tied for first in D-II with nine interceptions. He accumulated 302 return yards. He finished the season with 49 tackles and also scored two touchdowns on fumble returns.

Against Elizabeth City State in week one, Smith set a Division II single game record with 194 interception return yards. He tied the Division II single game record of three interceptions returned for touchdowns.

Smith was named CIAA Defensive Back of the Week three times this season, and was named d2football.com’s National Defensive Player of the Week once.

The cornerback will have another opportunity to showcase his skills when he plays in the first HBCU Bowl – an all-star game for HBCUs pitting players from the MEAC and CIAA against players from the SWAC and SIAC December 19 in Montgomery, AL.

Shaw University finished the season 8-2 (5-2 in the CIAA).