Portland State Vikings linebacker Ian Sluss was named to a second All-American team today as he was honored by the Associated Press as a third team selection. Sluss was named a second team All-American by the Sports Network on Monday.

Sluss, who earned second team All-Big Sky Conference honors for the 2012 season was also selected as the Portland State team MVP. A 6-foot, 225-pound senior from Vista, CA, Sluss led the Vikings with 104 tackles on the season. He had four interceptions and four fumble recoveries, both of which led the Big Sky Conference, and scored three defensive touchdowns. Sluss had 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, three pass breakups and a forced fumble as well in 2012.

Those numbers attest to Sluss being a big-play maker for the Vikings. In a 49-21 win over UC Davis on Oct. 27, Sluss recovered two interceptions (one for a touchdown), two fumbles, had two pass breakups and six tackles. He was named National Defensive Player of the Week for that performance.

Sluss is just the latest linebacker to star for the Vikings. In fact, three former Vikings LBs played in NFL games on Sunday: Adam Hayward (final PSU season '06) with Tampa Bay; Jordan Senn ('07) with Carolina; and Ryan Rau ('11) with Philadelphia. All three of those players were All-Big Sky performers. Hayward was the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year in 2006 as well as an All-American and Buck Buchanan Award finalist. Senn was a two-time Academic All-American. Rau led the Vikings in tackles for three straight seasons (2009-11). Another Viking linebacker, Andy Shantz, was a second-team All-American in 2008.

The Big Sky Conference led all NCAA I FCS leagues with 16 selections to the Sports Networks' first, second and third All-America teams, and 15 on the AP All-America teams.

Sluss was also named an All-American by another media outlet, CollegeSportsMadness.com, early in the month.

Portland State All-Americans since joining the Big Sky Conference in 1996
(All-American recognitions from Sports Network, AFCA, Associated Press and/or Walter Camp)
1998    Bobby Singh, OL (1)
1999    Terry Charles, WR
2000    Charles Dunn, RB (1), Rashad Floyd, CB, Dan Frantz, P
2001    Terry Charles, WR (1); Ryan Fuqua, RB
2005    Joe Rubin, RB (1)
2006    Adam Hayward, LB (1), Brennen Carvalho, OL (1)
2007    Brennen Carvalho, C (1), Tremayne Kirkland, WR
2008    Andy Schantz, LB
2011    Zach Brown, K (1)
2012   Ian Sluss, LB

(1) indicates first team All-American


ASSOCIATED PRESS NCAA I FCS ALL-AMERICA TEAM

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE
Quarterback — Taylor Heinicke, sophomore, 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Old Dominion.
Running backs — Miguel Maysonet, senior, 5-10, 205, Stony Brook; Eric Breitenstein, senior, 5-11, 230, Wofford.
Offensive linemen — Earl Watford, senior, 6-4, 290, James Madison; Mike Sellers, junior, 6-0, 295, The Citadel; Will Post, senior, 6-6, 295, Eastern Washington; Bill Turner, junior, 6-6, 300, North Dakota State; Roger Gaines, senior, 6-6, 320, Tennessee State.
Tight end — Kyle Juszczyk, senior, 6-3, 240, Harvard.
Receivers — Aaron Mellett, senior, 6-4, 220, Elon; Erik Lora, 5-10, 181, junior, Eastern Illinois.
All-purpose player — Walter Powell, junior, 6-0, 180, Murray State.
Kicker — Patrick Murray, senior, 5-7, 160, Fordham.
DEFENSE
Linemen — Caleb Schreibeis, senior, 6-3, 252, Montana State; Colton Underwood, junior, 6-4, 255, Illinois State; Brent Russell, senior, 6-2, 300, Georgia Southern; Brandon Thurmond, senior, 6-2, 260, Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Linebackers — Matt Evans, senior, 6-0, 228, New Hampshire; Jody Owens, senior, 6-0, 223, Montana State; Robert McCabe, senior, 6-2, 230, Georgetown.
Defensive backs — Darnell Taylor, senior, 6-0, 195, Sam Houston State; Marcus Williams, junior, 5-11, 194, North Dakota State; Jaquiski Tartt, sophomore, 6-1, 220, Samford; Cooper Taylor, senior, 6-5, 235, Richmond.
Punter — Sam Martin, senior, 6-1, 205, Appalachian State.

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE
Quarterback — Casey Brockman, senior, Murray State.
Running backs — Zach Zenner, sophomore, South Dakota State; Deonte Williams, senior, Cal Poly.
Linemen — Terren Jones, senior, Alabama State; Michael Bamiro, junior, Stony Brook; Bryan Witzmann, junior, South Dakota State; J.C. Tretter, senior, Cornell; Corey Howard, senior, Central Arkansas.
Tight end — A.C. Leonard, sophomore, Tennessee State.
Receivers — Jordan Harris, junior, Bryant; Brandon Kaufman, junior, Eastern Washington.
All-purpose player — Dominic Gunn, senior, Northern Colorado.
Kicker — Colton Cook, junior, Southern Utah.
DEFENSE
Linemen — Cody Larsen, senior, Southern Utah; Davis Tull, sophomore, Chattanooga; Mike Catapano, senior, Princeton; Zach Wagenmann, sophomore, Montana.
Linebackers — Jeremy Kimbrough, senior, Appalachian State; Stephon Robertson, junior, James Madison; Blake Peiffer, senior, Southeast Misssouri.
Defensive backs — Robert Alford, senior, Southeastern Louisiana; B.W. Webb, senior, William & Mary; Demetrius McCray, senior, Appalachian State; Johnny Towalid, senior, IndianaState.
Punter — Andy Wilder, junior, Northern Arizona.

THIRD TEAM

OFFENSE
Quarterback — Gavin McCarney, junior, Colgate.
Running backs — Shakir Bell, junior, Indiana State; Tim Flanders, junior, Sam Houston State.
Linemen — Randy Richards, senior, Missouri State; Garrett Frye, sophomore, Georgia Southern; Aaron Adams, senior, Eastern Kentucky; Sean Davies, senior, UC Davis; Dakota Dozier, junior, Furman.
Tight end — Josh Hill, senior, Idaho State.
Receivers — Cordell Roberson, senior, Stephen F. Austin; Kevin Norrell, senior, Stony Brook.
All-purpose player — Tyler Varga, sophomore, Yale.
Kicker — Jimmy Pavel, senior, Eastern Washington.
DEFENSE
Linemen — Caraun Reid, senior, Princeton; Ken Boatright, senior, Southern Illinois; Joseph Lebeau, senior, Jackson State; Andrew Weaver, junior, Sam Houston State.
Linebackers — Jordan Tripp, junior, Montana; Keith Pough, senior, Howard; Ian Sluss, senior, Portland State.
Defensive backs — Kejuan Riley, senior, Alabama State; Steven Godbolt, sophomore, Tennessee State; Ben Ericksen, senior, Illinois State; Caleb Schaffitzel, sophomore, Missouri State.
Punter — Bobby Wenzig, junior, Alabama State.