WACO, TEX. — Chris Clarke from the Salisbury University football program has been named to the
2025 AFCA Division III Coaches' All-America Team, announced today by the American Football Coaches Association. The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best — the coaches themselves.
Clarke, the Ridgely, Md. native, becomes the 19th AFCA All-American in Sea Gull football history. The Sea Gulls have now earned First-Team All-American student-athletes in back-to-back seasons after fellow offensive lineman
Tre Price earned the same honors last year for the program.
Clarke earned AFCA All-America First-Team honors, starting all 12 games for Salisbury on the front line, as the offense averaged 45 points and 484 yards per game. The offense had also been successful, converting 51 percent of third-down situations and 67 percent of fourth-down situations, which was a significant factor in the team's 10-win season and its advancement to the Third Round of the NCAA Tournament. Clarke also earned All NJAC First-Team, along with one other Sea Gull offensive lineman, earning All-Conference honors.
The Sea Gull offense finished first in the country with 54 rushing touchdowns, second in rushing yards with 3,711, third in rushing yards per game at 309, and second in yards per carry with 7.84.
The AFCA's Division III All-America Selection Committee is made up of head coaches representing each conference from each of the AFCA's seven districts, one of whom serves as a district chairman, along with another head coach who serves as the chairman of the selection committee. The coaches in each district are responsible for ranking the top players in their respective districts prior to a conference call between the district chairmen and the committee chairman, on which the team is chosen. Members of the AFCA Coaches' All-America First Team will receive a plaque commemorating their selection to the team, while members of the Second Team will receive a certificate.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with affiliate membership in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (football, men's & women's swimming), Coastal Lacrosse Conference (men's lacrosse), State University of New York Athletic Conference (field hockey), and Colonial Women's Golf Conference (women's golf). With over 500 student-athletes in 23 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the nation's most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have won a combined 23 team national championships, 24 individual national championships, and 206 conference championships, and have produced 53 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
