Ricky Hope Earns Additional All-American Honor

For the second-straight day, Texas A&M University-Commerce senior Ricky Hope has secured all-american honors as he was named to the 2008 Don Hansen's Football Gazette NCAA Division II First Team All-America Team on Friday.

It is the fourth All-American honor for Hope, who on Thursday earned second team all-american recognition from D2Football.com to go along with his earlier honors from the Associated Press and Daktronics.

Hope is the ninth player in school history to be selected to the first team and 38th player in school history to receive recognition from the recognized authority on small college football.

This marks the 21st year Don Hansen's Football Gazette has selected an NCAA Division II All-America team. The national publication selected All-Region teams with the first-team and second-team All-Region players from each of the four geographic Super Regions comprising the national ballot, which was voted upon by a select national panel.

Hope, who is originally from Poulan, Georgia, led the Lone Star Conference with 10.5 sacks and six forced fumbles as well as being second in tackles for loss en route to LSC North Division Defensive Lineman of the Year and first team all-LSC North Division honors. Nationally, Hope was tied for second in tackles for loss per game with 1.95 and tied for sixth in sacks per game with 1.05.