Three Keydets named to FCS All-American teams

Three VMI football players – junior wideout Jakob Herres, sophomore linebacker Stone Snyder and junior long snapper Robert Solderholm – were named to Stats Perform FCS All-America teams announced Monday afternoon.

Herres, named Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year in both the coaches’ and media polls, led the Keydets in receiving during the season with 80 catches for 978 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 12.2 yards per grab and 122.2 yards per game, all of which led the Southern Conference.

Herres was also a finalist for the Stats Perform Walter Payton Award for the national FCS Offensive Player of the Year. In addition, the Easton, Pa., native was named the offensive end Player of the Year for Division I colleges and universities in the commonwealth of Virginia by the Touchdown Club of Richmond.

Snyder was named the Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year in both the media and coaches’ polls after leading the league in tackles per game (11.0) – 76 in seven regular season games, including a career-high 21 versus The Citadel.

In helping VMI capture its first SoCon title since 1977 and first-ever FCS playoffs bid, he had 9.5 tackles for loss (64 yards), eight sacks and four QB hurries. He also had 12 tackles in the first round of the playoffs against #1 James Madison on April 24.

A 2019 Hero Sports Sophomore All-American long snapper, Soderholm was named a first team All-American this season by Stats Perform for not having a single bad snap to holders on field goal/extra point attempts nor to punter Jack Culbreath on VMI punts.

The 2020-21 Stats Perform FCS All-America Team boasted 81 players on first and second teams representing 44 schools.

The first team All-Americans included the players who are invited to the announcements of the Walter Payton Award (FCS offensive player of the year) – quarterbacks Eric Barriere of Eastern Washington and Cole Kelley of Southeastern Louisiana and running back Julius Chestnut of Sacred Heart – and the Buck Buchanan Award (FCS defensive player of the year) – linebackers Colby Campbell of Presbyterian and Stone Snyder of VMI and defensive end Jordan Lewis of Southern.

North Dakota State boasted the most All-Americans with six, helping the Missouri Valley Football Conference to 15 selections, the overall high. Delaware, Jacksonville State, James Madison and Sam Houston had four selections each.