Freeport native Keondre Jackson earns All-American honors at ISU | Top stories

NORMAL (WREX) – Illinois State defensive standouts Keondre Jackson and Tye Niekamp were among 20 student-athletes representing Missouri Valley Football Conference schools named to the 2024 Associated Press All-America Teams, as the AP announced on Tuesday.

Jackson and Niekamp were both named All-America Honorable Mention selections by the AP after outstanding campaigns in which each earned First-Team All-MVFC honors.

A two-time All-MVFC selection, Jackson ranked third on the team with 99 total tackles and was eighth in MVFC tackles during the regular season. The Freeport native was also credited with 1.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles-for-loss, six pass breakups, two forced fumbles and three interceptions on the year. He recorded three double-digit tackling performances, including a season-best 11 stops at Iowa, and recorded a season-best 1.5 tackles-for-loss and nine stops in a road win at North Alabama. He also had an outstanding performance in the FCS first-round playoff win at Southeast Missouri State, where he recorded six tackles and two interceptions (one for a 30-yard touchdown) in the win against the Redhawks.

In 2023, Niekamp earned FCS Freshman All-America honors and followed that with an outstanding 2024 season in which he finished third in voting for MVFC Defensive Player of the Year, his second consecutive time receiving the award Received All-MVFC. The Normal native led the Redbirds with 112 tackles this year, ranking first in the MVFC in the same category. He also leads the MVFC with four interceptions this year and ranks in the top six in tackles-for-loss with 11. Niekamp also added three sacks this year and recovered eight pass breakups while forcing a fumble. His best performance of the year came when he earned MVFC Defensive Player of the Week and Stats Perform National Defensive Player of the Week honors following a standout performance in a win at Southern Illinois.

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