Bowling Green, Ky. - For the third time in a week, Western Kentucky University running back Bobby Rainey has been named to an All-America team as he earned second-team honors from SI.com on Tuesday. He was joined this time by freshman kickoff returner John Evans, who earned honorable mention All-America honors.
For Rainey, this comes on the heels of a second-team selection last Thursday by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, and a third-team nod from Yahoo! Sports on Monday. An honorable mention SI.com All-American in 2010, he is joined on the 2011 second team by Oregon's LaMichael James. Alabama's Trent Richardson and Wisconsin's Montee Ball - both Heisman Trophy finalists - were the first-team running backs.
The Griffin, Ga., native continues to add to his postseason honors which include being named the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season. He was also named first-team all-league for the second straight year, and is now a three-time all-Sun Belt selection.
Rainey ranks second nationally averaging 141.2 yards per game rushing in 2011, and his 369 carries on the year are the most in the nation for the second straight season. He rushed for a school record 1,695 yards in 2011, and became WKU's career rushing leader, ending his four years on the Hill with 4,542 yards on the ground. Rainey's 171.3 all-purpose yards per game were also a league best in 2011 and rank fifth nationally, and he is one of just eight players since 2000 to rush for 1,500 yards in back-to-back seasons, and is one of just seven players this year.
In his first season on the Hill, Evans made an immediate impact on special teams, ranking second in the nation averaging 32.2 yards per kickoff return. The Sarasota, Fla., product had four returns over 40 yards this season - two of which proved big in Hilltopper victories. He had a 90-yard return for a touchdown against Middle Tennessee in an eventual double-overtime WKU win. Then, just after WKU surrendered the lead in the final minute of regulation at ULM, Evans had a 79-yard return to set up a Hilltopper touchdown in a game they would win in overtime. In addition to his kickoff return numbers, Evans also ranks fifth in the league and 44th nationally averaging 5.59 yards per punt return.
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