BROOKFIELD, Ill. - The Don Hansen Football Committee released its NCAA Division II All-America teams, and senior Cody Watson was named an All-American Honorable Mention kicker.
 
This marks Watson's first All-American recognition. The native of Yukon, Oklahoma, is the 38th Griffon to receive this honor. Last season, defensive lineman Dakari Streeter became the first Griffon named to this list since 2019 with his first team selection.
 
Watson has had a remarkable season, collecting numerous accolades. He was named to the All-Super Region 3 Second Team and the All-MIAA First Team. Furthermore, he received academic honors from the MIAA, most notably the MIAA Academic Excellence Award for achieving a perfect 4.00 GPA.
 
This season, Watson successfully converted 76.19% of his field goal attempts, including kicks from 53, 52, 49 and 48 yards. He became the first Griffon since Greg Zuerlein in 2011 to make multiple field goals over 50 yards in a single season. In addition, Watson finished his career with a school record of 42 field goals and tied the record for the most successful point-after attempts at 122.
 
The Don Hansen team carries out the legacy of long-time small college football advocate Don Hansen, who passed away at age 75 on Aug. 29, 2010. Hansen, from Brookfield, Ill., started and published Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette for three decades, selecting NCAA Division II All-America teams for the first time in 1988.