Thom was named NAIA All-American, becoming the first player to receive the honor in Faulkner football history. (Photo by Ryan Bartels)

Contributed
(Dec. 18, 2009)

Faulkner University’s Sean Thom has been named to the 2009 American Football Coaches Association NAIA All-America team. It is the first All-American honor for the senior linebacker from Fort Walton Beach, Fla., who ranked among the nation’s top defensive players for two consecutive years.

Thom finished the 2009 season ranked second in the nation in tackles per game with 12.9 (142 total). He was edged out of the top spot, a position he held for nearly two years, at the close of this season.

Thom also ranked 22nd in tackles for a loss with 15.5 and 25th in the NAIA in tackles for loss per game with 1.4.

Thom has secured a host of awards over the last two seasons. In both 2008 and 2009 he was selected as an All-Conference Defensive player by the Mid-South Conference. He is also a two-time MSC Defensive Player of the Week recipient and was named an NAIA Defensive Player of the Week winner in November of this year.

In 2008 he was chosen as the MSC Champion of Character recipient for his outstanding attitude and performance both on the field and in the class room. Thom is also a two-time MSC All-Academic team member and earned recognition as a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete in 2008 - an honor he will likely earn again this year.

The All-American award caps an impressive career for one of the nation’s most outstanding student-athletes. Thom is Faulkner’s first football All-American honor recipient.