UMHB’s Miller on elite Preseason Team
Published 9:23 am Wednesday, September 1, 2021
- K.J. Miller
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BELTON, Texas – Former West Orange-Stark standout K.J. Miller, who has had a great run for the Mary Hardin-Baylor football program, was one of four UMHB players selected to the D3football.com Preseason All-America Teams.
The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team named four athletes to the D3football.com Preseason All-America Teams, released Monday.
Miller, a senior return specialist from Orange, Texas, earned Second Team Specialist honors. Miller combined for 17 kick returns last year, scoring one touchdown. He averaged 17.7 yards per punt return and 22.6 yards per kick return. Miller was also a D3footall.com First Team All-Region selection and earned First Team All-ASC honors at both slot back and return specialist.
Seniors Akeem Jackson and Jefferson Fritz were named First Team Defense. Jackson, a linebacker from Fairfield, is coming off a 2020-21 season that landed him D3football.com All-America First Team honors. He was also an All-American Southwest Conference First Team selection. Jackson ranked second on the team with 40 tackles, and 10.5 tackles for loss. He added one sack and one interception. Fritz, a defensive back and punter from Kaufman, collected his second Preseason All-America selection. Fritz was voted American Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year and joined Jackson as a D3football.com All-America First Team honoree. He totaled 28 tackles and three interceptions in his 2020-21 campaign.
Jeffery Sims, Jr. also earned Preseason All-America honors. Sims, Jr., an offensive lineman from Mesquite, earned Third Team Offense. Sims started in three games last season. He contributed to a UMHB offense that led the conference in scoring a season ago. Sims was also a D3football.com Second Team All-America selection last season and earned All-ASC First Team Offense honors.
UMHB opens the 2021 season on Saturday, September 4th in a 6 p.m. contest against Simpson College at Crusader Stadium. The 2021 schedule features six home games, highlighted by ASC Championship rematch on Saturday, September 25th.
