ARCATA, Calif. -- Offensive lineman
Alex Cappa and running back
Ja'Quan Gardner have been selected as part of D2Football.com's 2010-19 All-Decade Second Team. The 50-man roster is selected by the staff of D2Football.com with input from coaches across the country.
Cappa was a record four-time Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Offensive Lineman of the Year and three-time All-American. Following a redshirt freshman year in 2013, Cappa was named a unanimous 2014 First Team All-GNAC selection. He was recognized as one of the top linemen in NCAA Division II and was a national finalist for the prestigious Gene Upshaw Award his senior year in 2017.
Cappa was selected by Tampa Bay in the third round of the 2018 National Football League Draft.
Gardner's four years at HSU from 2014-17 put him at the top of the program leaderboards in career rushing yards, touchdowns scored and points. He appeared in 42 career games with 880 carries for 5,495 yards and 72 rushing touchdowns. As a senior, he finished with 206 carries for 1,322 yards and 21 touchdowns as well as 20 receptions for 212 yards and two touchdowns. Gardner was runner-up for the prestigious Harlon Hill award, the "D2 Heisman Trophy," in 2015. Gardner signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2018, then spent 2019 with the Alliance of American Football before joining the Seattle Dragons of the XFL for the 2020 campaign.
The pair were key members of the 2015 GNAC Championship Team that advanced into the NCAA postseason. In the First Round of the NCAA Division II Championships, the 'Jacks defeated Augustana, 45-31, before falling to eventual NCAA National Champion Northwest Missouri State.
To be eligible for the D2Football.com All-Decade Team, a student-athlete must have played during any season from 2010-19 but must have completed his eligibility prior to the 2020 season. He must also have been named a D2Football.com All-American in that time period.
2010-2019 All-Decade Teams
| First Team |
Athlete |
Institution |
| QB |
Jason Vander Laan |
Ferris State |
| RB |
Franklyn Quiteh |
Bloomsburg |
| RB |
Austin Ekeler |
Western Colorado |
| WR |
Jeff Janis |
Saginaw Valley |
| WR |
Billy Brown |
Shepherd |
| TE |
Adam Shaheen |
Ashland |
| OL |
Ryan Schraeder |
Valdosta State |
| OL |
Garth Heikkinen |
Minnesota Duluth |
| OL |
Ryan Jensen |
CSU-Pueblo |
| OL |
Amini Silatolu |
Midwestern State |
| OL |
Joe Long |
Wayne State (Mich.) |
| DL |
Matt Judon |
Grand Valley |
| DL |
Brandon Williams |
Missouri Southern |
| DL |
Jamie Meder |
Ashland |
| DL |
Matt Longacre |
Northwest Missouri |
| LB |
Deon Lacey |
West Alabama |
| LB |
Nate Dreiling |
Pittsburg State |
| LB |
Connor Harris |
Lindenwood |
| DB |
Malcolm Butler |
West Alabama |
| DB |
Kyle Duggar |
Lenoir-Rhyne |
| DB |
Rontez Miles |
Cal U |
| DB |
Pierre Desir |
Lindenwood |
| K |
Greg Zuerlein |
Missouri Western |
| P |
Taylor Accardi |
Colorado Mines |
| AP |
John Brown |
Pittsburg State |
| |
|
|
| Second Team |
|
|
| QB |
Luis Perez |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
| RB |
Cameron McDondle |
CSU-Pueblo |
| RB |
Ja'Quan Gardner |
Humboldt State |
| WR |
Brody Oliver |
Colorado Mines |
| WR |
Shane Zylstra |
Minnesota State |
| TE |
Brian Leonhardt |
Bemidji State |
| OL |
Alex Cappa |
Humboldt State |
| OL |
Eric Kush |
Cal U |
| OL |
Brandon Fusco |
Slippery Rock |
| OL |
Matt Armstrong |
Grand Valley |
| OL |
Trey Pipkens |
Sioux Falls |
| DL |
Marcus Martin |
Slippery Rock |
| DL |
Grover Stewart |
Albany State |
| DL |
Cedric Thornton |
Southern Arkansas |
| DL |
Zach Sieler |
Ferris State |
| LB |
Larry Dean |
Valdosta State |
| LB |
Adam Bighill |
Central Washington |
| LB |
Carlos Fields |
Winston-Salem |
| DB |
Janoris Jenkins |
North Alabama |
| DB |
Jeff Heath |
Saginaw Valley |
| DB |
Tavierre Thomas |
Ferris State |
| DB |
Brandon Dixon |
Northwest Missouri |
| K |
Dante Brown |
Fort Hays |
| P |
Randy Weich |
Wayne State (Neb.) |
| AP |
Deonte Harris |
Assumption |
