By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University football star James Letcher Jr. has been named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 as a second-team selection as an all-purpose back.
Letcher, a wide receiver/all-purpose back/return specialist, has now earned four national awards for his play this past fall and five overall.
In addition to his Elite 100 selection, Letcher was a first-team All-America selection by the Associated Press, a first-team All-America pick as a kick returner by the D2CCA and a second-team All-America selection by the AFCA as a return specialist.
Letcher received honorable mention in 2019 from the Football Gazette.
Washburn star James Letcher Jr. has received another national award, his fourth following the 2021 season and the fifth of his career. [File photo/TSN]
Letcher led the 2021 team with 68 receptions for 927 yards and 10 touchdowns. He earned All-MIAA first-team honors as a wide receiver and a returner and was named the All-MIAA Special Teams Player of the Year after returning 24 kickoffs for 685 yards and two touchdowns, tying an Ichabod single season record.
Letcher also averaged 13.18 yards per punt return with 11 attempts gaining 145 yards. Letcher is second on the Ichabod career punt return chart with 1,467 yards and his 54 returns is fifth.
Letcher has returned three kickoffs for touchdowns in his career, which sits atop the Ichabod chart and his 27.17 yards per return ranks second in school history behind Fletcher Terrell's 27.32 yards per return mark.
Letcher helped lead the Ichabods to a 9-3 record in 2021 as Washburn finished second in the MIAA final standings with their most wins since posting a 10-3 record in 2011. The Ichabods advanced to the NCAA playoffs before falling in the first round of the NCAA playoffs.
Washburn was ranked No. 21 in the final D2Football.com poll and No. 25 in the final AFCA D2 Coaches Poll.
