Lindsey named First Team AP All-American
12/15/2010 | 12:00:00 | Football
Dec. 15, 2010
By Jason Clay
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois senior cornerback Korey Lindsey was named to the Associated Press FCS All-America First Team that was released Wednesday and becomes just the third Saluki in program history to be named a First-Team All-American in back-to-back seasons.
Lindsey joins tight end Lionel Antoine (1970-71) and running back Arkee Whitlock (2005-06) as the only players in school history to garner First Team All-America accolades two years in a row.
"It's a blessing and I'm really honored," Lindsey said. " I take great pride to be mentioned among the best guys in program history and to know that I made my mark. I planned to do that when I came here as a freshman, so I definitely feel that I accomplished my goal and I want to continue to go.
"I'm just proud to be a Saluki and have my part in history."
This is Lindsey's third All-America honor in his illustrious career. As a sophomore in 2008, Lindsey was named to The Sports Network All-America third team. In 2009, Lindsey received AP and AFCA All-America First Team honors in addition to second team accolades from TSN.
"It means staying consistent and believing in things that got me all the way here and continuing to improve every year," Lindsey said of his success from year-to-year. "I'm definitely going to appreciate it keep moving forward."
A three-time First-Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honoree, Lindsey finished his career with 14 interceptions, ranking No. 3 all-time in school history. He also tied for ninth in career breakups at SIU with 16.
Lindsey faced a challenging 2010 season, as he saw four other starters in the Saluki secondary go down with season-ending injuries.
Still, behind Lindsey's play, the Salukis were able to lead the league in total defense, giving up just 332.1 yards per game. Southern was second in the MVFC in passing defense, allowing just 178.8 yards through the air.
Lindsey had 41 tackles and 2.5 tackles for a loss on the year. He tied for fifth in the MVFC with seven pass breakups and he had one interception and one quarterback hurry.
Southern Illinois has now had at least one First Team All-American in seven out of the past eight seasons. Last year, Brandin Jordan and Deji Karim joined Lindsey on several All-America First Teams.