2025 D2CCA Football All-America Teams

Hillsdale College junior Shea Ruddy has received plenty of distinctions while starring for the Chargers over the past three seasons. 

The one he received on Wednesday afternoon, however, is far and away the most impressive yet.

Ruddy was named a first team All-American by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association on Wednesday, having been tabbed as the top return specialist in the country. While it's not Ruddy's first All-American honor, it's the junior standout's first-ever first team distinction, as one of just 26 players at the NCAA DII level to to earn recognition as the best of the best in 2025.

Players are nominated for consideration for the D2CCA All-America teams by their Sports Information Directors, and the All-America teams are selected by a vote among SIDs at all football-playing schools across the country at the NCAA DII level. Making the cut for the D2CCA is tough -- although several Hillsdale players have been recognized as All-Americans by various organizations in the last decade, Ruddy joins Michael Herzog in 2023 as just the program's second D2CCA All-American since 2012.
 
Ruddy was one of the top kickoff returners in the country in 2024 as a sophomore, and picked up where he left off this season with an even better campaign in 2025. The junior led not just the Great Midwest Athletic Conference or NCAA DII, but all of college football with 960 kickoff return yards in 2025, and tied for the national all-division lead with three kickoff return touchdowns of 97, 90 and 86 yards. His 33.1 yards per return average fell just shy of the school and G-MAC record of 33.3 he set in 2024. 

The junior's season achievements also helped him set a couple of Hillsdale career records. With 1,692 career return yards and five career return touchdowns, Ruddy officially surpassed Hillsdale College career records set by Chad Gurica in 2005. 

While Ruddy was an elite kickoff return man, the skilled and athletic player made an impact in a variety of ways in 2025 as the Chargers' Swiss Army knife on offense. Ruddy led the Chargers in receptions (43), receiving yards (695) and touchdowns (seven) for the second straight season. The junior also rushed for a score and threw a passing touchdown as well for the Chargers, becoming the only player in NCAA DII and joining a very short list of collegiate stars in recording a passing, rushing, receiving and kickoff return touchdown in the same season.

Ruddy was well recognized this fall for his accomplishments, earning three G-MAC Player of the Week honors, repeat first team All-G-MAC and G-MAC Special Teams Player of the Year honors, and first team All-Super Region 1 honors from the D2CCA. Now, he can add All-American recognition to the list.

The junior will be in line for more honors in December and January. The AFCA, Associated Press, D2Football.com and Don Hansen Committee still have yet to release their All-America teams, and Ruddy also will receive consideration for CSC Academic All-American honors after earning a second team distinction from CSC as a sophomore in 2024. All of those teams will be announced in the month to come.

In earning All-American honors, Ruddy extends Hillsdale's streak of seasons with at least one All-American to seven, dating back to 2018.