Bishop Jr. Named AFCA All-American
December 14, 2023 10:52 AM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University redshirt senior Beanie Bishop Jr. has been named to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America Second Team as announced by the organization.
Bishop, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, is the first WVU player to earn AFCA All-America honors since Zach Frazier was named a second team selection in 2021, is only the second WVU cornerback ever named to the AFCA All-America team and 16th Mountaineer named to the all-time AFCA All-America list.
This recent honor for Bishop marks the fourth (Walter Camp – first team, FWAA – first team, AP – second team) of the five All-America teams that make up the consensus team. He also is WVU's 49th All-America selection since 2002. The program now has 112 All-Americans overall. Bishop was previously named to All-America teams by the College Football Network and Bleacher Report (first team) and USA Today and FOX Sport (second team).
Bishop, a 2023 All-Big 12 Conference First Team performer also was a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award. He played his final season at West Virginia in 2023 after transferring from Minnesota. He started all 12 games for the Mountaineers and led the nation in passes defended (24), pass breakups (20), forced incompletions (17) and ball-hawk rate (interceptions and forced incompletions combined). He currently needs two more breakups to become WVU's single-season leader with 22, currently held by Brian King (21, 2003). He is ranked No. 16 nationally in interceptions (4).
He posted 13 pass breakups over the last six games and tied the school record with five pass breakups against BYU and also had four against Oklahoma State. He was named the Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week and Co-Newcomer of the Week for the UCF game when he finished with two interceptions and a pass breakup.
The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best — the coaches themselves.
The teams now chosen for each of the AFCA's five divisions evolved from a single 11-player squad in 1945. From 1945 until 1967, only one team was chosen. From 1967 through 1971, two teams, University Division and College Division, were selected. In 1972, the College Division was split into College I and College II. In 1979, the University Division was split into two teams — Division I-A and Division I-AA. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. In 2006, the Division I-A and Division I-AA teams were renamed Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), respectively. The AFCA started selecting an NAIA All-America Team in 2006. In 2016, the AFCA added a second team All-America.
West Virginia (8-4) faces North Carolina (8-4) in the Duke's Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday, December 27, at 5:30 p.m., ET and will be televised by ESPN.
West Virginia AFCA All-American First Team Selections
2014 – Kevin White, WR
2012 – Tavon Austin, All-Purpose
2006 – Steve Slaton, RB
2006 – Dan Mozes, C
1996 – Canute Curtis, LB
1995 – Aaron Beasley, DB
1994 – Todd Sauerbrun, P
1993 – Rich Braham, OT
1992 – Mike Compton, C
1989 – Major Harris, QB
1982 – Darryl Talley, LB
1973 – Danny Buggs, WR
1955 – Bruce Bosley, T
West Virginia AFCA All-American Second Team Selections
2023 – Beanie Bishop Jr., CB
2021 – Zach Frazier, C
2018 – David Sills V., WR
2017 – David Sills V., WR
Bishop, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, is the first WVU player to earn AFCA All-America honors since Zach Frazier was named a second team selection in 2021, is only the second WVU cornerback ever named to the AFCA All-America team and 16th Mountaineer named to the all-time AFCA All-America list.
This recent honor for Bishop marks the fourth (Walter Camp – first team, FWAA – first team, AP – second team) of the five All-America teams that make up the consensus team. He also is WVU's 49th All-America selection since 2002. The program now has 112 All-Americans overall. Bishop was previously named to All-America teams by the College Football Network and Bleacher Report (first team) and USA Today and FOX Sport (second team).
Bishop, a 2023 All-Big 12 Conference First Team performer also was a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award. He played his final season at West Virginia in 2023 after transferring from Minnesota. He started all 12 games for the Mountaineers and led the nation in passes defended (24), pass breakups (20), forced incompletions (17) and ball-hawk rate (interceptions and forced incompletions combined). He currently needs two more breakups to become WVU's single-season leader with 22, currently held by Brian King (21, 2003). He is ranked No. 16 nationally in interceptions (4).
He posted 13 pass breakups over the last six games and tied the school record with five pass breakups against BYU and also had four against Oklahoma State. He was named the Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week and Co-Newcomer of the Week for the UCF game when he finished with two interceptions and a pass breakup.
The AFCA has selected an All-America team since 1945 and currently selects teams in all five of its divisions. What makes these teams so special is that they are the only ones chosen exclusively by the men who know the players the best — the coaches themselves.
The teams now chosen for each of the AFCA's five divisions evolved from a single 11-player squad in 1945. From 1945 until 1967, only one team was chosen. From 1967 through 1971, two teams, University Division and College Division, were selected. In 1972, the College Division was split into College I and College II. In 1979, the University Division was split into two teams — Division I-A and Division I-AA. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively. In 2006, the Division I-A and Division I-AA teams were renamed Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), respectively. The AFCA started selecting an NAIA All-America Team in 2006. In 2016, the AFCA added a second team All-America.
West Virginia (8-4) faces North Carolina (8-4) in the Duke's Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday, December 27, at 5:30 p.m., ET and will be televised by ESPN.
West Virginia AFCA All-American First Team Selections
2014 – Kevin White, WR
2012 – Tavon Austin, All-Purpose
2006 – Steve Slaton, RB
2006 – Dan Mozes, C
1996 – Canute Curtis, LB
1995 – Aaron Beasley, DB
1994 – Todd Sauerbrun, P
1993 – Rich Braham, OT
1992 – Mike Compton, C
1989 – Major Harris, QB
1982 – Darryl Talley, LB
1973 – Danny Buggs, WR
1955 – Bruce Bosley, T
West Virginia AFCA All-American Second Team Selections
2023 – Beanie Bishop Jr., CB
2021 – Zach Frazier, C
2018 – David Sills V., WR
2017 – David Sills V., WR
Players Mentioned
CB
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