WACO, Texas – The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) announced the 2022 AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America Teams on Monday morning. Saginaw Valley State University senior defensive back Nick Whiteside was listed on the first-team defense.

Whiteside finished the season with 30 tackles, two for loss, and two interceptions as he helped lead the Cardinals to the top of the team charts in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) with 18 interceptions. The SVSU defensive unit was second in tackles per game with 72 and third-best in points allowed (19.0), yards per game (323.3), and rush yards per game (97.5).

"There is no one more deserving of this honor; Nick earned it," stated SVSU head football coach Ryan Brady. "To overcome and recover from an Achilles injury in six months' time is all you need to know about Nick Whiteside. He not only recovered but came back better than the year prior. That is unheard of and is an amazing story. I am so proud of Nick and what he has accomplished at SVSU. The coaching staff and I wish Nick all the best as he continues to pursue and chase his dreams. I have no doubt that Nick will make his dreams come true as he is one of the hardest working and determined players I have ever had the privilege of coaching""

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.

TheAFCA'ss Division II All-America Selection Committee is made up of three head coaches from each of theAFCA'ss seven districts, one of whom serves as a district chairman, along with another head coach who serves as the chairman of the selection committee. The coaches in each district are responsible for ranking the top players in their respective districts prior to a conference call between the district chairmen and the committee chairman on which the teams are chosen.

Whiteside was one of three GLIAC football players named to the first team. Five GLIAC players were named in total between the two All-America teams. He was the only SVSU player to receive the honor this season and is the first Cardinal player to make the AFCA All-America teams since 2016.