ITHACA, N.Y. – The American Football Coaches Association has announced its All-Americans for Division III on December 14 and two members of the Ithaca College program, Nicholas Bahamonde and Jake Villanueva, landed on one of the two prestigious teams. Bahamonde made an appearance on the first-team as a kicker, while Villanueva was a second-team honoree as an offensive lineman.

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.

Since the AFCA began its All-America recognition, Ithaca has earned 18 All-Americans since 1969. This is the first time during that span in which two players from the same year were selected as All-Americans. The Bombers rank 11th all-time in All-America selections by the AFCA.

Bahamonde had a career year this past fall in his second full season with the program. Bahamonde led Division III in field goals made with 18 in 22 attempts. Those 18 makes set an IC school record, which included four in one game against Union on November 6 to tie another school mark. He made three field goals this season over 40 yards. Bahamonde also went 32-of-34 in extra point attempts and averaged 59.3 yards per kickoff with 24 touchbacks in 65 kicks.
 
Over his two full seasons, Bahamonde has booted 29 field goals, with a long of 47 yards, and 53 touchbacks in 137 kickoffs. He has also gone 80-of-85 in extra point tries.

Bahamonde is the second kicker in program history to receive All-America praise – Ed Mahoney was an SID Third Team All-American in 1992. Already this season, Bahamonde has been named Liberty League Special Teams Player of the Year, Liberty League First-Team and D3football.com First-Team All-Region.

Villanueva, a 6-foot, 4-inch, 315-pound offensive lineman found a spot on the second-team in his third full season on South Hill. Villanueva started all 10 games this season at guard and has been a mainstay on the line since arriving to campus in 2018, making 30 starts in 32 games.

During the 8-2 campaign this fall, Ithaca averaged 30.6 points and 415.1 yards of offense. The Bombers rushed for 161.0 yards per game, which were the most for an IC team since 2008 (194.1). IC's 30.6 points per outing this season marks the second consecutive year in which the Bombers put up over 30 a contest since IC accomplished the same feat in 2007 and 2008.

Villanueva was a Liberty League First-Team selection this season, as well as a D3football.com Second-Team All-Region honoree.

The AFCA's Division III All-America Selection Committee is made up of head coaches representing each conference from each of the AFCA's 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 team is chosen.
 
Ithaca Football AFCA All-Americans

1969 – Gary Worden – Honorable Mention
1972 – Bob Wojnar – Honorable Mention
1974 – Dave Remick – Honorable Mention
1975 – Larry Czarnecki – First Team
1979 – John Laper – First Team
1980 – Bob Ferrigno – Third Team
1984 – Bill Sheerin – Honorable Mention
1985 – Tim Torrey – First Team
1992 – Jeff Wittman – First Team
1995 – Scott Connolly – Honorable Mention
2000 – Ron Amato – First Team
2004 – Vince Dargush – Second Team
2005 – Joe Scalice – First Team
2008 – Brian Weverbergh – First Team
2018 – Pat Minogue – First Team
2019 – Will Gladney – Second Team
2021 – Nicholas Bahamonde – First Team
2021 – Jake Villanueva – Second Team