SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Peyton Buckley was named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 First Team, while Jarod Epperson and Haden Wallace were tabbed as squad members, the publication announced Thursday afternoon. The Elite 100 is D2Football's version of All-America teams with a first team, second team and squad members, totaling 100 student-athletes from NCAA Division II. 
 
Buckley, a senior hailing from Rice Lake, Wisconsin, became the fifth Viking in program history to earn first team honors. A member of the second team last season, the NSIC Defensive Player of the Year racked up 84 tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss and a sack. He tallied 59 solo stops and nine pass breakups with a total of 10 passes defended. Buckley anchored a defense that finished in the top two of the NSIC in interceptions, red zone defense, scoring defense and fourth down conversion percentage. He is also the program's all-time leader with 54 career passes defended (42 PBU, 12 INT)

Augustana's all-time career rushing leader, Epperson finished his final season earning NSIC Offensive Player of the Year honors after running for 1042 yards and 11 touchdowns in 11 games. He led the NSIC with 5.95 yards per carry and 118.36 all-purpose yards per game. Epperson scored multiple touchdowns in four games and ran for at least 100 yards in five games.
 
Wallace, a senior linebacker from Kansas City, Missouri, earned his first career Elite 100 nod. The Vikings' leading tackler racked up 96 tackles on the year with 9.0 tackles for loss and two sacks. He secured a pair of interceptions and broke up four passes. Wallace, a team captain, earned first team all-conference honors for the second consecutive season after starting all 12 games at linebacker.
 
D2Football.com has compiled its end of season Elite 100 teams since its inception in 2000 and are selected based on input from coaches, scouts, media and sports information directors from around the country.