MITCHELL - Prior to the 2008 football season, Dakota Wesleyan University punter Nick Tolsma set a goal for himself. He wanted to make the leap from the All-Great Plains Athletic Conference second team to the All-GPAC first team. However, as the season progressed, Tolsma realized even bigger things could be headed his way.

The junior from Rapid City accomplished his initial goal when he was named All-GPAC first team on Nov. 18, and Monday, Tolsma received an honor above and beyond his own expectations when he was honored as the punter on the 2008 American Football Coaches' Association NAIA Coaches' All-America Team.

"You're kind of in shock right away," Tolsma said of his reaction to the honor. "I didn't expect it. I'm just honored to get it. It's pretty awesome.

"My first goal this season was just to make first-team All-Conference. Then, when I saw I was leading the nation, I thought, 'I'm here, I might as well try to stay up here,' and I did and it all worked out."

Tolsma's All-America selection is another first for the Tigers in 2008. He is the first DWU player ever to earn AFCA honors, which is fitting that it came in a season where DWU finished with its first winning record in GPAC play. Tolsma is the first Tiger to earn any All-America honors since 2002.

"This is the first AFCA that Dakota Wesleyan has ever had," Tiger head coach Brad Pole said. "That's a great accomplishment for Nick. He's a great young man and he really has some pop in his leg. It's tremendous to see him get this honor because he's one of the best punters in the country at our level."

In 2008, Tolsma appeared in all 10 games. He punted 49 times for a total of 2,087 yards. He finished with an average of 42.6 yards per punt, and his longest kick of the season went for 70 yards. He had 11 touchbacks and 16 punts inside the 20-yard line and just one of his punts was blocked all season.

Tolsma led the GPAC in punting average by a full 3 yards per punt, and he helped DWU finished first in the conference with an average of 37.2 net yards per punt (after returns were factored in). Tolsma's All-GPAC first team honor was his third All-Conference honor in as many seasons. He was an All-GPAC second team pick in 2007 and an All-GPAC honorable mention selection in 2006.

The junior led the nation in punting average for most of the season with an average over 44 yards per punt, but a bout with 30-mph winds in the Tigers win at then-No. 10-ranked Northwestern College on Nov. 8 dropped him to fourth in the NAIA, which is where he finished the season. His 42.6 average was just 0.4 behind the nation's leader.