Washburn Athletics
TOPEKA – Washburn wide receiver/all-purpose back/return specialist James Letcher, Jr., has picked up another award as he was named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 squad as a second team selection as an all-purpose back. Overall it was his fourth national award for his efforts this past season and his fifth in his Washburn career. The Ichabods finished the 2021 season 9-3 finishing second in the MIAA final standings with their most wins since going 10-3 in 2011 falling in the first round of the NCAA playoffs were ranked No. 21 in the final D2Football.com poll and No. 25 in the final AFCA D2 Coaches Poll.
In addition to his second team D2Football.com Elite 100 selection, Letcher was a First-Team All-American selection by the Associated Press, a First-Team All-American pick as a kick returner by the D2CCA and a Second-Team All-America squad by the AFCA as a return specialist. It is the fifth overall All-American award Letcher has picked up as an Ichabod as he was an Honorable Mention Football Gazette All-American selection in 2019.
This past season Letcher, Jr. led the team with 68 receptions for 927 yards with 10 touchdowns in 12 starts. He earned all-MIAA First Team as a wide receiver and a returner and all-MIAA Special Teams Player of the Year after taking 24 kickoffs for 685 yards and two touchdowns tying an Ichabod single season record.
Letcher also averaged 13.18 yards per punt return with 11 attempts gaining 145 yards. Letcher is second on the Ichabod career punt return chart with 1,467 yards and his 54 returns is fifth. Letcher has three career kickoff touchdowns which sit atop the Ichabod chart and his 27.17 yards per return rank second in school history behind Fletcher Terrell’s 27.32 yards per return mark.