WACO, Texas – The American Football Coaches Association has selected Whitworth University's Evan Liggett as a 2024 first team All-American and Marcus Viramontes as a second team All-American, according to the announcement distributed this morning by the AFCA office.
Liggett, a 5th-year wide receiver, is the Pirates' first first team honoree since 2006. Whitworth has two All-Americans in the same season for the first time since 2005.
Liggett, who has already been chosen as a first team All-Northwest Conference selection in 2024, set three team records this fall. He finished with 72 receptions for 1,313 yards and 19 touchdowns. Liggett established a new record for touchdowns in a season, breaking the previous mark of 15, and touchdown receptions in a career (30), bettering the old record of 29. Both of those were held by Michael Allen, a Pirate tight end who was also the last first team All-American when he was a consensus choice in 2006. Liggett also broke the school record for receiving yards in one season. The old record was 1,226 yards set by Dwayne Tawney in 2002.
The last time Whitworth had two All-Americans in the same season was 2005, when Allen and defensive back Ryan Marshall earned recognition.
Viramontes earned second team recognition as a long snapper. He has been a special teams fixture for the Pirates for three seasons and never missed a game as the starting long snapper on punts, field goals and extra points. Viramontes never had bad snap over a three-year span that included 106 punts, 39 field goal attempts and 151 extra points.
The pair of Pirates helped lead Whitworth to a 10-2 record and a second straight appearance in the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs in 2024.
