Shultz named SBART Athlete of the Year

Jacob Shultz has been chosen as the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table's Athlete of the Year for College Football.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Round Table is recognizing its high school and college athletes of the year through a virtual Evening with the Athletes. The award winners are being presented through the Round Table's social media platforms Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and on the noozhawk.com Sports Page.

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound sophomore from Eugene, Ore., was the Defensive Player of the Year in the American Pacific League and an All-State Region IV selection. He also excelled in the classroom, earning SFCA Scholar-Athlete honors with a 3.35 GPA.

Shultz led the league in tackles (71) and tackles for loss (20.5) and was third in sacks (8.5). He was ninth in the state in tackles for loss and 21st in overall tackles. Forty of his 71 tackles were solos.

His best tackling game came in Week 4 at Citrus when he made 10 tackles, including three for loss.

Shultz found his groove in the APL opener on Oct. 19 vs. L.A. Pierce.

After getting just one sack in his first five games, Shultz had a breakout game in the APL opener as the Vaqueros routed L.A. Pierce 35-16. The defensive end had nine tackles (six solo) and four sacks in a 35-16 rout of L.A. Pierce. He also had a 70-yard fumble return for a touchdown and was named SCFA American Division Player of the Week.

"Jake had an outstanding season leading our defense and was a disruptive force on opposing offenses," said SBCC coach Craig Moropoulos. "He was very difficult to block with his athletic ability and speed. He was a redshirt last season and was extremely hard to block on the 'scout' team for our offense."

Shultz played for College of the Siskiyuous after graduating from Marist High. He took the next few years off and then transferred to SBCC and was a redshirt in 2018. As a result, he's ineligible to play at an NCAA Div. 1 school.

"It looks as though Jake will either go to an NAIA school -- Southeastern Univ. in Florida -- or Div. 3 at Chapman College," said Moropoulos. "His (NCAA) clock issues are, in my opinion, the only reason he is not going to a higher division program. But, wherever he goes, he will make a big difference in that program."

Southeastern went 8-1 last year while Chapman, of Orange, Calif., was 10-1, including a 68-65 OT win over Linfield (Ore.) in the first round of the NCAA Div. 3 playoffs.