The All-America designation is an honor given annually to the best athletes in the United States. Athletes are selected to an All-America team in their sport, often with first, second, and third teams. While typically used at the collegiate level, the honor is also given to exceptional high school athletes in sports like football, basketball, and cross-country. The selection criteria vary by sport, and athletes receiving this honor are called All-Americans.
The term "All-America" was used to denote the student rugby teams that toured Australia in 1912, marking an early instance of the term's application in sports.
In 1913, the All-America rugby team further expanded its international presence with a tour of New Zealand, solidifying the use of "All-America" in the context of rugby.
The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) established the "Academic All-America" program in 1952. This initiative aimed to acknowledge the academic achievements of college athletes across all levels of competition and sports.
In 1957, the tradition of honoring high school athletes with All-American status was initiated, starting with football and later expanding to other sports like basketball and cross-country running.
Parade magazine extended its All-America selections to high school basketball in 1957, signifying the growing recognition of talented young athletes in the sport.
The ABCA/Rawlings High School All-America Baseball Team emerged in 1969, solidifying a prestigious national recognition platform for exceptional high school baseball players.
The NCAA began recognizing unanimous first-team selections for Division I women's basketball in 1995. This distinction is based on selections made by the Associated Press (AP), U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), and Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
The United States Army initiated its sponsorship of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in 2000, featuring an East-West format for top high school football players and an All-American marching band.
Offense-Defense Sports introduced its Top 100 ranking for the nation's top high school football players in 2005, culminating in the annual Offense-Defense All-American Bowl showcasing 88 elite seniors.
After a long-standing tradition, Parade magazine discontinued its selection of an All-America high school basketball team in 2015, marking a shift in the landscape of high school basketball recognition.
In 2017, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) modified its criteria for Division III All-America honors. The number of top finishers earning this distinction at the national meet increased from 35 to 40.
In 2020, High School Football America unveiled its Academic All-America Team, spotlighting the academic achievements of thousands of high school football players nationwide.
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