South Dakota State University football players Ryan McKnight and Kyle Minett have been selected to The Sports Network Preseason All-America Team.

McKnight, a 6-foot-1, 295-pound senior from Sioux Falls, was named to the first team as a center. A first-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection in 2009, McKnight started all 12 games for the Jackrabbits' playoff-qualifying squad and was an integral part of an offense that averaged 27.8 points and 341.2 yards of total offense per game.

A senior running back from Ruthton, Minn., Minett earned third-team recognition. Named to the Walter Payton Award watch list for the top offensive player in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision earlier this month, Minett enters his senior season third among returning FCS backs and fourth on the SDSU career charts with 3,069 career rushing yards. A two-time second-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection, he has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, rushing for 1,304 yards and 16 TDs last season, when he was named to the Associated Press All-America Third Team.

SDSU, which finished the 2009 season with an 8-4 overall record and No. 11 national ranking, reports to fall camp Aug. 13. The Jackrabbits are scheduled to open the 2010 campaign Sept. 11 at Delaware.

Click here to view the entire Sports Network Preseason All-America Team.