Photo of BJ Stewart by Luke Zayas/Backwards Hat Media
BELTON — It was a season to remember for BJ Stewart.
In his debut in the purple and gold after three seasons at in-state foe Trinity, the 5’7 senior made his mark with a six-reception, 114-yard receiving performance against Bethel in Week 1.
Two weeks later, in a home duel with nationally-ranked UW-Whitewater, he became the first Crusader receiver since K.J. Miller to haul in 10-plus receptions in a single game.
Once conference play began, the Shreveport, Louisiana native was near-unstoppable as both a pass-catcher and returner. With the offense, he pulled in an ASC-high 40 receptions over six games, leading the league both in receiving yardage (535) and touchdowns (10). As a kick and punt returner, his 358 kick return yards were far and away the top mark in the ASC. He also returned both a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown, becoming the only player in the conference to do so in 2025.
On Wednesday, when the D3football.com All-Region awards and the American Football Coaches Association All-America team were announced, Stewart’s major contributions for The Cru were highlighted prominently.
The AFCA named him a First Team All-American, making him the first Crusader to earn First Team recognition since Jefferson Fritz in 2021. He was also the first offensive player to be named an AFCA All-American since Kyle King in 2022.
D3football.com selected Stewart as its Region 3 Offensive Player of the Year while also naming him First Team All-Region on both offense and special teams.
Stewart was one of eight Crusaders selected to the All-Region 3 honor roll. Tackle Carson Gaido joined Stewart on the First Team on offense while Te’Ron Brown was named First Team Defense.
JJ Davis and Brandon McGruder joined Brown as defensive honorees, with Davis named to the second team and McGruder to the third team. Offensively, tight end Will McClintock and guard Joseph Montez earned spots on the third team.
UMHB’s eight All-Region selections are the most since 2022, when 13 Crusaders were recognized in D3football.com’s annual regional honor roll. The Cru went 7-3 in 2025, closing the season on a five-game win streak and earning a share of the ASC title.
