Missouri State safety Caleb Schaffitzel (So., Fair Grove, Mo.) has been named the FCS National Defensive Back of the Year by the College Football Performance Awards, the organization announced Wednesday (Jan. 9).

Schaffitzel registered a team-high 109 tackles for the Bears with 5 interceptions and 11 passes defended. He tied for 10th nationally in interceptions per game (0.45) and finished 23rd in tackles per game (9.91) in the final NCAA Division I FCS statistical rankings. He was also a two-time MVFC Defensive Player of the Week, two-time CFPA National Defensive Back of the Week and one-time CFPA National Defensive Player of the Week this season.

The Sports Network, which placed Schaffitzel on its 2012 All-America third team on Dec. 10, named him as its National Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 5 for his efforts against No. 1 North Dakota State. In the NDSU game, he broke an MSU record and tied an MVFC record with a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Schaffitzel was also named to the Associated Press All-America third, team, AFCA All-America Team and Capital One Academic All-America second team this season. He earned first-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors and was tabbed to the MVFC All-Academic first team. He also earned MSU’s Media Player of the Year, Team MVP and Lifter of the Year Award at Missouri State’s annual team awards ceremony on Dec. 2.

The CFPA was organized in 2010 to provide the most scientifically-rigorous conferments in college football. Recipients are selected exclusively based upon objective scientific rankings of the extent to which individual players increase the overall effectiveness of their teams.