Northern State University Athletics

In December of 2024, Jake Adams earned the first All-American honors of his career, named to the D2CCA first team. Adams was the first defensive first team All-American for the Wolves in the NCAA Division II era. He was also honored on the AP second team that same day. 
 
Adams started all 11 games for the Wolves in 2024 and led the team and NSIC with 147 tackles. His 100-plus mark broke the single season school record of 111 set by Steve Espinoza in 2004. In total he recorded 72 solo stops and 75 assisted, including 6.0 tackles for a loss and 1.0 sack. The Wisconsin native recorded double-digit tackles in seven of the 11 contests this season, including a season high 20 against Minot State and Bemidji State. The sophomore finished the season second in the country in total tackles and third in tackles per game.  

The sophomore's 2024 honors include NSIC All-Conference first team, D2CCA All-Region first team, D2CCA All-American first team, Associated Press All-American second team, Don Hansen All-American first team, D2Football.com Elite 100, and Walter Camp All-American.

Jake Adams continued the accolades in the fall of 2025, earning Don Hansen All-America honorable mention and D2Football.com Elite 100 Squad Team Member. Adams led Northern State with 93 tackles in just seven games. The junior averaged 13.3 tackles per game which led the Northern Sun and ranked second in the country through the regular season. He tallied a single game career-high of 21 tackles against the University of Sioux Falls and recorded double figure tackles in four contests. Adams broke the Northern State Division II era school record for career tackles against Concordia-St. Paul with his 256th and finished the year with 303.