Southeast Missouri running back Geno Hess secured his first All-America honor of the postseason when he was named a first-team selection on the 2022 Associated Press All-America Team.
 
Hess, the Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year, finished fifth in this year's Walter Payton Award balloting, the highest finish by an OVC player since Jimmy Garoppolo won the award in 2013. He ran for 1,691 yards (seventh-most in OVC history) and 21 touchdowns (second-most in OVC history) in 12 games and added nine catches for 114 yards and two additional touchdowns. 
 
During the regular season, Hess led the FCS in total touchdowns (21) and shared the lead for rushing touchdowns (19) while ranking second in yards per carry (7.6) and third in total rushing yards (1,569). He accomplished all of that despite having only eight rushing yards in the season-opener at FBS foe Iowa State. He guided the Redhawks to a 9-3 overall record and the program's third OVC Championship.

Hess broke the SEMO and OVC single-game rushing record with 317 yards on 26 carries against Murray State in the season finale and is the only FCS player to break the 300-yard plateau in 2022. He had two other games where he rushed for 200 yards and had six games with at least 100 rushing yards. Hess had four rushing touchdowns in two different games and tallied 10 total touchdowns over his final three contests (and added two more in the FCS Playoffs against Montana. He broke the OVC career scoring record (330 points) during the playoffs, while his 138 points this season were the second-most in Conference single-season history. He currently ranks ninth in OVC history for career rushing yards (4,111) and second in career rushing touchdowns (53).