St. Paul, Minn. -- The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced the 2007 MIAC Football Awards today, November 19, 2007.
Leading the All-Conference team is 2007 MIAC MVP Ben Wetzell of Bethel. Wetzell (Sr., QB, Wells, Minn.) led the Royals to an undefeated MIAC season in 2007. He finished the year third in conference rushing (91.9 yards/game) and fifth in total offense (258.4 yards/game).
Concordia College senior offensive tackle Grant Weller received the 2007 Mike Stam Award as the league's top interior lineman. Weller (Sauk Centre, Minn.) helped the Cobbers lead the MIAC in rushing offense (285.8 yards/game) and finish second in scoring offense (42.6 points/game).
Bethel head coach Steve Johnson was chosen as the 2007 MIAC Coach of the Year. This is the second year in a row that Johnson has won the honor and the second straight year his Royals have won at least a share of the MIAC title. The Royals finished the 2007 MIAC season undefeated with an 8-0 record.
As part of a conference-wide sportsmanship initiative, the MIAC announces the second annual All-MIAC Sportsmanship team for football. Members of the All-MIAC Sportsmanship team are selected by their coaches and teammates as individuals who demonstrate ideals of positive sportsmanship both on and off the field of competition.
2007 MIAC Awards
Jim Christopherson MIAC MVP - Ben Wetzell (Bethel, Sr., QB, Wells, Minn.)
Mike Stam Award - Grant Weller (Concordia, Sr., OT, Sauk Centre, Minn.)
Coach of the Year - Steve Johnson, Bethel (19th season)
2007 MIAC First Team All-Conference - Offense
|
Name
|
School
|
Year
|
Position
|
Hometown/High School
|
|
Alex Kofoed
|
Saint John's
|
Sr.
|
QB
|
Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori
|
|
Matt Penz
|
St. Olaf
|
Sr.
|
QB
|
Rochester, Minn./Mayo
|
|
Ben Wetzell
|
Bethel
|
Sr.
|
QB
|
Wells, Minn./United South Central
|
|
Logan Flannery
|
Bethel
|
Fy.
|
RB
|
Lakeville, Minn./South
|
|
Cory Johnson
|
Concordia
|
Jr.
|
RB
|
Moorhead, Minn.
|
|
Mike Patnode
|
Saint John's
|
Sr.
|
RB
|
Princeton, Minn.
|
|
Chad Arlt
|
Gustavus
|
Jr.
|
WR
|
St. Michael, Minn.
|
|
Horace Gant
|
St. Olaf
|
Sr.
|
WR
|
Pensacola, Fla.
|
|
P.J. Theisen
|
St. Thomas
|
Sr.
|
WR
|
Elko, Minn./New Prague
|
|
Royce Winford
|
Augsburg
|
Jr.
|
WR
|
Brooklyn Park, Minn./Osseo
|
|
Nick Otto
|
Bethel
|
Jr.
|
TE
|
White Bear Lake, Minn./Hill-Murray
|
|
Tommy Davis
|
Bethel
|
Sr.
|
C
|
Vadnais Heights, Minn./Mounds View
|
|
Graham Gmach
|
St. Thomas
|
Sr.
|
G
|
Andover, Minn./Totino-Grace
|
|
Blake Hamel
|
St. Olaf
|
Sr.
|
C
|
Lake Mary, Fla.
|
|
Andrew Salvato
|
Saint John's
|
Sr.
|
C
|
North Oaks, Minn./Mounds View
|
|
John Scrabeck
|
Bethel
|
Jr.
|
T
|
Byron, Minn.
|
|
Grant Weller
|
Concordia
|
Sr.
|
T
|
Sauk Centre, Minn.
|
|
Eric Yuen
|
St. Olaf
|
Sr.
|
G
|
Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview
|
|
Evan Endsley
|
St. Olaf
|
Jr.
|
Util.
|
Eagan, Minn.
|
|
Paul Fortman
|
St. Olaf
|
Sr.
|
K
|
Stillwater, Minn.
|
2007 MIAC First Team All-Conference - Defense
|
Name
|
School
|
Year
|
Position
|
Hometown/High School
|
|
James Bechdol
|
St. Olaf
|
Sr.
|
DE
|
Orono, Minn.
|
|
James Clark
|
Carleton
|
Sr.
|
DE
|
St. Paul, Minn./Highland Park
|
|
Nick Gunderson
|
Saint John's
|
Jr.
|
DL
|
Woodbury, Minn.
|
|
Aaron Mills
|
Bethel
|
Jr.
|
DE
|
Traverse City, Mich./Central
|
|
Mike Schumacher
|
Saint John's
|
Jr.
|
DL
|
Arden Hills, Minn./Totino-Grace
|
|
James Colbenson
|
Carleton
|
Sr.
|
MLB
|
Rushford, Minn./Rushford-Peterson
|
|
Nick Rydberg
|
St. Olaf
|
Sr.
|
ILB
|
Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley
|
|
Jared Sieling
|
Gustavus
|
Sr.
|
LB
|
Watertown, Minn.
|
|
Ryan Wimmer
|
Saint John's
|
So.
|
ILB
|
St. Cloud, Minn./Cathedral
|
|
Adam Concannon
|
St. Olaf
|
So.
|
OLB
|
Orlando, Fla.
|
|
Brennen Lewis
|
Concordia
|
Sr.
|
OLB
|
Great Falls, Mont./Russell
|
|
Nate Voronyak
|
Bethel
|
Jr.
|
OLB
|
Orono, Minn.
|
|
Brandon Carr
|
Bethel
|
Sr.
|
S
|
Fergus Falls, Minn.
|
| John Cloeter |
Saint John's |
Sr. |
DB |
Sauk Rapids, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice |
| Deontae Hutchins |
St. Olaf |
Sr. |
CB |
Pensacola, Fla./Pine Forest |
| Patrick Sommerstad |
St. Thomas |
Sr. |
SS |
Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview |
| Drew Ziller |
Carleton |
Jr. |
SS |
Byron, Minn./Rochester Lourdes |
| Paul Fortman |
St. Olaf |
Sr. |
P |
Stillwater, Minn. |
2007 MIAC Second Team All-Conference - Offense
|
Name
|
School
|
Year
|
Position
|
Hometown/High School
|
|
Jordan Berg
|
Augsburg
|
Jr.
|
QB
|
Gaylord, Minn./Sibley East
|
|
Jesse Nelson
|
Concordia
|
Jr.
|
QB
|
Chanhassen, Minn./Minnetonka
|
|
Jordan Stolp
|
Gustavus
|
Sr.
|
QB
|
Mankato, Minn.
|
|
Mitch Anderson
|
Gustavus
|
Sr.
|
RB
|
Sleepy Eye, Minn.
|
|
Adam Swingdorf
|
Concordia
|
Sr.
|
RB
|
Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley
|
|
Coty Watkins
|
St. Olaf
|
Jr.
|
RB
|
Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson
|
|
Chris Gardner
|
Carleton
|
Jr.
|
WR
|
Gaylord, Minn./Sibley East
|
|
Andrew Schmiesing
|
St. Olaf
|
Sr.
|
WR
|
Stillwater, Minn.
|
|
Brian Weber
|
Saint John's
|
Sr.
|
WR
|
Glenwood, Minn./Minnewaska Area
|
|
Brett Saladin
|
Saint John's
|
Jr.
|
TE
|
Woodstock, Ill.
|
|
John Anderson
|
Concordia
|
So.
|
T
|
Cambridge, Minn.
|
|
Jason Brodmerkel
|
Saint John's
|
Sr.
|
T
|
Eden Prairie, Minn.
|
|
Brad Dahlman
|
Bethel
|
Sr.
|
G
|
Coon Rapids, Minn./Blaine
|
|
Ace Huff
|
Hamline
|
So.
|
C
|
Alamogordo, N.M.
|
|
Paul Schwingler
|
St. Olaf
|
Jr.
|
T
|
Rochester, Minn./Century
|
|
Jared Thelemann
|
Gustavus
|
Jr.
|
G
|
Kilkenny, Minn.
|
|
Jason Weber
|
Augsburg
|
Sr.
|
T
|
New Prague, Minn.
|
|
Ethan Armstrong
|
Gustavus
|
Jr.
|
Util.
|
Wheaton, Minn.
|
|
John Ostertag
|
Gustavus
|
Jr.
|
K
|
Walker, Minn.
|
2007 MIAC Second Team All-Conference - Defense
|
Name
|
School
|
Year
|
Position
|
Hometown/High School
|
|
Joe Luke
|
Saint John's
|
Jr.
|
DL
|
Alexandria, Minn.
|
|
Mike Morrissey
|
Carleton
|
Sr.
|
DT
|
Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick
|
|
Pat Riordan
|
Gustavus
|
Sr.
|
DE
|
Virginia, Minn.
|
|
Tyler Scholl
|
Hamline
|
Sr.
|
DL
|
Trimont, Minn./Martin County West
|
|
Clinton Strother
|
Concordia
|
Jr.
|
DE
|
Brainerd, Minn.
|
|
Brody Anderson
|
Hamline
|
Sr.
|
ILB
|
Floodwood, Minn.
|
|
Steve Luebke
|
Bethel
|
Sr.
|
ILB
|
Johnston, Iowa
|
|
Darin Schwarze
|
Bethel
|
Jr.
|
ILB
|
Stanwood, Wash.
|
|
Mitch Eversman
|
Saint John's
|
Sr.
|
OLB
|
Elk River, Minn.
|
|
Dave Moll
|
Concordia
|
Sr.
|
OLB
|
Battle Lake, Minn.
|
|
Jerad Phelps
|
Carleton
|
Sr.
|
OLB
|
Northfield, Minn.
|
|
Garrett Adamson
|
Augsburg
|
Jr.
|
FS
|
White Bear Lake, Minn./Hill-Murray
|
|
Kevin Boegel
|
Saint John's
|
Sr.
|
DB
|
Mahtomedi, Minn.
|
| Tim Cornish |
Bethel |
So. |
CB |
Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata |
| Jason Jude |
Concordia |
Sr. |
S |
Monticello, Minn. |
| Jamie Wagner |
Bethel |
Sr. |
S |
Nicollet, Minn. |
| Devin Swanberg |
Hamline |
Jr. |
P |
Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes |
2007 All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team
Augsburg - Alan Mueller (Sr., Savage, Minn.)
Bethel - Jared Bangs (Sr., Fergus Falls, Minn.)
Carleton - Jerad Phelps (Sr., Northfield, Minn.)
Concordia - Jon Tritsch (Jr., Murray, Neb.)
Gustavus - Tom Johnson (Sr., Mankato, Minn.)
Hamline - Brody Anderson (Sr., Floodwood, Minn.)
Saint John's - Alex Kofoed (Sr., Cold Spring, Minn.)
St. Olaf - Andrew Schmiesing (Sr., Stillwater, Minn.)
St. Thomas - Pat Cahalan (Sr., St. Paul, Minn.)