Mathern and Woodruff named AFCA All-Americans
Dickinson, N.D. – Krew Mathern and Nathaniel “Scotty” Woodruff have been named All-Americans the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) announced Wednesday. The is the second straight year the Blue Hawks have had multiple All-Americans, with Mathern leading the way both years.
Mathern, a senior from Dickinson, completed his illustrious Blue Hawk career with his second consecutive AFCA First Team All-American Selection after securing the first ever NSAA Football Player of the Year Award last month. Mathern finished his final year in the navy and gray with 45 total tackles, including seven sacks and 14 tackles for loss. He forced two fumbles, recovering one, and intercepted two passes.
“What can you say about Krew?” said head coach Pete Stanton. “Krew is everything you want in a leader, player, and person in your program. He will go down as one of the all-time great players in Dickinson State history.”
The praise from Stanton is well founded. Mathern now holds the school records for tackles for loss (69) and sacks (29.5) and is one of the most dominant defensive linemen in the history of the NAIA.
Woodruff, a senior from Torrington, Wyoming, had his best year in a Blue Hawk uniform, and garnerd Third Team All-American Honors. He anchored an offensive line that helped create 427 yards per game on offense, including 195 on the ground. Woodruff was named the first ever NSAA Offensive Lineman of the Year for his efforts. He still has a year of eligibility and plans to return to lead the Blue Hawks next season.
“Scotty had a tremendous year and became the best offensive lineman in our conference,” said Stanton. “He is a leader and as tough as they come. We are very proud of him.”
AFCA NAIA All-American First and Second Teams
2023 AFCA NAIA Coaches’ All-America Team - First Team
Offense
|
Pos |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
School |
Coach |
Hometown (High School) |
|
QB |
Jalyn Gramstad |
6-0 |
190 |
Jr. |
Northwestern (Iowa) |
Matt McCarty |
Lester, Iowa (West Lyon) |
|
RB |
Dederrian Williams |
5-10 |
193 |
Sr. |
Indiana Wesleyan |
Andrew Rode |
Lake Placid, Fla. (Lake Placid) |
|
RB |
Darius Neal |
6-0 |
205 |
Jr. |
Georgetown (Ky.) |
Chris Oliver |
Lexington, Ky. (Frederick Douglass) |
|
WR |
Justin Pringle |
6-0 |
190 |
Gr. |
Saint Xavier (Ill.) |
Mike Feminis |
Romeoville, Ill. (Plainfield East) |
|
WR |
J.D. Dixon |
5-11 |
190 |
Jr. |
Bethel (Tenn.) |
Michael Jasper |
Waverly, Tenn. (Central) |
|
WR |
Austin Jablonski |
6-4 |
212 |
Jr. |
Concordia (Neb.) |
Patrick Daberkow |
Lincoln, Neb. (Pius X) |
|
OL |
#Keegan Martin |
6-1 |
250 |
Sr. |
Friends (Kan.) |
Terry Harrison |
Yale, Okla. (Yale) |
|
OL |
Ja’Kobe Hinton |
6-1 |
282 |
So. |
Benedictine (Kan.) |
Joel Osborn |
Katy, Tex. (Morton Ranch) |
|
OL |
Garrett Rehberg |
6-8 |
315 |
R-Sr. |
College of Idaho |
Mike Moroski |
Boise, Idaho (Bishop Kelly) |
|
OL |
Parker Beck |
6-3 |
288 |
Sr. |
Dordt (Iowa) |
Joel Penner |
Spirit Lake, Iowa (Spirit Lake) |
|
OL |
*Earon Garcia |
6-0 |
250 |
Sr. |
Southwestern (Kan.) |
Brad Griffin |
Wichita, Kan. (Northwest) |
Defense
|
Pos |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
School |
Coach |
Hometown (High School) |
|
DL |
Tristin Waugh |
6-2 |
250 |
Sr. |
Grand View (Iowa) |
Joe Woodley |
Fairfield, Iowa (Fairfield) |
|
DL |
Nicholas Engler |
6-4 |
261 |
Sr. |
St. Thomas (Fla.) |
Bill Rychel |
Port St. Lucie, Fla. (Treasure Coast) |
|
DL |
*Krew Mathern |
6-3 |
210 |
Sr. |
Dickinson St. (N.D.) |
Pete Stanton |
Dickinson, N.D. (Dickinson) |
|
DL |
Noah Turnbull |
6-2 |
255 |
Sr. |
Southern Oregon |
Berk Brown |
Bend, Ore. (Summit) |
|
LB |
Bradley Myers |
5-11 |
215 |
R-Jr. |
Evangel (Mo.) |
Chuck Hepola |
Lee’s Summit, Mo. (West) |
|
LB |
Canon Karn |
6-0 |
215 |
Jr. |
Baker (Kan.) |
Miguel Regalado |
Holton, Kan. (Holton) |
|
LB |
AJ Hemphill |
6-0 |
209 |
Jr. |
Ottawa (Kan.) |
Nick Davis |
Strasburg, Colo. (Strasburg) |
|
DB |
Lonell Boyd Jr. |
5-10 |
195 |
R-Jr. |
Morningside (Iowa) |
Steve Ryan |
St. Louis, Mo. (Christian Brothers) |
|
DB |
Nate Frey |
5-11 |
200 |
R-Sr. |
Marian (Ind.) |
Ted Karras Jr. |
Carmel, Ind. (Carmel) |
|
DB |
Kaysan Barnett |
5-8 |
178 |
Jr. |
Rocky Mountain (Mont.) |
Chris Stutzriem |
Phoenix, Ariz. (Millennium) |
|
DB |
Wendol Philord |
5-8 |
180 |
Sr. |
Keiser (Fla.) |
Doug Socha |
Miramar, Fla. (Miami Jackson) |
Specialists
|
Pos |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
School |
Coach |
Hometown (High School) |
|
P |
Andrew Almos |
6-1 |
205 |
R-So. |
Montana Tech |
Kyle Samson |
Great Falls, Mont. (Great Falls) |
|
PK |
Landon Reeves |
5-10 |
185 |
Sr. |
Ottawa (Ariz.) |
Mike Nesbitt |
Idalou, Tex. (Idalou) |
|
AP |
*Seeger DeGayner |
6-2 |
190 |
Sr. |
Concordia (Mich.) |
Joshua Schumacher |
Grand Blanc, Mich. (Linden) |
|
LS |
Brooks Garnder |
5-10 |
215 |
Sr. |
Tabor (Kan.) |
Mike Gardner |
Hillsboro, Kan. (Hillsboro) |
*-2022 AFCA All-American #-2021 Spring & Fall, 2022 AFCA All-American
2023 AFCA NAIA Coaches’ All-America Team - Second Team
Offense
|
Pos |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
School |
Coach |
Hometown (High School) |
|
QB |
Joaquin Collazo III |
6-3 |
195 |
Sr. |
Bethel (Tenn.) |
Michael Jasper |
Melbourne, Fla. (Central Catholic) |
|
RB |
Rontavious Farmer |
5-9 |
185 |
Jr. |
St. Thomas (Fla.) |
Bill Rychel |
Palm Bay, Fla. (Cocoa) |
|
RB |
Konner McQuillan |
6-0 |
210 |
Sr. |
Northwestern (Iowa) |
Matt McCarty |
Leavenworth, Kan. (Lansing) |
|
WR |
Dillon Hester |
6-1 |
183 |
R-Jr. |
Evangel (Mo.) |
Chuck Hepola |
Strafford, Mo. (Strafford) |
|
WR |
Arlandes Mitchell |
6-0 |
180 |
So. |
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) |
Paul Hansen |
Independence, Mo. (Van Horn) |
|
TE |
Rex Ryken |
6-2 |
212 |
Jr. |
Mount Marty (S.D.) |
John Michaletti |
Yankton, S.D. (Yankton) |
|
OL |
Lucas Doyle |
6-5 |
298 |
Gr. |
Indiana Wesleyan |
Andrew Rode |
Greenwood, Ind. (Center Grove) |
|
OL |
Scarlee Jean |
6-4 |
291 |
Sr. |
Keiser (Fla.) |
Doug Socha |
Riviera Beach, Fla. (Inlet Grove) |
|
OL |
Colin Cox |
6-2 |
315 |
Jr. |
Saint Xavier (Ill.) |
Mike Feminis |
Joliet, Ill. (Catholic Academy) |
|
OL |
Hunter Mecham |
6-4 |
285 |
R-Sr. |
Carroll (Mont.) |
Troy Purcell |
Las Vegas, Nev. (Green Valley) |
|
OL |
Blake Gossett |
6-2 |
280 |
Sr. |
Georgetown (Ky.) |
Chris Oliver |
Louisville, Ky. (Male) |
Defense
|
Pos |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
School |
Coach |
Hometown (High School) |
|
DL |
*Paul Vandal |
6-2 |
267 |
Sr. |
Jamestown (N.D.) |
Brian Mistro |
Jamestown, N.D. (Jamestown) |
|
DL |
*Riley Gerhardt |
6-2 |
226 |
Sr. |
Valley City St. (N.D.) |
Dennis McCulloch |
Valley City, N.D. (Valley City) |
|
DL |
Heath Baker |
6-3 |
265 |
Jr. |
Benedictine (Kan.) |
Joel Osborn |
Atchison, Kan. (Atchison) |
|
DL |
Emmanuel Olaitan |
6-1 |
245 |
So. |
Faulkner (Ala.) |
Rob Gray |
Marietta, Ga. (Marietta) |
|
LB |
Chad Holleran |
6-4 |
235 |
Sr. |
Georgetown (Ky.) |
Chris Oliver |
Frankfort, Ky. (Franklin County) |
|
LB |
Jaelin Willis |
5-11 |
210 |
So. |
Keiser (Fla.) |
Doug Socha |
Fort Myers, Fla. (Bishop Verot) |
|
LB |
Casey Rauch |
6-2 |
218 |
Sr. |
Concordia (Mich.) |
Joshua Schumacher |
Alexandria, Ky. (Campbell County) |
|
DB |
Pop McGhee |
6-2 |
170 |
Jr. |
Louisiana Christian |
Drew Maddox |
Opelousas, La. (Opelousas) |
|
DB |
Nehemiah Figueroa |
5-11 |
185 |
R-Jr. |
McPherson (Kan.) |
Jeremiah Fiscus |
Boyertown, Pa. (Pottstown) |
|
DB |
Cody Moser |
6-2 |
195 |
Jr. |
Northwestern (Iowa) |
Matt McCarty |
Rock Valley, Iowa (Community) |
|
DB |
Demetrice Gilbert |
5-11 |
175 |
Sr. |
Bethel (Tenn.) |
Michael Jasper |
Atlanta, Ga. (Towers) |
Specialists
|
Pos |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Cl. |
School |
Coach |
Hometown (High School) |
|
P |
Logan Burke |
6-0 |
185 |
Gr. |
Ottawa (Ariz.) |
Mike Nesbitt |
Katy, Tex. (Cinco Ranch) |
|
PK |
Job Matossian |
5-9 |
180 |
So. |
Cumberlands (Ky.) |
Shan Housekeeper |
Maryville, Tenn. (William Blount) |
|
AP |
Trey Dixon |
5-11 |
162 |
So. |
Sterling (Kan.) |
Darren Jackson II |
Killeen, Tex. (Shoemaker) |
|
LS |
MJ Montgomery |
6-2 |
235 |
Sr. |
Briar Cliff (Iowa) |
Shane LaDage |
Norfolk, Neb. (Norfolk) |
*-2022 AFCA All-American
Team Background: The five teams now chosen for each AFCA division evolved from a single 11-player squad in 1945. From 1945 until 1967, only one team was chosen. From 1967 through 1971, two teams – University Division and College Division – were selected. In 1972, the College Division was split into College I and College II. In 1979, the University Division was split into two teams — FBS and FCS. In 1996, the College I and College II teams were renamed Division II and Division III, respectively.
From 1965-81, a 22-player (11 offensive, 11 defensive) team was chosen. In 1982, a punter and placekicker were added to the team. In 1997, a return specialist was added, giving us the current 25-player team. The return specialist position was replaced by an all-purpose player in 2006. In 2016, the AFCA added a second team All-America.
Selection Process: The AFCA’s NAIA All-America Selection Committee is made up of two head coaches from each of the AFCA’s seven districts, one of whom serves as a district chairman, along with another head coach who serves as the chairman of the selection committee. The coaches in each district are responsible for ranking the top players in their respective districts prior to a conference call between the district chairmen and the committee chairman on which the team is chos