Van Liew Continues MIAC Honor Success

MOORHEAD, Minn. (10/10/16)— For the second straight week Concordia had a player receive MIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors after holding one of the top offenses in check on Saturday.

Last week sophomore Alex Berg was given the award after the Cobbers held the league's top rusher to only 45 yards in the team's 46-21 win at Gustavus. On Monday, teammate Hank Van Liew was awarded defensive player of the week honors after Concordia held No.4-ranked St. Thomas to a season-low 23 points and only 87 rushing yards.  

Concordia's defense continues to improve week-after-week and Van Liew, the unit's senior captain, is one of the key components of this year's "Black Shirts". He has been an anchor in the middle of defense from his inside linebacker position and is usually a part of every big play that happens on the defensive side of the ball.

Van Liew's "man in the middle" mentality was no different on Saturday in Concordia's heartbreaking 23-20 loss to last year's national runner-up St. Thomas. Van Liew was all over the field as he plugged holes and contained the vaunted Tommie offense.

Van Liew finished the game with a team-high seven solo tackles, 2.0 tackles for a loss and finished with 11 total tackles. It marked the third time this season that Van Liew has recorded at least 10 tackles in a game. 

Nowhere was Van Liew's presence felt than on a key goal line stand midway through the fourth quarter. St. Thomas started first-and-goal from the Cobber 5-yard line. Their first two plays netted two yards each and then on third-and-goal from the 1-yard line Van Liew came up with the solo tackle of the game.

The Tommies ran the ball off the left side of their line and Van Liew stepped into a wide open hole and met the UST running back at the one-foot line. He then proceeded to stop the ball carrier at the point of contact and drive him backwards to set up a fourth-down play.

Led by Van Liew, the Cobber Black Shirt defense held St. Thomas to their fewest rushing yards in a single game since the 2012 NCAA title game against Mount Union. It is also the fewest rushing yards against an MIAC opponent since before the 2010 season.

Van Liew now has 18 solo and 28 assisted tackles for 46 total tackles. He is currently in the Top 10 in the MIAC in total tackles, solo tackles, assisted tackles and tackles per game.

Van Liew will be looking to help the Cobbers get back on the winning track when Concordia hosts Hamline on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 1 p.m.