Another Big Haul Of MIAC Awards
MOORHEAD, Minn. (11/25/15)— A year after having 15 players earn MIAC postseason awards, the Cobbers did both of those years two better by having 17 student/athletes garner all-conference or all-conference honorable mention honors.
Concordia has now had 73 players earn MIAC postseason honors in the past four years - one of the most of any team in the conference.
The Cobbers put up five All-MIAC First Team selections, eight All-MIAC Second Team honorees and four All-MIAC Honorable Mention award winners.
Josh Berg, Erik Bye, Derek Rachel, Brandon Zylstra and Eddie Clifton earned MIAC All-Conference First Team honors while Matt Ahrndt, Clay Bachmeier, Jon Baune, Levi Hintermeister, Chad Johnson, Austyn Raftevold, Kirby Siewert and Zylstra received All-Conference Second Team recognition. Justice Davis, Tyler E. Hansen, Michael Herzog and Jason Montonye were placed on the All-Conference Honorable Mention list. Steffen Morical was once again the team's representative on the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team.
- Complete List of 2015 MIAC All-Conference Award Winners
- Complete List of Past Concordia MIAC All-Conference Award Winners
The group of players helped Concordia post a 7-3 overall record and a 5-3 mark in the MIAC. The Cobbers finished in a tie for third in the final league standings marking the fourth straight year CC has finished in the top 3 of the MIAC.
Berg and Zylstra were the team's selections for the All-MIAC First Team Offense while Bye and Rachel earned first team honors on defense. Clifton was the All-Conference First team punter.
Berg earns his second straight All-Conference First Team honor. He was once again one of the leaders of the Cobber offensive line which finished fifth in the MIAC in rushing yards per game and fifth overall in total yardage.
Zylstra picks up his second first team award but it is the third straight season he has earned MIAC postseason honors. He was also named to the All-MIAC First Team as a sophomore in 2013 and last year he came away with a second team award.
Zylstra also earned second team honors this year as a return specialist on the Cobber special teams unit.
As a receiver he led the team in receptions, receiving yards and TD receptions. He led the MIAC in kick return average and was eighth in all-purpose yards.
Bye earns his second MIAC postseason award and first MIAC All-Conference First Team selection. Last year he earned second team honors. Bye led the team in total tackles and assisted tackles in conference play. He was in the top 3 of the MIAC in total tackles, assisted tackles and tackles per game for the eight league games. Bye posted a career-high 17 tackles in the team's game with St. John's.
Rachel is a first-time postseason award winner. Playing alongside Bye in the Cobber linebacking corps, he had 46 total tackles in eight conference contests. Rachel also had 15 solo tackles and 31 assisted tackles. His high-water mark came against MIAC champion St. Thomas where he had a career-high 14 tackles.
Clifton had a breakout season as the team's punter. He finished the year by averaging 38.3 yards per punt in conference play. He was just as good in all games as he had an average of 38.4 yards per punt in the team's 10 total games. Clifton was named the MIAC Special Teams Player of the Week after the team's win over Bethel where he 48.3 yards per punt and uncorked a career-best 67-yard punt.
Concordia 2015 All-MIAC Award Winners
All-MIAC 1st Team
Offense
Josh Berg (OL), Brandon Zylstra (WR)
Defense
Erik Bye (LB), Derek Rachel (LB)
Special Teams
Eddie Clifton (P)
All-MIAC 2nd Team
Offense
Clay Bachmeier (OL), Jon Baune (WR), Chad Johnson (RB)
Defense
Matt Ahrndt (DB), Levi Hintermeister (LB), Austyn Raftevold (LB), Kirby Siewert (DL)
Special Teams
Brandon Zylstra
All-MIAC Honorable Mention
Offense
Michael Herzog (QB), Jason Montonye (RB)
Defense
Justice Davis (DL), Tyler E. Hansen