Eight Cobbers Earn MIAC Honors
MOORHEAD, Minn. (11/26/19)---Concordia had eight players earn MIAC postseason honors as announced by the league office on Tuesday. The Cobbers had four student/athletes named to MIAC All-Conference First or Second Team and three others were placed on the All-Conference Honorable Mention list.
Senior captain Alex Berg highlighted the eight award winners as he was named to the MIAC All-Conference First Team as both a linebacker and a punter. Senior Hans Solberg was named to the All-Conference First Team Offense as an offensive lineman while senior linebacker Willie Julkes III and junior defensive lineman Mykal Tuiolosega-Siufanua earned first team defensive honors.
Senior Sam Michel was the lone Cobber to be named to the MIAC All-Conference Second Team. Michel was place on the All-MIAC Second Team Defense.
Ethan Eagerton, Maison Grefe and Blake Kragnes were the All-MIAC Honorable Mention award winners for the Cobbers and senior Matt Bye was the team's selection for the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team.
The eight award winners helped Concordia finish with a 5-3 record in the MIAC. It marked the seventh time in the last eight seasons that the Cobbers have finished with at least five league victories.
Berg, Michel, Eagerton and Kragnes are the repeat postseason award winners among the group of eight. Berg earns his third All-MIAC First Team honor while Michel makes the All-Conference Second team after earning All-Conference Honorable Mention honors last year. Eagerton was named to the All-MIAC Second Team in 2017 while Kragnes claims his second Honorable Mention award. He also earned the honor in 2017.
Berg was named the MIAC Player of the Week on three occasions this season. He earned the award twice for special teams and one more for his outstanding defensive play at linebacker. Berg led the MIAC and Division III in punting this season. He averaged 45.0 yards per punt in all 10 games this year and 44.9 yards per punt during the conference season. He also had the longest punt in the MIAC (75 yds.) and the most punts downed inside the 20-yard line (15).
On defensive Berg had 70 total tackles in MIAC play. He had 42 solo tackles and 28 assisted tackles. He led the team in tackles and was fourth in the conference in total tackles and second in solo tackles.
Solberg was a 3-year starter on the offensive line. He was one of the four team captains in 2019 and the leader of the offensive line which helped Concordia finish second in the MIAC in rushing yards per game (275.1) and fifth in total yards per game (331.5). Solberg also helped limit opposing team's pass rush attack. The Cobbers gave up only eight sacks in the eight league games which was third best among all teams.
Julkes helped the Cobber Black Shirt defense from his outside linebacker position. He had 18 total tackles in conference play. Julkes also dominated on special team where he blocked four kicks against MIAC teams including a pair of extra points in Concordia's upset win over league champions St. John's. Julkes was also one of the mainstays of the Cobber defense which led the MIAC in red zone" defense.
Tuiolosega-Siufanua was a huge addition to the Cobber defensive line. The junior transfer was one of the anchors of the CC run-stopping attack which finished fourth in the league in rushing yards per game. He also helped Concordia hold opponents to an average of less than 20 points per game. Tuiolosega-Siufanau had 17 total tackles in league play and had a sack and a pair of tackles for a loss in the Cobbers' win over St. Olaf in the Lefse Bowl.
Michel was the team's second leading tackler for the season. He finished with 54 total tackles and 26 solo tackles. Both numbers were in the Top 15 of the MIAC. Michel finished his career with 163 total tackles.
Concordia 2018 All-MIAC Award Winners
All-MIAC First Team
Offense
Hans Solberg (OL)
Defense
Alex Berg (LB), Willie Julkes (LB), Mykal Tuiolosega-Siufanua (DL)
All-MIAC Second Team
Defense
Sam Michel (LB)
All-MIAC Honorable Mention
Ethan Eagerton (CB), Maison Grefe (S), Blake Kragnes (QB)