2014 MIAC FOOTBALL AWARDS

MINNEAPOLIS -- Defensive lineman Chris DeVet (SR, Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View HS) became the third Augsburg College player in history to earn the Mike Stam Award as the outstanding interior lineman in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, part of a group of 11 Auggies who earned MIAC honors for the 2014 football season, it was announced on Tuesday.

The Mike Stam Award is given to the MIAC's outstanding lineman on either offense or defense, as voted on by conference coaches. DeVet joins Bob Anderson (1995) and Matt Chappuis (2001) as Auggies who have received the award since it was established in 1989.

DeVet earned a spot on the All-MIAC first team, joining Augsburg quarterback Ayrton Scott (JR, Minneapolis, Minn./Southwest HS) and wide receiver Joey Sonnenfeld (JR, Maple Grove, Minn./Osseo HS). Augsburg running back Jerise Washington (SR, Roseville, Minn./Mounds View HS), offensive lineman Zach Swingen (JR, Cross Plains, Wis./Middleton HS) and defensive back Felix Coleman (SR, Alexandria, Minn./Jefferson HS) earned All-MIAC second-team designation.

Defensive back Denzel Anderson (JR, Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS), wide receiver Hunter Friesen (FY, Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS), linebacker Alan Medina-Gonzalez (JR, Woodbury, Minn./Tartan HS) and offensive lineman Bob Rose (JR, Le Sueur, Minn./Le Sueur-Henderson HS) earned All-MIAC honorable-mention honors. Linebacker Bryce Nelson (JR, New Brighton, Minn./St. Anthony Village HS) was named to the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team.

Scott earned All-MIAC first-team honors for the third straight year, while DeVet and Sonnenfeld repeated as first-team selections from last year. Washington and Coleman both earned second-team honors last season and honorable-mention honors in 2012. It's the first MIAC football honors for Swingen, Anderson, Friesen, Medina-Gonzalez, Rose and Nelson.

In its 10th season under Head Coach Frank Haege, Augsburg finished 4-6 overall, 3-5 in MIAC play in 2014. The Auggies faced a challenging schedule, with five of its 10 games against teams ranked in the top 25 nationally in the D3football.com national polls.
 

DeVet finished his senior season with 53 tackles (22 solo), including 5.5 sacks and 12 tackles for-loss, both second-most among MIAC players in overall statistics. He added two quarterback hurries, a pass breakup, two forded fumbles and two punt recoveries. He had five-plus tackles in six of his 10 games this season, including a 10-tackle, two-sack effort in Augsburg's 62-61 win at Bethel on Nov. 15. On special teams, he gained 75 yards on two fake-punt runs, including a run for a 53-yard touchdown against Carleton on Sept. 20. He finished his career with 168 tackles (71 solo), including 32.5 tackles for-loss and 13.0 sacks. He had five pass breakups, three fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles in his career.

Scott had another stellar season as Augsburg's signal-caller, completing 197-of-338 passes for 2,874 yards (fourth-most in a single season in school history) and 24 touchdowns (tied for fifth-most in a single season in school history) against 12 interceptions. He also rushed 180 times for 869 yards (fifth-most in a single season in school history) and 11 touchdowns (third-most in a single season in school history). Among MIAC quarterbacks in overall statistics, he ranked second in passing yardage per-game (287.4), total passing yardage and touchdowns, and third in completions and passing attempts. His 86.9 rushing yards per-game average, 180 carries and 869 rushing yards were all third-best among MIAC players, while his 11 rushing touchdowns were tied for third-best. Among NCAA Division III players nationally, Scott ranks second in total offense yardage per-game (374.3), while his 21.8 "points responsible for" per-game ranks ninth-best. In the final game of the season, a 62-61, two-overtime win at No. 18-ranked Bethel on Nov. 15, Scott set single-game school records for passing yardage (563) and total offense yardage (630), the latter also an MIAC single-game record and the most yards of total offense in a game by any NCAA Division III player this season. He also set a new conference mark for total offense in a single season, with 3,114 yards (671 rushing, 2,443 passing) in league games-only. In his 30 career games as an Auggie, Scott has already broken all three career rushing school records (521 carries, 2,952 yards, 28 rushing touchdowns), while also breaking the school record for career passing touchdowns (75). He has completed 575-of-967 passes for 7,886 yards and 75 touchdowns against 39 interceptions, ranking second in career passing yardage, third in completions and fourth in attempts.

Sonnenfeld, a transfer last season from Division I North Dakota State, shined in his second season as an Auggie, catching 70 passes for 1,219 yards and a team-high 14 touchdowns. The 1,219 receiving yards are fourth-most in a single season in school history, while the 14 receiving touchdowns are fifth-most. He had 100-plus receiving yards in six of his 10 games this season, including a school and MIAC single-game record 334 receiving yards (second-most among NCAA Division III players this season) in Augsburg's 62-61, two-overtime win at No. 18-ranked Bethel on Nov. 15. He led the MIAC's overall statistics in receiving yards per-game (121.9), total receiving yards and yards per-reception (17.4), while his 14 touchdowns were second-most and 70 receptions third-most. Among NCAA Division III players nationally, he ranks seventh in total receiving yardage (1,219), eighth in receiving yardage per-game and eighth in receiving touchdowns. In 20 career games as an Auggie, Sonnenfeld now has 137 receptions for 2,306 yards (fifth-most in school history) and 27 receiving touchdowns (fourth-most in school history).

Washington rushed 146 times for 690 yards and six rushing touchdowns, while catching 44 passes for 604 yards and one touchdown. His 69.0 rushing yards per-game ranked seventh among MIAC players in overall statistics, while his 129.4 all-purpose yards ranked sixth-best. He also competed in the Aztec Bowl in Chihuahua, Mexico on Nov. 29, playing as part of a USA small-college all-star team against a team of Mexican college all-stars. His 1,294 all-purpose yards and 129.4 all-purpose yards per-game both ranked sixth-most among MIAC players in overall statistics. In his 39-game career, Washington finished with 356 carries for 1,810 yards (fourth in school history) and 24 rushing touchdowns (second in school history), while catching 115 passes for 1,374 yards and two touchdowns.

Swingen was a versatile member of an offensive line that allowed the Auggies to average 450.7 yards per-game this season, fourth-most among MIAC teams in overall statistics. Augsburg's 287.4 passing yards per-game were second-most among MIAC teams this season, while its 163.3 rushing yards per-game were sixth-best. Augsburg had 300-plus yards of total offense in eight of its 10 games, while allowing 19 sacks and 52 tackles for-loss this season. In Swingen's three years as a starter on the offensive line, Augsburg has averaged 458.6 yards of total offense per-game (13,757 total yards) -- 267.5 passing yards per-game (8,025 total) and 167.7 rushing yards per-game (3,353 total) -- while allowing 27 sacks and 92 tackles for-loss.

Coleman had another strong season as Augsburg's starting free safety, leading the team with 77 tackles (49 solo) -- his third straight season with 70-plus tackles -- while recording two tackles for-loss, an interception, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and a blocked kick. His 7.7 tackles per-game were seventh-most among MIAC players in overall statistics. He had seven-plus tackles in seven games this season, including back-to-back 12-tackle performances against St. Thomas (Oct. 11) and Concordia-Moorhead (Oct. 18). In his 40-game Augsburg career, Coleman finished with 295 total tackles (172 solo), including 8.5 tackles for-loss, nine interceptions, 12 pass breakups, five forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick.

Anderson had a career year as Augsburg's strong safety in 2014, finishing third on the team with a career-best 55 tackles (30 solo), including 1.5 tackles for-loss, two inteceptions and three pass breakups. He had four-plus tackles in eight of his 10 games this season, including a season-best 10 tackles in the season-opener against Wartburg on Sept. 6. In his 30-game Auggie career, Anderson has 108 tackles (65 solo), including 10.5 tackles for-loss, 4.5 sacks, three interceptions, four pass breakups and a forced fumble.

Friesen had an impressive debut season for the Auggies, finishing with 41 catches for 610 yards and six touchdowns, despite missing two games due to injury during the season. His best game was in Augsburg's 42-14 win at Carleton on Sept. 20, when he caught eight passes for 175 yards and a school-record 92-yard touchdown. His 76.2 receiving yards per-game ranked fifth-most among MIAC players in overall statistics, while his 14.9 yards per-reception average was fourth-best.

Medina-Gonzalez had a strong campaign in his first year as a starting linebacker in 2014, finishing second on the team with a career-best 73 tackles (33 solo), including 1.5 sacks, 3.0 tackles for-loss, an interception, forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He had five-plus tackles in eight of his 10 games this season, including a 16-tackle effort against Concordia-Moorhead on Oct. 18 and 11 tackles against Gustavus on Sept. 27. His 7.3 tackles per-game average ranked 10th-best among MIAC players in overall statistics. In his 24-game Augsburg career, Medina-Gonzalez has 87 tackles (41 solo), including 4.5 tackles for-loss, 1.5 sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

Rose was a starter on an offensive line that allowed the Auggies to average 450.7 yards per-game this season, fourth-most among MIAC teams in overall statistics. Augsburg's 287.4 passing yards per-game were second-most among MIAC teams this season, while its 163.3 rushing yards per-game were sixth-best. Augsburg had 300-plus yards of total offense in eight of its 10 games, while allowing 19 sacks and 52 tackles for-loss this season. In Rose's two years as a starter on the offensive line, Augsburg has averaged 452.3 yards of total offense per-game (9,045 total yards) -- 284.6 passing yards per-game (5,692 total) and 191.1 rushing yards per-game (5,732 total) -- while allowing 33 sacks and 123 tackles for-loss.

Nelson was named to the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team, as part of the conference's sportsmanship initiative. 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. Despite missing three games due to injury midway through the season, Nelson still finished tied for fifth on the team in total tackles with 49 (27 solo), including 4.0 tackles for-loss, an interception and a pass breakup. He had five-plus tackles in five of his seven games, including 14 against Wartburg on Sept. 6 and 10 against St. Thomas on Oct. 11. In his 21-game Augsburg career, Nelson as 63 tackles (31 solo), including 5.0 tackles for-loss, two interceptions and three pass breakups.