2016 MIAC FOOTBALL AWARDS

MINNEAPOLIS -- Nine Augsburg College football players earned end-of-season honors from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, it was announced recently.

Offensive lineman Andrew Konieczny (SR, Tomah, Wis.) was named to the All-MIAC first team, while wide receiver Nick Heenie (SO, Victoria, Minn./Waconia HS), defensive lineman Daulton Olinger (JR, Spring Lake Park, Minn.) and defensive back Isiah Malone (JR, Brooklyn Center, Minn./Park Center HS) earned All-MIAC second-team honors.

Defensive back/linebacker Jabri Guy (SO, Moline, Ill./Eagan (Minn.) HS), linebacker Lorenzo Hernandez (SO, New Ulm, Minn.), offensive lineman Christopher Lemke (SO, Glencoe, Minn./Glencoe-Silver Lake HS) and defensive lineman Khoa Nguyen (SR, Rochester, Minn./Lourdes HS) received All-MIAC honorable-mention recognition, and offensive lineman Connor Helgeson (SR, Onalaska, Wis.) was named to the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team.

Konieczny earned his second conference recognition, after being named as an All-MIAC honorable-mention recipient last year. It is the first conference recognition for the other eight Auggies.

Under 12th-year head coach Frank Haege, Augsburg finished 2-8 overall, 2-6 in MIAC play in 2016.
 

Konieczny, Lemke and Helgeson were part of an Augsburg offensive line that produced 2,539 yards of total offense this season, a 253.9 yards per-game average. The Auggies rushed for 516 yards and passed for 2,023 yards this season. A team co-captain in 2016, Konieczny has been a four-year starter for the Auggies, appearing in 37 games in his career and starting 35, while Helgeson has appeared in 30 games, starting 18, in his four-year Auggie career. Lemke emerged as a starter on the offensive line this season, starting all 10 games. He has appeared in 14 games over his two-year career. Over the past four years, the offensive line has helped the Auggies produce 16,622 yards of total offense (415.6 yards per-game), including 6,503 rushing yards (162.6 per-game) and 10,119 passing yards (253.0 per-game), while allowing 227 tackles for-loss and 74 sacks. In the last two seasons, Augsburg has produced 7,577 yards of total offense (378.9 per-game), including 3,150 rushing yards (157.5 per-game) and 4,427 passing yards (221.4 per-game), while allowing 135 tackles for-loss and 47 sacks.

Heenie had a breakout year as an Auggie receiver in 2016, catching 55 passes for 602 yards and three touchdowns. His 60.2 receiving yards per-game were sixth-best among MIAC players in overall statistics, while his 55 receptions were fourth-best and 602 receiving yards were seventh-best. He had 50-plus receiving yards in seven of his 10 games this season, including a 12-catch, 100-yard effort against Gustavus on Sept. 17.

A transfer from the Division II University of Sioux Falls (S.D.), Olinger had a strong season as Augsburg's nose guard, compiling 36 tackles (11 solo), including a tackle for-loss, while also recording three pass breakups and two quarterback hurries. He had three-plus tackles in six games this season, including a nine-tackle (eight solo) effort for the Auggies at Hamline on Oct. 29. He appeared in six games in two seasons at Sioux Falls before transferring to Augsburg this season.

Malone continued his strong career in the Augsburg defensive backfield, collecting 37 tackles (25 solo), 2.5 tackles for-loss and a fumble recovery. A cornerback, he recorded three interceptions this season, returning two for touchdowns, and had 15 pass breakups. His breakup total led the MIAC this season, while his interception total was tied for fifth-best. He also served as one of Augsburg's kickoff returners, averaging 20.4 yards per-return on 12 returns, the fourth-best kickoff return average among MIAC players. In 30 career games, Malone has recorded 124 tackles (89 solo), with 3.5 tackles for-loss, seven interceptions, 18 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

A transfer from the North Dakota State College of Science, Guy had a strong debut season for the Auggies, standing second on the team in total tackles with 63 (34 solo), with six tackles for-loss, a sack, two pass breakups, a quarterback hurry, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. His 6.3 tackles per-game average was tied for 13th-best among MIAC players in overall statistics. He shifted from cornerback to outside linebacker midway through the season, and had five-plus tackles in seven games this season, including an 11-tackle (four solo) effort against Concordia-Moorhead on Oct. 22.

Hernandez had a breakout year for the Auggies in 2016, leading the team in tackles with 88 (27 solo), including 4.5 tackles for-loss, a sack, two pass breakups, a quarterback hurry and a fumble recovery. His 8.8 tackles per-game average was fourth-best among MIAC players this season. He had six-plus tackles in every game this season and recorded double-digit tackle totals three times -- 11 tackles against both Carleton and St. Thomas, and 10 tackles against Concordia-Wisconsin. In 13 career games, he now has 90 tackles (28 solo).

A team co-captain in 2016, Nguyen shined as a defensive lineman, ranking third on the team with 61 tackles (27 solo), including 7.5 tackles for-loss and a team-best 4.0 sacks. He also had an interception, quarterback hurry, forced fumble and a blocked kick this season. His 6.1 tackles per-game aveage was tied for 17th-best among MIAC players and his 4.0 sacks were tied for 12th-best. In 34 career games as an Auggie, he recorded 128 tackles (52 solo), 11.0 tackles for-loss, 6.5 sacks, an interception, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick.

Helgeson, an offensive lineman, 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.