2023 MIAC FOOTBALL AWARDS

MINNEAPOLIS -- Nine Augsburg University football players have earned postseason honors from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for their performances during the 2023 season, it was announced on Monday.
 
Quarterback Cade Sheehan (SR, Rochester, Minn./Mayo HS), running back DJ Monroe (SR, Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee HS), wide receiver Dominic Smith (JR, White Bear Lake, Minn./White Bear Lake HS), wide receiver Braden Tretter (SR, Sauk Rapids, Minn./Sauk Rapids-Rice HS), offensive lineman Andrew Hahn (JR, Avon, Minn./Albany HS), linebacker Hamsa Kahin (JR, Eden Prairie, Minn./Edina HS), and running back/returner Isaiah Thompson (JR, Detroit Lakes, Minn./Detroit Lakes HS) were named to the All-MIAC squad, while offensive lineman Michael Harris III (JR, St. Paul, Minn./Tartan HS) and linebacker Brandon Sjostrand (SR, Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy HS) earned All-MIAC Honorable Mention honors. A total of 63 players were named to the All-MIAC squad, with another 24 earning Honorable Mention honors.
 
The MIAC postseason honors are the third each for Sheehan, Smith and Tretter. Sheehan earned All-MIAC honors last year and All-MIAC second-team honors in 2021; Tretter was an All-MIAC honoree last year and second-teamer in 2021; and Smith was an All-MIAC Honorable Mention honoree last year and All-MIAC first-teamer in 2021. Monroe repeated his All-MIAC honor from a year ago. It's the first conference postseason honors for Hahn, Kahin, Thompson, Harris and Sjostrand.
 
Sheehan capped an outstanding career as Augsburg's signal-caller in 2023, completing 192-of-302 passes for 2,122 yards and a career-high 30 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. He ranked third among MIAC quarterbacks in passing touchdowns, with his 150.7 efficiency rating fourth-best. Sheehan also rushed 108 times for 446 yards and three touchdowns, ranking 10th among MIAC players in rushing yardage, ninth in rushing average (44.6) and eighth in rushing attempts. He threw or 200 or more yards in eight of his 10 games, with three or more touchdown passes in seven contests. In his 31-game collegiate career, Sheehan now has completed 623-of-997 passes for 7,271 yards and 94 touchdowns against 30 interceptions, while rushing 323 times for 1,135 yards and 10 touchdowns. In school history, Sheehan ranks second in passing touchdowns, third in passing yardage, third in passing completions and fifth in passing attempts.
 
Monroe had another strong season on the ground for the Auggies, leading the squad with 635 rushing yards on 132 carries, scoring three touchdowns. He also caught 13 passes for 86 yards on the season. He ranked fourth among MIAC players with a 62.6 rushing yards per-game average, ranking fifth in overall rushing yards and fifth in rushing attempts. He had five games with 50 or more rushing yards, including a 16-carry, 114-yard rushing effort in Augsburg's 56-36 win at St. Olaf on Oct. 21. In his 29 career games as an Auggie, Monroe has 1,497 rushing yards on 284 carries with 12 touchdowns, along with 252 receiving yards on 30 catches. His 1,497 career rushing yards are seventh-most in school history, with his 12 touchdowns tied for 13th-best.
 
Tretter had another solid year as a receiver, catching 57 passes for 696 yards and a career-best nine touchdowns. His nine touchdowns were tied for ninth-best among MIAC players, while his 69.6 receiving yards per-game average was 15th-best. Tretter had six games with 60-plus receiving yards, including an eight-catch, 130-yard effort in Augsburg's 42-34 win at Macalester on Nov. 4, a six-catch, 118-yard, two-touchdown effort in the Auggies' 52-10 win over Northwestern-St. Paul on Sept. 1, and an eight-catch, 114-yard, three-touchdown performance in the Auggies' 41-7 win at Hamline on Oct. 7. In his 31-game college career, Tretter now has 202 receptions for 2,484 yards and 26 touchdowns, ranking sixth in school history in career receiving yards, sixth in receptions and seventh in receiving touchdowns.
 
Smith joined his teammate Tretter in forming one of the best receiving combos in the MIAC, finishing the 2023 campaign with 43 receptions for 611 yards and 14 touchdowns. He finished second among MIAC players in receiving touchdowns and 16th in receiving yardage per-game. He had six games with 50-plus receiving yards, including a seven-catch, 119-yard effort in the Auggies' 52-10 win over Northwestern-St. Paul on Sept. 1, a four-catch, 103-yard effort in the Auggies' 41-25 loss to Carleton on Nov. 11, and an eight-catch, 101-yard, three-touchdown effort in the Auggies' 56-36 win at St. Olaf on Oct. 21. He was also the Auggies' primary punter this season, averaging 38.0 yards on 18 punts, ranking fifth among MIAC players in punting average. In his 30 games as an Auggie in his career, he now has 168 catches for 2,300 yards and 34 touchdowns, ranking fourth in school history in career receiving touchdowns, eighth in receiving yardage and ninth in receptions.
 
Kahin had a stellar year as a linebacker, finishing with 43 tackles (33 solo), to go along with a team-best 5.5 sacks (37 yards) and 8.5 tackles for-loss (42 yards), with five quarterback hurries, an interception and two fumble recoveries. His 5.5 sacks were tied for second-most among MIAC players, and his 8.5 tackles for-loss were tied for ninth-most. He had four or more tackles in seven games this season, including a season-best eight-tackles (seven solo), three sacks and two fumble recoveries in the Auggies' 33-31 win at Gustavus on Sept. 23. In his 22-game collegiate career, Kahin now has 105 total tackles (71 solo), with 22.0 tackles for-loss (92 yards) and 11.5 sacks (72 yards), with three interceptions, nine quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
 
Thompson shined on special teams as Augsburg's primary kick returner, leading the MIAC with a 30.3 yards per-return average on 12 returns (363 yards). He had seven returns of 30 yards or more on the season, including an 88-yard return for a touchdown in Augsburg's 56-36 win at St. Olaf on Oct. 21. He also rushed 26 times for 116 yards and a touchdown as a running back, while catching five passes for 48 yards. In his 27-game career, Thompson is averaging 25.3 yards per kickoff return (25 returns) and has 1,493 all-purpose yards (745 rushing yards on 156 carries, 116 receiving yards, 632 kick return yards).
 
Hahn and Harris were part of an offensive line that enabled the Auggies to average 391.6 yards of total offense per-game (229.4 yards passing and 162.2 yards rushing per-game), against 17 sacks and 33 tackles for-loss. Augsburg's offense averaged 5.8 yards per-play (3,916 yards on 680 plays), with its 319.6 yards per-game average sixth-best among MIAC teams. The Auggies' 162.2 rushing yardage per-game average was third-best in the MIAC, and Augsburg's 155.9 passing efficiency rating was third-best among MIAC teams. Hahn and Harris occupied the left side of the offensive line for the Auggies this season, with Hahn at left tackle and Harris at left guard. This was Harris' first full-time season on the offensive line, after playing on the defensive line his first two seasons, while Hahn shifted from right tackle to left tackle this season.
 
Sjostrand capped an outstanding career as a middle linebacker for the Auggies, finishing second on the team with 62 tackles (32 solo), to go along with 3.0 tackles for-loss (three yards), with four pass breakups, two quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. His 62 tackles ranked 19th among MIAC players this season. He had six games with five or more tackles this season, with 10 total tackles in three straight games -- a 41-7 win at Hamline on Oct. 7, a 38-7 loss to Bethel on Oct. 14 and a 56-36 win at St. Olaf on Oct. 21. Sjostrand played in 46 career games from 2018-23, with 218 career tackles (97 solo), 11.5 tackles for-loss (30 yards), 3.0 sacks (17 yards), six passes defensed, four quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
 
Under coach Derrin Lamker, Augsburg finished the 2023 campaign with a 6-4 overall record, 4-4 in MIAC play. The Auggies are now 17-14 in Lamker's four seasons at the helm.