RIPON, WIS -- The Midwest Conference (MWC) announced the 2009 MWC Football Awards today, November 17, 2009. Monmouth College swept the individual accolades in addition to having a league-high 22 all-conference representatives. Junior quarterback Alex Tanney repeated as the Offensive Player of the Year, senior defensive lineman Anthony Goranson was tabbed the 2009 Defensive Player of the Year and the Fighting Scots’ head coach Steve Bell was named Coach of the Year for the second straight season.
En route to claiming his second Offensive Player of the Year honor, Tanney has shattered nearly every Monmouth College passing record, including career touchdowns (116) and career yards (9,797). The junior quarterback currently leads the league and the nation (Division III) with 3,495 passing yards (349.5 ypg). He enters the 2009 NCAA Playoffs with a 166.79 pass efficiency rating, completing over 70% of his passes, and needs just 204 yards to eclipse 10,000 in his career. His game-high 451 yards vs. Knox on November 7 broke his own single-game record for the second week in a row.
Additional honors for Tanney this season include three Preseason All-American nods as well as three MWC Offensive Performer of the Week selections.
Goranson, also Preseason All-American, led the league in tackles for a loss (17 solo, 4 assisted) with 1.90 yards per game. He currently ranks third in the league in sacks (7.5) and fumbles forced (3). With the 2009 NCAA Playoffs still ahead of him, Goranson is just 1.5 sacks shy of the Scots all-time record of 34 set by Greg Bennett from 1987-90.
Coach Steve Bell, in his tenth season, directed his program to back-to-back MWC titles after posting a perfect 9-0 mark in the MWC for the second straight season. Bell has a 78-25 Fighting Scots career record, which ties him as the all-time winningest coach at Monmouth. He needs one more win to become the all-time wins leader at Monmouth College.
The Fighting Scots are ranked 8th by both D3football.com and the American Football Coaches Association polls, their highest ranking of all-time.
2009 MWC Offensive Player of the Year
Alex Tanney, Junior, Quarterback, Monmouth College
2009 MWC Defensive Player of the Year
Anthony Goranson, Senior, Defensive Line, Monmouth College
2009 MWC Coach of the Year
Steve Bell, Monmouth College, Tenth season
--2009 MWC Football First Team All-Conference--
OFFENSE
QB Alex Tanney Jr. Monmouth College
RB Joe Beckstrand So. Carroll University
RB Clay Bricker Sr. Monmouth College
RB T.J. Pierce So. Ripon College
WR Mike Jennings Sr. Illinois College
WR Matt Shepherd Jr. Monmouth College
WR Dan Carter Sr. Lake Forest College
OL Josh Kotecki Sr. Monmouth College
OL Dan SchwindenhammerSr. Monmouth College
OL Josh Novak Jr. Ripon College
OL Tim Mueller Sr. St. Norbert College
OL Spencer Clarey Jr. Carroll University
OL Jake Reisner Sr. St. Norbert College
K Kyle Tuor Sr. Monmouth College
RS Andrew Christensen Jr. Beloit College
DEFENSE
DL Tighe Burke Sr. Knox College
DL Anthony Goranson Sr. Monmouth College
DL Peyton Lumzy Jr. Monmouth College
DL Jeff Trinka Jr. Ripon College
LB Tony Baratti Jr. Beloit College
LB Ryan Andersen Sr. Ripon College
LB Justin Baker Jr. St. Norbert College
LB Adam Hoste So. Monmouth College
DB Sean Wells Sr. Monmouth College
DB Joe Faulds Sr. Ripon College
DB Chris Manlick Sr. St. Norbert College
DB/PKurt Roeder Jr. Ripon College
ST Steve Zidow So. Monmouth College
--2009 MWC Football Second Team All-Conference--
OFFENSE
QB Rob Berger Jr. St. Norbert College
RB Terence Steward So. Beloit College
RB Caleb Pratt So. Monmouth College
RB John Weninger Jr. St. Norbert College
TE Kyle Galas Jr. Carroll University
WR Julian Ross Jr. Beloit College
WR Michael Blodgett Jr. Monmouth College
WR Jeremy Gezella Sr. St. Norbert College
OL Zach Poelker Sr. Beloit College
OL Nick Hoffman Sr. Monmouth College
OL Seth Hill Sr. Monmouth College
OL Kyle Srnka So. Ripon College
OL Ryan Kaminski Sr. St. Norbert College
K Jake Gahart Fr. Ripon College
RS Dan Kizior Jr. Knox College
DEFENSE
DL Kyle Hansgen Sr. Beloit College
DL Jaron Eanes Sr. Lake Forest College
DL Matt Frelich Sr. Lawrence University
DL Marc Wozniak Sr. Monmouth College
LB Marquis Bradley Jr. Grinnell College
LB Ricky Padilla Jr. Illinois College
LB Chad Zimborski Sr. Lake Forest College
LB Adam Firgens Sr. Ripon College
DB Michael Underwood Jr. Beloit College
DB Brian Gajeski Jr. Carroll University
DB Luke Butts So. Lake Forest College
DB Eric Weber So. Monmouth College
P Andrew Pfeiffer Sr. Illinois College
ST Ryan Boehm Sr. Grinnell College
--2009 MWC Football Honorable Mention All-Conference--
OFFENSE
QB Brian Maughn So. Beloit College
QB Mitch Niekamp Jr. Illinois College
QB Matt Miller Jr. Ripon College
RB Drew Volkmann So. Carroll University
RB Demetrious Baylis Fr. Illinois College
TE Eddie Boyd Fr. Beloit College
TE Brock Doehring So. Illinois College
WR Derek Carrier So. Beloit College
WR Tim Nass Fr. Carroll University
WR Rob Seer So. Grinnell College
WR Nate Nelson Fr. Lawrence University
WR Kyle Wantland Sr. Monmouth College
WR Nick Wright Sr. Monmouth College
OL Jesse Stewart Jr. Carroll University
OL Alex Willing Sr. Carroll University
OL Chris Jarmon So. Grinnell College
OL Matt Taylor Sr. Illinois College
OL Dan Steck Jr. Lake Forest College
OL Jim Schwab Sr. Knox College
OL Nick Parulski So. Ripon College
K Noah Dion Sr. Lake Forest College
RS Josh Poel Fr. Lake Forest College
DEFENSE
DL Eric Ritts Jr. Beloit College
DL Ryan McHale Sr. Carroll University
DL Barrett Danz Sr. Carroll University
DL Garry Moss So. Illinois College
DL Elliott Madison So. Knox College
DL Casey Flynn So. Lake Forest College
DL Mike Gostisha Sr. Lawrence University
DL Nick Leffler Sr. Monmouth College
DL Kyle Roy Jr. Ripon College
DL Kyle Ripley Jr. St. Norbert College
DL John Troyer So. St. Norbert College
LB Michael Otto Sr. Carroll University
LB Dusty Libbra Sr. Illinois College
LB Aaron Juarez Sr. Knox College
LB Donovan Baldridge Sr. Lake Forest College
LB Tanner Compton Jr. Lake Forest College
LB Cory Bishop So. Monmouth College
LB Ben Hackbart Sr. St. Norbert College
LB Marcus Ruff Jr. Monmouth College
DB Vince Salucci So. Beloit College
DB Nick Swartz Jr. Carroll University
DB Marc Heronemus Jr. Grinnell College
DB Eric Beimfohr Jr. Illinois College
DB Donald Jackson Sr. Illinois College
DB Calvin Zirkle Jr. Knox College
DB Jordan Raess Sr. Knox College
DB Lorenzo Ramirez Sr. Lake Forest College
DB Jeff Nichols Jr. Lawrence University
DB Brian Janssen Sr. Lawrence University
DB Peter Hollmaier Sr. Ripon College
P Drew Volkmann So. Carroll University
ST Matt Fogerty Fr. Beloit College
ST T.J. Lawson Jr. Carroll University
ST Kevin Davis So. Lake Forest College