Contact: Brock Reisler, Assistant Executive Director, breisler@midwestconference.org
OSHKOSH, Wisconsin – The Midwest Conference (MWC) announced its 2025 Football All-Conference Teams and individual awards on Friday, as selected by the league’s 10 head coaches. Leading the honorees were Monmouth College’s James Conner (Offensive Line MVP), Brayden Deem (Offensive Skill MVP), Anthony Cikauskas (Defensive Line MVP) and Ethan James (Defensive Skill MVP), along with Lake Forest College’s James Jordan (Newcomer of the Year). All five players were also selected First Team All-MWC.
Behind senior offensive lineman
James Conner, Monmouth produced the most exploding offensive in the Midwest Conference. The Fighting Scots led the league in touchdowns (70), points (504), points per game (50.4), rushing yards per game (228.1), rushing touchdowns (36), rushing yards (2,281) and passing touchdowns (25). Conner led an offensive line unit that surrendered just four sacks all season for a total of 41 yards.
Quarterback
Brayden Deem spearheaded the Monmouth offensive to a perfect 9-0 record in conference play. The senior completed 54.5% of his passes for 1,995 yards and 24 touchdowns. He threw just five interceptions all season, averaging 199.5 passing yards per game.
Defensive lineman
Anthony Cikauskas was one of the best defensive players in the league for the third consecutive year. Now a three-time first team All-MWC performer and a two-time MWC Defensive Line MVP, Cikauskas paced the MWC with 23.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. He was also second in the league in fumbles recovered (three) and third in forced fumbles (two). Cikauskas was named to the
D3football.com Team of the Week on November 4.
Linebacker
Ethan James impacted the game through both defense and special teams for Monmouth in 2025. The senior led the Midwest Conference with 56 solo tackles, finishing second in the league with 88 overall. He was also first with four fumble recoveries and seventh with 10.5 tackles for loss. James scored four touchdowns in three different ways – punt return, interception return and fumble recovery.
Freshman tight end
James Jordan was fifth on Lake Forest in receiving, hauling in 17 catches for 232 yards (13.7 yards per catch). His five touchdowns led the team, while he had eight multi-catch games – along with back-to-back multi-touchdown games in November.
In his 11th season at the helm of the Monmouth program
Chad Braun was named MWC Football Coach of the Year by his peers. Braun led the Fighting Scots to a 9-1 record (9-0 MWC) and their second Midwest Conference title in four seasons. Monmouth qualified for the NCAA Playoffs for the first time since 2019 and dominated MWC play in 2025 – the Fighting Scots won every MWC contest by at least 29 points, recording three shutouts and allowing single-digit points in eight of nine conference contests. Monmouth earned a first round bye in the NCAA Playoffs and will take on Saint John’s in the second round next weekend (November 29). The Fighting Scots were also ranked as high as #4 in the Region V rankings by the NCAA.
The full 70-member All-MWC Football Team can be found below.
| 2025 Midwest Conference Football All-Conference & Individual Awards |
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| First Team |
Second Team |
Individual Awards |
| Offensive Linemen (7) |
Offensive Linemen (7) |
Offensive Line MVP |
| Vinny Colasacco, Lake Forest |
Tyrek Tripp, Monmouth |
James Conner, Monmouth |
| James Conner, Monmouth |
Blake Buckles, Illinois College |
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| Chaz Carson, Chicago |
Kennedy Washington, Lake Forest |
Offensive Skill MVP |
| Michael Schneider, Chicago |
Mikey Benzija, Monmouth |
Brayden Deem, Monmouth |
| Jake Herstowski, Lake Forest |
Ricky Eastern, Grinnell |
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| Aiden Weaver, Monmouth |
Acen Akers, Monmouth |
Defensive Line MVP |
| Kyle Russell, Illinois College |
Ka’Jon Gray, Ripon |
Anthony Cikauskas, Monmouth |
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| Running Backs (2) |
Running Backs (2) |
Defensive Skill MVP |
| Nate Wrublik, Monmouth |
Lleyton Miller, Illinois College |
Ethan James, Monmouth |
| Jake Lowry, Chicago |
Vance Cooper, Lake Forest |
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Newcomer of the Year |
| Wide Receivers (4) |
Wide Receivers (4) |
James Jordan, Lake Forest |
| Kyle Leonard, Illinois College |
Ryan Clayborn, Ripon |
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| Chase Newman, Monmouth |
Tommy Carberry, Lake Forest |
Coach of the Year |
| Luke Degner, Chicago |
Gavin Soukup, Cornell |
Chad Braun, Monmouth |
| Jeremiah Williams, Monmouth |
Mason Emin, Monmouth |
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| Tight End (1) |
Tight End (1) |
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| James Jordan, Lake Forest |
Mackey Keenan, Chicago |
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| Quarterbacks (2) |
Quarterbacks (2) |
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| Brayden Deem, Monmouth |
Tyson Elliott, Illinois College |
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| Ethan Springer, Lake Forest |
Jack Ruff, Chicago |
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| Defensive Linemen (5) |
Defensive Linemen (5) |
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| Anthony Cikauskas, Monmouth |
Preston Mosher, Lake Forest |
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| Michael Kelley, Lake Forest |
Desean Smith, Ripon |
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| Blaze Helton, Illinois College |
Jeremiah Hardnett, Monmouth |
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| Julius Jenkins, Cornell |
Breck Bishop, Grinnell |
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| Zach Meyer, Chicago |
Gavin Engh, Ripon |
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| Linebackers (5) |
Linebackers (5) |
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| Charlie Fordon, Lake Forest |
Carson Strating, Monmouth |
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| Ethan James, Monmouth |
Luke Konczal, Grinnell |
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| Blake Ware, Lake Forest |
Jackson Sander, Lake Forest |
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| Drake Stuart, Illinois College |
Gavin Carpenter, Monmouth |
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| Cam Dailey, Illinois College |
Cole Ostendorf, Chicago |
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| Defensive Backs (5) |
Defensive Backs (5) |
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| Derek Chandler, Monmouth |
Brandon Henderson, Lake Forest |
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| Malik Byndom, Illinois College |
Dematris Azcueta, Lake Forest |
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| Damien Brown, Monmouth |
Joshua Martin, Cornell |
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| Stirling Sakashita, Chicago |
Armani Carrillo, Monmouth |
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| Kevin Soivilien, Monmouth |
Kaden Kern, Lake Forest |
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| Kicker (1) |
Kicker (1) |
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| Walter Kilgore, Chicago |
Hudson Schambach, Lake Forest |
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| Punter (1) |
Punter (1) |
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| Jakob Gump, Lake Forest |
Zack Banovz, Illinois College |
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| Return Specialist (1) |
Return Specialist (1) |
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| Timo Kato, Illinois College |
Morrison Giggetts, Chicago |
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| Special Teams (1) |
Special Teams (1) |
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| Zechariah Wease, Illinois College |
Kaden Fogelsong, Monmouth |
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