September 3
Nate Palkovic - Kicker/Punter - Monmouth
Senior - Peoria, Ill./Woodruff
Palkovic was solid in Monmouth’s 35-7 season-opening loss against No. 25 Wartburg at home on Saturday. The senior punted 12 times for an impressive 44.7 yard average and had two kickoffs travel an average of 64.5 yards. He also booted a PAT in his only place-kick attempt. Palkovic’s 536 punting yards shattered the single-game school record, and his 12 attempts also tied the school mark.
September 10
Jimmy Hoover - Defensive Back - Lake Forest College
Junior - Lake St. Louis, Mo./Wentzville Holt
Hoover’s play on special teams helped keep Lake Forest in the game during a 34-27 loss to Ripon on Saturday. The junior defensive back registered three special teams tackles, including one for a two-yard loss on a punt return in the opening quarter. Hoover’s more dramatic exploits occurred in the fourth quarter when he recovered back-to-back onside kicks, the first on the Forester 43-yard line and the second at the Ripon 36-yard line.
September 17
Kurt Roeder - Punter - Ripon College
Freshman - Beaver Dam, Wis./Beaver Dam
Roeder helped the Red Hawks win the field position battle in Saturday’s 28-10 home victory over Knox. The freshman punter averaged 37.2 yards per kick on five punts, with a long of 62 yards and a pair of punts inside the 20-yard line. He also added a tackle and broke up a pass as a defensive back.
September 24
Nate Palkovic - Kicker/Punter - Monmouth College
Senior - Peoria, Ill./Woodruff
One week after setting the Monmouth career scoring record, Palkovic was the hero in a 6-3 win over Carroll. The senior kicker gave Monmouth a 3-0 lead with a 36-yard kick in the second quarter (2:49), before splitting the uprights on the game-winner from 25 yards out with 4:28 left in the contest. Palkovic also averaged 35.2 yards per kick on six punts, booted a long punt of 50 yards and placed two balls inside the Carroll 20-yard-line.
October 1
Josh Kraemer - Cornerback - Ripon College
Junior - Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha West
Kraemer became the first player in the MWC this season to return a kickoff for a touchdown when the junior cornerback took a second quarter kick back 84 yards for a touchdown and a 13-7 Ripon lead during a 28-26 loss to Carroll. Kraemer finished with game with five kick returns for 162 yards and also returned one punt 13 yards. On defense, he intercepted a pass, made three tackles and one tackle for loss.
October 8
Jack Dippold - Kicker - Knox College
Junior - Peoria, Ill./Notre Dame
Dippold was perfect in Knox’s 38-7 home victory over Grinnell on Saturday, converting all six of his attempts on the afternoon. Dippold was 5-for-5 on extra point attempts and split the uprights on a 28-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter. The junior kicker has made 14-of-15 extra point attempts and 3-of-4 field goals this season.
October 15
Josh Kraemer - Cornerback - Ripon College
Junior - Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha West
Kraemer made a variety of special teams plays during the Red Hawks’ 27-20 win over Monmouth that put Ripon in sole possession of second place in the MWC. The junior defensive back, who ranks first in the league in kickoff returns and second in punt returns, averaged 27.3 and 16.0 yards per return on kickoffs and punts in the game, respectively. Three of Ripon’s four scoring drives in the game occurred after Kraemer returned the ball (2 punts, 1 kickoff) into Monmouth territory. Kraemer, who also handled Ripon’s kickoff duties, blocked a third quarter field goal that would have given Monmouth the lead and made three tackles in the game.
October 22
Matt Shepherd - Wide Receiver - Monmouth College
Freshman - Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg
Entering the third quarter of its game at Lake Forest leading 13-7, Shepherd sparked the Fighting Scots to a 41-19 victory by returning the second half kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown. The freshman wide receiver also added three punt returns of 40, 27 and 16 yards. His 190 yards of kick returns is good for second on Monmouth’s all-time single-game list. As a receiver, Shepherd caught two passes for 78 yards, including a 54-yard touchdown.
October 29
Brett Grant - Punter - Illinois College
Freshman - Cottage Hills, Ill./Civic Memorial
Making his first career start, Grant helped the Blueboys in the field position battle, as Illinois College nearly upset Monmouth during a 26-23 overtime loss on Saturday. The freshman punter averaged 42.8 yards per punt on six kicks in the contest, including three punts of 50 yards or more (54, 52, 51) and a pair of kicks inside the Monmouth 20-yard line.
November 5
Rob Berger - Punter - St. Norbert College
Freshman - Rice Lake, Wis./Rice Lake
Berger punted five times for 237 yards, a 47.4 yards per punt average, proving to be pivotal in the Green Knights’ 31-24 win over Illinois College. The freshman punter placed three punts inside the Blueboys’ 20-yard line, as Illinois College’s average starting field position in the game was its own 25-yard line. A pair of Berger’s punts were also downed at the Blueboy one-yard line in the second half.