GRAND FORKS, N.D.--Four-time first team selection Weston Dressler highlights North Dakota's league-high nine All-North Central Conference Football Team selections, announced today by the league office.
Dressler, a native of Bismarck, N.D., was named to this year's All-NCC First Team at three different positions ? wide receiver, return specialist and utility ? while being named the league's most valuable receiver for the second straight season. Dressler becomes just the fourth player in NCC history to earn all-conference first team honors for four straight seasons, and he has now earned seven total All-NCC honors in his career.
A 2007 Harlon Hill Trophy candidate, Dressler has caught 71 passes for a league-leading 1,178 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging a career-high 16.6 yards per reception. He also ranks third in the NCC in all-purpose yards (1,923) and punt return average (11.8).
Joining Dressler on the first team offense were junior center Mitch Braegelmann (St. Cloud, Minn.) and sophomore running back Ryan Chappell (Grand Forks). Braegelmann anchors the offensive line of the league's top-ranked offense, while Chappell has run for 1,632 yards and 14 touchdowns with a league-leading and UND record 2,172 all-purpose yards.
UND's first team defensive selections included senior defensive end Alex Cadwell (Stillwater, Minn.), senior cornerback Donovan Alexander (Winnipeg, Manitoba) and senior inside linebacker Robbie Meek (Bloomington, Minn.).
In 11 games this season, Cadwell has 23 total tackles, including 4.0 tackles-for-loss and a career-high 2.5 quarterback sacks. He also has three pass breakups. Alexander has 42 tackles and a team-leading seven pass breakups, while Meek has 38 tackles, including 6.0 tackles-for-loss, and four quarterback hurries.
Rounding out UND's first team selections was senior punter Brent Halfmann (Stephen, Minn.), who is averaging a league-leading and career-high 41.8 yards per punt. It is the fourth time Halfmann has been named to the all-conference team. He was a first team selection in 2005 and a second teamer in 2006 and 2004.
UND also had two selections to both the second team offense and second team defense. Junior offensive lineman Brian Troen (Racine, Wis.) earned his second straight selection, while sophomore linebacker Bobby Stroup (Fargo, N.D.), senior defensive back Rory Manke (Detroit Lakes, Minn.) and senior tight end Troy Ott (Dickinson, N.D.) were honored for the first time.
Senior offensive lineman Andy Hoffelt (Williston, N.D.), sophomore wide receiver Brady Trenbeath (Cavalier, N.D.), junior quarterback Danny Freund (Kenosha, Wis.) and junior linebacker Brett Holinka (Dickinson, N.D.) were named honorable mentions.
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