GRAND FORKS, N.D.--North Dakota senior wide receiver Weston Dressler has been named to the 2007 Football Gazette All-Northwest Region team at two positions, highlighting eight Fighting Sioux selections to the 78-player team.
Dressler, a Bismarck, N.D., native was named to the all-region first team at both the all-purpose and return specialist positions. A Harlon Hill Trophy finalist in 2007, Dressler caught 76 passes for a school-record 1,272 yards and 13 touchdowns. He ranked third nationally in receiving yards and sixth in receiving yards per game (106.4) while ranking 11th with 172 all-purpose yards per game.
Dressler graduates as the holder of 19 different school records, including career receptions (243), career receiving yards (3,382), career touchdown receptions (38) and career all-purpose yards (7,072).
Joining Dressler on the all-region first team were junior center Mitch Braegelmann and senior defensive end Alex Cadwell. Braegelmann, a native of St. Cloud, Minn., started every game for the second straight season and helped pave the way for the Sioux to set a team record with 5,924 yards of total offense, including 2,878 rushing yards.
Cadwell, a Stillwater, Minn., native, earned the first individual postseason award of his career after starting all 12 games and registering 5.0 tackles-for-losses and 2.5 quarterback sacks among his 26 total tackles. He also had three pass breakups.
UND running back Ryan Chappell (So., Grand Forks), offensive lineman Brian Troen (Jr., Racine, Wis.), cornerback Donovan Alexander (Sr., Winnipeg, Manitoba) and punter Brent Halfmann (Sr., Stephen, Minn.) were each named to the all-region second team.
Chappell, a native of Grand Forks, set a UND single-season record with 2,180 all-purpose yards. In 12 games this season, Chappell ran for 1,640 yards ? third-most in UND history ? and 14 touchdowns, while adding 22 receptions for 370 yards and another three touchdowns.
Troen started every game along the offensive line for the Sioux and was named to his second straight All-North Central Conference team.
Alexander, a third-year starter in the UND secondary, tied for second on the team with 33 solo tackles and led the Sioux with nine pass breakups. He finished third on the team with 47 total tackles.
Halfmman, a four-time all-conference selection, led the NCC with a career-high 40.4-yard average.
Junior safety Rory Manke (Detroit Lakes, Minn.) was named to the all-region third team, the first postseason honor of his career. In his first year as UND's starting free safety, Manke led the team in total tackles (73) and solo tackles (49), while ranking second in pass breakups (five) and interceptions (two).
UND went 10-2 overall and advanced to the NCAA postseason in 2007, its final year of Division II competition before beginning play as a Division I-Football Championship Subdivision program in 2008.
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