NAPERVILLE, Ill. – University of North Dakota head football coach
Chris Mussman was named the Great West Conference Coach of the Year by his peers on Tuesday, while three of his players garnered spots on the coaches' All-GWC first team. Six more Fighting Sioux were named to the All-GWC second team.
Mussman led the Sioux to an 8-3 record and a share of the GWC regular season title (Cal Poly) a season after going 3-8 and going winless in the league. The five-game turnaround tied for the second best in program history.
“This is a team award more than anything,” Mussman said. “It's a reflection of our seniors, the players and the coaching staff and the work that was put into this season. It just happened to be that I'm the head coach.
“There are a lot of great coaches in this league and it is flattering that they would vote for me as Great West Conference Coach of the Year, but to me this really is a team award and something we can be proud of as a program.”
The Sioux had a pair of sophomores earn first team accolades on offense as running back
Jake Miller (Bismarck, N.D.) and wide receiver
Greg Hardin (Bellevue, Neb.) were honored. Miller ranked second in the GWC with 942 rushing yards and his 14 total touchdowns were second most in the league. Hardin, who missed the final two games with an injury, led the league with an average of 4.8 receptions per game. He was a second team honoree as a freshman in 2010.
Defensively, senior linebacker
Dan Hendrickson (Minot, N.D.) moved up to the first team after claiming second team honors as a junior. He posted the second most solo tackles in a season by a UND defender with 60 and finished with 75 total tackles.
A pair of lineman earned second team nods on offense as sophomore
Joe Kleason (Eagan, Minn.) and senior
Connor McKendry (Costa Mesa, Calif.) were honored for their work up front. Tight end
Seth Wisthoff (Glenburn, N.D.) collected second team honors for the second consecutive year as well. He caught seven passes for 76 yards and was one of the top blocking tight ends in the league.
Placekicker
Zeb Miller (Ankeny, Iowa) made the second team as a specialist after connecting on 15-of-19 field goals, including two fourth-quarter game winners. Defensive end
Ross Brenneman (Omaha, Neb.), who ranked third in the GWC with 8.5 sacks, and safety
Justin Belotti (Kenosha, Wis.), who led the league with four fumble recoveries, also secured second team honors.
North Dakota All-Great West Selections
First Team
Greg Hardin, So., WR (43 receptions, 549 yards, three touchdowns)
Jake Miller, So., RB (195 rushes, 942 yards, 13 touchdowns, 16 receptions, 142 yards, one touchdown)
Dan Hendrickson, Sr., LB (75 total tackles, 60 solo stops, seven tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks)
Second Team
Joe Kleason, So., LG (11 starts, offensive line allowed fewest sacks in GWC (18), averaged 147.9 rushing yards per game)
Connor McKendry, Sr., RT (10 starts, offensive line allowed fewest sacks in GWC (18), averaged 147.9 rushing yards per game)
Zeb Miller, So., PK (15-for-19 on field goals, 31-for-32 point-after-attempts)
Justin Belotti, Sr., FS (35 total tackles, 30 solo stops, four fumble recoveries, one blocked kick)
Ross Brenneman, Jr., DE (32 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for a loss, 8.5 sacks, five quarterback hurries)
– Go Sioux –
