CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) announced the Football All-Conference and marquee awards winners on Thursday.
After sweeping the conference slate, Mount St. Joseph University earned three of the major award winners.
Junior
Josh Taylor (Mt. Orab, Ohio) earned the title of 2022 HCAC Offensive Player of the Year. Taylor led the league in total offense and in total TDs with 14 passing scores and 12 rushing scores. Taylor's 96 points over the course of the season rank him third in Division III, with a 9.6 points per game average. He also helped lead an MSJ offense that is sixth in Division III in scoring and eight in total offense. The Lion's team captain boasts 95 completions for a 57.2 completion percentage, for 1354 yards for a 193.4 passing yards per game average. In addition to getting it done in the air, the junior also did it on the ground, with 83 carries for 593 yards, and an 84.7 rushing yards per game average.
Fellow Lion
Noah Hammond (Brookville, Ind.) was named the 2022 HCAC Defensive Player of the Year. The graduate student leads the HCAC in sacks with 8.5, seven solo and three assisted, for a lost 47 yards and an average of 1.21 sacks per game. Hammond was third in the league for tackles for loss with 10.5, eight of which were solo for 52 yards for loss. In 2022, the defensive lineman racked up 42 tackles and had five deflected passes to help anchor a solid MSJ defense.
Earning his second straight HCAC Special Teams Player of the Year award is
Jailen Hobbs (Spring Lake, N.C.) from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. The junior was a standout returner for the Fightin' Engineers, with 14 kickoff returns in 2022 for an impressive 377-yards and two scores. His average per return was an impressive 37.7-yards and he had a long return of 89-yards. Hobbs also racked up a notable tally on punt returns, with 15 returns for 278-yards, for an average of 27.8-yards and one score.
The HCAC recognizes an athlete in their first year of athletic competition who stands out above the rest as the Newcomer of the Year. The coaches selected
Da'Realyst Clark (Lima, Ohio) as the 2022 HCAC Newcomer of the Year. The wide receiver put up impressive numbers in his first season in a Yellowjackets uniform, posting 17 receptions for 278 yards for a 27.8 yards per game average and two scores. The first year wore many hats, earning two HCAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors, with 27 kick returns for a total of 720 yards for an average of 26.7 yards per return and two touchdowns.
Mount St. Joseph head coach
Tyler Hopperton was voted as the 2022 HCAC Coach of the Year, following a perfect 7-0 record in HCAC play, claiming the 2022 HCAC Football Regular Season title and a berth in the 2022 NCAA Division III Football Playoffs. He also led the Lions to an 10-0 mark overall on the year.
Offensive Player of the Year – Josh Taylor, Mount St. Joseph University
Defensive Player of the Year – Noah Hammond, Mount St. Joseph University
Special Teams Player of the Year – Jailen Hobbs, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Newcomer of the Year – Da'Realyst Clark, Defiance College
Coach of the Year – Tyler Hopperton, Mount St. Joseph University
The HCAC also honors an All-Conference First Team, Second Team and Honorable Mention team. The members of those teams are selected by a vote of league coaches and are listed below.
For more information on HCAC football, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the HCAC's home on the internet at www.heartlandconf.org. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference news by following @HCACDIII on Twitter and by liking the "HCAC DIII" Facebook page.
FIRST TEAM
| Name |
Position |
Institution |
| Cornell Beachem, Jr. |
RB |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Kyzer Bowen |
LB |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Caleb Brewster |
LB |
Hanover College |
| Rashard Brown |
DB |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Justin Case |
OL |
Franklin College |
| Da'Realyst Clark |
R |
Defiance College |
| Thomas Coltrain |
LB |
Defiance College |
| Jacob Doll |
OL |
Hanover College |
| Devon Donawerth |
DB |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Kyle Farfsing |
K |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Jarrett Gibson |
WR |
Franklin College |
| Kenneth Gipson |
OL |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Alex Gresock |
TE |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Noah Hammond |
DL |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Devonte Hardiman |
DL |
Hanover College |
| Jailen Hobbs |
WR / R |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Daniel Huery |
WR |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Danny Mabe |
OL |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Sam Martin |
OL |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Tyce Miller |
DB |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Shay McRath |
DL |
Franklin College |
| Joey Newton |
WR |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Jireh Ojata |
DL |
Franklin College |
| Austin Oppel |
RB |
Hanover College |
| Nate Owens |
LB |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Justin Pierson |
OL |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Richard Pope IV |
DL |
Defiance College |
| Austin Price |
DB |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Riley Roberts |
LB |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Chaikou Sow |
DB |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| David Smith |
RB |
Manchester University |
| Deshawn Starks |
DB |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Josh Taylor |
QB |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Adam Tice-Saliu |
WR |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Andrew Toler |
P |
Rose-Hulman institute of Technology |
SECOND TEAM
| Name |
Position |
Institution |
| Decklan Brophy |
DL |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Dylan Boswell |
P |
Franklin College |
| Josue Castro |
DB |
Manchester University |
| Armani Christopher |
OL |
Franklin College |
| Garrett Cora |
RB |
Franklin College |
| Ethan Corwin |
OL |
Franklin College |
| Peter Cross |
DL |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Tyler Davis |
LB |
Bluffton University |
| Jamey Deckard |
LB |
Hanover College |
| Hunter Eads |
WR |
Hanover College |
| Markus Finley |
OL |
Bluffton University |
| Karl Foster |
DB |
Bluffton University |
| Jarrett Gibson |
R |
Franklin College |
| Conner Hindman |
OL |
Manchester University |
| Keith Holmes, Jr. |
DL |
Bluffton University |
| Zykeem Hunley |
WR |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Markell Jackson |
DB |
Manchester University |
| Isaac Lawrence |
DL |
Franklin College |
| Brody Luker |
DB |
Hanover College |
| Dylan McKinney |
WR |
Franklin College |
| Devontay Moore |
LB |
Manchester University |
| Eric Moultrie Jr. |
OL |
Defiance College |
| Nicholas Myers |
OL |
Bluffton University |
| V'Sean Palmer |
DB |
Defiance College |
| Darian Porter |
DB |
Franklin College |
| Omar Porter Jr. |
WR |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Gary Powell |
TE |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Kyle Rehberg |
K |
Rose-Hulman institute of Technology |
| Cole Recker |
TE |
Defiance College |
| Grant Ripperda |
RB |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Miguel Robertson |
QB |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Nick Stephenson |
LB |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Jack Tucker |
DL |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Ari Turner |
R |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Rigo Villa |
DL |
Defiance College |
| Matthew Weimer |
QB |
Hanover College |
| Kody Wilkerson |
LB |
Franklin College |
Honorable Mention
| Name |
Position |
Institution |
| Jerry Addo-Boateng |
DB |
Anderson University |
| Jordan Ambrose |
QB |
Defiance College |
| Derek Baldin |
K |
Franklin College |
| Jake Baumgartner |
P |
Bluffton University |
| Ethan Beringer |
WR |
Bluffton University |
| Justin Caballero |
LB |
Defiance College |
| Tristan Chambers |
DL |
Anderson University |
| Jackson Elder |
OL |
Anderson University |
| Austin Ellis |
OL |
Manchester University |
| Tyshaun Freeman |
RB |
Defiance College |
| Julian Holguin |
WR |
Anderson University |
| Connor Huffman |
DL |
Anderson University |
| Yoann Kinaga |
K |
Hanover College |
| Collin McCaffrey |
LB |
Anderson University |
| Caden McClain |
LB |
Anderson University |
| Ryan Murray |
P |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Noah Pistory |
LS |
Defiance College |
| Tawann Rome |
WR |
Defiance College |
| Kai Ross |
QB |
Franklin College |
| Eric Roudebush |
P |
Hanover College |
| Zeke Sanchez |
K |
Defiance College |
| Haylee Smith |
DB |
Manchester University |
| Cayden Sotelo |
DB |
Anderson University |
| Maalik Tucker |
RB |
Bluffton University |
| Brady Welker |
DL |
Bluffton University |