2014 Football All-Conference

Franklin’s Welp & Bluffton’s Aelker Headline All-HCAC Football Selections

Franklin’s Welp & Bluffton’s Aelker Headline All-HCAC Football Selections
Posted: Nov 19, 2014

GREENWOOD, IN – Franklin College led the conference with 10 players on the 2014 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference All-Conference First Team, including the conference’s Offensive Most Valuable Player.  Franklin’s Grant Welp (Ferdinand, Ind./Forest Park) has been named the HCAC Offensive Most Valuable Player, while Bluffton’s Ryan Aelker (New Bavaria, Ohio/Holgate) picked up the HCAC Defensive Most Valuable Player award. 

Manchester’s Dakota Nelson (Fairland, Ind./Triton Central) was honored as Special Teams Most Valuable Player for the first time, while Franklin head coach Mike Leonard garnered Coach of the Year honors for the sixth time in his career.

Mount St. Joseph University’s Greg Simpson (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) was named Freshman of the Year for his efforts this fall.

Welp, a senior quarterback for the Grizzlies, has passed for 3,127 yards this fall, ranking sixth in all of NCAA Division III.  The senior is averaging 312.7 yards per game, while amassing 31 passing touchdowns and eight rushing scores.  During conference play, Welp averaged a 325.8 passing yards per contest and tossed a HCAC-leading 27 touchdowns.  The first-year starter crossed the 300-yard passing mark seven times in ten games, including a 398-yard performance against Hanover. 

Aelker, a junior defensive lineman for Bluffton, led the Beavers defense this season that ranked among the conference leaders in scoring (2nd) and total defense (3rd).  The junior leads NCAA Division III with 13.0 sacks and ranks fourth nationally with 22.0 tackles for loss.  Aelker also ranks fifth nationally with four forced fumbles, while adding two fumble recoveries and an interception from the defensive end position.

Nelson, a sophomore returner for Manchester, scored four return touchdowns for the Spartans this season.  The sophomore leads the nation in punt return average and punt return touchdowns, averaging 25.5 yards per return with three scores.  Nelson also averaged 25.9 yards per kickoff return with one touchdown this fall.

Simpson, a freshman quarterback for Mount St. Joseph, played in all 10 games for the Lions this season.  The freshman completed 56.8% of his passes for 1,831 yards and 22 touchdowns.  Simpson also rushed for 579 yards and six touchdowns on 97 carries this fall. 

Franklin College head coach Mike Leonard has been selected as the HCAC Coach of the Year for the sixth time in his career.  Leonard guided the Grizzlies to a seventh HCAC title, including a NCAA tournament appearance for the seventh time in eight seasons.  Franklin stands 8-2 overall heading into the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs at Wabash College Saturday.

Offensive Most Valuable Player: Grant Welp, Franklin College

Defensive Most Valuable Player: Ryan Aelker, Bluffton University

Special Teams Most Valuable Player: Dakota Nelson, Manchester University

Freshman of the Year: Greg Simpson, Mount St. Joseph University

Coach of the Year: Mike Leonard, Franklin College

First Team All-HCAC

Name

School

Year

Position

Hometown/High School

Grant Welp

Franklin

Sr.

QB

Ferdinand, Ind./Forest Park

Spencer Corrao

Hanover

Sr.

RB

New Albany, Ind./Our Lady of Providence

Joey Pasquale

Franklin

Sr.

RB

Noblesville, Ind./H.S.

Denzel Norvell

Mount St. Joseph

So.

RB

Dayton, Ohio/Thurgood Marshall

Zac Erba

Rose-Hulman

Sr.

TE

Winona Lake, Ind./Warsaw

Dakota Nelson

Manchester

So.

WR/Ret.

Fairland, Ind./Triton Central

Alec Fisher

Rose-Hulman

So.

WR

Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills

Jonny Hession

Franklin

Sr.

WR

Speedway, Ind./H.S.

Leonard Riston

Mount St. Joseph

Sr.

WR

Cincinnati, Ohio/Withrow

Zach Cole

Franklin

Sr.

WR

Middletown, Ind./Shenandoah

Jack Tomlinson

Bluffton

Sr.

WR

Westerville, Ohio/South

Quinton Terrell

Franklin

Sr.

OL

Martinsville, Ind./H.S.

Austin Carlton

Franklin

Jr.

OL

Evansville, Ind./F.J. Reitz

Brandon Keller

Mount St. Joseph

Sr.

OL

Flowery Branch, Ga./H.S.

Ryan Hahn

Hanover

Sr.

OL

Ft. Thomas, Ky./ Highlands

Tanner Engle

Defiance

Sr.

OL

Harrod, Ohio/Allen East

D’Ante Dorsey

Manchester

Jr.

OL

Indianapolis, Ind./Arlington

Ryan Aelker

Bluffton

Jr.

DL

New Bavaria, Ohio/Holgate

Jake Stilwell

Hanover

Jr.

DL

Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights

Nate Bryan

Franklin

Jr.

DL

Greencastle, Ind./North Putnam

Jonathan Campbell

Mount St. Joseph

So.

DL

Cincinnati, Ohio/La Salle

Stephen Coble

Manchester

Sr.

DL

Edwardsburg, Mich./H.S.

Konnor Blevins

Mount St. Joseph

Sr.

LB

Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota West

Jeremiah Windell

Franklin

Jr.

LB

Corydon, Ind./Central

Brent McCleerey

Mount St. Joseph

Sr.

LB

Mooresville, Ind./Monrovia

Vince Peiffer

Hanover

Sr.

LB

Franklin, Ind./Indian Creek

Brad Swavel

Bluffton

Sr.

LB

Marion, Ohio/Ridgedale

Jameson Brock

Franklin

Sr.

DB

Noblesville, Ind./H.S.

Andrew Feldhaus

Defiance

Jr.

DB

Lutz, Fla./Steinbrenner

Marvin Draper

Mount St. Joseph

Jr.

DB

Columbus, Ohio/Whetstone

Josh Slayton

Defiance

Sr.

DB

Ft. Wayne, Ind./North Side

Taylor Christensen

Franklin

So.

DB

Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern

Shane Kelly

Mount St. Joseph

Jr.

K

Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin

Ryan Acosta

Earlham

Sr.

P

San Juan, PR/Commonwealth

DeOntez Alexander

Anderson

Fr.

Ret.

Indianapolis, Ind./George Washington

Second Team All-HCAC

Name

School

Year

Position

Hometown/High School

Austin Swenson

Rose-Hulman

So.

QB

Wauconda, Ill./H.S.

Logan Haston

Manchester

Jr.

QB

Avon, Ind./H.S.

Brennan Laird

Earlham

Jr.

QB

Olmsted Falls, Ohio/H.S.

Eric Fox

Bluffton

Sr.

RB

Brunswick, Ohio/H.S.

Daniel Collins

Defiance

Jr.

RB

West Springfield, Va./H.S.

Jalen Kenner

Earlham

Jr.

WR

Reserve, La./East St. John

Marc Jones

Anderson

So.

WR

Knoxville, Tenn./Proviso East

Aaron Abbott

Rose-Hulman

Jr.

WR

Lebanon, Ohio/H.S.

Ricky Windell

Hanover

So.

WR

Camden, Ind./Delphi

John Peters

Mount St. Joseph

Sr.

WR

West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West

Austin Spiece

Bluffton

Jr.

OL

Paulding, Ohio/Wayne Trace

Eric Taylor

Rose-Hulman

Sr.

OL

Chapel Hill, N.C./Carrboro

T.J. Demos

Rose-Hulman

Jr.

OL

Huntsville, Ala./H.S.

Nick Buchta

Rose-Hulman

Sr.

OL

N. Barrington, Ill./Lake Zurich

Eric Weitholter

Manchester

So.

OL

Zionsville, Ind./H.S.

Mike Alberts

Earlham

So.

OL

Folkston, Ga./Charlton Co.

Kyle Wilson

Defiance

Jr.

DL

Wauseon, Ohio/H.S.

LaJay Kelly

Earlham

So.

DL

Carson, Calif./Long Beach Poly

Ryan Leopold

Bluffton

Sr.

DL

Ottawa, Ohio/Ottawa-Glandorf

Josh Sonneberger

Rose-Hulman

Sr.

DL

Edon, Ohio/H.S.

Jon Scribner

Manchester

Sr.

DL

Ft. Wayne, Ind./Carroll

Eric Strickland

Defiance

Sr.

LB

West Palm Beach, Fla./Seminole Ridge

Nate Moser

Anderson

Sr.

LB

Bremen, Ind./Penn

Lucas Windell

Franklin

Jr.

LB

Corydon, Ind./Central

Anthony Berry

Mount St. Joseph

Sr.

LB

Cincinnati, Ohio/Withrow

Justin Magaw

Hanover

Sr.

LB

West Palm Beach, Fla./Kings Academy

Chris Sander

Rose-Hulman

Jr.

DB

Baileyville, Ill./Forreston

Tyrone White

Bluffton

So.

DB

Orrville, Ohio/H.S.

Taylor Anglemyer

Manchester

Jr.

DB

Wakarusa, Ind./Northwood

Kevin Nowak

Rose-Hulman

So.

DB

Naperville, Ill./Central

Angello Proulx

Defiance

Fr.

DB

Warren, Mich./Mott

Stephen Colligan

Franklin

Fr.

K

Ft. Wayne, Ind./Dwenger

Josh Green

Hanover

Jr.

P

Beaumaris, Australia

Taylor Christensen

Franklin

So.

Ret.

Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern

Honorable Mention All-HCAC

Name

School

Year

Position

Hometown/High School

Willie Robinson

Anderson

Jr.

WR

Flora, Miss./Madison Central

Jason Samuels

Anderson

Sr.

DL

Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central

Drew Ponder

Anderson

Sr.

DL

Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove

Sammy Faulkner

Anderson

Jr.

LB

Dayton, Ohio/Butler

Codie Flecker

Anderson

Sr.

LB

Sheridan, Ind./H.S.

Zack Moe

Anderson

So.

DB

Cochran, Ga./Bleckley Co.

Jordan Watkins

Bluffton

Fr.

K

Reynoldsburg, Ohio/H.S.

Donovan Brown

Bluffton

Sr.

WR

Cincinnati, Ohio/Purcell Marian

Micah Roberson

Bluffton

So.

WR

Ada, Ohio/H.S.

Ben Schamp

Bluffton

Sr.

DL

St. Marys, Ohio/Memorial

Miguel Alicea

Bluffton

So.

DB

Westerville, Ohio/South

Alex Larson

Defiance

So.

QB

Highland, Mich./Milford

Cody Wilson

Defiance

So.

RB

McComb, Ohio/H.S.

Darius Harper

Defiance

So.

WR

Jacksonville, Fla./Robert E. Lee

Levi Hansen

Earlham

Fr.

RB

Anchorage, Ak./Robert Service

Kollin Wheat

Earlham

Sr.

DL

Greenwood, Ind./Whiteland

Mason Davis

Earlham

Fr.

LB

Las Vegas, Nev./Legacy

James Johnson

Earlham

So.

DB

Redford, Mich./Inkster

Sam Otley

Franklin

Sr.

RB

Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli

Cody Beeks

Franklin

Jr.

P

Wabash, Ind./H.S.

Mason Deal

Franklin

Jr.

WR

Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian

Trafton Holder

Hanover

Sr.

OL

Crestwood, Ky./South Oldham

Layne Taylor

Hanover

So.

WR

Sellersburg, Ind./Silver Creek

Austin Adams

Manchester

Sr.

RB

Dowagiac, Mich./Union

Hunter Hardee

Manchester

Fr.

RB

Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern

Tyler Katschke

Manchester

Fr.

LB

Winamac, Ind./H.S.

Greg Simpson

Mount St. Joseph

Fr.

QB

Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore

Colan Beare

Mount St. Joseph

So.

OL

Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills

Joe Meade

Mount St. Joseph

Sr.

DL

Paintsville, Ky./Pike Co. Central

Greg Lee

Rose-Hulman

Sr.

RB

Christiansburg, Va./H.S.

 

HCAC All-Sportsmanship Team

Ethan Hoffman

Anderson

So.

LB

White House, Tenn./H.S.

Joel Unzicker

Bluffton

Sr.

QB

Goshen, Ind./Northridge

Cody Wiggins

Defiance

So.

DB

Howell, Mich./H.S.

Tre Stephens

Earlham

Sr.

RB

Terre Haute, Ind./South

Kole Stogner

Franklin

So.

RB

Greenwood, Ind./H.S.

Jamal Edwards

Hanover

Sr.

DB

Indianapolis, Ind./North Central

Collin Huffine

Manchester

Sr.

WR

Centerville, Ind./H.S.

Kevin McHale

Mount St. Joseph

So.

LB

Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas

Eric Taylor

Rose-Hulman

Sr.

OL

Chapel Hill, N.C./Carrboro