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KEARNEY — Seventeen players from the sixth-ranked University of Nebraska at Kearney football team have earned postseason honors from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Sophomore Rustin Dring was named the offensive player of the year and Darrell Morris the coach of the year in voting conducted earlier this week by the league’s coaches.

UNK (10-1, 9-0 RMAC) had 11 players on the first team, three on the second team and three more on the third team.

Dring, who rushed for 1,371 yards despite missing almost two games, is the Lopers’ fourth offensive player of the year, joining quarterback Justin Coleman (1999), running back Mike Miller (2005) and receiver Richie Ross (2003).

Morris earned coach of the year honors for the third time. He also won in 2002 and 2005. In his tenure, Morris’ teams have a 72-34 record, including a 61-21 mark in RMAC games.

Earning first-team honors on offense were Dring, sophomore quarterback Jake Spitzlberger, junior wide receiver Kyle Kaiser and offensive linemen Jack Hiett, Kyle Davison and Orion Matthies. Hiett was a unanimous first-team pick.

Spitzlberger is the first UNK quarterback since Coleman in 1999 to earn first-team All-RMAC honors.

On defense, all four members of the UNK secondary earned recognition.

Cornerbacks Mike Neal and Ozzie Smith and safety Jake Mandelko were first-team picks, with safety Pat Ackerman on the second team.

Three defensive linemen also were honored, with Mason Brodine and Josh Rohde on the first team and nose guard Caleb Tyler on the third team.

Lopers joining Ackerman on the second team were offensive guard Stephen Goodin and inside linebacker Eric Scheele.

Besides Tyler, third-team picks from UNK were outside linebacker Chris Senkbile and punter Jordan Alegria.

All-RMAC Football

First Team Offense

Pos.    Name    Yr.    School

QB    Jake Spitzlberger    So.    UNK

RB    Rustin Dring    So.    UNK

RB    Jesse Lewis    So.    CSU-Pueblo

WR    Adam Saur    Sr.    Colorado Mines

WR    Kyle Kaiser    Jr.    UNK

WR    Brandon Harrington    Sr.    Chadron State

TE    Isaac Stockton    Sr.    Chadron State

OL    *Jack Hiett    Sr.    UNK

OL    *Ben Puffer    Sr.    Chadron State

OL    Zach Meints    Sr.    Colorado Mines

OL    Orion Matthies    Jr.    UNK

OL    Kyle Davison    Sr.    UNK

First Team Defense

DE    Mason Brodine    Jr.    UNK

DE    Cory Beran    Jr.    Chadron State

DT    Marc Schiechl    Jr.    Colorado Mines

DT    Josh Rohde    Jr.    UNK

ILB    Oscar Villa    Sr.    Adams State

ILB    Duke Eardley    Sr.    Chadron State

OLB    Chase Vaughn    Sr.    CSU-Pueblo

OLB    Alex Vigil    So.    Colorado Mines

CB    Ozzie Smith    Sr.    UNK

CB    Mike Neal    Sr.    UNK

S    *Jake Mandelko    Sr.    UNK

S    Kyle Goracke    Jr.    Colorado Mines

First Team - Special Teams

K    Travis Atter    Sr.    Chadron State

P    Kevin Berg    Jr.    Chadron State

KR    Brandon Harrington    Sr.    Chadron State

PR    Brian Engelhardt    Sr.    Fort Lewis

* — unanimous first-team selection

Offensive Player of the Year – RB Rustin Dring, Nebraska-Kearney

Defensive Player of the Year – DT Marc Shiechl, Colorado Mines

Special Teams Player of the Year – K Travis Atter, Chadron State

Co-Offensive Freshman of the Year – QB Trevor Eggleston, Adams State

Co-Offensive Freshman of the Year – QB Tim Jenkins, Fort Lewis

Defensive Freshman of the Year – James Ackel, Adams State

Coach of the Year – Darrell Morris, Nebraska-Kearney

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