The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) announced the 2022 football postseason awards and All-Conference teams, which include members of the Aurora University football program.
The 2022 NACC champions from Aurora University dominated both on the field and in the postseason award recognition. AU swept the top honors with Head Coach Don Beebe and his staff being named Coaching Staff of the Year, quarterback Josh Swanson being named Offensive Player of the Year, and linebacker Marcellus Romious being named Defensive Player of the Year.
Beebe earned NACC Coach of the Year honors for the third time in as many times he has been eligible for the honor while at the helm of the Spartans. He received the award after he led AU to an undefeated 8-0 conference schedule and the Spartans making a third consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III Football Championship appearance. During league play, AU averaged league-bests with 50.1 points and 486.6 yards of total offense per game. The Spartans featured a balanced offense over the course of their eight NACC games, averaging 271.0 yards per game through the air and a 215.6 yards per game on the ground. Overall, the Spartans rank among Division III's leaders in both scoring offense (50.1 points per game) and total offense (493.8 yards per game). The Spartans rank second in scoring and 11th in total offense through games played Nov. 20.
Swanson won the distinction of the NACC Offensive Player of the Year for a first time following as strong season as the signal caller of the Spartans. In 10 games, Swanson completed 186-of-307 passes for 2,705 yards and ranking among an NCAA Division III-best 43 touchdowns. Swanson threw for five or more touchdowns in five of 10 regular-season games. He finished the season with a 60.59 completion percentage, a 175.6 passing efficiency and 270.50 yards per game. His top game of the season came on Sep. 17 when he completed 20 of 35 passes for 325 yards and six touchdowns in a 56-7 win over Concordia University Chicago.
Aside from finishing tops in the league in touchdown passes and pass efficiency (173.6), Swanson ranked second in completions (286), attempts (307), completion percentage (60.2), and passing yards. He threw for 2,705 yards and 43 touchdowns in league play alone. Through the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs, Swanson ranks first in Division III in passing touchdowns and points responsible for (270) and 13th in passing yardage.
Romious earned the NACC Defensive Player of the Year honor after ranking second among the league in tackles (43) and second in tackles for loss (11). Additionally, he leads the Spartans with six pass break-ups, nine pass break-ups, 43 tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss. Romious intercepted two passes each, recording one 100-yard pick six against Concordia Chicago and his second against Concordia Wisconsin. He registered a season-high 10 tackles on Oct.1 against Wisconsin Lutheran (seven solo). The award is the fourth for an Aurora player with Romious joining Sean Reyna (2021), Kam Dawtyne (2017), and Mike Budzinski (2009).
In all, 18 Spartans earned the honorable distinction of receiving Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference All-Conference honors with 11 First-Team selections, three Second-Team and four Honorable Mention.
Joining Swanson and Romious as First-Team All-NACC are running back Jhe'Quay Chretin, receiver Trey Madsen, offensive lineman Chris Toth, offensive lineman Matt Kickel, defensive back Ernesto Ramirez, defensive back Ben Slatcoff, defensive lineman Cole Tandy, defensive lineman Jaylen Jordan, and returner James Mautino.
Chretin had a tremendous season finishing with 1,184 yards on 176 carries and 12 touchdowns, averaging 6.7 yards per carry and 118.4 yards per game. He also caught 21 passes for 203 yards. Madsen caught 54 passes for 781 yards and 15 touchdowns while rushing the ball four times for 10 yards. Toth and Kickel anchored the Spartan offensive line that averaged 486.6 total yards per game, 215.6 rushing and 271 passing per game. Ramirez had 31 tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss, and three pass breakups. Slatcoff led the defense with eight pass break ups, five interceptions and 31 tackles. On the season, Tandy had five pass break ups, four quarterback hurries, one forced fumble, and 11 tackles. Jordan recorded one sack, 18 tackles with 8.0 tackles for loss, and one quarter back hurry. Mautino ranks among the top returners in Division III with 20.64 yards per punt return on 11 returns. He also returned a total of 25 punts for 339 yards and two touchdowns. As a receiver he had 17 catches for 135 yards and three touchdowns.
Second-Team All-Conference recognition went to three Spartans, receiver Cameron Moore (37 catches for 679 yards and six touchdowns while also carrying the ball six times for 26 yards, offensive lineman Jackson Nazos another anchor to the Spartan offensive line, appeared in nine games recording one tackle, and defensive back Connor Nordmeyer. (27 tackles, three pass breakups and a five interceptions, one being a 100 yard pick six).
NACC Honorable Mention selections went to kicker Matthew Hylek, defensive lineman Otis Watts (nine tackles, two pass breakups and five quarterback hurries), receiver Michael Boland (31 catches for 501 yards and nine touchdowns), and defensive lineman Jared Pratt (nine tackles, four pass breakups, and two quarter back hurries).
Next action for the Spartan football team comes in the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs. he Spartans will travel to the University of Wisconsin Whitewater (8-2, 6-1 WIAC) in Whitewater, Wisconsin on Saturday, November 19. Game time has been set for a 12:00 p.m. kickoff at Perkins Stadium. This will be the first meeting all-time between the two football programs.
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