Football | 11/16/2021 4:15:00 PM

November 16, 2021-Eighteen Emporia State football players earned All-MIAA honors highlighted by First-Team honors for Jace McDown and Ross Brungardt.
 
McDown earned First-Team All-MIAA honors at linebacker for the second straight season after earning Second-Team honors as a sophomore. The graduate student from Columbus, Kan. is fourth in the league lead in tackles for loss, 12^th in solo tackles and 15^th in total tackles.
 
Brungardt was named First-Team All-MIAA at punter.  The sophomore from Lawrence, Kan. leads the MIAA and is ranked fifth in the nation in average punt. He has a league high 18 punts of at least 50 yards – twice as many as the next punter -  and has placed 16 punts inside the 20 yard line. He has had a punt of at least 50 yards in every game this year and one of at least 60 yards in five games.
 
Six Hornets earned Second-Team honors.
 
Running back Canaan Brooks was fourth in the MIAA in rushing yards per game, sixth in rushing touchdowns and eighth in total touchdowns.  The St. Louis, Mo. native finished the season with 668 yards in nine games. The junior had a career high 151 yards on 30 carries with two touchdowns against Neb.-Kearney.
 
Dalton Cowan was named Second-Team All-MIAA at all-purpose back.  The junior from Topeka, Kan. only played in six games due to injury but led Emporia State with 55.2 yards per game from his Stinger Back position.
 
Guard Conner Lierz earned Second-Team All-MIAA honors on the offensive line. The Manhattan, Kan. junior was named Emporia State's Squarehead Award winner as the top offensive lineman four times this year and averaged a team best 4.6 knockdowns per game.
 
Defensive linemen Marek Thompson and Jordan Williams each earned Second-Team All-MIAA for the Hornets. 
 
Thompson is a three-time All-MIAA selection after earning Third-Team honors as a junior and being named honorable mention as a sophomore.  The senior from Osceola, Mo. served as an anchor in the middle of the defensive line and finished the year with 23 tackles.
 
Williams finished fifth in tackles for loss and sixth in sacks on his way to Second-Team All-MIAA honors.  The sophomore from St. Louis, Mo. finished the regular season with 12.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks.

Sam Dobbins was the Second-Team All-MIAA kicker. The Emporia,Kan. junior led the MIAA going 41 of 41 on PAT and was sixth in made field goals with five.
 
The Hornets had four players earn Third-Team All-MIAA honors.
 
Quarterback Braden Gleason was a Third-Team selection after finishing eighth in the nation in total offense, tenth in passing yards, and 13^th in passing touchdowns.  The Muldrow, Okla. sophomore threw for 3,084 yards and 27 touchdowns with 3,385 yards of total offense.  He is ranked third on the Emporia State single season passing list and fifth in total offense.
Center Hayden Reed was named Third-Team All-MIAA on the offensive line.  The junior from Celina, Texas played in a team high 895 snaps on the season and had 26 knockdowns on the year.
 
Returner Bill Ross Jr. was named Third-Team All-MIAA after leading the league in punt returns at 10.2 yards per return.  The redshirt freshman from Oklahoma City, Okla. had a 54 yard punt return for a touchdown against Missouri Western and was third in the nation in punt returns for a touchdown.
 
Safety Jaedon Pool was a Third-Team All-MIAA selection as a defensive back. The junior from Midwest City, Okla.  is tenth in the MIAA in passed defended and 11^th in interceptions.
 
Six Hornets were named Honorable Mention All-MIAA -  offensive linemen Xavier Cason and Miles Wade, linebackers Dawson Hammes and Cade Harelson, defensive lineman Rafe Goucher and receiver Corey Thomas.
 
The Hornets finished the regular season 6-5 with four of their losses coming by a combined 17 points.
 
2021 All-MIAA Football Team
First-Team
Quarterback – TJ Davis – Nebraska Kearney
Quarterback  - Mitchell Schurig - Washburn
Running Back – Al McKeller – Northwest Missouri
Wide Receiver – Cameron Saunders – Central Missouri
Wide Receiver  - James Letcher, Jr. - Washburn
Tight End – Hunter Budke – Fort Hays State
All-Purpose Back – Adrian Soto – Fort Hays State
All-Purpose Back – Dayton Seally – Nebraska Kearney
Offensive Line – Amari Angram-Boldin – Fort Hays State
Offensive Line – Corey Hoelck – Nebraska Kearney
Offensive Line – Tanner Owen – Northwest Missouri
Offensive Line – Trase Jeffries – Pittsburg State
Offensive Line – Colton Dunkle - Washburn
Kicker – Cross Holmes – Pittsburg State
Kick/Punter Returner – James Letcher, Jr. - Washburn

Defensive Line – Chima Dunga – Central Missouri
Defensive Line – Michael Slater – Central Oklahoma
Defensive Line – Sam Roberts – Northwest Missouri
Defensive Line – Zach Howard – Northwest Missouri
Defensive Line – Malick Fall - Washburn
Linebacker – Jace McDown – Emporia State
Linebacker – Jackson Barnes – Northwest Missouri
Linebacker – P.J. Sarwinski – Pittsburg State
Defensive Back – Darius Swanson – Nebraska Kearney
Defensive Back – Cahleel Smith – Northwest Missouri
Defensive Back – Dallis Flowers – Pittsburg State
Defensive Back – Marquise Manning - Washburn
Punter – Ross Brungardt – Emporia State
[Reflects ties in voting]

Second-Team
Quarterback – Logan Twehous – Central Missouri
Quarterback – Chance Fuller – Fort Hays State
Running Back – Canaan Brooks – Emporia State
Wide Receiver – Alec Tatum – Northwest Missouri
Wide Receiver  - Jalen Martin – Pittsburg State
Tight End – Jace Williams - Washburn
All-Purpose Back – Dalton Cowan – Emporia State
Offensive Line – Dan Sunderman – Central Missouri
Offensive Line – Seth Carmack – Central Oklahoma
Offensive Line – Conner Lierz – Emporia State
Offensive Line – Kooper Reece – Nebraska Kearney
Offensive Line – Gabe Bautz – Northwest Missouri
Kicker – Sam Dobbins – Emporia State
Kick/Punter Returner – Dallis Flowers – Pittsburg State

Defensive Line – Marek Thompson – Emporia State
Defensive Line – Jordan Williams – Emporia State
Defensive Line – Tell Spies – Nebraska Kearney
Defensive Line – Kaden Roy – Pittsburg State
Defensive Line – Zeke Wall – Pittsburg State
Defensive Line – Landen Urban - Washburn
Linebacker – Richard Jordan, Jr. – Missouri Southern
Linebacker – Evan Chohon – Missouri Western
Linebacker – Atoatasi Fox – Nebraska Kearney
Defensive Back – Codie Bell – Central Missouri
Defensive Back – Dylan Buccheit – Central Oklahoma
Defensive Back – Jordan Starks – Fort Hays State
Defensive Back – Jhimon Preston – Fort Hays State
Defensive Back – Sam Webb – Missouri Western
Defensive Back – Kobe Cummings – Missouri Western
Punter – Hunter Kraus – Nebraska Kearney
[Reflects ties in voting]

Third-Team
Quarterback – Braden Gleason – Emporia State
Quarterback – Mike Hohensee – Northwest Missouri
Running Back – Montrez Jackson – Nebraska Kearney
Wide Receiver – Manny Ramsey – Fort Hays State
Wide Receiver  - Brian Boyd, Jr. – Missouri Southern
Tight End – Daunte McGee – Central Oklahoma
All-Purpose Back – Tori Hicks - Lincoln
Offensive Line – Hayden Reed – Emporia State
Offensive Line – Kristopher Stroughter – Fort Hays State
Offensive Line – Evan Clark – Missouri Western
Offensive Line – Mitch Goff – Northwest Missouri
Offensive Line – Riley Teutsch – Pittsburg State
Offensive Line – Bergan Hofer - Washburn
Kicker – Nick Williams – Missouri Southern
Kick/Punter Returner – Billy Ross – Emporia State

Defensive Line – Noah West – Central Oklahoma
Defensive Line – Solomona Fetuao – Missouri Southern
Defensive Line – Brandon Johnson – Missouri Western
Defensive Line – C.J. Ravenell – Missouri Western
Defensive Line – Blake Schroeder – Nebraska Kearney
Defensive Line – Braden Rose – Washburn
Linebacker – Zach Schlager – Nebraska Kearney
Linebacker – Sam Phillips – Northwest Missouri
Linebacker – Brooks Peavler - Washburn
Defensive Back – Jaedon Pool – Emporia State
Defensive Back – Dylan Bolden – Missouri Southern
Defensive Back – Isaiah Nimmers – Northwest Missouri
Defensive Back – Jordan Hendy – Pittsburg State
Punter – Tim Davis – Northeastern State
[Reflects ties in voting]

Honorable Mentions
Emporia State – Xavier Cason – OL; Rafe Goucher – DL; Dawson Hammes – LB; Cade Harelson – LB; Miles Wade – OL; Corey Thomas – WR

Offensive Player of the Year – TJ Davis, Quarterback – Nebraska Kearney
Defensive Player of the Year – Sam Roberts, Defensive End – Northwest Missouri
Special Teams Player of the Year – James Letcher, Jr., Kick/Punt Returner - Washburn
Freshman of the Year – Brandon Hall, Running Back – Missouri Western
Coach of the Year – Josh Lynn – Nebraska Kearney