Omaha-World Herald news article
SEWARD, Neb. – A dozen Bulldogs represented the Concordia University football team with mention on the 2019 Omaha World-Herald NAIA/NCAA Division III All-Nebraska Football Team. The teams were announced by Nebraska’s largest newspaper on Saturday (Dec. 21). For the second year in a row, star linebacker Lane Napier has been chosen as the All-Nebraska defensive honorary captain (he shares the honor this year).
Also earning a spot on the 27-member team were juniors Cayden Beran and Peyton Mitchell and seniors Aaron Rudloff and Derek Tachovsky. Honorable mention All-Nebraska accolades were handed out to senior Riley Bilstein, junior Lane Castaneda, senior Ryan Durdon, senior Kaleb Geiger, sophomore Korrell Koehlmoos, freshman Jordan Spilinek and senior Zac Walter.
Napier continues to cement himself as one of the program’s all-time greats. The Aquinas High School product has produced staggering tackle numbers throughout his three collegiate seasons. Napier has paced the GPAC in tackles during the regular season all three years while compiling 347 career tackles (a program GPAC era record). This past season, Napier totaled 108 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception while being named first team All-GPAC for the third-straight year. He was also tabbed an Honorable Mention All-American by the American Football Coaches Association.
After biding his time as a freshman in 2018, Beran broke loose this fall as the Bulldogs’ leading receiver. He caught 49 passes for 701 yards and two touchdowns. The native of Hutto, Texas, topped the 100-yard receiving mark three times with an especially big game at Hastings – 10 catches for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Beran caught at least one pass in all 10 games in 2019.
Mitchell served as a ball-hawk in the secondary. He ranked second in the GPAC with five interceptions while also breaking up eight passes. The Waverly, Kan., native added 28 tackles. He picked off two passes versus Northwestern, an NAIA playoff qualifier. The 2019 campaign was Mitchell’s first as a full-time starter in the secondary.
Rudloff enjoyed the best season of his career as a senior. Also an Academic All-District choice (by College Sports Information Directors of America), the native of Battle Creek, Neb., ranked second in the GPAC with a career high nine sacks. He added 41 tackles, including 10 for loss and was credited with five quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. Rudloff registered 120 tackles in his career.
A native of Wilber, Neb., Tachovksy moved up from honorable mention All-GPAC recognition a year ago. As a senior, Tachovsky racked up 88 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and four pass breakups. He notched double-digit tackle numbers in each of his final four games. Tachovsky finished his career with 206 tackles, including 17.5 for loss.
Each of the honorable mention All-Nebraska choices were starters for head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad. Bilstein, Castaneda and Walter earned additional laurels this past fall as honorable mention All-GPAC selections.
NAIA/NCAA Division III All-Nebraska Football Team
Offense
WR: Derrick Curtis, Sr., Nebraska Wesleyan
WR: Caden Beran, So., Concordia
TE: Austin Harris, So., Midland
OL: Ethan Butler, Sr., Midland
OL: Colton Davis, Jr., Nebraska Wesleyan
OL: Jackson Gilbert, So., Peru State
OL: Daniel Jahn, Sr., Midland
OL: Riley Williams, Sr., Midland
* QB: Jonathan Curti, Sr., Nebraska Wesleyan
RB: Brett Simonsen, Fr., Hastings
RB: Maximus Wold, Fr., Midland
Defense
* DL: Travis Havlovic, So., Midland
DL: Anthony Malone, Sr., Doane
DL: Abdul Marei, Sr., Hastings
DL: Aaron Rudloff, Sr., Concordia
LB: Jett Hampton, Sr., Midland
* LB: Lane Napier, Jr., Concordia
LB: Derek Tachovsky, Sr., Concordia
LB: Jacob Garnas, Jr., Nebraska Wesleyan
DB: Christian Harmon, Sr., Midland
DB: Victor Hubbard, Sr., Peru State
DB: DaeRon Jones, So., Hastings
DB: Peyton Mitchell, Jr., Concordia
Special teams
K: Bryce Cooney, Sr., Doane
P: Camdon Griffiths, Jr., Midland
RS: Izaiah Celestine, Jr., Doane
AP: Austan Daniels, So., Midland
Honorable mention: Concordia: Riley Bilstein, Lane Castaneda, Ryan Durdon, Kaleb Geiger, Korrell Koehlmoos, Jordan Spilinek, Zac Walter. Doane: Damond Brown, Garrett Fries, Riley Homolka, Connor O’Toole. Hastings: Daniel Gonzalez, DaeRon Jones, Jon Satterly, Keiotey Stenhouse, Steel Willis. Midland: Ethan Butler, Noah Oswald. Nebraska Wesleyan: Kaden Dawe, Logan Hughes, Hayden Penny, Monte Robinson. Peru State: Mardarius Adams, John Brady, Luis Constantino, Travis Reed, Jordan Willis.
* — denotes honorary captains