Mankato, Minn.  ---  Twenty-four Minnesota State football players were honored by the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference as the league doled out its postseason awards.  First, second & honorable mention awards were divided amongst the divisions, while speciality awards combined both the North and South Division.

Head coach Todd Hoffner was named the league's Coach of the Year.  Hoffner guided the Mavericks to a 10-1 record and a 2009 South Division Championship.  The 10 wins for Minnesota State ties the 1993 team for a school record wins in a season.  In two seasons as a Maverick head coach, Hoffner has compiled an 18-2 record and has shared or won the NSIC South Division title twice. 

Senior defensive tackle Junior Aumavae was named the league's Defensive Newcomer of the Year.  Aumavae  has 23 tackles for the season including a half a tackle for a loss and a forced fumble.  He has appeared in 10 games, starting nine (Aumavae missed the game at U-Mary with an injury).  Against Winona State, Aumavae finished with four tackles.  Aumavae transferred to Minnesota State from Western Washington after WWU dissolved its football program.

Offensively, redshirt-freshman running back Jake Aberg, senior tackles Adrian Battles and Jeremy Clark and senior guard Andy Schoonover were all tabbed First-Team All-NSIC South.  Aumavae, senior defensive tackle Randy Earl, sophomore defensive back Jesse Hamilton senior linebacker Kevin Klug senior defensive back Kelvin Rodgers and sophomore defensive end Bryan Schmid were all named First-Team All-NSIC South selections on the defensive side of the ball.  Rodgers as named to the First-Team All-NSIC South as a return specialist while junior punter Gerard DeWet was honored as a  punter.

Second team selections include: senior wide out Vincent Flury, senior offensive guard Matt Gray, senior running back Ernest Walker, junior linebacker Dan Fehlberg, junior defensive back Matt McQuiston and junior defensive back Bryce Kinniry.  Freshman kicker Sam Brockshus, senior defensive back Jesse Graves senior tight end Ryan Luedtke, junior quarterback Steve Pachan and junior defensive end Don Thomas were all named Honorable Mention All-NSIC South. 

To view a brief bio on all players selected, please see subsequent pages.

Minnesota State (10-1) opens the 2009 NCAA Playoff Saturday at Noon against Hillsdale in Blakeslee Stadium.


#7 • Redshirt-Freshman • Running Back • Jake Aberg • Winterset, Iowa • 5-11 • 203
Aberg has played in all 11 games this season, has a team-high 1,033 yards on 166 carries this season and eight touchdowns.  He is averaging 93.9 yards per game and 6.2 yards per carry. His 1,033 yards sits fifth on the school's single-season list and he is one of eight Mavericks to have reached 1,000 yards in a season and the first since Sean Treasure did so in 2004 with 1,201 yards.




#77 • Senior • Offensive Tackle • Adrian Battles • Milwaukee, Wis. • 6-4 • 315
Battles in the Mavericks' loss at St. Cloud State and has started in 42 of MSU's last 44  games.  Battles – a First-Team All-NSIC South selection – has helped anchor a Maverick offensive line that has ran for 2,360 yards and thrown for 2,011 yards this season.





#70 • Senior • Offensive Tackle • Jeremy Clark • Waukesha, Wis. • 6-4 • 315
Clark in  the Mavericks' loss at St. Cloud State (11/7) and has started 32 of MSU's last 34 games.  Clark – a First-Team All-NSIC South selection – has helped anchor a Maverick offensive line that has ran for 2,360 yards and thrown for 2,011 yards this season.






#68 • Senior • Offensive Guard • Andy Schoonover • Boyceville, Wis. • 6-3 • 302
Schoonover started MSU's loss at St. Cloud State (11/7)  and has started in 32 of the 38 games he played in during his career.   Schoonover has helped anchor a Maverick offensive line that has ran for 2,360 yards and thrown for 2,011 yards this season.





#96 • Senior • Defensive Tackle • Randy Earl • Racine, Wis. • 6-4 • 287
Earl recorded a season-high seven tackles in MSU's win over Bemidji State (9/5), including half a tackle for a loss.  For the season he has 26 tackles including a pass three break-ups and five tackles for a loss. Has 185 career tackles, which is second on the active list.  Earl was held without a tackle in MSU's win over U-Mary, marking the first-time since Sept. 1, 2005. 




#71 • Senior • Defensive Tackle • Junior Aumavae • Palmer, Alaska • 6-2 • 315
Aumavae has 23 tackles for the season including a half a tackle for a loss and a forced fumble.  He has appeared in 10 games, starting nine (Aumavae missed the game at U-Mary with an injury).  Against Winona State, Aumavae finished with four tackles.  Aumavae transferred to Minnesota State from Western Washington after WWU dissolved its football program.



#8 • Sophomore • Defensive Back • Jesse Hamilton • Racine, Wis. • 5-8 • 187
Hamilton made his first career start for the Mavericks when he started at safety against Truman State (8/28) and has started in  10 games this year and played in all 11.   Finished with 10 tackles in the Mavericks win over Bemidji State (9/5), including a forced fumble and followed it with a six-tackle performance – including a forced fumble and an interception against U-Mary (9/12).  Hauled in two interceptions against #20 Wayne State (9/19) and added two more in MSU's win at #25 Winona State.  Hamilton tied with teammate Troy Jones for the NSIC lead in interceptions per game (0.55).


#36 • Senior • Linebacker • Kevin Klug • Caledonia, Minn. • 6-2 • 208
Klug recorded a season-high eight tackles including one for a loss, in MSU's 37-34 double-overtime win over Wayne State (9/19).  In MSU's last three games. In  MSU's 54-3 win over Concordia (10/10), Klug blocked a punt that was recovered in the endzone for a Maverick touchdown.   Klug continued his block party in MSU's 59-14 win over MSU Moorhead (10/17) when he blocked two Dragon punts. For his special team's efforts (he also had two tackles on special teams against MSUM), Klug was named the NSIC's Special Team's Player of the Week. Klug has 58 tackles on the season, which is third on the team.  He has 5.5 tackles for the loss, which is second on the squad, two pass break-ups ,a fumble recovery and an interception.


#2 • Senior • Defensive Back & Return Specialist • Kelvin Rodgers • East St. Louis, Mo. • 6-1 • 180
Rodgers – who was named to the First-Team All-NSIC South Division squad as both a defensive back and a return specialist - has played in 44 games as a Maverick, earning a start in 24.  In MSU's win over Concordia (10/10), Rodgers stuffed the stat sheet with five tackles, two blocked kicks, three punt returns for 17 yards and two kick returns for 48 yards.  Rodgers returned a kick 76 yards for a touchdown in MSU's win over Upper Iowa (10/31).  For his efforts against UIU, he was named the league's Special Teams Player of the Week. For the season, Rodgers has 47 tackles, which is sixth on the team.  He has also returned 25 kicks for 617 yards and 20 punts for 245 yards this season. 


#54 • Sophomore • Defensive End • Bryan Schmid • Menasha, Wis. • 6-2 • 252
Schmid has started 10 games and played in all 11 games this season.  In MSU's 37-34 double-overtime victory over Wayne State (9/19), Schmid recorded six tackles, including a sack.  He also had one kick return for five yards against the Wildcats.  For the season, Schmid has 45 tackles, which is seventh on the team.  He also has six tackles for a loss, three sacks, four pass breakups and two forced fumbles.



#97 • Junior • Punter • Gerard DeWet • Utica, Minn. • 6-2 • 239
DeWet –  a First-Team All-NSIC South selection – had a season-best game punting in MSU's win over U-Mary when he punted six times for 277 yards, averaging 46.2 yards per punt and placed three punts inside the 20 yard line (with none going for a touchback) in MSU's win over the University of Mary (9/12).  For the season he has punted 42 times for 1,704 yards, and is averaging 40.6  yards per punt.  He has placed 15 punts inside the 20, has three touchbacks and eight punts of over 50 yards.  DeWet currently leads the NSIC in punting.


#13 • Senior • Wide Receiver • Vincent Flury • Lakeville, Minn. • 5-10 • 186
Flurry caught four passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns in MSU's 36-6 win over Augustana (10/3). For the season, Flury has 26 catches for 421 yards and five touchdowns and is averaging 52.6 yards per game and 16.2 yards per catch.  For his career, Flury has hauled in 81 catches for 1,136 yards 12 touchdowns.  Flury did not play in MSU's win over U-Mary (9/12) or in MSU's win over Southwest Minnesota State (10/24) or Upper Iowa (10/31).



#72 • Senior • Offensive Guard • Matt Gray • Fullerton, Calif. • 6-3 • 325
Gray started in MSU's win over Southwest Minnesota State (10/24) and has started 19 of MSU's last 31 games.  Gray – a Second-Team All-NSIC South selection – has helped anchor a Maverick offensive line that has ran for 2,360 yards and thrown for 2,011 yards this season.





#32 • Senior • Running Back • Ernest Walker • St. Paul, Minn. • 5-10 • 252
Walker has played in 34 games in his career, earning 14 starts.  Rushed 10 times for a team-high 73 yards and three touchdowns in MSU's win over Bemidji State (9/5).  His final touchdown – an 18-yard run – came in overtime and propelled MSU to the win over BSU. In MSU's win over Wayne State, he rushed 21 times for 103 yards and a touchdown, marking his second career 100-yard game.   Walker, who has scored a touchdown in six of MSU's 11 games, rushed seven times for 28 yards Augustana (10/3).  He has 93 carries for 441 yards and 10 touchdowns this year. Walker had his third three-touchdown game of the season in MSU's 42-32 win over Southwest Minnesota State (10/24) when he rushed 15 times for 52 yards.  Walker leads all active Mavericks with 20 career touchdowns.


#42 • Junior • Linebacker • Dan Fehlberg • Oakdale, Minn. • 6-1 • 212
Fehlberg tallied a team-high 13 tackles - including a sack – in MSU's 37-34 win over Bemidji State (9/5) and followed with eight tackles in MSU's win over U-Mary (9/12).  Fehlberg, has led - or shared the lead - in tackles in six of MSU's 11 games this season.  Fehlberg has a team-high 81 tackles for the season and is third amongst active players with 145 tackles.  Fehlberg hauled in his first interception of the season in MSU's win over Upper Iowa (10/31).


#4 • Junior • Defensive Back • Bryce Kinniry • Waterville, Minn. • 6-0 • 168
Kinniry has started at corner back in all 11 games this season and finished MSU's win over Wayne State (9/19), with 10 tackles – all solo to go with one pass break-up.  For the season, he has 37 tackles and five interceptions. Kinniry – who has 98 career tackles – had a streak of four consecutive games with an interception snapped in MSU's loss at St. Cloud State (11/7). 



#49 • Junior • Linebacker • Matt McQuiston • Oakdale, Minn. • 6-2 • 215
McQuiston has played in every game as a Maverick and has started the last 26 games and 28 games in his career – including all nine this year. McQuiston tallied a season-high 11 tackles in MSU's win over Wayne State (9/19), had 10 tackles in MSU's win over Bemidji State (9/5) and has 63 tackles on the season, which is second on the squad. McQuiston also has 7.5 tackles for a loss and two sacks to go with five pass breakups, a forced fumble and an interception.  He leads all active players with 219 career tackles.


#17 • Junior • Quarterback • Steve Pachan • Pittsburg, Calif. • 6-1 • 203
Pachan has played in all nine games this season and replaced injured starting quarterback Ryan Fick at halftime of the Bemidji State (9/5) game.  For the season, Pachan has completed 89-of-179 passes (49.7 percent) for 1,477 yards and 19 scores.  He is averaging 134.3 yards of passing per game and has a quarterback efficiency rating of 147.36.  Pachan's 19 touchdown passes is eighth on MSU's all-time list.



#18 • Freshman • Kicker • Sam Brockshus • Spencer, Iowa • 5-10 • 183
Brockshus has connected on 48-of-52 extra point attempts this season and has booted 10-of-13 field goals.  Brockshus currently leads the team in points with 78.  He has kicked off 63 times covering 3,549 yards and averaging 56.3 yards per kick.  He has three touchbacks on the season. 




#47 • Senior • Tight End • Ryan Luedtke • Fenton, Iowa • 6-6 • 211
Luedte has played in all 11 games this season and has earned a start at tight end in MSU's last 10 games.   Caught a career-high three passes for a career-high 53 yards in MSU's win over Bemidji State (9/5).  His last catch, a 31-yard gain for the Mavericks on second and three, set up MSU's game-tying touchdown. For the season, Luedtke has seven catches for 101 yards.



#19 • Senior • Defensive Back • Jesse Graves • Mankato, Minn. • 6-1 • 205
Graves recorded a season-high nine tackles in MSU's win over Southwest Minnesota State (10/24) and has started 10 of MSU's 11games this season. For the season he has 56 tackles, which is fourth on the team, with three interceptions and a forced fumble.  His 122 career tackles is tied for fourth amongst active players.





#79 • Senior • Defensive End • Don Thomas • Kent, Wash. • 6-0 • 263
Thomas recorded a season-high eight tackles in the Mavericks' win over Bemidji State (9/5).  Thomas, has played and started in all 11 of MSU's games this season, has 25 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for a loss, two and a half sacks, two pass break-ups and one forced fumble. Thomas transferred to Minnesota State from Western Washington after WWU discontinued its program.


To view the complete NSIC Release, click HERE