Owen Koeppen had a dominating season at linebacker for the Carroll College Saints. He was named the defensive MVP of the National Championship game and was also the Frontier Conference MVP. Koeppen totaled 119 tackles and with 13 tackles for a loss. Koeppan also had eight sacks, forced four fumbles and intercepted one pass. One of the forced fumbles came in the National Championship game. Koeppen helped to lead the Saints defense to the NAIA lead in scoring defense at just 5.4 points per game. The Saints gave up just nine touchdowns all season with only two rushing touchdowns.
“Koeppen is the linebacker that every coach in the NAIA wants to lead their defense,” said Dannelly. “He’s smart, athletic and understands how to manage a game. He is constantly around the ball or enabling his teammates to make great plays.”
VSN’s NAIA Coach of the Year is Paul Troth of Missouri Valley. Troth has made it to the NAIA semifinals two years in a row and nearly defeated the University of Sioux Falls to advance the National Title. Troth’s Vikings started the season slow with a 2-2 record and one of the wins coming in overtime. But as the season progressed the Vikings continued to improve week after week before upsetting previously undefeated Lindenwood in the final week of the season to secure a spot in the NAIA Championship Series. Both of Missouri Valley’s wins in the postseason came on the road spoiling the seasons for Friends University and Ohio Dominican University. The win against Ohio Dominican also spoiled a perfect season for the Panthers. Troth is 85-39 as a head coach at the collegiate level.
“Troth earned this award because of how his team dug down when the going got tough this season,” said Dannelly. “The Vikings were preseason #3 but started 2-2 and dropped out of the Top 25. A lot of programs would have quit. Troth’s team kept fighting until the very end and it enabled them to get to the postseason. That comes from players believing in what you are saying and doing as a coach. That’s the ultimate compliment any coach can receive.”
This season marks the first year the Victory Sports Network names a Media Person of the Year. This award is giving to a media person that has helped spread the word of NAIA football and the Victory Sports Network across their region or nationally. The award is giving only to member of the working media as VSN will name a Sports Information Director of the Year later this spring.
Tom Frederick, the voice of the Sioux Falls Cougars, is this years VSN Football Media Person of the Year. Frederick is the long time play-by-play voice of the Cougars on 1230 AM KWSN and has been instrumental in bringing a high standard of broadcasting to the airwaves of NAIA college football.
“Tom’s play-by-play is one of the best calls in all of small college football,” said Dannelly. “His research is up to the minute and he is always looking to add more to his broadcast. He works very well with his color commentator Tim Hiatt and brings a high level of professionalism to the booth.”
This season’s VSN All American team saw a vast number of schools from across the country gaining honors. Carroll College lead all NAIA teams with six players landing on the first and second teams, Sioux Falls followed with four; Ohio Dominican, Saint Francis (IN), Jamestown College had three All Americans
DL Phil Lenoue Carroll College (MT) 6’1 235 SR Spokane, Washington
DL Wacey Coleman Black Hills State (SD) 6’2 230 SO Gillette, Wyoming
DL Ryan Miles Texas College 6’2 240 JR Livingston, Texas
LB Owen Koeppen Carroll College (MT) 6’2 232 JR Florence, Montana
LB Reggie Singletary Missouri Valley 6’0 243 SR Kansas City, Missouri
LB J.J. Perino Montana Tech 6’1 245 SR Helena, Montana
LB Frits Remedor Southern Nazarene (OK) 6’2 240 SR Naples, Florida
DB Brandon Kaufman Bethel College (KS) 6’0 180 SR Moundridge, Kansas
DB Clay Hamblen Georgetown College (KY) 5’11 184 SR Danville, Indiana
DB Chad Hustedt Morningside College (IA) 6’2 185 SR Galva, Iowa
DB Marc Samson Montana St. Univ. Northern 6’1 174 SR Helena, Montana
Second Team Offensive
DL Brandon Smith Ottawa University (KS) 6’1 240 SR Shawnee, Kansas
DL Cody Van Sloten Northwestern (IA) 6’4 235 JR Doon, Iowa
DL Tim Farrell Saint Francis (IN) 6’1 236 JR Fort Wayne, Indiana
LB Jeremy Robinson Olivet Nazarene (IL) 6’0 240 SR Crown Point, Indiana
LB Sean Kenney Saint Xavier University (IL) 5’10 225 SR Palos Hills, Illinois
LB Brandon Day Carroll College (MT) 6’1 210 JR Helena, Montana
DB Gary Thomas Jamestown College (ND) 5’10 200 SR Sparks, Nevada
DB Paul Carter Saint Francis (IN) 6’0 198 SR Indianapolis, Indiana
DB Tanner Tetrault Black Hills State (SD) 6’2 210 SR St. Onge, South Dakota
DB Joe Slabaugh Ohio Dominican 6’1 201 JR Akron, Ohio
VSN Honorable Mention All-American
Offensive Line – Chad Tormey-Friends, Josh Ekovich-Saint Francis (IN), Thomas Leinenbach-U-Cumberlands, Jon Conklin-Sterling College, Chase Hansen-Bethel College, Shawn Flanagan-Eastern Oregon, Zach Morrison-Shorter College, Rob Mosby-Morningside College, Matt Pierce-Ohio Dominican, Brady Schwebach-Univ. of Sioux Falls, Bart Archdekin-Minot State, Jeremy Inferera-U.M. Western, Kris Vasquez-Missouri Valley, Henry Potter-UVA Wise, Jacob Bruster-Friends, T.J. Wendt-Univ. of Sioux Falls, Joey Gilsdorf-Sterling College
Tight End – Buck Reed-Bethel College (TN), Cotton Green-NW Oklahoma State, LaRoi Johnson-Malone College, Kevin Laudermilk-Sterling College
Wide Receiver – Zach Bolger-Jamestown College, Beau Kildow-Morningside College, Zach Edwards-NW Oklahoma State, Justin Sayre-Ohio Dominican, Michael Hayward-St. Ambrose, Brian Piper-Georgetown College (KY), Antonio Brown-Bethel College (TN), McKay Dunn-Southern Virginia, Kyle Callahan-Union College (KY)
Quarterback – Joey Waters-Union College (TN), Ronnie Jankovich-Bethel College (TN), Jim DuPage-St. Ambrose, Matt Schneider-MidAmerica Nazarene, Randy Hippeard-UVA Wise
Runningback – Ricky Walker-Cumberlands, Corey Warner-Montana Tech, Robert Holmes-Missouri Valley, George Smith-McKendree, Terrance Bell-Bethel (TN) , Daniel Carter-Saint Francis (IN), Patrick Ealy-,MidAmerica Nazarene, Trey Hightower-Friends, Hakeem Abdullah-Lindenwood, Greg Fountain-Campbellsville University
Defensive Line – Nick Yanko- Ohio Dominican, Josh Glahn-MSU-Northern, Lucas Burr-Olivet Nazarene, Casey Roel-Azusa Pacific, Karter Kleeman-Dickinson State, Sean Fisher-Southern Nazarene, Matt Yarbrough-Shorter College, Vince Filipp-St. Ambrose, Anthony Scolamieri-Southern Oregon, Joe Berrow-Georgetown College (KY), Darren Quaile-Univ. of Sioux Falls, Lantz Mathers-NW Oklahoma State, Larry Wentzel-Missouri Valley, Courtney White-Georgetown College (KY), Mike Paffhausen-Carroll College, Brian Schaefering-Lindenwood University
Linebacker – Carl Thomas-Saint Francis (IN), Justin Ficklin-Bacone, Marquette Floyd-Missouri Valley, Justin Conley-Hastings College, Jacob Zsuppon-Quincy University, Nate Jansen-Northwestern College, Ryan Gloer-Shorter College, Gabe Guthrie-Georgetown College (KY), Austin Stack-Southern Oregon, Tanis Ready-Friends University, Chad Schira-U.M. Western, Brett Nickolite-Morningside College
Defensive Back – Jason Hoath-Lambuth University, Phil Schroer-Nebraska Wesleyan, Lawrence Davis-McKendree University, Brock VanCleave-Southern Nazarene University, Aubrey Smith-Missouri Valley College, Brian Abshire-U-Cumberlands, Nick Milodragovich-Carroll College, Treveor Holleman-Univ. of Sioux Falls, Zach Richardson-Carroll College, Nick Marshall-Minot State, Roshe Hepburn-Graceland University, Jeff Braun-Montana Tech
Punter – Michael Wilson-Belhaven College, Don Saisbury-MSU-Northern, Mitch Croy-Ohio Dominican
Kicker – Marcus Miller-Carroll College, Halley Ferrell-Lindenwood University, Matt Lindgren-University of Sioux Falls
Return Specialist – Jeff Neujahr-Concordia University, Justin Gerald-Central Methodist, Joshua Warren-Belhaven College
Athlete -Allen Ervin-Lambuth University, Rob Lash-Walsh University, Tyler Degenhardt-Sterling College
