Wednesday was another very good day to be an Oredigger.
Nolan Saraceni, Gunnar Kayser and head coach Chuck Morrell were the big winners when the All-Frontier Conference team was released to the media.
Saraceni repeated as the league’s Offensive Player of the Year. Kayser received the Frontier’s Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Morrell was named Coach of the Year for the second straight year.
Saraceni, a senior running back from Billings, missed Saturday’s playoff win over Dickinson State with a knee injury. Still, he ran for 1,388 yards and 19 touchdowns on 194 carries in 10 games for the Orediggers. He is the Frontier Conference’s nominee for NAIA Player of the Year.
Kayser, a senior safety from Colbert, Washington, led the league with seven interceptions. He returned those picks for 71 yards and one touchdown. Kayser is also ranked second on the team with 64 tackles.
In 2016, Morrell led the Orediggers to their third Frontier Conference title in his years as head coach. The Orediggers ride a school-record 10-game winning streak into Saturday’s quarterfinal playoff game at Reinhardt (Georgia).
In all, 13 Montana Tech players were named to the All-Frontier Conference team.
Sophomore receiver Dion Williams and senior offensive lineman Ryan Stemple joined Saraceni as first-team selections.
Junior quarterback Quinn McQueary and senior tight end Andrew Loudenback made the second team.
Five Oredigger defensive players earned first-team honors on defense. Joining Kayser as first-team selections were senior defensive linemen Luke Benz and Tyler Sanders, junior linebacker Drew Schleeman and junior cornerback Andre Brown.
Senior linebacker Zach Hulse was named to the second team.
On special teams, Tech kicker Derrick Holt earned a second-team nod, as did sophomore punt returner Levi Lynde.
Montana Western saw two players earn first-team honors — senior offensive lineman Kylan Putman and senior linebacker T.J. Benson.
Senior running back Sam Rutherford, senior receiver Matt Lickfold and senior offensive lineman Shayden Flint took home second-team honors.
Click the link below to see the entire All-Frontier Conference team.
