WICHITA, Kan. – Ottawa University had 19 football student athletes earn All-KCAC honors the conference office announced on Monday afternoon. Ottawa head football coach Kent Kessinger earned KCAC Coach of the Year, Ethan Haller earned KCAC Offensive and KCAC Player of the Year honors and Andy Otto was a recipient of the “Dr. Ted Kessinger Champions of Character Award.”
Haller, a senior quarterback from Anaheim, Calif., was named KCAC Player of the Year, KCAC Offensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous first team All-KCAC selection. He leads the NAIA in passing yards per game, averaging 408.7 yards. He is 247-400 for 4,087 yards, 38 touchdown passes and is leading the Braves in total offense averaging 396.8 yards per game. Haller has broken eight school offensive records this season including career passing yards (6,973) and single season passing yards (4,087). He earned KCAC Player of the Week honors twice this season.
Clarence Anderson, a sophomore receiver from Wichita, Kan. earned first team All-KCAC at receiver and was named second team All-KCAC at utility player and kick returner. For the regular season Anderson had 71 receptions for 1,314 yards and 17 touchdowns. As a kick returner, Anderson had 20 returns for 514 yards for an average of 25.7 yards per return. He leads OU in all-purpose yards per game averaging 197.3 yards per game. Anderson has broken three school records and is tied with teammate Corey Schultz on a fourth. He holds the school record for single game touchdown receptions (4), single season touchdown receptions (17) and single season receptions (71). He is tied for the single season receiving yards record (1,314) with Schultz. Clarence earned KCAC Player of the Week honors for his play in OU’s victory over Friends University.
Corey Schultz, a senior receiver from Quenemo, Kan., has 68 receptions for 1,314 yards and eight touchdowns on his way to earning first team All-KCAC honors at receiver. He is averaging a team leading 146 yards per game as a receiver. Corey is second on the team in all-purpose yards averaging 155 yards per game and is averaging 6.2 yards per punt return. He is tied with Anderson in total receiving yards (1,314), a school record. He earned KCAC Player of the Week twice this season.
Taylor Burnett, a senior tight end from Lenexa, Kan., earned unanimous first team All-KCAC at tight end. It was his second straight selection to the first team. Burnett was a Sporting News NAIA Preseason All-American. He has 33 receptions for 638 yards and seven touchdowns. Burnett averaged 19.3 yards per reception and had three straight games at the beginning of the season with 100 yards or more.
Julian Mendez, a senior offensive lineman from San Diego, Calif., earned first team All-KCAC honors. He was part of an offensive line that blocked for the number one ranked passing offense in the NAIA (417) and the fourth ranked offense in passing efficiency (171.6).
Matt Pennington, a senior offensive lineman from Highland Village, Texas, was a repeat performer on the All-KCAC first team. He helped anchor a line that was first in total passing offense (4,170) and fifth in scoring offense (46.2).
Ross Diehl, a senior linebacker from Sedalia, Colo., was a unanimous first team All-KCAC selection. He is a repeat selection to first team. Diehl became just the third OU football player to earn NAIA Defensive Player of the Week for his play in OU’s 23-21 victory over Sterling College. He earned KCAC Player of the Week honors twice this season. Diehl was third in the team in tackles with 64, 41 solo and 23 assisted. He had seven sacks, two fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles. He scored a touchdown on his second fumble recovery of the season last week in OU’s 49-42 victory over Friends University.
Josh Hojje, a junior linebacker from Newport News, Va., earned first team All-KCAC at linebacker. He was second on the team in tackles with 67, 38 solo and 29 assisted. He had six and a half sacks, one pass break up and three forced fumbles. Hojje earned KCAC Player of the Week one time this season.
Jamison Shaw, a senior defensive lineman from Raymore, Mo., was named first team All-KCAC. Shaw has 38 tackles, 20 solo and 18 assisted in eight games. He has tallied four sacks and one interception that he returned for a touchdown.
Casey Wieder, a junior kicker from North Richland Hills, Texas, earned his second straight first team All-KCAC selection. He is 43-48 in PAT kicking and is 5-8 in field goal attempts. Wieder was second on the team in scoring (58 points) and earned KCAC Player of the Week once this season.
Andy Otto, a senior running back from Drexel, Mo., was a second team All-KCAC selection. He also earned the “Dr. Ted Kessinger Champion of Character Award.” Otto has 599 yards on 103 attempts for 5.8 yards per carry. He has six rushing touchdowns. Otto also has 23 receptions for 292 yards and three touchdowns.
Zach Schultz, a senior receiver from Garden City, Kan., earned honorable mention All-KCAC. He had 29 receptions for 300 yards and two touchdowns.
Daniel Calder, a senior offensive lineman from San Diego, Calif., was an honorable mention selection. He was part of an offensive line that blocked for the leading passing team in the NAIA (417).
Jay Smith, a senior defensive back from Pomona, Calif., earned honorable mention for the first time in his career. He has 28 tackles on the season, 16 solo and 12 assisted. Smith had one interception and six pass breakups.
Earl Moorning, a senior defensive back from Kansas City, Mo., was an honorable mention selection. He has 35 tackles, 19 solo and 16 assisted. Moorning had three pass breakups.
Fielding Brenner, a junior linebacker from Holton, Kan., earned honorable mention All-KCAC. He led the Braves in tackles with 77, 36 solo and 38 assisted. Brenner had one and a half sacks, one interception returned for a touchdown, five pass breakups and one fumble recovery.
Art Rubio, a senior linebacker from Fillmore, Calif., was an honorable mention All-KCAC selection. He was fourth on the team in tackles with 50, 26 solo, 24 assisted. Rubio had three interceptions and four pass breakups.
Seth Homolka, a junior defensive lineman from Holyrood, Kan., earned honorable mention All-KCAC. In his first season in a Brave uniform, the transfer from Washburn University had 26 tackles, seven and a half sacks and one interception.
Jarvis Morehead-Reed, a senior defensive lineman from Grandview, Mo., was an honorable mention All-KCAC selection. He had 44 tackles, 19 solo and 25 assisted. Morehead-Reed had four sacks, two blocked kicks, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. He earned KCAC Player of the Week once this season for his blocked field goal versus Sterling College.
The Braves finish the regular season with a 10-0 record for the first time in program history. OU is ranked fifth, its highest ranking since the 1965 season. OU will host a first round NAIA Playoff for the first time in program history when the Braves take on Hastings College on Saturday, Nov. 21st at Peoples Bank Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. The Braves won their first KCAC title since the 2003 season.