MIAC announces 2024 football awards

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. The 2024 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) regular football season concluded earlier this month and on Monday the conference recognized the top performers of another outstanding campaign with the announcement of the 2024 MIAC Football Awards.

Saint Johns senior quarterback Aaron Syverson was selected as the MIAC Offensive Player of the Year, while Bethel was a sophomore safety Matt Jung was named MIAC Defensive Player of the Year. Bethel senior defensive lineman Caden DeWall received the Mike Stam Award, given to the conference's top lineman, and Concordia's freshman offensive lineman Jake Long was named MIAC Football Rookie of the Year. Head coach Sint-Jan Gary Fasching was honored by his peers with the John Gagliardi Coach of the Year Award.

Syverson (Sr. | Minnetonka, Minnesota) was named MIAC Offensive Player of the Year after setting single-season conference records for passing touchdowns (36), completion percentage (74.5) and 300-yard passing games (7) in MIAC -games . Syverson also tied the conference record for 400-yard rushing games in a season (3) and finished with the second-most passing yards against MIAC opponents in a season in recorded conference history. Syverson became the MIAC's all-time rushing and touchdowns leader in 2024. He is the first Johnnie to receive individual MIAC postseason football honors since Michael Wozniak was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2022.

Jung (So. | Neenah, Wis.) was named MIAC Defensive Player of the Year after leading the conference with four interceptions in MIAC games and returning three of them for touchdowns. Jung also had 62 total tackles and 2.5 sacks in league play. He is the first Royal in program history to be named MIAC Defensive Player of the Year.

DeWall (Sr. | Becker, Minn.) received Mike Stam Lineman of the Year honors after leading the conference with 13 sacks in MIAC games. DeWall finished the MIAC schedule with 37 tackles and a conference-best three fumble recoveries. He is the third Royal in program history – and the first since 2006 – to receive the Mike Stam Award. The Mike Stam Award was established in 1990 in memory of the former Carleton All-MIAC defensive lineman who died in a snowmobile accident after his junior season.

Long (Fy. | Westfield, Wis. | Adams-Friendship) was named MIAC Rookie of the Year after starting every game for the Cobbers in his debut season. The freshman guard helped Concordia average 140.4 rushing yards per game and 8.8 yards per pass attempt in 2024. Long is the second consecutive Cobber to receive MIAC Rookie of the Year honors, joining fellow Concordia offensive lineman and 2023 receiver Angel Reyes.

Fasching (12th season) received the John Gagliardi Coach of the Year Award for the seventh time in his career after leading the Johnnies to the program's 37th MIAC title and ninth trip to the NCAA Playoffs in the last ten seasons. A former MIAC student-athlete himself, Fasching was a three-year starter at linebacker for Gagliardi's Johnnies before spending 17 years as an assistant on the legendary coach's SJU staff. The MIAC Coach of the Year Award was renamed in 2013 in honor of Gagliardi, college football's all-time leader.

In addition to individual honors, the MIAC also announced All-Conference and Honorable Mentions. Sixty players received All-MIAC honors, while another 29 received honorable mention honors. Thirty-one of the 60 All-MIAC honorees were also recognized with All-Conference selections in 2022 or 2023.

Safety for Bethel Graduates Nate farmand Gustavus senior linebacker Carson De Kambecame the 12th and 13th players in MIAC history to earn four All-Conference honors in football. Eleven more players – Bethel wide receivers Joey Kidder And Micah Niewaldlinebacker Jacob Holmanand defensive back Devin Williams; Concordia defensive lineman Collin Thompson and kicker/punter Damien Silus; Gustavus defensive lineman Javier Gratacos; Saint John's quarterback Aaron Syversonlinebacker Cooper Yaggieand kicker Conor Murphy; and St. Olaf tight end Dirk Hansen – received their third All-MIAC nod, a feat accomplished by 135 players in conference history.

All MIAC awards are nominated and voted on by MIAC head football coaches. Any nominated player who was not selected for the All-Conference but still received votes from at least three coaches received an honorable mention. Only conference statistics are eligible for MIAC awards.

| 2024 MIAC Football Awards |