The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) announced the 2024 football postseason awards and All-Conference teams, which include members of the Aurora University football program.

The 2024 NACC champions from Aurora University dominated both on the field and in the postseason award recognition. AU swept the top honors with Head Coach Don Beebe and his staff being named Coaching Staff of the Year, quarterback Tyler Adkins being named Offensive Player of the Year, defensive lineman Jaylen Jordan being named Defensive Player of the Year and offensive lineman Matt Kickel being named Offensive Lineman of the Year. 
 
Beebe earned NACC Coach of the Year honors for the fifth time in as many times he has been eligible for the honor while at the helm of the Spartans. He received the award after he led AU to an undefeated 8-0 conference schedule and the Spartans making a fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III Football Championship appearance. Aurora has advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship where the Spartans will take on Hope College on Saturday, November 30.

The Spartans lead all NACC programs in first downs (250), kickoff returns (24.9), passes intercepted (19), passing offense (293.6 ypg), passing yards allowed (154.3), passing yards per completion (14.75), red zone defense (.588), scoring offense (49.2 ppg), scoring defense (13.7 ppg), passing efficiency (167.86), team sacks (3.1) and total offense (472.9 ypg) and ranks second in 16 different stat areas.

Nationally, Aurora ranks in the top 10 in interceptions (second), defensive touchdowns (sixth), scoring offense (seventh), defensive passing efficiency (ninth) and red zone defense (10th).

Beebe is assisted by Ryan Gehlert (Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks), J.T. Zimmerman (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers), Matt Piasecki (Special Team Cooridnator/Defenisve Backs), Joe Thorgesen (Running Backs), Jeremiah Chaney (Defensive Line), and Kevin Sabo (Offensive Line) and graduate assistants Michael Boland and Carlos Delgado.

This is the fifth consecutive year (no honors were given in Spring 2021) that Beebe or a Beebe-led staff has been recognized by their peers. AU now has a league-best seven honors all-time.

Adkins won the distinction of the NACC Offensive Player of the Year for a first time following as strong season as the signal caller of the Spartans. In 10 regular-season games, Adkins threw for 2,558 yards and 36 touchdowns while completing 62.1 percent (177-of-285) of his passes. He also ran for 358 yards and five touchdowns on 72 carries.

As a sophomore, Adkins leads all NACC quarterbacks in passing efficiency (172.2), passing touchdowns, yards per completion (14.45), points responsible for (248), and yards per passing attempt (8.98) and ranks second in passing yards, yards per game (255.8) and total offense (291.4 ypg) and third in completion percentage and completions per game (17.7), . He currently ranks fifth nationally in points responsible for per game (24.8), sixth in points responsible for (248) and eighth in passing TDs.

This marks the fifth consecutive year that a Spartan student-athlete has been named NACC Offensive Player of the Year. 
 
Jordan earned the NACC Defensive Player of the Year honor and marks the fourth consecutive season an AU defender has won the honor. Jordan leads a stout AU defense with 44 tackles with 8.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks, one interception which he returned for a touchdown and five quarterback hurries. He had three or more tackles from his defensive tackle position in all 10 AU games. 

This is also the fifth time an AU student-athlete has captured the award - a league-best total. Jordan joins Marcellus Romious (2022 and 2023), Sean Reyna (2021), Kam Dawtyne (2017), and Mike Budzinski (2009).

Kickel earned one of the newest awards given by the NACC, the Offensive Lineman of the Year. Kickel is the leader of the AU offensive line that leads the way for an offense that led the NACC in passing offense (293.6 ypg), passing yards per completion (14.75), scoring offense (49.2 ppg), passing efficiency (167.86) and total offense (472.9 ypg). On th ground the Spartans average 179.3 yards per game with 24 rushing touchdowns and average 293.6 yards in the air for 472.9 yards per game.

In all, 14 Spartans earned recognition with Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference All-Conference honors with nine First-Team selections, two Second-Team and three Honorable Mention. 

Joining Jordan, Kickel and Adkins as First-Team All-NACC are receivers Trey Urwiler and Ty Pruett, offensive lineman Alston Watts, defensive backs Quintarius Davis and Andrew Nordland and defensive lineman JP Chaney.

Urwiler has caught 65 passes for 642 yards and eight touchdowns while Pruett has caught 24 passes for 522 yards and 10 touchdowns. Watts joins Kickel in anchoring the Spartan offensive line that averages 472.9 total yards per game, 179.3 rushing and 293.6 passing per game. Davis ranks eighth nationally with six interceptions while he has returned three for touchdowns and adding 34 tackles with eight pass breakups. Nordland leads the Spartan defense in tackles with 71 to go along with four interceptions, a forced fumble and one pass breakup. Chaney leads the AU defense with eight sacks, has 11.5 tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries, one forced fumble, an interception whieh he returned for a touchdown 36 tackles. 

Second-Team All-Conference recognition went to running back Zackery Russell (116 rushes for 593 yards and seven touchdowns and 10 catches for 124 yards and one touchdown) and defensive lineman Isaiah Perrin (32 tackles, 4.5 sacks, five tackles for loss and one quarterback hurry).
 
NACC Honorable Mention selections went to defensive back Jeremy Thomas (39 tackles, two interceptions, two pass break-ups and three quarterback hurries), tight end Robert Cooper (eight catches for 110 yards and five touchdowns), and defensive lineman Deuce Moore (23 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, eight quarterback hurries and five pass break-ups).

Next action for the Spartan football team comes in the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs. The Spartans will travel to Hope College (10-0, 7-0 MIAA) in Holland, Michigan on Saturday, November 30. Game time has been set for a 12:00 p.m. (est) / 11:00 a.m. (cst) kickoff.  This will be the eighth meeting all-time between the two football programs.