The 2008 Great Plains Athletic Conference Football All-Conference team has been selected after a vote of the league coaches on Sunday (Nov. 16) at Dana College in Blair, Neb.
A total of 18 Nebraska Wesleyan University players received recognition from the GPAC. View All-GPAC team

Senior safety Phil Schroer and senior return specialist Seth Mruz were both named to the All-GPAC first team to lead the NWU selections.

Schroer (Lawrence, Neb.) earns First-Team honors for the second season in a row, and it is his third All-Conference honor.  He became the GPAC career leader this season with 23 career interceptions.  Schroer had five interceptions this season and finished third on the team with 57 tackles.

Mruz (Fremont, Neb.) led the GPAC and ranked fourth in all of NAIA averaging 28.1 yards per return.  He also threw a touchdown pass, rushed for a TD, and caught a TD pass.

Three NWU players were named to the All-GPAC second team.  Senior running back Jordan Stutzman was selected on offense, junior defensive end Cameron Kolling was chosen on defense and sophomore punter Ethan Hunke was picked as a punter.

Stutzman (Friend, Neb.) led NWU and ranked third in the GPAC in rushing with 634 yards.  During the season he became the NWU all-time rushing TD leader with 23 rushing touchdowns.  He also ended his career ranked 10th in career rushing yards with 1,496.  He was a First-Team All-GPAC pick in 2007.

Kolling (Crawford, Neb.) was the top tackler on the NWU defense this season.  He finished with 63 total tackles and a team leading 5.0 quarterback sacks to rank seventh in the GPAC.  Kolling also had 7.5 tackles-for-loss on the season.  This is his first All-GPAC award.

Hunke (West Point, Neb.) was second in the GPAC in punting averaging 39.6 yards per punt.  His average was the fifth best single season punting average in NWU history.

The Prairie Wolves had 13 players receive honorable mention All-GPAC honors.  Ben Iske, Garek Bebee, John Duff, Kory Kahlandt, Tyler Ridder, Chea Taylor and Ryan Hawthorne were honorable mention on offense.  Jim Tvrdy, David Duff, Jake Riha, Paul Seger and Phil Harm were selected on defense, while Luke Luetchens received recognition as a punt returner.

John Duff, Paul Seger, Chea Taylor and Jim Tvrdy are all repeat All-GPAC honorable mention selections.

Morningside quarterback Ian Gilworth was the GPAC Offensive Player-of-the-Year, Northwestern linebacker Nathan Jansen was the GPAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year while Brad Pole from Dakota Wesleyan was named GPAC Coach of the Year.

Nebraska Wesleyan finished the season winning their last seven games to post a 7-3 final record to tie for third in the GPAC standings.  This is the third straight season that NWU has at least seven wins in football, marking the best three-year stretch of NWU football since 1989-91.

NWU Football All-GPAC Selections
First-Team
Phil Schroer, DB, 6-1, 200, Sr., Lawrence, Neb.
Seth Mruz, RS, 5-10, 220, Sr., Fremont, Neb.

Second-Team
Jordan Stutzman, RB, 5-11, 200, Sr., Friend, Neb.
Cameron Kolling, DL, 6-2, 235, Jr., Crawford, Neb.
Ethan Hunke, P, 6-3, 190, So., West Point, Neb.

Honorable Mention
Garek Bebee, OL, 6-2, 245, So., Wakefield, Neb.
David Duff, DL, 6-3, 260, Sr., Clearwater, Neb.
John Duff, OL/TE, 6-3, 260, Sr., Denver, Neb.
Phil Harm, LB, 6-1, 210, Jr., Council Bluffs, Iowa
Ryan Hawthorne, RB, 5-11, 230, Sr., Minden, Neb.
Ben Iske, TE, 6-4, 220, Jr., Gretna, Neb.
Kory Kahlandt, RB, 5-10, 200, Jr., Lincoln, Neb.
Luke Luetchens, RS, 6-1, 180, Jr., Murdock, Neb.
Tyler Ridder, WR, 6-1, 200, Sr., Fullerton, Neb.
Jake Riha, DL, 6-3, 235, Jr., Grand Island, Neb.
Paul Seger, DB, 5-10, 190, Sr., Atkinson, Neb.
Chea Taylor, OL, 6-1, 280, Sr., Hampton, Neb.
Jim Tvrdy, LB, 6-2, 225, Sr., Waverly, Neb.