The 2009 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 12 Nebraska Wesleyan University players received recognition from the GPAC.
Senior running back Kory Kahlandt, junior offensive lineman Garek Bebee and junior punter Ethan Hunke were all named to the All-GPAC first team to lead the NWU selections.
Kahlandt (Lincoln, Neb.) earns First-Team honors after being named honorable mention All-GPAC last season. Kahlandt finished the season ranked second in the GPAC in rushing at 104.0 yards per game. Despite missing the final two games with injury, he finished the year with the seventh highest season rushing total (936 yds) in school history. He tied the school record with 14 rushing touchdowns this season, and finished third in career TDs.
Bebee (Wakefield, Neb.) received his second straight all-conference honors. Bebee was All-GPAC honorable mention as a sophomore. He has started for three seasons at offensive tackle for the Prairie Wolves.
Hunke (West Point, Neb.) led the GPAC and was third in the NAIA in punting this season averaging 41.7 yards per punt. He set a new single season school record at NWU for punting average. Hunke was Second-Team All-GPAC in 2008.
Four NWU players were named to the All-GPAC second team. On defense senior defensive lineman Cameron Kolling and Jake Riha joined senior safety Garrett Rippen on the second-team defense. Freshman Jordan Delbaugh was picked as a kick return specialist.
Kolling (Crawford, Neb.) was named to the All-GPAC second team for the second straight season. He led the GPAC with 14.0 tackles-for-loss and was eighth in the league with 4.0 quarterback sacks. He finished his career with 148 total tackles.
Riha (Grand Island, Neb.) finished seventh in the GPAC in tackles-for-loss with 10.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage from his defensive tackle position. He had 43 total tackles this season and finished with 106 career stops. Riha was All-GPAC honorable mention last season.
Rippen (Culbertson, Neb.) was third in the GPAC in total tackles with 90 stops on the season. His 90 tackles in a year was the most by a NWU player since 2003. He was 25th in the country in total tackles. This is his first All-GPAC honor.
Delbaugh (Englewood, Colo.) led the GPAC in kick returns averaging 29.2 yards per return. He tied for second in the entire NAIA in kick returns as a freshman. Delbaugh also made his mark blocking kicks as he had three blocked kicks on the year.
The Prairie Wolves had five players receive honorable mention All-GPAC honors. Ryan Ono and Jake Pelton were honorable mention on offense. Luke Luetchens and Phil Harm were selected on defense, while Zach Egger received recognition as a kicker.
Luke Luetchens earned All-GPAC honorable mention for the third straight year, while Phil Harm earns his second honorable mention selection.
Sioux Falls quarterback Lorenzo Brown was the GPAC Offensive Player-of-the-Year, Sioux Falls defensive back Trevor Holleman was the GPAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year while Kalen DeBoer from Sioux Falls was named GPAC Coach of the Year.
Nebraska Wesleyan finished the season with a 5-5 overall record to finish sixth in the GPAC standings.
NWU Football All-GPAC Selections
First-Team
Kory Kahlandt, RB, 5-10, 205, Sr., Lincoln, Neb.
Garek Bebee, OL, 6-2, 250, Jr., Wakefield, Neb.
Ethan Hunke, P, 6-3, 190, Jr., West Point, Neb.
Second-Team
Cameron Kolling, DL, 6-2, 245, Sr., Crawford, Neb.
Jake Riha, DL, 6-3, 250, Sr., Grand Island, Neb.
Garrett Rippen, DB, 6-1, 205, Sr., Culbertson, Neb.
Jordan Delbaugh, RS, 5-4, 155, Fr., Englewood, Colo.
Honorable Mention
Ryan Ono, OL, 6-0, 260, Sr., Omaha, Neb.
Zach Egger, K, 6-0, 195, Jr., Wood River, Neb.
Luke Luetchens, DB, 6-1, 190, Sr., Murdock, Neb.
Phil Harm, LB, 6-1, 220, Sr., Council Bluffs, Iowa
Jake Pelton, WR, 5-10, 175, Jr., North Platte, Neb.
