Senior linebacker Adi Pynenberg (left) has been named the North Coast Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, while head coach Chris Creighton has earned Coach of the Year honors. The announcement came as part of the conference's annual All-NCAC awards list. Sixteen Little Giant players were selected to the All-Conference team.
Pynenberg receives the Hank Critchfield Award, named for the 1927 Wooster graduate and presented each year by Mr. Ernie Infield of Wooster, for the second year in a row. He is the third Wabash player to receive the award, joining Nate Boulais ’03 (2002) and Blair Hammer ’04 (2003) as former recipients. Pynenberg is also the first player to earn the award in consecutive seasons since Wooster's Seth Duerr in 1999 and 2000. Pynenberg is the fifth NCAC Player to repeat as Defensive Player of the Year.
He leads the conference in total tackles (150), solo tackles (82), and tackles per game (13.6). He has the Wabash defense to a tie for second in scoring defense (15.0 ppg) and second in rushing defense (117.1 ypg). Pynenberg also earned First Team All-NCAC honors for the third year in a row, and was recently named a Gagliardi Trophy finalist.
Creighton (left) earned Conference Coach of the Year honors for the third time (2002, 2005), guiding the Little Giants to their third consecutive conference championship and third berth in the NCAA playoffs. Wabash was a perfect 7-0 in NCAC play and is 11-1 heading into this weekend's second round playoff game at Case Western Reserve.
Joining Pynenberg as members of the All-NCAC First Team are Matt Hudson, Mike Russell, Brian Hilts, Jeremy Morris, Darryl Kennon, Jared Lange, Chad Peterman, and Chad Finley. Hudson (right) was the league's First Team quarterback selection after stepping into the starting role in week four and guiding the Little Giants to the conference title. Despite a limited role early in the season, the sophomore leads the league in passing yards (2,295), is second in passing efficiency (162.8), third in passing yards per game (208.6), and fifth in total offense per game (211.2). Going into this weekend's playoff game at Case Western Reserve he's thrown for 19 touchdown passes on 174-of-254 passing with eight interceptions.
Russell (left) leads the Little Giant receivers with 716 yards and is tied for first in receptions with 55 and TD catches with five. He is fifth in the NCAC in receptions per game (5.5) and receiving yards per game (71.6). Russell was a First Team selection in 2006, as well.
Hilts and Morris both earned First Team honors as offensive linemen. Hilts was a 2006 Honorable Mention selection. The pair helped Wabash to second in the league in passing offense (292.1 ypg), second in scoring offense (31.3 ppg), third in total offense (396.7), and third in sacks allowed (15).
Kennon earns his first All-Conference selection. He has 55 tackles this season, including 23 tackles for losses totaling 109 yards and 13-1/2 sacks for 90 yards. Kennon has also forced two fumbles. Lange is another first time All-NCAC pick. He has 46 tackles, 16 tackles for losses of 79 yards, 7-1/2 sacks for 58 yards, one forced fumble, and one blocked kick.
Peterman is second on the team in tackles with 83 to earn his first All-NCAC selection. He has a team-high five interceptions -- third-best total in the NCAC --- and has five pass breakups as a free safety.
Finley was a Second Team All-NCAC pick in 2006, but moved up to First Team this year after averaging 39.8 yards per punt for the third-best mark in the league.
Wes Anderson, Matt Kraft, Andy Deig, and Richard Roomes were Second Team All-NCAC selections. Anderson earned a spot on the All-Conference team with 22 tackles, 4-1/2 tackles for losses of 23 yards, three sacks for 21 yards, and one forced fumble as a defensive end. Kraft is also a first-time All-NCAC pick. He is fifth among Wabash defenders with 69 tackles. Kraft has 3-1/2 tackles for losses of five yards, two interceptions, six pass breakups, and one forced fumble. Deig earned his first All-NCAC honors with 73 tackles, fourth-best on the Little Giant's defensive list. He also has nine tackles for losses totaling 27 yards and one sack for seven yards.
Roomes is a Second Team All-NCAC pick for the second year in a row. He has 39 tackles and three pass breakup as a starting cornerback.
Brock Graham, Bart Banach, and Thomas Bell received Honorable Mention All-NCAC honors. Graham leads the Wabash team in scoring with 11 touchdowns and 66 total points. He has seven rushing TDs and 78 yards on 33 attempts. As a receiver he has 55 catches for 513 yards and four scores. Banach has 33 receptions for 502 yards and five TDs in 11 games. Bell has recorded 45 tackles, has one interception, four pass breakups, and on fumble recovery this year. All three are first-time All-Conference selections.
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Brian Hilts |
Jeremy Morris |
Darryl Kennon |
Jared Lange |
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Chad Peterman |
Chad Finley |
Wes Anderson |
Matt Kraft |
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Andy Deig |
Richard Roomes |
Brock Graham |
Bart Banach |
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Thomas Bell |
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