Five Frontier Conference football players were tabbed American Football Coaches Association NAIA All-Americans on Wednesday, with another selected to the NAIA third team coaches' defense.
Southern Oregon running back Gunner Yates, who currently paces the NAIA with 1,488 yards, was voted to the first-team offense, along with now-two-time All-America center Marcus Lombard (Montana Western).
Yates paced the Frontier in scoring with 29 total touchdowns, compiling seven 100-yard rushing games and nine multi-rushing touchdown efforts. Lombard, from Laie, Hawaii, anchored a Western offensive line that helped produce 29 rushing touchdowns and over 5,800 yards of total offense in 2024, a new single-season Western program record.
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Frontier Defensive Player of the Year Hunter Peck (Carroll College) earned first-team defense honors following a career-high 50-tackle season, and Bulldogs single-season receiving record-holder Eli Nourse was tabbed second-team offense.
Hunter Peck vs. SOU
Carroll College defensive lineman Hunter Peck attempts to sack Southern Oregon quarterback Blake Asciutto during the Saints' 21-17 victory over the No. 8-ranked Raiders on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, inside Nelson Stadium. Sonny Tapia, Independent Record
Peck is Carroll's second first-team All-America defensive lineman in three seasons (Garrett Kocab). He totaled 6.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss for a unit that paced the Frontier in scoring (18.9 PPG) and rush defense (101.1 YPG).
Nourse reset his own single-season program receiving mark in 2024, hauling in 89 passes (third-most NAIA) for 1,216 yards (fifth-most NAIA) and 12 touchdowns (tied career-high). Nourse recorded eight 100-yard receiving games, including Western's NAIA Quarterfinal loss to Morningside (Iowa) last week, and totaled 1,413 all-purpose yards.
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Montana Western wide receiver Eli Nourse (7) receives a pass form Montana Western quarterback Michael Palandri (10) securing a first down for the Bulldogs during the quarterfinal NAIA football playoff game between Montana Western and Morningside University on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024 at Bulldog Stadium. JOSEPH SCHELLER, The Montana Standard
Montana Tech center Brandon Spencer garnered his first career All-America honor, becoming the Orediggers' 30th all-time honoree as a second-team pick.
Spencer was the man in the middle of a Tech rushing attack that averaged 204.4 yards per game (15th-most NAIA) and produced 31 rushing touchdowns (tied for 10th-most NAIA), one score shy of tying a program record.
Rocky Mountain College's Kaysan Barnett rounded out the Frontier's selections as a third-teamer, becoming a two-time NAIA All-American for his 61-tackle, six pass break-up campaign.
Dickinson State seniors Jayden Heartwell (DB) and Nathaniel "Scotty" Woodruff (OL) earned first- and second-team accolades, respectively.
Heartwell recorded 47 tackles (second-most on DSU roster), two fumble recoveries, four interceptions, and three pass break-ups in 2024. Both he and Woodruff were key pieces in the Blue Hawks winning a 10th consecutive North Star Athletic Association Championship and hosting a first-round NAIA Football Championship Series game.
Email Daniel Shepard at daniel.shepard@406mtsports.com and find him on X/Twitter @IR_DanielS.
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