The Great Plains Athletic Conference released it all-conference teams earlier today and 12 Red Raider players earned the postseason honor, led by senior Grant Hegstad and 
Caleb Van Otterloo who were named to the first team.
Hegstad, a senior linebacker and team captain from Sanborn, Iowa, ranked 15th in the conference with 45 total tackles in eight games. He totaled a team-best nine tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries. Hegstad, a three-time all-GPAC pick including second team all-GPAC honors in 2008, registered an interception and defended one pass. Van Otterloo, a junior cornerback from LeMars, Iowa, earned first team accolades for the second straight year. He led the team and ranked fifth in the conference with four interceptions and five passes defended. Van Otterloo ranked third on the team with 43 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, and recovered two fumbles.
Four offensive players earned second team accolades, including Taylor Malm, Reed Van Hulzen, Travis Hofmeyer and John Adam. A junior running back from 
Thousand Oaks, Calif., Malm ranked seventh in the nation with 16 total touchdowns (14 rush, 1 rec. and 1 return). He ranked ninth in the NAIA and fourth within the GPAC averaging nearly 162 all-purpose yards per game. Malm carried the ball 159 times for a team-best 851 yards, ranking third in the GPAC. He also caught a team-high 29 passes for 208 yards and totaled 503 kick return yards, averaging 22.9 yards per attempt. Van Hulzen, a senior wide receiver from Edgerton, Minn., led the Raider offense with 277 receiving yards despite missing five games due to injury. He ranked 10th in the GPAC averaging 55.4 yards per game and scored two touchdowns.
Hofmeyer, a sophomore center from Orange City, Iowa, and Adam, a junior offensive tackle from Sioux City, Iowa, anchored an offensive line that ranked third in 
the nation in sacks allowed, giving up just seven all season. They also helped pave the way for a Raider offense that averaged 338 offensive yards per game and a rushing attack that ranked third in the GPAC averaging 211 yards per game.
Six Raiders earned honorable mention all-GPAC honors, three on offense, two on defense and one special teams player. Derrick Rensink, a sophomore tight end from Sioux Center, Iowa, caught 22 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 9.7 yards per catch. Two more offensive linemen, Daniel Solis, a junior guard from Fort Worth, Texas, and George Barnes, a senior guard
from Mesa, Ariz., helped pave the way for a Raider offense that averaged 338 offensive yards per game and a rushing attack that ranked third in the GPAC averaging 211 yards per game. As a group, the offensive line ranked third in the nation in sacks allowed, giving up just seven all season.
Nathan Kuik, a sophomore from West Fargo, N.D., earned the honor for the second straight year after averaging over 36 yards per attempt . He put 21 attempts inside the opponents 20-yard line.
Junior linebacker Austin Rozeboom (Sioux Center, Iowa) boasted a team-best 53.5 tackles and ranked second with eight tackles for a loss. Also an honorable mention pick in 2008, Rozeboom totaled two fumble recoveries and one interception. Jon Gerber, a junior safety from Lester, Iowa, ranked fifth on the the team with 37.5 tackles and totaled one interception and one fumble recovery.
Northwestern finished the 2009 season ranked 25th in the final NAIA poll with a 7-3 record.
To view the official GPAC release, click on the following link: GPAC Football All-Conference Release
2010 Media Guide
