2024 All-NCAC Football Squad Announced

CLEVELAND, OH – Denison senior kicker Daniel Cunningham (Lexington, VA/Rockbridge County) along with DePauw seniors, inside linebacker Jonathan Bruder (Centerville, OH/Centerville) and quarterback Nathan McCahill (Indianapolis, IN/Cathedral) have been named the Players of the Year to highlight the 2024 All-North Coast Athletic Conference football selections.

McCahill is the second DePauw student-athlete to earn the Mike Gregory Award, as the NCAC’s Offensive Player of the Year after Matt Hunt was selected in 2016. The offensive award is presented in honor of Mike Gregory, a multi-sport standout at Denison in the 1920s. Bruder is the fourth-consecutive DePauw student-athlete to earn the Hank Critchfield Award as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year after classmate Ethan Lowry (Indianapolis, IN/Heritage Christian) collected the honor a season ago. The award is presented in honor of Hank Critchfield, who was a 1927 graduate of The College of Wooster. Finally, Cunningham is the first Denison recipient of the NCAC’s Special Teams Player of the Year award since its inception in 2016.

As the Tiger’s signal caller, McCahill earns his first nod to the top team after earning second-team accolades a season ago. He led the NCAC in nearly every passing category during the regular season, completing 183-of-258 pass attempts (70.9%) for 2,855 yards and broke the NCAC single-season record with 43 touchdowns through ten games; He currently owns 45 TD’s overall so far this season. The senior also gave up a league-low three interceptions. Through 10 regular-season games, McCahill’s passing efficiency of 216.5 led the NCAC, and his current passing efficiency of 210.7 ranks No. 2 in all of Division III as of November 30. Following the Tigers’ NCAA second-round victory, he ranks in the top 10 nationally in seven different categories, sitting in third in passing touchdowns (45), fourth in points responsible for (270), points responsible for per game (24.5) and yards per pass attempt (10.94), seventh in passing yards (3,176), ninth in passing yards per game (288.7) and 10th in completion percentage (70.3%). McCahill tossed three or more TD passes on nine different occasions during the regular season, which included five or more touchdowns in three different league matchups, while tying the NCAC record with a career-high seven touchdowns against Kenyon on Nov. 2. The Tigers captured their fourth-consecutive NCAC championship title this season after compiling a perfect 8-0 record in conference matchups.

Bruder collects his second-straight first-team all-conference certificate after also claiming third-team laurels in 2022. The Tigers allowed a league-low 114 points through 10 regular season games and entered the 2024 NCAA Division III Football Championships having limited opponents to an average of 26.8 yards per game on the ground and 164.8 yards through the air this season. The DePauw total defense leads all of Division III, while the Tigers’ rushing defense (28.6) is second in the nation. Bruder closed out the regular season with six tackles for loss (16 yards), 62 total tackles (41 solo, 21 asst.), two interceptions, one unassisted sack and one forced fumble. The linebacker recorded one of his interceptions in the Monon Bell Game which helped the Tigers win their fourth-consecutive NCAC championship title and the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.

Cunningham collects both his second and third all-conference certificates this season, after claiming a spot on the top team as a kicker and a second-team selection as a punter this season, while also collecting third-team laurels as a kicker in 2022. The senior was tabbed the league’s top special-teams athlete after converting all seven of his field goal attempts, going 38-for-41 in point after attempts and recording 59 points for the Big Red this season. Cunningham ended the season tied at the top for the longest field goal after nailing a 48-yarder at Wooster on Oct. 12, just three yards shy of his career best. The senior recorded three seasons with at least five field goals made, ending his collegiate career going 18-for-25 on field goals. Cunningham missed just seven extra points in his career, totaling 132 overall.

Denison freshman quarterback Tyler Green (Concord, NC/Cannon) was named the NCAC’s Newcomer of the Year as the top player in the league in his first year of collegiate competition in the sport of football. He is the Big Red’s first Newcomer of the Year selection. The third-team All-NCAC selection wasted little time making a name for himself on the gridiron this fall as the Big Red’s signal caller. The rookie ranked in the top three in the NCAC in nearly every passing category during the regular season. Green threw for the longest touchdown this season in the NCAC, an 86-yarder at Wooster on Oct. 12. The rookie ranked second in the NCAC in completed pass attempts (174-of-261), yards (2,228), passing yards per game (222.8), and touchdowns (22) this season, while also compiling the third best passing efficiency (161.6). Green tossed two or more TD passes on seven different occasions during the regular season, which included three or more touchdowns in four different league matchups with a career-high five against Oberlin on Nov. 9.

DePauw claimed the 2024 Coaching Staff of the Year honors, the fourth-consecutive NCAC coaching award in program history. The Tigers are led by Head Coach Brett Dietz, Associate Head Coach Scott Srnka and Assistants Mason Espinosa, Austin McCrory, Ryan McElwain and Christopher Rutledge, Jr. The 2024 DePauw squad was guided to a perfect 10-0 regular season record, earned its fourth-consecutive NCAC title after recording an unblemished 8-0 mark in conference play and has advanced into the NCAA round of 16 for the second time in program history (2021). Through 10 games, the Tiger offense led the league with 3,190 passing yards, 45 passing touchdowns, 68 total touchdowns, 528 points, and an NCAC-low three interceptions, while the team’s total offense currently ranks No. 7 in all of Division III. The DePauw defense held opponents to a league-low nine touchdowns, 15 extra points and 114 points, while making an NCAC-best 43 sacks.

Related Stories

Related Videos

Now Playing: