Conference Release (PDF)

Westlake, Ohio – Nine members of the Oberlin College football team were honored by the North Coast Athletic Conference, headlined by NCAC Defensive Player of the Year Clay Eaton and fellow first-team selections Robin Witjes and David Kalgren.
 
Earning All-Second-Team accolades was senior center Tyler Benson, senior linebacker Matt Misorski and senior defensive back Shawn Chrapczynski.
 
All-NCAC Honorable-Mention selections included senior quarterback Josh Mandel, sophomore offensive lineman Rory Kaip and senior linebacker Dane Stritt.
 
Eaton, a native of Findlay, Ohio, rewrote the record book during his four-year career. In addition to his numerous accolades, he becomes just the second Yeomen in school history to earn the league's Hank Critchfield Defensive Player of the Year Award. The last Oberlin player to do so was Bob Nau in 1984.
 
Eaton was arguably the most-feared defensive end in the nation this season – leading the country in sacks with a school-record total of 17 on the year. On the season he made 46 tackles – 22.5 of which went for a loss for a total of 118 yards. He departs Oberlin as the all-time sack leader (36.5) and all-time leader in tackles-for-loss (58).
 
Witjes was one of the most dynamic players in the NCAC throughout his career and turned in an amazing senior season that saw him lead the league in yards per game (94.6), catches per game (6.6) and total yards (943).  He was also one of the top returners in the conference - finishing with 1,379 all-purpose yards - which was good for second in the league.
 
Leading a unit that finished third in the NCAC in pass defense was Kalgren. The Curwensville, Pennsylvania, native led the conference with seven interceptions, which ties for second all-time in Yeomen history. He returned two INTs for touchdowns, added seven pass break-ups and 48 tackles. After spending his freshman season at quarterback, at the end of this season he returned to the offensive side of the ball - at wide receiver - finishing with four catches for 91 yards and a TD.
 
Chrapczynski, a local Lorain, Ohio, native was opposite of Kalgren and made up one of the league's best defensive-back duos. He finished fourth on the team with 53 tackles. He added three INTs and two fumble recoveries to go along with an astonishing six blocked kicks.
 
From his center spot, Benson anchored an offensive line that allowed just 22 sacks over 10 games. He and fellow honoree (Rory) Kaip allowed the Yeomen offense to gain 3,340 yards, with 1,075 yards coming on the ground.
 
Stritt was a key factor on the Yeomen defense as he led the team and finished ninth in the NCAC with 88 total tackles. He also tied for the NCAC lead with four forced fumbles.  Misorski, who started all 10 games at linebacker with Stritt, recorded 51 tackles, four tackles for a loss and one sack on the season.  The team's best cover-backer, he also added one INT, six pass break-ups and one fumble recovery.
 
Mandel, who battled through injury and adversity throughout his Yeomen career as the team's signal caller, rounds out the list of All-NCAC honorees. In seven starts, the Plantation, Florida, native guided the Yeomen to four wins as he totaled 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns while throwing just five interceptions. One of the best games of his career came on November 3 when he led the Yeomen to a 31-16 win at No. 10 Wabash. In the contest, he threw for 353 yards and four scores.  He departs Oberlin third on the all-time list with 4,570 yards to go along with 42-career TD tosses.
 
With Kaip being the only award-winner slated to return next season, the Yeomen will look to reload before the start of the 2013 season.