Upper Midwest Athletic Conference

ST. PAUL -- Northwestern College and Martin Luther College, who finished their game on Oct. 10 a mere two points from one another, were separated very similarly on Wednesday as the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) released its all-conference awards for the league’s north division. Northwestern College had 12 individuals selected to the all-conference first team, while Martin Luther added nine first-team accolades to the list. Crown College claimed five of the 32 first team awards and the College of St. Scholastica and University of Minnesota, Morris each had three first-team winners.

Martin Luther won the UMAC North Division this year, besting Northwestern by a game in the final standings at a perfect 4-0. It was the Martin Luther’s first football crown since the Knights claimed UMAC championships in 1998 and 1995. Martin Luther head coach Doug Lange was selected as the division’s Coach of the Year by his peers for the Knights’ accomplishments on the field.

St. Scholastica’s Christopher Henagin and Northwestern’s Zach Tarter were selected as the division’s Co-Offensive Players of the Year. Henagin led the north division, not to mention the entire conference, in rushing yards per game (173.0) and total yards (692) in just four divisional affairs. Tarter, who has won at least a share of the award in each of the last three seasons, averaged 200.8 passing yards per game while throwing for six touchdowns and no interceptions in the Eagles’ four north division games. 

Martin Luther’s Chuqee Fletcher earned the UMAC North Division Defensive Player of the Year award. The sophomore led the league in both sacks and tackles for a loss while averaging 5.5 tackles per game as a defensive lineman. Fletcher was also awarded the division’s Lineman of the Year accolade from the UMAC coaches.

North Division Special Teams Player of the Year honors went to Northwestern’s Cody Crum. The junior made all of his field goal attempts throughout conference play while successfully kicking 19 of 20 PAT attempts.

After running parallel routes throughout the 2009 season, the UMAC’s North and South Divisions will merge into one league with one division in 2010, meaning the members of all nine teams will fight for one set of all-conference awards. Just one year after that in 2011, the UMAC is expected to receive its automatic qualifier (AQ) into the NCAA Tournament.

A full listing of the UMAC Football North Division All-Conference awards is below.

Co-Offensive Player of the Year: Christopher Henagin (College of St. Scholastica)
Co-Offensive Player of the Year: Zach Tarter (Northwestern College)
Defensive Player of the Year: Chuqee Fletcher (Martin Luther College)
Special Teams Player of the Year: Cody Crum (Northwestern College)
Lineman of the Year: Chuqee Fletcher (Martin Luther College)
Coach of the Year: Doug Lange (Martin Luther College)