Subject:
4 Auggies named Football Gazette All-Region
Submitter:
Donald W Stoner, Sports Information Coordinator, Public Relations and Communication
Message:
Augsburg's Nick Schlieman, Mike Matson, Andrew Neumann, Chike Ochiagha named to Football Gazette All-West Region Team
http://www.augsburg.edu/athletics/sportsnews/011106allregion.html
MINNEAPOLIS (1/11/06) -- Augsburg College football players Nick Schlieman (Sr., Burnsville, Minn.), Mike Matson (Jr., Cedar, Minn./St. Francis HS), Andrew Neumann (Jr., Somerset, Wis.) and Chike Ochiagha (Sr., Savage, Minn./Holy Angels HS) were named to the 2005 Don Hansen's Football Gazette NCAA Division III All-West Region Team, it was announced on Tuesday.
Schlieman, a punter, was named to the second team, while Matson, a linebacker, was named to the third team. Neumann, a tight end, and Ochiagha, a defensive tackle, both received honorable-mention recognition. It's Schlieman's second time being named to the Football Gazette All-West Region team; he earned third-team honors in the 2003 season. Matson, Neumann and Ochiagha are all earning Football Gazette All-West Region honors for the first time.
The award continues a postseason of honors for the Auggie players. Both Schlieman and Matson were named to the D3football.com All-West Region teams (Schlieman first-team, Matson second-team) and D3football.com All-America teams (Matson third-team, Schlieman honorable-mention) in December. All four players earned All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors in November, with Neumann and Schlieman earning first-team honors and Ochiagha and Matson earning second-team honors.
In its first season under head coach Frank Haege, Augsburg finished 1-9 overall, 1-7 in MIAC play in 2005.
Schlieman, the lone punter in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to average 38.0 yards or more per punt each of the last four seasons, led the MIAC in both overall (41.4 yards per punt) and conference-only (40.7 yards per punt) punting in 2005. Schlieman finished ranked seventh nationally among NCAA Division III players in overall punting average (41.4). As a team, Augsburg ranked first nationally in team net punting average (punt yardage minus return yards/touchbacks) with a 37.68 average.
Of his 56 punts this season, Schlieman had 26 punts of 40-49 yards, four punts of 50-59 yards and a season-long punt of 68 yards, against just two touchbacks and three fair catches. He placed 15 of his punts inside the opponent 20-yard line. In his career, Schlieman averaged 40.1 yards per punt (222 punts, 8,900 yards), with 77 punts of 40-49 yards, 28 punts of 50-59 yards and seven punts of 60 yards or better, including a school-record 74-yarder in the 2003 season. As the Auggies' field-goal kicker this season, he was 6-for-14 with a long of 46 yards.
Matson, a linebacker, finished the season with 155 tackles (74 solo), leading the MIAC in both overall (15.5 tackles per game) and MIAC play (138, 17.3 tackles per game). Matson finished second nationally among Division III players in total tackles (15.5 per game), as one of just two Division III players to average 15.0 or more tackles per game this season. He also rankeds sixth nationally in solo tackles (7.4 per game). In his career, Matson has 245 tackles (100 solo), including 13.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and two blocked kicks.
This season, Matson was named MIAC Player of the Week and Football Gazette Co-National Defensive Player of the Week following a 22-tackle (eight solo) performance with a sack and two blocked kicks in Augsburg's 19-13, two-overtime victory over Hamline on Oct. 15. He later earned D3football.com Team of the Week honors following a career-high 28-tackle (nine solo) performance in Augsburg's 17-14 loss to Bethel on Nov. 4. He had double-figure totals in tackles eight times this season, reaching the 20-tackle plateau three times.
Neumann, a tight end, finished the season as Augsburg's leader in receptions (55), while standing second in receiving yardage (628 yards). He scored two touchdowns this season. In MIAC play (eight games), Neumann ranked third in the conference in receptions per game (5.62) and eighth in receiving yards per game (63.2), both totals tops among conference tight ends.
Neumann topped the 80-yard mark in receiving three times this season, including a 13-catch, 125-yard performance in Augsburg's season finale against St. Olaf on Nov. 12. In his career (30 games), Neumann has 1,265 receiving yards on 112 catches with three touchdowns.
Ochiagha, a defensive lineman, finished this season with 47 tackles (18 solo), including 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and fumble recovery. He had 10 tackles in Augsburg's season-opening loss to Wartburg (Iowa) and seven tackles each in a win over Hamline on Oct. 15 and a loss against Bethel on Nov. 4. Ochiagha started all 10 games at nose guard this season.
In his career, Ochiagha finished with 101 tackles (36 solo), 13.5 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
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