(Greenville, SC) - The National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) announced their yearly All-NCCAA postseason awards on Wednesday afternoon and several Cardinals earned honors after their efforts this season.
NCCAA AWARDS
DAVID CAGLE | JR | ALLEN PARK, MICHIGAN
David Cagle earned himself NCCAA Defensive Player of the Year after leading the NCCAA in sacks, with 10, and being second in the NCCAA in tackles for loss with 18. He tacked on a total of 68 tackles on the season, which is the 17th most in the NCCAA while also forcing a fumble and breaking up three passes.
Cagle is the fourth Cardinal all-time to receive this honor and the second defensive player. Joe Conner won in 2018, while Ryan Fish won the award in 2020 and Hunter Maynard took home the award in 2021.
FIRST TEAM
WILL DOWLING | SR | OAK HARBOR, OHIO
Will Dowling continued to be a staple on the offensive line as he made his third appearance on an All-NCCAA team, with this year being his first time on the All-NCCAA First Team. The lineman aids the offense is putting up top numbers in the NCCAA as they recorded the fifth-highest rushing yards per game (133.6) and the fifth-highest total offensive yards per game (377.1)
DAVID CAGLE | JR | ALLEN PARK, MICHIGAN
In addition to being named the NCCAA Defensive Player of the Year, Cagle earned a spot on the First Team Defense. Cagle anchored a defense that led the NCCAA in sacks with 32 as a team as they were also forcing the most fumbles with 16. The defense was also the second-best in yards allowed per game as they allowed 292.1 yards per game.
CASEY RAUCH | SR | ALEXANDRIA, KENTUCKY
Marking his third appearance on the All-NCCAA Defensive team is Casey Rauch as he has been named for the last three years. Rauch made the fourth-most tackles in the NCCAA this season with 93 total tackles on year. In addition, Rauch forced three total turnovers with two coming on a forced fumble and the third coming on an interception he returned for a touchdown.
ANDREW WIEMER | SR | MERIDAN, IDAHO
The senior, Andrew Wiemer makes his first appearance on an All-NCCAA team. Wiemer was tied for the second-most interceptions in the NCCAA this season as he made four on the year. In addition, Wiemer tacked on 35 total tackles with one for a loss.
SECOND TEAM
SEEGER DEGAYNER | SR | GRAND BLANC, MICHIGAN
This is the first time that Seeger Degayner made his way onto an All-NCCAA team as a receiver and the third time overall, the previous two as a returner. Degayner brought in the most receiving touchdowns this season with 15, while also bringing in 899 yards, which was the third-most. He averaged 89.9 yards per game this year which is the second-most.
COLLIN BRICE | SR | PICKERINGTON, OHIO
The senior makes his first appearance on an All-NCCAA team after once again being an anchor on the offensive line at center. Brice aids the offensive line as a team that passes for the seventh-most yards in the NCCAA with 243.5 yards per game while averaging the fifth-most total yards per game at 377.1.
CASEY RAUCH | SR | ALEXANDRIA, KENTUCKY
Casey Rauch appears on an All-NCCAA team for the second time this season as he also was named to the Second Team as a punter. Rauch punted 36 times this season for the Cardinals as he averaged the fourth-most yards per punt at 39.3. Additionally, Rauch had the third-most punts land inside the 20-yard line this season with 16.
NCCAA SCHOLAR-ATHLETES
The Cardinals saw 17 student-athletes named Scholar-Athletes for the NCCAA as Gavin Brooks, James Carpenter, Harmon DeVries, Elijah Douglass, Gabe Dowling, Will Dowling, Heath Flower, Maurice Kado, Colby Kohmescher, Logan Nahrwold-Settle, Tristen Needham, Evan Pittenger, Zaire Prioleau, Casey Rauch, Ryan Robinson, Jaden Vizina, and Andrew Wiemer all qualified for the honors.
To be named as a scholar-athlete, athletes must be junior or above in academic standing, completed on term at the university, and maintain a 3.40 GPA or over to qualify.
