The Missouri Western football team placed three players on Daktronics Super Region Four teams which was released Wednesday morning by the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America. Senior kicker Greg Zuerlein and junior defensive end David Bass were first team selections while junior running back Michael Hill was a second team selection.
Greg Zuerlein set an MWSU record, with 23 field goals in the regular season. He also broke a school record, with a 58-yard field goal against Northwest Missouri State twice. His 21 consecutive field goals made are an MIAA and NCAA Division II record, and he led the conference with 10.7 points per game average. His 2.2 field goals per game average is the best in the nation, and his .952 field goal percentage leads the nation for any kicker with at least 12 attempts. Zuerlein became Western’s first MIAA Special Teams Player of the Year and is just the third Western kicker named first team all-conference. Zuerlein was named the conference’s Special Teams Player of the Week three times which includes the last two weeks of the season against Northwest Missouri State and Fort Hays State. Zuerlein was also named the D2Football.com Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts in the Griffons 31-28 victory over Northwest Missouri State on November 5. With his 21 consecutive field goals nine of them were from 50 or more yards.
David Bass also garnered first team status for the first time in his career. The junior defensive end broke a school record with 20 tackles for loss. His 14.5 sacks led the conference and left him one-half sack short of the single season school record. He is 1.5 sacks short of the career record with 28.5. His two, four sack performances each tied a school record for most in a game. Bass earned MIAA Defensive Player of the Week honors twice and was the D2Football.com Player of the Week once. He was fourth in the nation in sacks per game at 1.21 and 18th in the nation in tackles for a loss with 1.67 per game. He also received first team-All-MIAA for the first time in his career.
Michael Hill received his first nod as a second team selection. The junior running back led the conference in rush attempts (165) and rushing yards (1,305). Hill broke the school record for rush attempts in a game with 41 carries, for a career best 246 rushing yards against Southwest Baptist. Hill was named MIAA Offensive Player of the Week for that performance. His 1,562 all-purpose yards were fourth in the MIAA and his 12 touchdowns and 31 receptions were both tops on the team. Hill is currently 4th all-time in rushing yards with 2,801 which is 595 yards shy of the all-time record which is held by Tony Williams with 3,396 yards. Hill is second all-time in carries with 617 just 76 shy of tying Thomas Hodges for the lead with 693. Hill rushed for over 100 yards five times this season and helped the Griffons to an 8-0 record when rushing for over 200 yards as a team. He was a first team All-MIAA selection this season.
The Griffons finished with a 9-3 overall record which ties a school record for the most wins in school history. They also made their second straight DII playoff appearance and third all-time.
— MWSU Sports Information —