NEW ULM, Minn. The Martin Luther College football team saw 13 members of its Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) championship team recognized by the conference on Thursday. Head Coach Mark Stein was named UMAC Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season, while running back Austin DeNoyer was named UMAC Most Valuable Offensive Player.

DeNoyer was also named First Team All-UMAC, along with Zach Bloomquist, Josh Arndt, Mike Radue, Carrington Cunningham, Josh Frailing, Keith Brassow, Dan Gensmer, Tristan Pankow and Ben Arndt. Derek Gulrud and Andrew Owczarzak were named Second Team All-UMAC. The 10 First Team All-UMAC selections were the most by any team in the conference this season.

Stein earned Coach of the Year honors for the second consecutive season. The Knights were picked to finish sixth in the UMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, but recorded an 8-0 conference record on he way to the program's first UMAC title since the 2009 season. Stein and the Knights set new program records for single-season wins (nine) and longest win streak (nine).

DeNoyer was named the league's offensive MVP after finishing the regular season with nearly 400 more rushing yards (1,021) and 451 more all-purpose yards (1,373) than any other player in the conference. His 16 touchdowns also led all players in the league. 

DeNoyer was a model of consistency throughout the season, recording at least 100 total yards in all 10 games, while also scoring at least one touchdown in nine of the 10 contests.

Bloomquist came back from a difficult injury in 2017 to become the most efficient quarterback in the conference this season. He finished the 2018 regular season with 1650 passing yards and 26 touchdowns (15 passing, 11 rushing) against only three interceptions. In conference play, Bloomquist led the UMAC in passer rating (171.2), completion percentage (61.3) and TD/INT ratio (14/3).

Josh Arndt caught 31 passes for 843 yards and nine touchdowns while leading the conference (and ranking second in NCAA Division III) with an average of 26.3 yards per reception. Arndt was also named UMAC Offensive Player of the Week three times this season and broke the MLC record for career receiving touchdowns (27).

Radue played an important role as a tight end in both the running and passing games. He caught 17 passes for 162 yards and one touchdown, while also working hard as a blocker to help the Knights to the top running game in the conference.

Gensmer overcame his lack of size to become a dominant player on the defensive line. He finished second in the conference this season in both sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (15.5), while also forcing two fumbles and recovering one fumble. Gensmer was also a significant contributor on special teams and finished the season third on the Knights with 53 total tackles. 

Brassow moved outside to defensive end this season and made the most of that move with career highs in sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (14.5). Both of those totals were among the top five in the conference, while his three forced fumbles tied him for third in the UMAC.

Pankow played multiple roles at linebacker this season due to injuries and excelled in all areas. The junior finished the season with 58 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one interception while playing both inside and outside, helping the Knights finish the season as the league's number one run defense (87.5 yards per game) in UMAC play.

Ben Arndt led the UMAC (and finished tied for sixth in NCAA Division III) with six interceptions in his first season as a starting cornerback. He also finished second in the conference with 17 total passes defended and recorded 51 total tackles on the season.

Cunningham, Frailing, Gulrud and Owczarzak each earned all-conference honors on the offensive line. That group paved the way for an offense that led the UMAC in points per game (36.5), total yards per game (455.6), rushing yards per game (265.7), fewest sacks allowed (14) and time of possession per game (33:33).

Andrew Ronholt was named the MLC recipient of the Sportsmanship Award, given to one player on each team who best exemplifies sportsmanship throughout the season.

You can see the full release from the UMAC with all the football awards if you click here. 

The Knights will return to action on Saturday, November 17, when they play at Saint John's (Minn.) in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Championship.