Indianapolis, Ind. - On Thursday, Nov. 16, the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) announced its' football all-conference awards following the conclusion of the 2023 season. The University of Findlay, after a 7-4 (6-3 G-MAC) record this season, received 14 all-conference selections including seven first-team selections, and seven second-team selections. Findlay also had a pair of players pick up Player of the Year awards as senior
Michael Jerrell earned Offensive Lineman of the Year and tight end
Mike Rigerman earned Offensive Player of the Year.
The Oilers have now earned 138 all-conference selections since joining the G-MAC in 2017 for an average of 20Â selections over seven seasons. Findlay's total selections and yearly average are both tops in the conference.
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Offensive Lineman of the Year
The most recent in a long line of standout offensive lineman, senior
Michael Jerrell has been selected as the league's Offensive Lineman of the Year and has been named as a first team all-G-MAC pick. This is the fourth consecutive season in which Jerrell has been named all-conference, three of which have been first team selections. Entering the 2023 campaign, Jerrell began the year with high expectations and was highly touted as one of the top Division II offensive lineman in country. He delivered for his team yet again, blocking for an offense that put up nearly 400 yards of offense per game and allowed just 17 sacks, third-fewest in the conference. In his time at Findlay, the Indianapolis, Indiana native was as reliable as they come, starting in the final 40 consecutive games of his career and appearing in a total of 48 games from 2018-2023. Those 48 games played are second-most by a Findlay offensive lineman, just one behind the record of 49 set in 2021 by Logan Bailey.Â
Jerrell is the offensive lineman at UF since 2015 to earn the league's top award for the position, joining Logan Bailey (2021 - G-MAC), Andrew Alten (2017 - G-MAC), and Chris Reaper (2015 - GLIAC).
Offensive Player of the Year
Ending his time at Findlay as arguably the best tight end to ever play for the Orange and Black, senior
Mike Rigerman has been named as the G-MAC's Offensive Player of the Year after a season in which he tortured opposing defenses. Rigerman was also named first team all-conference, the fourth consecutive first team honor for the Arcade, New York native. That distinction makes him the only tight end in program history to be a four-time all-conference selection and cements him as one of the best to ever play the position in the history of the conference, as well. This season, Rigerman finished with 739 receiving yards on 59 receptions including eight touchdowns, all of which were second in the conference. His consistency as a top target made him dangerous as he hauled in at least four receptions in 10 of his team's 11 games. For his career, Rigerman finishes with a program tight end record 1,807 yards on 149 receptions including 21 scores.
He is Findlay's first Offensive Player of the Year in the conference and is just the fourth offensive player, non-lineman, to pick up a conference Player of the Year award joining running back
Garret Clark (G-MAC Freshman of the Year -Â 2021 (sp)), running back Monterae Williams (GLIAC Freshman of the Year - 2009), and Robert Campbell (GLIAC Offensive Back of the Year - 2002). Rigerman is also the first tight end to earn any Player of the Year distinction in conference history.
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First Team All-Great Midwest
In his second year as a starter, sophomore
Te'Jamere Nash has been named as a first team selection on the offensive line. Starting every game this season at left tackle, opposite Jerrell, Nash was a big part of the protection of his quarterback and helping block for one of the top offenses in the conference.
His one and only year for the Orange and Black, senior wide receiver
Cam Childers has secured a first team all-conference spot as one of the best deep threats in the league this year. On the season, Childers had 33 receptions for 431 yards and three scores despite missing multiple games due to injury. His best performances came in Week 10 against Ashland where he made ten catches for 174 yards and a touchdown.
Earning his second career all-conference award is senior
Charles Omameh, a third-team selection in 2021 and now a first-team pick in 2023. Findlay's defensive lineman finished the year with 18 tackles including four tackles-for-loss and one sack. His final three games were a few of his best, racking up 11 tackles and 2.5 TFL in that stretch.
Senior
Jeremiah Jackson, who was named third team all-G-MAC each of the previous two seasons, has been named as a first-team selection after putting together the best season of his career. Jackson played in all 11 games and tallied 29 tackles including one tackle-for-loss, a sack against Northwood. Jackson was tied for second in the G-MAC with four interceptions this season and had seven pass breakups, tied for third-most in the league. He finishes his career with 113 tackles and nine interceptions.
Rounding out the Oilers' first-team picks is senior kicker
Brian Bartholomew who, after transferring in from Valpraiso this year, quickly established himself as the best leg in the G-MAC. The Sugar Grove, Illinois native led the conference with 14 made field goals, just one shy of Findlay's program record. Bartholomew made those 14 field goals on just 16 attempts for 87.5% and made six field goals from 40 or more yards.
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Second Team All-Great Midwest
Picking up a fifth all-conference award, senior running backÂ
Brian Benson, a four-time first team selection, ends his career as an all-time great at UF and a second-team selection in the G-MAC. Benson rushed for 713 yards and six touchdowns this season. He finishes his career with 582 carries and 3,423 yards, the most by a running back in G-MAC history. Benson's backfield mate has also earned all-conference as junior
Garret Clark has been selected for his fourth all-G-MAC award of his career. Now a three-time second-team pick, Clark rushed for 455 yards on 82 carries this season and had one rushing touchdown. He also picked up 11 receptions for 50 yards and a score.
Sophomore
Londyn Claxton is a second team selection as a defensive lineman after playing in all 11 games and collecting 28 tackles including 4.5 tackles-for-loss and two sacks. He also had one forced fumble this year which came in week two against Pace. Another defensive lineman garnering all-conference status is senior
Jack Morrison who picked up 37 stops, two tackles-for-loss, and 1.5 sacks this season. He also had a team-high seven quarterback hurries this season.Â
Earning a third consecutive all-conference honor is senior
Grey Brancifort. A two-time first team selection and now a second-team pick, Brancifort recorded 50 tackles including a team-high 13.5 tackles-for-loss, fourth-most in the conference. He had five sacks and one forced fumble. Fellow linebacker
Sam Weihrauch is also a second-team selection this year after being a third-team pick in his freshman campaign. The Findlay sophomore finished the year with a team-high 76 tackles and had 12.0 tackles-for-loss, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries.
Concluding Findlay's selections is senior
Jordan Grimes who, this year, picks up the first all-conference selection of his career, securing a spot on the second team. Grimes, a safety for Findlay, finished the year with 40 tackles including four tackles-for-loss, but more impressively, he tied for the G-MAC lead with five interceptions this season. Grimes had 137 interception return yards and recorded a pick in three straight games from weeks seven through nine.
All-G-MAC Selections
Offensive Lineman of the Year
Michael Jerrell - OL
Offensive Player of the Year
Mike Rigerman - OL
First Team
Michael Jerrell - OL
Te'Jamere Nash - OL
Cam Childers - WR
Mike Rigerman - TE
Charles Omameh - DL
Jeremiah Jackson - DB
Brian Bartholomew - K
Second Team
Brian Benson - RB
Garret Clark - RB
Londyn Claxton - DL
Jack Morrison - DL
Grey Brancifort - LB
Sam Weihrauch - LB
Jordan Grimes - DB