Brookfield, Ill. - The Don Hansen Football Committee has officially released the 2023 Don Hansen NCAA DII All-America Team and University of Findlay players Mike Rigerman, Michael Jerrell, and Brian Bartholomew were named. Rigerman was a second-team selection while Jerrell and Bartholomew earned honorable mention status.

The Don Hansen team carries out the legacy of long-time small college football advocate Don Hansen, who passed away at age 75 on Aug. 29, 2010. Hansen, from Brookfield, Ill., started and published Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette for three decades, selecting NCAA Division II All-America teams for the first time in 1988.

A runaway selection as the best tight end in the region, senior Mike Rigerman has picked up his fifth all-American award this season. Rigerman, the G-MAC's Offensive Player of the Year this season, was also a first team selection in 2021. 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. 

Picking up an honorable mention spot is kicker Brian Bartholomew who, after transferring in from Valpraiso this year, quickly established himself as the best leg in the G-MAC and one of the top in the region, as well. 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. 

The most recent in a long line of standout offensive lineman, senior Michael Jerrell has picked up his second all-American award of the year. 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.