ST. PAUL, Minn. – Less than a week after the regular season's conclusion, the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference announced its 2024 Football Awards on Thursday afternoon. The only team whose season is still ongoing, conference champion Northwestern, led the way with 19 individuals receiving recognition. In addition to having 18 players selected to the various All-Conference teams, UNW won three individual awards as well. Sivert Klefsaas (Motley, Minn./Staples-Motley) earned Offensive Player of the Year honors, Luke Malamisuro (Cambridge Isanti, Minn./Cambridge Isanti) was named Co-Special Teams Player of the Year and Head Coach Matt Moore was voted Coach of the Year by his peers in the conference.
 
The entire UMAC press release can be accessed here.
 
Klefsaas, who was also a First Team All-Conference selection for the first time in his career, was a deserving recipient of the Offensive Player of the Year crown. The junior led the UMAC in every rushing statistic, and currently is eighth in all of NCAA Division III in rushing yards (1,271) and ninth in rushing yards per game (127.1). Northwestern's offense leaned on him heavily this season, and he wound up scoring 15 total touchdowns (13 rushing, two receiving) while leading the team in points scored (92). He is the second consecutive Eagle to win the award (Beau Burk (Ogilvie, Minn./Ogilvie), 2023).
 
The Co-Special Teams Player of the Year award is the first individual honor for Malamisuro, who was also named First Team All-Conference at defensive back and punt returner, and Second Team All-Conference at kick returner. The multi-faceted playmaker has flashed the ability to score whenever he gets his hands on the ball, as his two punt return TDs this season lead the UMAC and are tied for third nationally. On defense, the senior is fourth in the conference in interceptions (4) and passes defended (10). This is the fourth time Malamisuro has been named All-Conference on defense, having been selected to the First Team in 2022 and 2023, and the Second Team in 2021. He is the first Eagle to be named Special Teams Player of the Year since Cole Uplegger (New Prague, Minn./New Prague) in 2022.
 
Matt Moore's selection as Coach of the Year was a no-brainer after his team ran the table with a perfect 7-0 conference record to win the conference and secure a berth in the NCAA Division III Playoffs. This is UNW's third appearance in the NCAA Playoffs (second under Moore) and its 20^th conference championship in program history (also its second under Moore). It is the second time Moore has won the award (2022) in his eight seasons at the helm. His team has been superb on both sides of the ball in 2024, ranking first in conference play in offensive points per game, defensive points allowed per game, total offense, offensive efficiency and defensive efficiency. The Eagles also lead the UMAC in third down success rate, converting at a 43.9% clip.
 
Joining Klefsaas on the All-Conference First Team on the offensive side of the ball is his quarterback, Caden Cantrell (Snowflake, Ariz./Snowflake). This is Cantrell's third appearance on the First Team in as many years on campus, as he enters Saturday's playoff game with a conference-leading 2,297 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns, in addition to five rushing scores. His 67.4% completion rate is also tops in the UMAC, and if it holds, will be a single-season program record at Northwestern. He tied another program record this season as well, throwing six touchdowns in UNW's Homecoming win over Crown.
 
Cantrell's favorite target, Beau Burk (Ogilvie, Minn./Ogilvie), finds himself on the All-Conference First Team for the fourth time in his legendary career. Burk eclipsed program bests in career receptions and career receiving yards this season, while leading the UMAC in receptions (68), receiving yards (987) and receiving touchdowns (6). With multiple other school records in tow, Burk will go down as one of the best weapons in Northwestern Football history. Two of the big boys that paved the way for Klefsaas and kept Cantrell upright this season, Luke Ainsley (Palm Bay, Fla./Heritage) and Keevon McCullough (Palm Bay, Fla./Heritage), earned First Team All-Conference status as well. Ainsley was a First Team selection last season and was on the Second Team the year prior, while this is McCullough's first All-Conference nod.
 
On the defensive side, Jeffrey Markvicka II (Brooklyn Center, Minn./Fridley) earned his first career First Team All-Conference honor after being named to the Second Team last year. The senior made a career-high 45 tackles this season to go along with six tackles for loss, three sacks and a career-high three passes defended. Joining Markvicka II on the Defensive First Team is Jayden Goodwin (New Richmond, Wis./Saint Croix Central), who was a First Teamer last year and a Second Teamer his freshman season. Goodwin led the Eagles in tackles with a career-high 80, which was good for sixth in the conference. He also put up career-highs in tackles for loss (9.5) and sacks (5), while forcing two fumbles and intercepting one pass, which he returned for a touchdown. Aside from the aforementioned Malamisuro, the other Eagle on the Defensive First Team was Naketa Ellington (Richland, Ga./Chattahoochee County), who was a Second Team selection as a freshman last year. Ellington wasn't thrown at often, but when teams tried, he made them pay, breaking up three passes and intercepting two, one of which was returned for a score.
 
Wide receiver Trey Ulmer (West Melbourne, Fla./Heritage) was able to work his way onto the field as a freshman, and wound up becoming a key playmaker for UNW's offense, which earned him a Second Team All-Conference nod. The diaper dandy caught 20 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns this season, most of which came in the final six games of the regular season. Gideon Cruver's (Fayetteville, Ga./Landmark Christian) selection as a Second Team All-Conference tight end is the first of his career as well. The sophomore hauled in nine receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown this season, with the touchdown being a decisive one in the regular season finale win at Westminster. Jack Roberge (Randolph, Minn./Randolph) makes his All-Conference debut on the Second Team as well after starting every game at left tackle following an injury-riddled 2023 campaign.
 
Another rookie on the All-Conference Second Team is defensive lineman Nate Jennings (Palm Bay, Fla./Heritage). The freshman made his way into the rotation as well as into the opponents' backfields, logging 54 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, five QB hurries and a blocked kick. In conference play, he finished fourth in tackles for loss (11) and seventh in sacks (4.5). Sam Schlabach (Keystone, S.D./Rapid City Christian) rejoined the football squad this season and made an immediate impact, earning him Second Team honors as well. A 2022 Second Team selection, Schlabach made 36 tackles from his outside linebacker position, adding four tackles for loss, three pass breakups, one sack and one forced fumble. Northwestern's other outside linebacker, Elijah Simmons (Kissimmee, Fla./Gateway), found himself on the All-Conference Second Team as well. It's the first conference recognition for the junior, who made 44 tackles in 2024 to go along with five tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, four QB hurries and two interceptions, one of which was taken to the house. No. 3 was a do-it-all player for Luke Sommerlot's defense this season.
 
The specialists got some love from the UMAC as well. Dominic Borges (Tualatin, Ore./Tualatin) was named Second Team All-Conference as a kicker for the first time in his career. The junior made 37 of his 41 PATs and three field goals this season, with his best performance being a 9-9 outing in the Homecoming win over Crown. He also improved his average kickoff yardage over last year and had three touchbacks in 2024. Will Schleicher (Victoria, Minn./Chanhassen) earned a Second Team nod as a punter, while also doubling as the team's starting tight end. Schleicher tied for the conference lead in yards per punt (38.7), booting three over 50 yards and pinning five inside the 20. The junior has truly done it all for the Eagles in his career, as his previous Second Team selection was on the defensive side of the ball. UNW's third specialist, long snapper Cal Johnson (Lino Lakes, Minn./Concordia Academy), was selected by his coaches to be the team's representative on the conference's All-Sportsmanship Team.
 
The season is not yet done for the Eagles, as they will travel to WIAC runner-up UW-La Crosse for the first round of the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 PM and will be available exclusively on ESPN+.