BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Eight members of the St. Olaf College football team were honored in the 2024 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Football Awards with either All-MIAC or Honorable Mention All-MIAC honors on Monday afternoon.
Fifth-year senior tight end
Derek Hansen, junior offensive lineman
Johnathan Hartwig, and junior defensive end
Noah Barrett represented St. Olaf on the all-conference team, while senior quarterback
Theo Doran, junior running back
Gus Gartzke, senior wide receiver
Evan Hammonds, senior linebacker
Tate Sauerwein, and fifth-year senior defensive back
Deonta Thomas were named to the honorable-mention lists.
Hansen became the 13th Ole to earn at least three All-MIAC accolades after being the most productive tight end in the conference in MIAC play. In eight conference games, the fifth-year senior caught 37 passes for 576 yards and four touchdowns, leading all MIAC tight ends in receiving yards and touchdowns. Hansen had a pair of 100-yard receiving games this fall and both came in conference play.
In his second season as St. Olaf's starting right tackle, Hartwig picked up his first All-MIAC accolade. The junior started all 10 games and did not allow a sack for an offensive line that allowed the joint-fewest sacks (9) in MIAC play. Hartwig's play helped the Oles rank fourth in the MIAC in scoring (27.0) and total offense (381.8) against conference opposition.
Barrett also landed his first All-MIAC accolade after a breakout junior season that saw him record 9.0 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in eight conference games. The junior ranked fifth in the MIAC in tackles for loss and tied for sixth in sacks while picking up at least half a sack in six of the Oles' eight MIAC games.
Doran closed out his record-setting career with Honorable Mention All-MIAC honors after ranking fourth in the MIAC by being responsible for 20 touchdowns in eight conference games. The senior was third in the MIAC in passing yards (2,023) in conference play, while also ranking fourth in rushing touchdowns (7) and passing yards per game (252.9).
Gartzke joined Doran on the honorable-mention list following his first season as St. Olaf's primary running back. The junior carried the ball 97 times for 402 yards and four touchdowns in eight conference games, ranking fifth in the MIAC in carries, rushing yards, and rushing yards per game, while tying for seventh in rushing touchdowns. Gartzke had over 100 yards and a touchdown in St. Olaf's wins over Macalester College and Hamline University.
Hammonds was an Honorable Mention All-MIAC honoree for the second season in a row after ranking in the top 15 in the conference in nearly every major receiving category. The senior had 36 receptions for 583 yards and three touchdowns in conference play, while ranking seventh in yards per reception (16.2), tied for ninth in receiving yards and receiving yards per game (72.9), tied for 14th in receptions, and tied for 15th in receiving touchdowns.
Sauerwein also collected his second honorable-mention honor after previous doing so in 2022. The senior was one of the top tacklers in the MIAC this season, ranking tied for second in tackles (76) and tackles per game (9.5), third in solo tackles (49), and sixth in tackles for loss (8.5) in conference play.
An All-MIAC honoree a year ago, Thomas picked up an honorable-mention spot to wrap up his career. The fifth-year senior had 30 tackles, two interceptions, and one blocked kick in conference play, with the two interceptions ranking tied for ninth in the MIAC.
