[Football] GPAC Football All-Conference Team Announced

The 2022 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) postseason honors were announced on Tuesday with seven Doane Football players claiming nine honors. The Tigers collected five Second Team All-GPAC honors from four players.

Adam Wasserman (SR/Fairbury, Neb.) was named Second Team All-GPAC at running back. He led the Tigers with 475 yards on the ground, averaging 4.1 yards per carry, with a team-leading three rushing touchdowns. His role in the backfield increased starting in the fifth game of the season. He had 10 carries through four games and followed with 105 carries over the final six games, which included two 100-yard rushing performances.

The Tigers claimed three of the five spots on Special Teams for the Second Team as Kelen Meyer (FR/Ord, Neb.) was named to both the punter and placekicker award while Jeremiah Payne (JR/Dallas, Texas) received the kick returning specialist honor.

Meyer reset the Doane kicking record books in his first year as a Tiger. He broke the school record for field goals in a season (16), longest field goal made (54 yards), and tied the record for field goals made in a game (4). Additionally, he set the single-season record for punting average (42.3 yards/gm) and the mark for longest punt in a game (86 yards). He received GPAC Special Team Player of the Week twice this season.

Payne was the team's top kickoff returner with 17 returns this season. He collected 407 return yards this year, an average of 23.9 yards per return. Against Dakota Wesleyan on October 8, he had a game-changing touchdown return that would earn him GPAC Special Teams Player of the Week.

On the defensive side of the ball, Ty Barbazon (SR/Ocala, Fla.) was named Second Team All-GPAC for the Tigers. The defensive lineman was second on the team in total tackles with 54, including 23 solo tackles. He led the team with 4.0 sacks and 8.0 tackles for loss.

Three Tigers earned honorable mention honors in four positions. Cade Wiseman (SO/Sutton, Neb.) was selected for defensive back as well as punt return specialist while Ryan Michael (SR/Brea, Calif.) was recognized at defensive back and Kaleb Anderson (SR/Pierce, Neb.) was honored on the offensive line.

Wiseman was fifth on the team in tackles with 46 this season, with 31 solo tackles. He was tied for the team lead with two forced fumbles and two interceptions. His 19 pass breakups are tied for the top mark in the NAIA following the end of regular season play.  Wiseman was Doane's top punt returner with 19 returns for 179 yards, an average of 9.4 per return.

Michael was fourth on the team in tackles this year with 48 total and 27 solo. He tied for the team lead with two interceptions and was third on the team in tackles for loss with 6.0. He was tied for the team lead in tackles, recovering one fumble to go with his two interceptions.

Anderson missed some time due to injury, playing in seven of the team's 10 games. The Tigers rushed for over 100 in four games this year, all games in which Anderson started. Doane's top rushing performance of the season came in the season finale where they ran for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Anderson's play at center also factored into the pass protection coverage as the Tigers allowed less sacks on average in games Anderson played in.

Doane finished the season 4-6 overall as well as in the GPAC, tying for 6th place.