(Thursday, November 20; Sioux Center, Iowa) The Great Plains Athletic Conference football all-conference teams have been selected, and the Dordt Defenders have seven players named to the first team and 15 players overall earning recognition in the selections made by the coaches at the conclusion of the regular season.

All-GPAC Release (PDF)

The first team includes Ethan Hansen (senior; Appleton, Wisconsin), Joel Akers (senior; Winterset, Iowa), Stephen Leinen (junior; Harlan, Iowa), Keenan Valverde (sophomore; Pierce, Nebraska), Isaac Kacmarynski (junior; Pella, Iowa), Zach Quiring (sophomore; Bradshaw, Nebraska) and Cole Johnson (freshman; Parker, Colorado).

The second team includes Preston McCoy (senior; Galva, Iowa), Eliot Beal (sophomore; Spokane Valley, Washington), Ethan Hooyer (senior; Sioux Center, Iowa) and Nolan Buckholtz (senior; Amboy, Minnesota).

Honorable mention accolades went to Thomas Fritz (sophomore; Austin, Minnesota), Rhett Williams (sophomore; Marysville, Kansas), Noah Strickfaden (sophomore; Norwood Young America, Minnesota) and Garret Divis (sophomore; Sioux City, Iowa).
Hansen, Akers, Hooyer and Divis were all part of the offensive line that helped the Defenders average 458 yards of offense per game and 247 rushing yards per game. Hansen played in 32 games in his career and started all 10 games this fall after missing the last half of the 2024 season with an injury. Akers started 32 games over the last three seasons, and Hooyer started all 10 games this season. Divis completed his second season as a starter on the offensive line and helped the Defenders average 40.3 points per game.

Leinen converted 52 of 53 point-after attempts and made 11 of 16 field goals with a long of 60 yards. He has made 28 field goals in his career and recorded 29 touchbacks this year while handling kickoff duties.

Valverde was named the first-team punt returner and second-team kick returner. He had 12 punt returns for a 14.1-yard average and 10 kick returns for a 26.3-yard average. His long return was 46 yards on a punt and 47 yards on a kickoff and he was an honorable mention selection for punt returner in 2025. 

Kacmarynski was a first-team selection at linebacker and at long snapper. He totaled 82 tackles with two sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and an interception.

Quiring played nine games at defensive end and finished with 36 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception.

Johnson, a safety, had 46 tackles along with a sack, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions.

Buckholtz led the team with five sacks and seven tackles for loss, adding 24 tackles and two forced fumbles on the defensive line.

McCoy averaged 7.5 yards per carry with eight touchdowns and 541 rushing yards. Beal caught 23 passes in six games and averaged 20.0 yards per reception with five touchdowns before missing the final four games with an injury.

Fritz led the team with 546 rushing yards and an 8.8-yard average with seven touchdowns. Williams led the team in receiving with 27 catches for 508 yards, two touchdowns and an 18.8-yard average. Strickfaden played quarterback in eight games and went 87-for-157 passing for 1,531 yards and 11 touchdowns. He ran for 232 yards on 39 carries for a 5.9-yard average with two touchdowns.

Dordt finished the season as co-champion in the GPAC with a 9-1 record and earned its third NAIA playoff berth. The Defenders will learn their Nov. 29 opponent at the conclusion of the four first-round games on Saturday, Nov. 22.