FULL RELEASE
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Adams State University’s Chad Hovasse, CSU-Pueblo’s Brandon Payer and New Mexico Highland University’s Isreal Farfan were named the 2018 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Football Offensive, Defensive, and Special Teams Players of the Year, respectively. The major awards were announced on Wednesday, along with All-RMAC Teams.
In addition, CSU-Pueblo’s Elijah Reed took home Offensive Freshman of the Year and Anthony Yarbrough of Dixie State University earned Defensive Freshman of the Year. Colorado School of Mines head coach Gregg Brandon was named Coach of the Year.
The major awards, along with All-RMAC First and Second Teams were voted on by the conference’s 11 head football coaches, who could not vote for their own players. Those that received one First Team vote or two Second Team votes were named Honorable Mention.
Hovasse is the first Grizzly to earn Player of the Year since 2004. He led the RMAC with 104 receptions and 1,356 yards in 11 games this season. He was second in touchdowns by one with 19 and he averaged 123.3 yards per game while pulling in 9.5 passes per game. Hovasse became the single-season record holder in receptions for the Grizzlies. The previous mark was 88 set by Chris Perry during the 1995 season. His receiving yards lead the Division II while his touchdown total is second. He led Division II in receptions by 12. He is now the career record holder for ASU in yards (3,964), receptions (268), and touchdowns (44).
Payer propelled the ThunderWolves to the RMAC Co-Champions with his defensive skills by finishing the season with 87 tackles, 42 of which were solo. He led the RMAC with tackles for loss with 19, fumbled recovered with four and tied for second with three forced fumbles.
Farfan was named Special Teams Player of the Year as a kicker. He was a two-time RMAC Player of the Week as he helped the Cowboys finish the season with a 4-6 conference record. He connected on 12-of-14 field goal attempts including (85.7 percent) an RMAC season-long of 53 yards. He hit 38 PATs and finished the season with 74 points to finish 11th in scoring out of all players in the conference.
Reed was named Offensive Freshman of the Year as an offensive lineman. He helped propel the ThunderWolves to the top rushing attack in the RMAC as they posted 2,955 yards.
Yarbrough earned Freshman of the Year as he finished with seven and a half sacks on the season. He finished the season by playing all 11 games and posting 13.5 tackles for loss. He also made an impact on turnovers as he forced two fumbles and had two fumble recoveries to help Dixie State finish 7-3 on the season.
Brandon was named Coach of the Year after in his fourth season at the helm of the Orediggers. He boosts a 35-11 record after the regular season. This is the 12th consecutive winning season for Colorado School of Mines after they were crowned Co-Champions with a 10-1 record. This season the Orediggers opened the season with nine straight wins and were ranked as high as No. 6 in the Division II National Football Coaches Association (NFCA) poll.
The First Round of the NCAA Playoffs will kickoff on Saturday with the two RMAC co-champions teams going head to head. No. 4 seeded Colorado School of Mines will host No. 5 seeded CSU-Pueblo at Marv Kay Stadium in Golden at noon.
Major Award Winners
Offensive Player of the Year – Chad Hovasse, ASU
Defensive Player of the Year – Brandon Payer, CSUP
Special Teams Player of the Year – Israel Farfan, NMHU
Offensive Freshman of the Year - Elijah Reed, CSUP
Defensive Freshman of the Year – Anthony Yarbrough, DSU
Coach of the Year – Gregg Brandon, CSM