By: Cody Bush, Associate Commissioner / Strategic Communications

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Colorado School of Mines running back Landon Walker, Chadron State College linebacker Logan O’Brien, and Black Hills State punter Mason Crosby are the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference’s Week 2 individual award winners, announced Monday.

Walker posted 220 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in Colorado School of Mines' win against Washburn. O’Brien had a pick-six to highlight a strong all-around effort in an RMAC win against Black Hills State. Crosby averaged 46.0 yards per punt, including a 73-yarder, in the Yellow Jackets’ RMAC loss to the Eagles.

Offensive

Landon Walker, Colorado School of Mines (Senior (RS), Running Back, Fort Worth, Texas)
Walker finished with 220 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns to help Colorado School of Mines notch a 41-27 victory against Washburn. Against the Ichabods, he rushed for a career-high 199 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Walker scored the game’s first touchdown on a two-yard run in the first quarter. He then gave the Orediggers a 34-13 lead in the third quarter with a 75-yard touchdown run that came just 10 seconds after a Washburn touchdown. Walker also had two receptions for 21 yards, and of his 28 touches, eight were for a first down or touchdown.

Others Nominated: Danny Davis, Black Hills State; Dedrek Taylor-Akins, CSU Pueblo; DJ Ralph, Chadron State; Gage Baker, South Dakota Mines.

Defensive

Logan O’Brien, Chadron State (Senior (RS), Linebacker, Kearney, Nebraska)
O’Brien did a little of everything in Chadron State’s 31-28 RMAC victory against Black Hills State. He finished the game with eight tackles (five solo), including 3.5 for loss, a pick six, and a pass breakup during his busy day. O’Brien’s pick six came in the second quarter when he snatched the ball on a leaping catch and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown and a 21-7 Eagles lead. He consistently caused trouble on first downs of Yellow Jackets drives, with 2.5 of his tackles for loss and the interception coming on a new set of downs. Additionally, he had another tackle for loss on third down to help end a Black Hills State drive.

Others Nominated: Rune Tepolt, Black Hills State; Peyton Shaw, CSU Pueblo; Dominic Caggiano, Colorado School of Mines; Charlie Johnson, South Dakota Mines.

Special Teams

Mason Crosby, Black Hills State (Freshman, Punter, Parker, Colorado)
Crosby averaged 46.0 yards per punt in Black Hills State’s RMAC loss at Chadron State. He had two punts of 50-plus yards, both of which were downed inside the Chadron State five-yard line. He had a 54-yard punt downed at the Chadron State two-yard line in the first quarter. In the third quarter, he unleashed a 73-yard punt – the fourth longest in Division II this season – that saw the return man downed at the Eagles’ four-yard line.

Others Nominated: Jackson Smith, CSU Pueblo; Wilson Yee, Chadron State; Konnor Mickelsen, Colorado School of Mines; William Lester, South Dakota Mines.

About the RMAC

The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, headquartered in Colorado Springs, is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 institutions located in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Utah. The RMAC currently competes in 22 NCAA Division II sports and has earned 67 national championships and 53 national runners-up since 1992. Founded in 1909, the RMAC is the most historic athletic conference in the western United States and Division II.

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