ROLLA, Mo. – For the first time since the Great Lakes Valley Conference began sponsoring football as a championship sport, Missouri S&T has landed three of the major league awards as the GLVC released its all-conference team today for the 2022 season.

Linebacker Ben Straatmann (Washington, MO/Washington), who has led the conference in quarterback sacks and tackles for a loss in each of the last two seasons, was named as the league's Defensive Player of the Year, while Gideon Niboh (St. Charles, MO/Francis Howell) was selected as the Special Teams Player of the Year and fellow running back Cameren Smith (Claymont, DE/Concord) was chosen as the league's top freshman.  That trio was among 15 Miners honored by the GLVC on this year's squad.

Straatmann led the Miners in tackles with 80, including 44 solo stops, eight quarterback sacks and 20 tackles for a loss as he became the first S&T player to have two seasons with at least 20 tackles behind the line of scrimmage.  Straatmann, who also returned a fumble for a touchdown this season, was named to the All-GLVC first team for the second straight year and was one of five players league-wide that was a unanimous selection to the squad.

Niboh was a dynamic kick returner for the Miners this season, averaging 26.6 yards on 14 kickoff returns and 19 yards on nine punt returns which included two for touchdowns.  Niboh had a 66-yard runback for a score against Kentucky Wesleyan and a 60-yard return for a touchdown in the Miners' win at William Jewell.  Niboh earned the GLVC's Special Teams Player of the Week honor during the season after accumulating 172 yards in returns in a victory over Quincy.

Smith emerged as one of the top running backs in the GLVC during his first season on the field for S&T, finishing fifth in the conference in rushing with 816 yards and eight touchdowns.  Smith averaged 6.6 yards per carry on the season and had four 100-yard rushing games in the Miners' final five games of the campaign, including a season-high 176 yards against McKendree.

Straatmann and Niboh were first-team selections on the All-GLVC squad at those positions and were joined on the first team by defensive tackle Henry Preckel (Wildwood, MO/Lafayette), who anchored the S&T defensive line and recorded 13 tackles and four for a loss during the year and punter Parker Boyce (Hartsburg, MO/Southern Boone), who led the GLVC with an average of 40.3 yards per punt and landed 21 of his 56 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line.

S&T had seven second team selections, four of them on the offensive side of the ball.  Smith was selected to the second team along with offensive linemen Jake Seidel (Imperial, MO/Seckman) and Cole Littrell (Jonesboro, AR/Valley View) and wide receiver CJ Jarmon, who had 16 receptions with four for touchdowns and averaged 20 yards per catch during the season. 

Defensively, the Miners were represented by linebackers Wulfe Retzlaff (Truckee, CA/Truckee) and Nick Mattli (O'Fallon, MO/Fort Zumwalt South) as well as defensive back Carson Prenger (Jefferson City, MO/Blair Oaks).  The trio ranked third, fourth and fifth in tackles for S&T this season, with Prenger recording 56 to go along with three forced fumbles and three pass breakups.  Retzlaff had 55 tackles, two sacks and two pass breakups during the year, while Mattli had 53 stops that included 9.5 for a loss, an interception and 4.5 sacks.

Honorable mention honors went to offensive lineman Jorge Escalante (Fresno, CA/San Joaquin Memorial), wide receiver Isaiah Wright (Panama City, FL/Port St. Joe), who led the Miners with 33 catches for 410 yards and three touchdowns; linebacker Kyle Viverito (South Elgin, IL/South Elgin), who recorded 40 tackles during the season; and defensive end Bentley Hart (Brookland, AR/Brookland), who had five tackles for a  loss and 3.5 sacks among the 11 tackles he was credited with.

McKendree quarterback Turner Pullen, who led the GLVC with 3,541 yards passing and 30 touchdown throws, was named as the league's Offensive Player of the Year.  Indianapolis' Chris Keevers and Truman State's Gregg Nesbitt, both of whom led their teams to post-season play, were selected as the GLVC's Co-Coaches of the Year.