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Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Concordia-St. Paul's Tyler Hendrickson garners 3rd-most votes for Upshaw Award in Super Region 3

MANKATO, Minn. - The 2010 NCAA Super Region 3 Gene Upshaw Award, which recognizes the top lineman (offensive or defensive) in football, was released today with Concordia University's Tyler Hendrickson (Jr., St. Paul, Minn.) finishing third in the balloting. Hendrickson, a starting left tackle, was the top vote getter from the Northern Sun (NSIC).UPSHAW RELEASE

The top vote getter from Super Region 3 was Marc Schiechl, a senior defensive tackle from Colorado School of Mines, while Cameron Bradfield, a senior tackle from Grand Valley State was the second highest honoree. Schiechl tallied 104 total points while Bradfield had 81 in a clear 1-2 punch from Super Region 3 as Hendrickson was next in line with 39 points.

In all, 26 ballots were submitted with Hendrickson appearing on 15 of them in an impressive showing. He received three second place votes, six third place votes and three more votes for fourth and fifth place. Schiechl racked up 14 first place votes and six second place votes and appeared on 25 out of the 26 ballots submitted. Bradfield had six first place votes and eight seconds, while appearing on 23 ballots.

The Upshaw Award is in its eighth annual year for and ultimately awards the top Division II lineman between the four Super Regions. Schiechl and Bradfield both advance to the national balloting as two of the eight final candidates. The 2010 Upshaw Award winner is assured of a spot on one of the rosters for the Texas vs. The Nation all-star game, as well as the East/West Shrine Game (Jan. 22, 2011, in Orlando, Fla.).

Super Region 3 consists of football-playing institutions from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (GLIAC), the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC).

Hendrickson followed up an impressive 2009 All-NSIC South Honorable Mention sophomore season last year in his second full season as the team's starting right tackle by having a dominant junior year at left tackle, protecting the blind side of breakout quarterback Spencer Ohm. Hendrickson allowed just two sacks all season long while grading out at 90% or better in all 11 games for Concordia. He was named All-NSIC South Division First Team at the left tackle position and has been one of CU's Offensive Lineman of the Week an impressive six times in the 2010 season.

It's a huge tribute not only individual for Hendrickson, but for the offensive line as a whole. The unit has not only been able to dominate the line of scrimmage all season long, but has stabilized a steady offensive attack for Concordia that has been impressive in sustaining drives and minimizing turnovers. While improved decision making has been a huge key in cutting Concordia's turnovers from 30 in 2009 to just 12 in 2010, the decision makers (Ohm, James Peterson and the running backs) have had more time and composure to find open receivers as well as gaping holes to break through.

It all starts with the 6-foot, 8-inch and 320-pound Hendrickson, who has been a mainstay in the Concordia offense for four years, first as a redshirt when he was recruited as a tall tight end before quickly moving inside to the tackle position on the offensive line. He's started all 33 games in his career, 22 at right tackle and the last 11 at left tackle.

Hendrickson and the Golden Bears improved from a 3-8 team in 2009 to an 8-3 team in 2010, earning the school's third trip to the Mineral Water Bowl - the most MWB appearances in the Northern Sun. They'll play Pittsburg State on Saturday, December 4 at 12:00 p.m.

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