Six players earn recognition on Don Hansen All-Super Region Three teams

GOLDEN, Colo. – Six players from Colorado School of Mines have earned recognition on the 2010 Don Hansen All-Super Region Three teams, as announced today by the Don Hansen Football Committee.

Marc Schiechl and Robbin Vinnola were First Team selections, while Clay Garcia and Cody Renken garnered Second Team accolades.  Taylor Accardi and Blaine Sumner earned Third Team recognition.

A 6’3”, 260-lb. senior defensive lineman from Lakewood, Colo. (Bear Creek High School), Schiechl finished as the runner-up for the 2010 Gene Upshaw NCAA Division II Lineman of the Year Award.  Schiechl, who has accepted an invitation to play in the 2011 Cactus Bowl (annual NCAA Division II all-star football game on January 7th in Kingsville, Texas), has garnered AP Little All-America, Daktronics All-America and AFCA All-America recognition.  Schiechl, who garnered First Team National Football Foundation All-Colorado accolades, was selected as the NFFCC Defensive Player of the Year.  Schiechl is the first three-time All-American (2008, 2009, 2010) in the history of the CSM football program.  Selected as the Daktronics Super Region #3 Defensive Player of the Year, Schiechl also earned Daktronics Super Region #3 First Team Defense recognition, collecting the most votes among defensive linemen.  A First Team All-RMAC pick (lone unanimous selection on defense) in 2010, Schiechl was also named RMAC Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.  Schiechl became the all-time NCAA Division II career leader in sacks (46.0) during the 2010 season and concluded his career at CSM ranked fourth in the NCAA Division II record book in career tackles for a loss (70.5).  Schiechl led the RMAC and tied for fifth in the nation in sacks (12.0) in 2010.  Schiechl also finished first in the RMAC and eighth (tied) in the nation in tackles for a loss (19.0), as well as first in the RMAC and third in the nation in forced fumbles (six).  Schiechl concluded the year with 66 total tackles (34 solo), five quarterback hurries and two blocked kicks.

Vinnola, a 6’4”, 230-lb. senior tight end from Arvada, Colo. (Arvada West H.S.), also garnered First Team All-RMAC, First Team NFF All-Colorado and Daktronics Super Region #3 First Team Offensive accolades this fall.  Vinnola finished second on the team and third in the RMAC in receptions (83), as well as third on the squad and fifth in the RMAC in receiving yards (802).  Vinnola was third on the team in receiving touchdowns (tied – eight), as well.

A 6’0”, 200-lb. junior quarterback from Alamosa, Colo. (Alamosa High School), Garcia was one of nine national finalists for the 2010 Harlon Hill Trophy (NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year).  Garcia, who earned First Team NFF All-Colorado honors, was selected as the NFFCC Offensive Player of the Year.  A First Team All-RMAC pick and a four-time RMAC Offensive Player of the Week selection, Garcia was also named to the Daktronics Super Region #3 First Team Offense this season.  Garcia garnered RMAC Offensive Player of the Year, RMAC Football Academic Player of the Year, First Team Academic All-RMAC (unanimous), ESPN First Team Academic All-District VII and ESPN First Team Academic All-America recognition this fall.  Garcia (352-of-567 passing; 62.1%) led the RMAC, finished third in the country and tied a CSM single-season record with 39 touchdown passes.  Garcia led the RMAC and finished fifth in the nation in passing yards (4,066), as well.  A Boettcher Scholar since his arrival at CSM in the fall of 2007, Garcia has qualified for the CSM Dean’s List during every semester of his collegiate career, as well.

Renken, a 5’8”, 160-lb. sophomore wide receiver / kick returner / punt returner from Smithson Valley, Texas (Smithson Valley High School), also garnered First Team All-RMAC and First Team NFF All-Colorado honors as a wide receiver, as well as and Second Team All-RMAC laurels as a kick returner, in 2010.  Renken, who led the Orediggers in touchdown receptions (tied - nine), led the RMAC and tied for seventh in the country with 91 receptions.  Renken was first on the team and third in the RMAC in receiving yards (1,002), as well as first on the team, second in the RMAC and eighth in the nation in all-purpose yardage (159.67 ypg).  Renken, who concluded the year ranked second in the RMAC with 1,916 all-purpose yards, was second in the RMAC and 20th in the nation in kickoff return average (26.05).

A 6’2”, 200-lb. sophomore punter from Littleton, Colo. (Dakota Ridge High School), Accardi also earned Second Team All-RMAC, Second Team NFF All-Colorado and Daktronics Super Region #3 Second Team Defense recognition.  Accardi led the RMAC and finished second in the nation in gross punting average (45.39; 57 punts).  Accardi, who had 19 punts of 50-or-more yards, pinned opponents inside their own 20-yard line 14 times and induced eight fair catches.  Accardi established a new CSM single-game record for gross punting average in the Orediggers’ 2010 season opener on August 28th against Washburn University (55.0 avg. on six punts).

A 6’2”, 330-lb. senior defensive lineman from Conifer, Colo. (Conifer High School), Sumner earned First Team All-RMAC and First Team NFF All-Colorado honors in 2010.  Sumner recorded 32 total tackles (14 solo), 6.5 tackles for a loss, three passes defended, two fumble recoveries and a team-most three blocked kicks.  Sumner had four rushing touchdowns (10 carries) as a short-yardage running back, as well.

CSM (9-3 overall, 8-1 RMAC) qualified for the NCAA Division II football championships for the second time in program history in 2010.  The Orediggers, who had 18 players earn All-RMAC honors, were 2010 RMAC Co-Champions.  CSM was ranked as high as #16 in the nation this season.