SEWANEE, Ga. - In exclusive voting by the head coaches of the SCAC, Dan DesPlaines of Trinity University was selected Offensive Player-of-the-Year while Jake Vieck of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology was voted the Defensive Player-of-the-Year.

The vote was split for the league's other two major awards as Robert Kelner of Trinity and Jamarcus Shephard of DePauw University were tabbed as Special Teams Co-Players-of-the-Year, and Bill Lynch of DePauw and Steve Mohr of Trinity each received three votes to share Coach-of-the-Year honors.

Dan DesPlaines, a 6-2, 215-pound senior quarterback from Tequesta, Fla., has earned the SCAC's top offensive award by leading his team to its 12th straight SCAC title. His 2,655 yards and 23 touchdown passes rank him in the top 10 in school history for a single season, and he has helped the Tigers to their eighth consecutive post-season appearance - the second-longest active streak in all of Division III. His 66.4% completion rate is currently the best-ever in school history, while his passer efficiency rating is third in school history. DesPlaines is third in passing yards, touchdowns, and total offensive yards, but is currently the school's career record holder in both completion percentage (65.1%) and QB efficiency (163.5). Over his career as a starter, DesPlaines has thrown 53 TD passes in 22 games, and has thrown a touchdown pass in all but one game.

DesPlaines received four votes in the Offensive POTY voting, followed by three players who received one vote each - Brian Behrendt of Centre College, Tyson Roy of Millsaps College and Daniel Swanstrom of Rhodes College.

Jake Vieck, a 6-0, 290-pound senior nose guard from Vincennes, Ind., had 68 tackles this season, including 18 tackles for loss and a league-high 10 sacks in garnering Defensive Player-of-the-Year honors. He also had two fumble recoveries and two blocked kicks. The senior finished his career with 21 sacks, second on Rose-Hulman's all-time list, and helped lead the Engineers to their best back-to-back season records since 1994-95. A two-time All-SCAC honoree, Vieck is the first Rose-Hulman football player to receive a Player-of-the-Year award since the Engineers joined the league in 1998.

Vieck was the clear choice for Defensive POTY, receiving five of seven votes. Dustin Hertel of DePauw and Aaron Einhaus received one vote apiece.

Robert Kelner, a 5-11, 176-pound junior from San Antonio, Texas, has been one of the team's most consistent players all season long, and his work on special teams has earned him the SCAC Special Teams Player of the Year award for the 2004 season. Kelner returned 26 punts for 299 yards to lead the conference this season, averaging 11.5 yards/return and scoring the team's eighth punt return touchdown since the 1993 season. He is one of just two players to gain over 1,000 all-purpose yards this season, averaging over 100 total yards/game, and his 701 career return yards rank third in school history. Kelner also led the team in receptions, receiving yards, and total touchdowns this season, and ranks in the top 10 in career receiving categories at Trinity.

A consensus all-America selection a year ago, Jamarcus Shephard, a 6-0, 200-pound senior from Fort Wayne, Ind., continued to display the skills that have earned him back-to-back SCAC Special Teams Player-of-the-Year honors. Shephard, who holds every DePauw kickoff return record, averaged 24.4 yards per return this season (29th in Division III). A three-time All-SCAC performer, Shephard also led the Tigers in receiving, hauling down 47 catches for 815 yards and seven TDs. He finishes his career ranked fourth in SCAC history in receiving yards (2,382) and fifth in receptions (168) and second in DePauw history with 3,997 all-purpose yards. Shephard will participate in the 2004 Aztec Bowl - a Division III all-star game played in Mexico.

Kelner and Shephard each received three votes to share Special Teams POTY honors. Tyson Roy of Millsaps received the remaining vote.

For the first time in SCAC history, a coach in his first season at a school has been named the league's Coach-of-the-Year. DePauw's Bill Lynch led his Tigers to an 8-2 overall mark (5-1 in the league) and finished the season on a six-game winning streak. The eight wins are the most for a DePauw team since it joined the league in 1998. Lynch, who was last the head coach at Ball State University, improved his 14-year coaching record to 81-67-3. His 1996 Ball State team won the MAC championship and was invited to play in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Sharing Coach-of-the-Year honors is Trinity's Steve Mohr - the ninth time that Mohr has been recognized by his conference peers. Trinity wrapped up its 12th-consecutive league title and eighth straight trip to the NCAA playoffs - the second-best active streak in all of Division III football. Under Mohr's guidance, the Tigers have produced a 109-18 record over the past 11 seasons - an .858 winning percentage which is ranked third among NCAA Division III coaches over that span. Mohr has twice been named Division III National Coach-of-the-Year and is a four-time AFCA Regional Coach-of-the-Year recipient. His 2002 team made it all the way to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.

Lynch and Mohr received three votes each in the Coach-of-the-Year balloting. David Saunders of Millsaps received the remaining vote.

2004 SCAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER-OF-THE-YEAR
Dan DesPlaines Trinity Sr. QB 6-2 215 Tequesta, Fla.

2004 SCAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER-OF-THE-YEAR
Jake Vieck Rose-Hulman Sr. NG 6-0 290 Vincennes, Ind.

2004 SCAC SPECIAL TEAMS CO-PLAYERS-OF-THE-YEAR
Robert Kelner Trinity Jr. PR 5-11 176 San Antonio, Texas
Jamarcus Shephard DePauw Sr. KR 6-0 200 Fort Wayne, Ind.

2004 SCAC CO-COACHES-OF-THE-YEAR
Bill Lynch DePauw University 8-2 regular season / 5-1 SCAC /
6 game win streak to end season
Steve Mohr Trinity University 9-1 regular season / 6-0 SCAC /
12th consecutive SCAC title

-All-SCAC teams to follow-

2004 ALL-SCAC FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Lineman (Five selected)
Jon Gratz DePauw Sr. T 6-0 265 North Manchester, Ind.
Billy Moran Trinity Sr. T 6-2 266 Friendswood, Texas
Conell Phillips Millsaps Jr. C 6-0 282 Byhalia, Miss.
Justin Roe Centre Jr. T 6-3 233 Paris, Ky.
Brandon Spencer Trinity Jr. G 6-0 274 Coppell, Texas

Wide Receivers (Four selected)
David Crowley Centre Sr. WR 5-11 166 Madisonville, Ky.
Matt Dement Rhodes Sr. WR 6-1 195 Brighton, Tenn.
Robert Kelner Trinity Jr. WR 5-11 176 San Antonio, Texas
Jamarcus Shephard DePauw Sr. WR 6-0 200 Fort Wayne, Ind.

Offensive Backs (Two selected)
Tyson Roy Millsaps Fy. RB 5-9 185 Ventress, La.
*Jerrold Jones Trinity Jr. RB 5-7 189 Katy, Texas
*Jeremiah Marks DePauw Fy. RB 6-0 205 Glen Ellyn, Ill.

*Tied for the final offensive back position

Quarterback (One selected)
Dan DesPlaines Trinity Sr. QB 6-2 215 Tequesta, Fla.

Place-Kicker (One selected)
Todd Canion Trinity Sr. PK 5-10 153 San Antonio, Texas

2004 ALL-SCAC FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Linemen (Four selected)
Dustin Allen Trinity So. DL 5-9 228 Friendswood, Texas
Aaron Einhaus Trinity Sr. DL 6-2 232 Austin, Texas
Dustin Hertel DePauw Jr. DE 6-2 215 Batesville, Ind.
Jake Vieck Rose-Hulman Sr. NG 6-0 290 Vincennes, Ind.

Linebackers (Four selected)
Wacey Clarke Trinity Sr. LB 6-0 219 Grand Junction, Colo.
*Matt Koch DePauw Sr. LB 6-0 214 St. Louis, Mo.
*Eric Lewis DePauw So. LB 6-0 206 Bloomington, Ind.
Brian Steinert Rhodes Jr. LB 6-2 220 Hoover, Ala.
*Jarrod Zywien Centre Sr. LB 6-1 200 Kettering, Ohio

*Tied for the final two linebacker positions

Defensive Backs (Four selected)
Brett Bueltel Rose-Hulman So. SS 6-4 205 Huntingburg, Ind.
*Bryan Diaz Trinity Sr. DB 5-8 203 San Antonio, Texas
*Rory Faver Rhodes Sr. SS 5-11 217 Kingwood, Texas
*Will Smith Sewanee Jr. DB 5-11 185 Roswell, Ga.
Greg Sylvester DePauw So. FS 6-0 180 Carmel, Ind.

*Tied for the final two defensive back positions

Punter (One Selected)
Greg Genung Trinity Sr. P 5-11 189 Austin, Texas

2004 All-SCAC Second Team Offense
Centre: Brian Behrendt (Sr., QB), Adam Clark (So., WR), Chris Thompson (Jr., PK)

DePauw: Chad Homan (Jr., OC), Chase Jonason (Jr., TE), Ross Wiethoff (Jr., QB)

Millsaps: Jay Buck (So., OT), Louis Conley (Fy., WR), Matt McCollough (Sr., RT)

Rhodes: Adam Aubel (Sr., OG), Joseph McKinney (Sr., OL), Daniel Swanstrom (Sr., QB),
Mike Wisniowski (Sr., OT)

Rose-Hulman: Patrick Ludwig (Jr., LG)

Sewanee: Harlin Hickerson (So., FB), Jonathan Watson (Jr., OG)

Trinity: Kolby Brailsford (Sr., WR), Tommy Ford (Sr., OC)

2004 All-SCAC Second Team Defense
Centre: None

DePauw: Darron Lasley (Jr., DE)

Millsaps: Marshall Brown (So., LB), Joey Doxey (So., FS), Ray Kline (Fy., CB), Stephen Parr (Fy., LB)

Rhodes: Ben Clark (Sr., DT), Ken Coward (Sr., DE)

Rose-Hulman: Brett Bueltel (So., P), Neil Harrison (Sr., S), Austin Hastings (Fy., LB)

Sewanee: Kola Pacheco (Sr., DE), Wesley Satterfield (So., P), George Twitty (So., DB)

Trinity: Michael Perez (Sr., DL), Michael Steer (Sr., LB)

2004 All-SCAC Honorable Mention
Centre: Jeremy Britt (Sr., RB), Brian Downs (Sr., LB), Nathan Fell (Sr., LB), Brian Martinko (Jr., OL), Adam Priestwood (Jr., DL)

DePauw: Chris Brolsman (Sr., FB), Brian Culp (Jr., WR), Matt McMahon (Sr., RB), Cory Partlow (Sr., DB), Obinna Ugokwe (Sr., DB)

Millsaps: Tyler Alford (So. K/P), Josh Hanna (So. WR/CB), Charles Gordon (So., OG), Ryan Hooper (Sr., WR), Brandon Morris (Sr., QB)

Rhodes: Ronald Bozant (Jr., WR), Alex Conforti (So., DT), Michael Hatcher (So., WR), Gifford Louden (Jr., DB), Taylor Whaley (Sr., DB)

Rose-Hulman: Chris Cummings (Sr., OL), Steve Hawkins (Fy., LB), Matt Jackson (Sr., LB), Charlie Key (Jr., RB)

Sewanee: Josh Doss (So., OL), Tyrell Elston (Jr., DL), Mike Glanton (Jr., CB), Kyle Joyce (Jr., LB), Wesley Satterfield (So., QB)

Trinity: Derek Boles (Sr., WR), John Gunter (Sr., DB), Daniel Lacroix (Sr., WR), Ben Prater (Sr., OL), Jason Swint (Sr., DL)

-SCAC-