Ravens Land 10 on All-HCAC Team

The Anderson University football team landed 10 selections on the all-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) team, which was announced on Thursday.

Connor Huffman and Tone Hurd both garnered first-team all-HCAC honors. Rickey Bell, Julian Holguin, Gavin Reners and Jake Simpson each earned second-team all-HCAC recognition while Quinn Dreiband, Zaire Prioleau, Elijah St. Pierre and Sidiki Traore each received all-HCAC Honorable Mention. Hurd was selected as a first-team all-conference recipient as both a defensive back and kick returner.

Connor Huffman (Senior Defensive Lineman; Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights)

• First-Team All-HCAC (2024)
• All-HCAC Honorable Mention (2022, 2023)
• Conference-Only Stats – Started all 6 games, 31 Tackles, 8 Tackles For Loss, 31 Tackle-for-Loss Yards, 3 Sacks, 20 Sack Yards, 2 Pass Breakups, 10 Quarterback Hurries
• Conference-Only Averages – 1.33 Tackles For Loss (2nd in HCAC), 0.5 Sacks (T-2 in HCAC), 5.17 Tackles (T-20 in HCAC)
• Overall Stats – Started all 10 games, 54 Tackles, 13 Tackles For Loss, 54 Tackle-For-Loss Yards, 5 Sacks, 29 Sack Yards, 3 Pass Breakups, 10 Quarterback Hurries
• Overall Averages – 1.3 Tackles For Loss (1st in HCAC), 0.5 Sacks (4th in HCAC), 5.4 Tackles (T-18 in HCAC)
• Coach Jonathan Coddington's Comments – Connor has been the anchor of our defensive line for several years and has been a team captain for the past two seasons. He had a great season stopping the run and rushing the quarterback. Connor has left a great legacy at AU, both on and off the field. He leaves AU in the record books, with the sixth most tackles for loss in a career.

Tone Hurd (Senior Defensive Back/Kick Returner; Nashville, Tenn./Hunters Lane/Culver-Stockton College)

• First-Team All-HCAC (2024)
• HCAC Special Teams Player of the Week (11/4/2024)
• Conference-Only Stats – Started all 6 games, 2 Interceptions, 4 Interception Return Yards, 15 Tackles, 2 Tackles For Loss, 6 Tackle-For-Loss Yards, 294 Kick Return Yards, 1 Kickoff Return Touchdown
• Conference-Only Averages – 24.50 Kickoff Return Yards Per Return (3rd in HCAC), 0.33 Interceptions (T-5 in HCAC), 2.5 Tackles
• Overall Stats – Started all 10 games, 2 Interceptions, 4 Interception Return Yards, 2 Pass Breakups, 24 Tackles, 2 Tackles For Loss, 6 Tackle-For-Loss Yards, 529 Kickoff Return Yards, 1 Kickoff Return Touchdown
• Overall Averages – 24.05 Yards Per Kickoff Return (47th in NCAA D-III, 2nd in HCAC), 2.4 Tackles
• Coach Jonathan Coddington's Comments – Tone did a great job shutting down opponents' receivers throughout the year. He finished the year with a couple of interceptions, and many teams avoided throwing the ball his direction, altogether. In addition to his contributions on defense, he was a key member of our special teams units, leading the conference in kick return average with a big return touchdown against Franklin. He made many big plays throughout the season, and brought a ton of energy to our secondary.

Rickey Bell (Senior Defensive Back; Springtown, Texas/Springtown/Oklahoma Panhandle State University/McMurry University)

• Second-Team All-HCAC (2024)
• Conference-Only Stats – Started in all 6 games, 49 Tackles, 1 Pass Breakup, 2.5 Tackles For Loss, 1 Tackle-For-Loss Yard
• Conference-Only Averages – 8.17 Tackles (3rd in HCAC)
• Overall Stats – Started in all 10 games, 74 Tackles, 5 Pass Breakups, 1 Fumble Recovery, 32 Fumble Return Yards, 5.5 Tackles For Loss, 28 Tackle-For-Loss Yards
• Overall Averages – 7.40 Tackles (T-4 in HCAC)
• Coach Jonathan Coddington's Comments – Rickey had a great year, finishing in the top five in our conference in total tackles from the safety position. He did a great job both in coverage and rolling down into the box to stop the run. Rickey battled through injuries throughout the season but stayed on the field and was a great example of the toughness it takes to play the game at a high level.

Julian Holguin (Senior Wide Receiver; Richmond, Ind./Richmond/Indiana Wesleyan University)

• Second-Team All-HCAC (2023, 2024)
• All-HCAC Honorable Mention (2022)
• Conference-Only Stats – Started in all 6 games, 54 Receptions, 508 Receiving Yards, 2 Reception Touchdowns, 9 Rushing Yards, 517 All-Purpose Yards
• Conference-Only Averages – 9.00 Receptions (1st in HCAC), 84.67 Receiving Yards (4th in HCAC), 86.17 All-Purpose Yards (7th in HCAC), 9.4 Yards Per Reception
• Overall Stats – Started in all 10 games, 69 Receptions, 658 Receiving Yards, 2 Reception Touchdowns, 72 Punt Return Yards, 23 Rushing Yards, 19 Kick Return Yards, 772 All-Purpose Yards
• Overall Averages – 6.9 Receptions (21st in NCAA D-III, 2nd in HCAC), 65.8 Receiving Yards (6th in HCAC), 77.2 All-Purpose Yards (9th in HCAC), 9.54 Yards Per Completion
• Coach Jonathan Coddington's Comments – Anything can happen with the ball in Julian's hands. He has the ability to turn any play into an exciting one. He did a great job converting on big plays throughout the season, and has been a big contributor to the Ravens offense for the past three seasons.

Gavin Reners (Junior Linebacker; Sheridan, Ind./Sheridan)

• Second-Team All-HCAC (2023, 2024)
• Conference-Only Stats – Started in all 6 games, 21 Tackles, 1.5 Tackles for Loss, 9 Tackle-For-Loss Yards, 1 Sack, 9 Sack Yards, 2 Quarterback Hurries
• Conference-Only Averages – 3.50 Tackles (T-37 in HCAC), 0.17 Sacks (T-18 in HCAC)
• Overall Stats – Started in all 10 games, 37 Tackles, 3 Tackles For Loss, 13 Tackle-For-Loss Yards, 1 Sack, 9 Sack Yards, 2 Quarterback Hurries
• Overall Averages – 3.7 Tackles (34th in HCAC)
• Coach Jonathan Coddington's Comments – Gavin is one of the most dependable players on a football field. He does his job at a really high level, and plays with a tremendous amount of passion and effort.

Jake Simpson (Junior Linebacker; Hobart, Ind./Hobart/Trine University)

• Second-Team All-HCAC (2023, 2024)
• Conference-Only Stats – Started in all 6 games, 55 Tackles, 2.5 Tackles For Loss, 4 Tackle-For-Loss Yards, 1 Sack, 1 Sack Yard, 1 Pass Breakup, 2 Quarterback Hurries, 1 Forced Fumble
• Conference-Only Averages – 9.17 Tackles (1st in HCAC), 0.17 Forced Fumbles (T05 in HCAC), 0.17 Sacks (T-18 in HCAC)
• Overall Stats – Started in all 10 games, 85 Tackles, 7 Tackles for Loss, 20 Tackle-For-Loss Yards, 2 Sacks, 6 Sack Yards, 2 Pass Breakups, 4 Quarterback Hurries, 2 Forced Fumbles
• Overall Averages – 8.50 Tackles (1st in HCAC), 0.20 Forced Fumbles (4th in HCAC)
• Coach Jonathan Coddington's Comments – Jake was the leader of our defense and did a great job communicating on the field and getting everyone in position. He was always around the ball, leading our team and the entire conference in tackles. Jake is one of the toughest and hardest working players on the field.

Quinn Dreiband (Senior Offensive Lineman; Bluffton, Ind./Norwell)

• All-HCAC Honorable Mention (2023, 2024)
• Started all 6 conference games on offensive line
• Played and started in nine games on offensive line
• Coach Jonathan Coddington's Comments – Quinn has been very consistent on our offensive line, starting the past three seasons. Quinn was a captain this season, and has helped elevate all of the guys around him. He has put so much energy and effort into this program, and we are thankful for all he has done.

Zaire Prioleau (Junior Defensive Back; Atlanta, Ga./Cedar Grove/Concordia University Ann Arbor)

• All-HCAC Honorable Mention (2024)
• Conference-Only Stats – Started in all 6 games, 5 Pass Breakups, 24 Tackles, 2.5 Tackles For Loss, 7 Tackle-For-Loss Yards
• Conference-Only Averages – 0.83 Passes Defended (T-8 in HCAC), 4.00 Tackles (T-31 in HCAC)
• Overall Stats – Started in all 10 games, 9 Pass Breakups, 2 Interceptions, 1 Interception Return Touchdown, 124 Interception Return Yards, 38 Tackles, 4.5 Tackles For Loss, 9 Tackle-For-Loss Yards
• Overall Averages – 1.10 Passes Defended (T-2 in HCAC), 3.80 Tackles (T-32 in HCAC)
• Coach Jonathan Coddington's Comments – Zaire made a ton of plays on the ball this year, finishing second in the conference in passes defended. He had multiple interceptions on the year, one he returned for a touchdown. He came up with many big plays throughout the year and helped lead our team in his role as a captain.

Elijah St. Pierre (Senior Punter; Waynesville, Ohio/Waynesville/Muskingum University)

• All-HCAC Honorable Mention (2024)
• Conference-Only Stats – 5 Games Played, 29 Punts, 1,028 Punt Yards, 35.4 Yards Per Punt, 4 Punts Pinned Inside 20 (T-3 in HCAC)
• Overall Stats – 8 Games Played, 44 Punts, 1,571 Punt Yards, 35.7 Yards Per Punt (4th in HCAC), 8 Punts Pinned Inside 20 (3rd in HCAC), 1 50+ Yard Punt
• Coach Jonathan Coddington's Comments – Elijah contributed a lot on special teams this season through flipping the field on the punt unit, and handled our kickoff duties. He downed many punts inside the 20-yard line, and helped set us up for success through his efforts.

Sidiki Traore (Sophomore Defensive Lineman; Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights)

• All-HCAC Honorable Mention (2024)
• D3football.com Team-of-the-Week Selection (9/17/2024)
• HCAC Defensive Player of the Week (9/16/2024)
• Season-High 4 Sacks at Oberlin (9/14/2024)
• Conference-Only Stats – Started in all 6 games, 1.5 Sacks, 9 Sack Yards, 19 Tackles, 2 Tackles For Loss, 9 Tackle-For-Loss Yards, 2 Quarterback Hurries
• Conference-Only Averages – 0.25 Sacks (T-10 in HCAC), 3.17 Tackles (T-44 in HCAC)
• Overall Stats – Started in all 10 games, 5.5 Sacks, 29 Sack Yards, 8 Tackles For Loss, 32 Tackle-For-Loss Yards, 32 Tackles, 3 Quarterback Hurries
• Overall Averages – 0.55 Sacks (T-2 in HCAC), 0.80 Tackles For Loss (T-9 in HCAC), 3.20 Tackles (T-43 in HCAC)