BROOKFIELD, Ill. – Recently, the Don Hansen Football Committee released its 2023 NCAA Division II All-America team.
The Don Hansen team carries out the legacy of long-time small college football advocate Don Hansen, who passed away at age 75 on Aug. 29, 2010. Hansen, from Brookfield, Ill., started and published Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette for three decades, selecting NCAA Division II All-America teams for the first time in 1988.
Following a first in school history selection to the Division II AP All-America team, Ben Noland was honored by being named honorable mention following his dominant season.
Ben Noland was one of the best wide receivers nationally at the Division II level, helping to earn a spot on the AP All-America Second Team. The junior wide receiver from Georgia transferred in from Northern State, playing his first year as a Hardrocker, and proceeded to have one of the best seasons in school history. Noland finished with 92 receptions, second most in school history, broke the single-game reception record with 16 against Colorado School of Mines, and set the new single-season school record for receiving touchdowns with 16. He was 28th in NCAA Division II in all-purpose yards and fifth in receiving yards (1,184). The 92 receptions and 16 touchdowns ranked second and third in NCAA Division II.
Noland becomes just the second Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-America selection in school history with this honor.
The teams can be viewed at the link above.
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About South Dakota Mines
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and NCAA Division II offering 13 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic programs. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 members, as well as four associate members, located in the states of California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah.
