BROOKFIELD, Ill. – On Friday morning, the Don Hansen Football Committee released its 2024 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.
 
The Hardrockers had two players honored on the teams, with Henry Dryden and Connor Taylor earning honorable mentions.
 
Dryden followed up his recent AFCA All-American selection which was the first in school history with the award, while Taylor earned his first all-american selection.
 
Dryden continues to rack up honors after having a second-straight season among the best tight ends in the RMAC, Super Region 4 and nationally. Despite missing a game, Dryden posted 35 receptions for 297 yards and six touchdowns, all near the top of the region for the tight end position, in addition to being effective as a blocker in the run game.

Taylor followed up his D2CCA All-Region selection. Connor Taylor had a phenomenal career with the Hardrockers and has the stats to show it. He set school records for field goals made in a career, points in a career, and longest punts and tied the school record for field goals made in a season this year with 13.

Not typically a punter, Taylor added punting duties this season and was one of the top punters in the RMAC, earning Honorable Mention All-RMAC there in addition to the first team all-conference selection as kicker. Overall, Taylor made 13-17 field goals and 36-38 PATs, averaging 44.13 yards per punt and downing 16 inside the 20.

The All-American Teams can be found here or at the link at the top of the article.
 
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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.