BURNSVILLE, Minn. – The NSIC Champion Augustana football team cleaned up in the NSIC postseason awards headlined by Jerry Olszewski named the NSIC Coach of the Year. In addition, defensive coordinator Mark Sipple was named the NSIC Assistant Coach of the Year with nine student-athletes earning First Team All-NSIC honors and another eight named to the league's second team.
 
In all, Augustana tallied 19 honors from the NSIC, a league-best for the league champs.
 
Olszewski earns the coach of the year honor for the third time while the 10 regular season wins are the second-most in program history. He picked up his 100^th career win this season in the 20-point victory over Sioux Falls on Sept. 30. He has guided AU to the NCAA Division II Playoffs a program-best four times as Augustana hosts the first round on Saturday.
 
Sipple, completing his third season with AU, earns the assistant coach of the year for the first time. His defense is tops in the NSIC after allowing just 16 points per game while his rushing defense currently ranks ninth nationally by allowing just 82.8 yards per outing. He is the first Augustana football coach to earn the assistant coach of the year award from the NSIC.
 
Augustana's nine First Team All-NSIC members include three on offense, three on defense and three on special teams.
 
Jarod Epperson | Running Back | Omaha, Neb.
The running back with the third-most yards in Augustana history, Epperson earns his second First Team All-NSIC honor after rushing for 1,028 yards and 10 touchdowns. After fully recovering from a season-ending injury a year ago, the senior has played his best football at the end of the season with four 100-plus yard performances over the final five games. Over the final nine games of the season, Epperson averaged 107.5 yards per game.
 
C.J. James | Offensive Line | Des Moines, Iowa
James, a second-team performer a year ago, earns First Team All-NSIC honors for the first time after starting all 11 games at left guard. He has protected a rushing attack that saw a running back eclipse 1,000 yards on the ground. He also blocked for a quarterback that ranks first in the NSIC and 11^th in the nation with passing efficiency.
 
Blake Larson | Offensive Line | Brandon, S.D.
Larson earns his third-straight First Team All-NSIC accolade after starting all 11 games at right tackle. On many NFL radars, Larson has seen action in 44 contests at Augustana. In 2023, he protected a rushing attack that saw a running back eclipse 1,000 yards on the ground. He also blocked for a quarterback that ranks first in the NSIC and 11^th in the nation with passing efficiency.
 
Peyton Buckley | Defensive Back | Rice Lake, Wis.
The former NSIC Newcomer of the Year earns his first First Team All-NSIC honor after leading Augustana with 68 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss. In addition, he ranks third in the league with 1.0 passes defended per game, tallying his nine pass breakups and two interceptions. Buckley has also forced a fumble on the season while racking up 50 solo tackles.
 
Will Davis | Defensive Line | Edina, Minn.
A breakout season for the defensive lineman, Davis totaled 27 tackles with a team-best eight being behind the line of scrimmage. In addition, he is tied for the team lead with 4.5 sacks. Davis is credited with four pass breakups and four quarterback hurries throughout his junior campaign.
 
Haden Wallace | Linebacker | Kansas City, Mo.
The Vikings' second-leading tackler racked up 54 tackles on the year with 6.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. He forced two fumbles, secured a pair of interceptions and broke up three passes. Wallace, a team captain, earned all-conference honors for the first time after starting all 11 games at linebacker.
 
Avery Book | Punter | Ironton, Ohio
A key offseason addition, Book has taken the Vikings' punt game to new levels. He holds a single-season record average of 44.3 yards per punt including a nice season-long punt of 69 yards. He totaled 16 punts of 50 yards or longer, easily a conference best. At the national-level, his punt average holds the nation's fourth-longest distance.
 
Devon Jones | Return Specialist | San Diego, Calif.
Jones, a senior wide receiver, is on the list twice, with his first team accolade for his punt-return prowess. He leads the nation with his 19.1 return yards per punt while ranking second with a pair of touchdowns. He returned a touchdown in the season's opening game and never looked back while shattering the school record for punt return yards at 347 and is surpassing the average return per punt by more than four yards.
 
Jake Pecina | Kicker | Forney, Texas
The redshirt freshman has been consistent all season long, connecting on 90 percent of his field goal attempts including going 8-for-8 with every kick within 49 yards. He also connected on a career-long 52-yard field goal in the regular season finale while twice earning the league's Special Teams Player of the Week.
 
On the second team, the Vikings totaled four players each on offense and defense.
 
Trevor Burkhart | Offensive Line | Sioux Falls, S.D.
Burkhart earns an NSIC honor for the second time in his career after starting all 11 games at right guard. He protected a rushing attack that saw a running back eclipse 1,000 yards on the ground. He also blocked for a quarterback that ranks first in the NSIC and 11^th in the nation with passing efficiency.
 
Jack Fisher | Wide Receiver | Rochester, Minn.
Fisher earns a second-team honor for the second-straight year after hauling in 26 receptions for 502 yards and four touchdowns. He totaled a career-best 164 yards receiving in the win over Southwest Minnesota State.
 
Mitchell Goodbary | Tight End | Sioux Falls, S.D.
The NSIC Elite 18 Award Winner is also an all-conference performer for the third-straight year. He saw action in all 11 games while hauling in 12 receptions for three touchdowns. An extension of the offensive line, he has helped block for a 1,000 yard rusher for the second time in his career.
 
Devon Jones | Wide Receiver | San Diego, Calif.
Jones is the second wide receiver to find his name on the list after receiving a team-high 33 receptions with 462 yards and four touchdowns. He was on the receiving end of 121 yards in the win over Sioux Falls where he scored a pair of touchdowns.
 
JayVian Farr | Defensive Back | Racine, Wis.
A starter in all 11 games, Farr earns his first NSIC honor with 26 solo tackles, four assisted tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups. In the regular-season finale, Farr put an exclamation point in the NSIC Championship by returning an interception 61 yards for a touchdown, his first career touchdown.
 
Kade Lynott | Linebacker | Hawarden, Iowa
Lynott built upon an impressive freshman campaign by totaling 50 tackles as a sophomore, ranking third on the Vikings. He totaled 4.5 tackles for loss, recovered two fumbles and was credited with three quarterback hurries. In the win over Minnesota State, he recorded a season-high nine tackles.
 
Jake Polson | Defensive Back | Reno, Nev.
The senior finds himself on an All-NSIC list for the first time after record nine pass breakups with 32 tackles. He started all 11 games at defensive back while creating chaos for opposing quarterbacks.
 
Jack Wilson | Defensive Line | Sioux Falls, S.D.
Starting all 11 games on the Vikings' defensive line, Wilson recorded five tackles for loss as part of his 12 total tackles. He was credited with two pass breakups with six of his 12 tackles marked as solo.
 
Augustana hosts the opening round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs by hosting Minnesota State at noon inside Kirkeby-Over Stadium. Tickets to the game can be purchased at GoAugie.com/Tickets.