BILLINGS — The Frontier Conference had eight players represented on the Associated Press' 2024 NAIA All-American football teams released Friday.
In all, the league had eight selections, led by Montana Western offensive lineman Marcus Lombard and Southern Oregon running back Gunner Yates on the first-team offense.
Lombard helped the Bulldogs set records for total offense, passing yards and points in 2024, while Yates, the Frontier's offensive MVP, led the NAIA with 1,488 rushing yards.
On the second-team offense are quarterback Michael Palandri and receiver Eli Nourse from UM Western, running back Landers Smith and offensive lineman Brandon Spencer of Montana Tech, and tight end Carson Ochoa from Carroll.
On the second-team defense is Carroll defensive lineman Hunter Peck.
Palandri set a program records with a completion rate of 68.3% and 3,670 yards, 3,972 yards of total offense and 34 passing TDs. Nourse, from Dillon, led the Bulldogs with 1,205 receiving yards, also a program mark.
Tech's Smith, from Charlo, rushed fro 1,372 yards and 23 touchdowns this past season, and Spencer, via Missoula Sentinel, helped the Orediggers rank in the NAIA's top 10 in scoring, rushing yards, yards per carry, yards per completion, first downs, third-down percentage, fourth-down percentage, and time of possession.
Ochoa caught 47 passes for 525 yards and four touchdowns for Carroll, while Peck, the Frontier's defensive player of the year, totaled 50 tackles with 6.5 quarterback sacks and 12 tackles for loss.
2024 AP NAIA All-America teams
FIRST TEAM
Offense
Quarterback — Zack Chevalier, Morningside (Iowa), junior, 6-2, 205, Santa Clarita, California.
Running backs — Gunner Yates, Southern Oregon, sophomore, 6-0, 205, Coquille, Oregon; Ernest Ceasar, Texas Wesleyan, senior, 5-6, 175, Beaumont, Texas.
Linemen — Jude Guerrier, Keiser (Florida), junior, 6-2, 339, Boca Raton, Florida; Marcus Lombard, Montana Western, senior, 6-1, 300, Laie, Hawaii; Zach Sibila, Marian (Indiana), senior, 6-3, 285, Zionsville, Indiana; Blake Gossett, Georgetown (Kentucky), senior, 6-2, 280, Louisville, Kentucky; Jordan Scott, Pikeville (Kentucky), graduate, 6-2, 306, Belfry, Kentucky.
Tight end — Blake Lamb, Olivet Nazarene (Illinois), senior, 6-2, 236, Cincinnati.
Wide receivers — Drew Sellon, Morningside (Iowa), sophomore, 6-0, 185, Fremont, Nebraska; Gerald Monroe, Graceland (Iowa), junior, 5-10, 185, Glenn Heights, Texas; Jacob Gathright, Benedictine (Kansas), senior, 5-10, 160, Oceanside, California.
All-purpose player — Luke Armstrong, Kansas Wesleyan, junior, 5-11, 190, Carlsbad, California.
Kicker — Seth Simpson, Baker (Kansas), junior, 6-0, 185, Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
Defense
Linemen — Quincy Robinson, Bluefield (Virginia), senior, 6-3, 240, Wilmington, North Carolina; Jackson Filer, Grand View (Iowa), junior, 6-3, 245, Des Moines, Iowa; Josh King-Bradley, Kansas Wesleyan, junior, 6-0, 250, Mont Belvieu, Texas; Nicolas Engler, St. Thomas (Florida), graduate, 6-4, 250, Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Linebackers — Isaac Pingel, Morningside (Iowa), senior, 6-1, 215, Spencer, Iowa; Parker Fryar, Northwestern (Iowa), senior, 6-3, 230, Waukee, Iowa; Aven Jones, Taylor (Indiana), senior, 6-0, 224, New Palestine, Indiana.
Defensive backs — Dijion Walls, Morningside (Iowa), senior, 6-1, 185, Hazelwood, Missouri; Deveon Moses, Dakota State (South Dakota), junior, 6-0, 180, Houston; Nehemiah Figueroa, McPherson (Kansas), senior, 5-11, 185, Boyertown, Pennsylvania; Jayden Heartwell, Dickinson State (North Dakota), senior, 6-1, 205, Anchorage, Alaska; Daylon Henson, Concordia (Nebraska), junior, 6-0, 200, Pearland, Texas.
Punter — Kelen Meyer, Doane (Nebraska), junior, 6-2, 210, Ord, Nebraska.
SECOND TEAM
Offense
Quarterback — Michael Palandri, Montana Western, junior, 6-1, 215, Maple Valley, Washington.
Running backs — Rontavious Farmer, St. Thomas (Florida), senior, 5-10, 195, Port St. Lucie, Florida; Landers Smith, Montana Tech, senior, 6-0, 230, Charlo, Montana.
Linemen — Aidan Queen, Morningside (Iowa), senior, 6-4, 270, Fremont, Nebraska; Brandon Spencer, Montana Tech, senior, 6-3, 315, Lolo, Montana; Jayson Weiland, Grand View (Iowa), senior, 6-3, 290, Cedar Falls, Iowa; Will Angel, Indiana Wesleyan, senior, 6-1, 286, Liberty, Missouri; Kyree Watkins, Friends (Kansas), senior, 6-0, 275, Atlanta.
Tight end — Carson Ochoa, Carroll (Montana), junior, 6-3, 235, Yorba Linda, California.
Wide receivers — David Hayes, St. Thomas (Florida), senior, 6-4, 188, Tampa, Florida; Eli Nourse, Montana Western, sophomore, 5-10, 170, Dillon, Montana; Matthew Holthusen, Southwestern (Kansas), junior, 5-11, 180, Wichita, Kansas.
All-purpose player — Tyson Denkert, Midland (Nebraska), junior, 5-10, 200, Kenesaw, Nebraska.
Kicker — Eli Stader, Northwestern (Iowa), senior, 6-0, 225, Cedar Grove, Wisconsin.
Defense
Linemen — Dylan Dahlgren, Dickinson State (North Dakota), sophomore, 6-3, 210, Soldotna, Alaska; Trystin Voss, Northwestern (Iowa), junior, 6-2, 260, Rogersville, Missouri; Bam Brima, Keiser (Florida), senior, 6-5, 270, Worcester, Massachusetts; Hunter Peck, Carroll (Montana), senior, 6-2, 245, Windsor, Colorado.
Linebackers — Bradley Myers, Evangel (Missouri), senior, 5-11, 215, Lee’s Summit, Missouri; John Argo, Grand View (Iowa), junior, 6-0, 220, Davenport, Iowa; Clayton Mosher, Indiana Wesleyan, senior, 6-0, 208, Stow, Ohio.
Defensive backs — Caleb Walker, St. Thomas (Florida), graduate, 5-10, 182, Tampa, Florida; Cody Moser, Northwestern (Iowa), senior, 6-3, 195, Rock Valley, Iowa; Justin Carcel, Keiser (Florida), junior, 5-9, 173, Port St. Lucie, Florida; Javhi Blomquist, Benedictine (Kansas), senior, 5-9, 180, San Diego; Brayden Johnson, Bethel (Tennessee), junior, 6-2, 213, Syracuse, Indiana.
