APPLETON, Wis. — Four Lawrence University football standouts have been chosen for the All-Midwest Conference team in a vote by league coaches.
Alic Riedel (Appleton, Wis./East) was selected for the first team and Jackson Straughn (Heber City, Utah/Wasatch),
Jacob Lueck (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard East) and Jake Gostisha (Appleton, Wis./East) were all picked for the second team.
A sophomore defensive back, Riedel was chosen as the return specialist after averaging 21.3 yards per kickoff return, which was good for third in the conference. Riedel posted 21 kickoff returns for 448 yards and a touchdown. He had an 81-yard return for a score against Rockford University in his first career kickoff return. He picked up a 57-yard kickoff return against Ripon College, a 45-yard return at Beloit College and a 38-yard return against Grinnell College.
Riedel also had 12 punt returns for 56 yards, an average of 4.7 yards. Riedel also started every game at cornerback and piled up 55 tackles, two interceptions and six pass breakups.
Straughn, a junior offensive lineman, was in his first season of playing on the offensive side of the ball. He started every game at tackle and became the Vikings’ top lineman this season. He helped the offense average 3.9 yards per carry on the ground this season.
A junior linebacker, Lueck piled up a team-best 92 tackles this season, and his average of 9.2 tackles per game ranked fourth in the league. Lueck, who posted a career-high 17 tackles against Macalester College, also had 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. He added two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one pass breakup.
Gostisha, playing his first season at defensive end, made an immediate impact. Gostisha finished second on the team and fifth in the Midwest Conference with 88 tackles, an average of 8.8 per game. Gostisha picked up a career-high 13 tackles against Ripon.
Gostisha ranked fifth in the league with 10.5 tackles for loss and 10th with 4.0 sacks. He also picked up his first career interception vs. Grinnell.