FARGO, N.D. -- Victory Sports Network named five Montana Tech football players to its 2024 NAIA Football All-American Team, the website announced Monday.

Center Brandon Spencer earned a first-team nod on the offensive line, running back Landers Smith and return specialist Levi Torgerson landed third-team honors, and tight end Logan Kennedy and linebacker Cole Wyant garnered honorable mentions.

Spencer, a senior from Lolo, was also a second-team American Football Coaches' Association and Associated Press All-American and first-team All-Frontier Conference selection. He helped the Orediggers' offense 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. He and the Montana Tech offensive line allowed just nine sacks in 12 games this season.

Smith, a senior from Charlo, ended his campaign with 1,347 yards on the ground, good enough for fourth-most in Tech's single-season history. He also rushed for 23 touchdowns on 247 carries, ranking in the NAIA's top five in each category this season. Smith was a second-team AP All-America selection and was first-team all-conference.

Torgerson, a junior from Great Falls, returned two kickoffs for touchdowns this season. He was 14th in the NAIA in total kick return yards (526) and also caught six touchdowns at wide receiver and threw for one TD. He was a first-team all-conference selection at returner and honorable mention at receiver.

Kennedy, a junior from Laurel, caught 35 passes for 487 yards and four touchdowns while also bolstering Tech's stellar run block all season. He was voted first-team All-Frontier.

Wyant, a graduate student from Rocklin, Calif., ranked second on the Orediggers and 11th in the NAIA with 101 tackles on the season. A first-team all-conference performer, he also recorded 3.5 tackles-for-loss, half a sack, three pass break-ups and recovered a fumble.

Montana Tech finished the season with a 9-3 record and reached the NAIA Football Championship Series for the second-straight season.

The Orediggers earned the No. 7 seed in the national playoff and earned a first-round bye in the bracket. No. 10 Northwestern (Iowa) defeated the Diggers, 32-29, in the second round on November 30.

Jackson Waring and John Argo of national-champion Grand View University won offensive and defensive player of the year honors, respectively, from VSN. The coach of the year was Terry Harrison from Friends University in Kansas.

The VSN NAIA Football team is compiled by Jason Dannelly of the Victory Sports Network. Nominations are automatically taken from each all-conference team in the NAIA. Input on the selections comes from coaches, SIDs, and media members around the NAIA. The final selections are made by Dannelly.

Visit Montana Tech athletics' home online, GoDiggers.com, anytime for up-to-the-minute news and coverage of the Orediggers. Give Montana Tech athletics a like on Facebook, and follow the Orediggers on X at @MTechDiggers.
 

2024 Victory Sports Network NAIA Football All-America Teams

VSN	First Team	All-American
Pos	Name	School	Conf	Team
Ath	K'Vonte Baker	Friends University	KCAC Kessinger	1st Team
OL	Blake Gossett	Georgetown (Ky.)	Mid South Conf.	1st Team
OL	Marcus Lombard	Montana Western	Frontier Conference	1st Team
OL	Jayson Weiland	Grand View	Heart North	1st Team
OL	Brandon Spencer	Montana Tech	Frontier Conference	1st Team
OL	Jude Guerrier	Keiser	Sun Conference	1st Team
QB	Jackson Waring	Grand View	Heart North	1st Team
RB	Gunner Yates	Southern Oregon	Frontier Conference	1st Team
RB	Rontavious Farmer	St. Thomas	Sun Conference	1st Team
RB	Darius Neal	Georgetown (Ky.)	Mid South Conf.	1st Team
TE	Blake Lamb	Olivet Nazarene	MSFA Midwest	1st Team
WR	Gerald Monroe	Graceland	Heart North	1st Team
WR	Jacob Gathright	Benedictine	Heart South	1st Team
WR	Austin Jablonski	Concordia (Neb)	GPAC	1st Team
WR	David Hayes	St. Thomas	Sun Conference	1st Team
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
DB	Jayden Heartwell	Dickinson State (N.D.)	NSAA	1st Team
DB	Nehemiah Figueroa	McPherson College	KCAC Kessinger	1st Team
DB	Daviere Jones	Grand View	Heart North	1st Team
DB	Dijion Walls	Morningside	GPAC	1st Team
DL	Nicholas Engler	St. Thomas	Sun Conference	1st Team
DL	Hunter Peck	Carroll	Frontier Conference	1st Team
DL	Quincy Robinson	Bluefield	Appalachian	1st Team
DL	Jackson Filer	Grand View	Heart North	1st Team
LB	Parker Fryar	Northwestern	GPAC	1st Team
LB	Clayton Mosher	Indiana Wesleyan	MSFA Mideast	1st Team
LB	John Argo	Grand View	Heart North	1st Team
LB	Kendall Wilson II	St. Thomas	Sun Conference	1st Team
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
K	Harry Balke	Benedictine	Heart North	1st Team
P	Kelen Meyer	Doane	GPAC	1st Team
RS	Tyress McKey	Reinhardt	Appalachian	1st Team
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
	VSN	Second Team	All American
Ath	Amon Williams	Pikeville	Appalachian	2nd Team
OL	Kyree Watkins	Friends University	KCAC Kessinger	2nd Team
OL	Jordan Scott	Pikeville	Appalachian	2nd Team
OL	Nathaniel Woodruff	Dickinson State (N.D.)	NSAA	2nd Team
OL	Aidan Queen	Morningside	GPAC	2nd Team
OL	Blake Schlegel	Concordia (Neb)	GPAC	2nd Team
QB	Zack Chevalier	Morningside	GPAC	2nd Team
RB	Ernest Ceasar	Texas Wesleyan	Sooner	2nd Team
RB	Luke Armstrong	Kansas Wesleyan	KCAC Bissel	2nd Team
RB	Andrew Burnette	Keiser	Sun Conference	2nd Team
TE	D'Andre Golden	Keiser	Sun Conference	2nd Team
WR	Jashawn Todd	Benedictine	Heart South	2nd Team
WR	Isaac Smith	Indiana Wesleyan	MSFA Mideast	2nd Team
WR	Drew Sellon	Morningside	GPAC	2nd Team
WR	Malachi Spurrier	Eastern Oregon	Frontier Conference	2nd Team
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
DB	Lucas Huttinga	Dordt	GPAC	2nd Team
DB	Deveon Moses	Dakota State (S.D.)	NSAA	2nd Team
DB	Neil Campbell	Indiana Wesleyan	MSFA Mideast	2nd Team
DB	Cody Moser	Northwestern	GPAC	2nd Team
DL	Marquise Cross	Saint Francis (Ind.)	MSFA Midwest	2nd Team
DL	Issac Anderson	Benedictine	Heart South	2nd Team
DL	Joshua King-Bradley	Kansas Wesleyan	KCAC Bissel	2nd Team
DL	Tai Lologo	Keiser	Sun Conference	2nd Team
LB	Bradley Myers	Evangel University	KCAC Kessinger	2nd Team
LB	Zac Kramer	Baker	Heart South	2nd Team
LB	Chad Holleran	Georgetown (Ky.)	Mid South Conf.	2nd Team
LB	Isaac Pingel	Morningside	GPAC	2nd Team
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
K	Eli Stader	Northwestern	GPAC	2nd Team
P	Brayden Johnson	Bethel (Tenn.)	Mid South Conf.	2nd Team
RS	Evan Leake	Olivet Nazarene	MSFA Midwest	2nd Team
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
	VSN	Third Team	All-American
Ath	Sam Tumilty	St. Francis (Ill.)	MSFA Midwest	3rd Team
OL	Zach Sibila	Marian	MSFA Midwest	3rd Team
OL	Will Angel	Indiana Wesleyan	MSFA Mideast	3rd Team
OL	Roderick Carter	Keiser	Sun Conference	3rd Team
OL	Noah Clark	Grand View	Heart North	3rd Team
QB	Michael Palandri	Montana Western	Fronter	3rd Team
RB	Tyson Denkert	Midland	GPAC	3rd Team
RB	Landers Smith	Montana Tech	Frontier Conference	3rd Team
RB	Ryan Whitwell	Indiana Wesleyan	MSFA Mideast	3rd Team
TE	Carson Ochoa	Carroll	Frontier	3rd Team
WR	Eli Nourse	Montana Western	Frontier Conference	3rd Team
WR	Matt Holthusen	Southwestern College	KCAC Kessinger	3rd Team
WR	Levi Tidwell	Indiana Wesleyan	MSFA Mideast	3rd Team
WR	Jake Reichard	Marian	MSFA Midwest	3rd Team
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
DB	Thad Metcalfe	Baker	Heart South	3rd Team
DB	Marcell Blocker	Florida Memorial	Sun Conference	3rd Team
DB	Javhi Blomquist	Benedictine	Heart South	3rd Team
DB	Justin Carcel	Keiser	Sun Conference	3rd Team
DL	Trystin Voss	Northwestern	GPAC	3rd Team
DL	Heath Baker	Benedictine	Heart South	3rd Team
DL	Jacob Dragstra	Northwestern	GPAC	3rd Team
DL	Aaron Brown	Grand View	Heart North	3rd Team
LB	Isiah Cotton	OUAZ	Sooner	3rd Team
LB	Cameron Rankins	Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)	Mid South Conf.	3rd Team
LB	Aven Jones	Taylor University	MSFA Mideast	3rd Team
LB	Zach Lacombe	Benedictine	Heart South	3rd Team
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
K	Seth Simpson	Baker University	Heart South	3rd Team
P	Mason Miller	Marian	MSFA Midwest	3rd Team
RS	Levi Torgerson	Montana Tech	Frontier Conference	3rd Team
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
	VSN	Honorable Mention	All-American
Ath	Walter Wilbon	Florida Memorial	Sun Conference	Honorable Mention
Ath	Scott Tumilty	St. Francis (Ill.)	MSFA Midwest	Honorable Mention
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
OL	Justin Miller	MidAmerica Nazarene	Heart South	Honorable Mention
OL	Nathan Warner	Dordt	GPAC	Honorable Mention
OL	CJ Anoa'i	Evangel University	KCAC Kessinger	Honorable Mention
OL	Easton Lewis	Kansas Wesleyan	KCAC Bissel	Honorable Mention
OL	Jonathan Grubbs	Taylor	MSFA Mideast	Honorable Mention
OL	Rashad Beckham	Benedictine	Heart South	Honorable Mention
OL	Rocco Beccari	Montana Western	Frontier Conference	Honorable Mention
OL	Nate Timmons	Grand View	Heart North	Honorable Mention
OL	James Wartick	Grand View	Heart North	Honorable Mention
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
QB	Jackson Dooley	Benedictine	Heart South	Honorable Mention
QB	Braden Howell	Southwestern College	KCAC Kessinger	Honorable Mention
QB	Shea Spencer	Keiser University	Sun Conference	Honorable Mention
QB	Kyle Antoine	Indiana Wesleyan	MSFA Mideast	Honorable Mention
QB	Lee Kirkland	Pikeville	Appalachian	Honorable Mention
QB	Luke Giron	OUAZ	Sooner	Honorable Mention
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
RB	Jalil Brown	McPherson College	KCAC Kessinger	Honorable Mention
RB	Keagan Le Belle	Marian	MSFA Midwest	Honorable Mention
RB	Konner McQuillan	Northwestern	GPAC	Honorable Mention
RB	Mark Arp	Concordia (Neb.)	GPAC	Honorable Mention
RB	Daylon Charles	Louisianna Christian	Sooner	Honorable Mention
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
TE	Tanner Zimmerman	Benedictine	Heart South	Honorable Mention
TE	Logan Kennedy	Montana Tech	Frontier Conference	Honorable Mention
TE	Levon Williams	Langston	Sooner	Honorable Mention
TE	Steven Whiting	Briar Cliff	GPAC	Honorable Mention
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
WR	Da'Vicious Wilson	OUAZ	Sooner	Honorable Mention
WR	Jasiah Barron	Wayland Baptist	Sooner	Honorable Mention
WR	Refeno Vangates	Keiser	Sun Conference	Honorable Mention
WR	Grant Alexander	Judson	MSFA Midwest	Honorable Mention
WR	Kyle Dixon	Culver-Stockton	Heart North	Honorable Mention
WR	Aisea Toki	Grand View	Heart North	Honorable Mention
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
DB	Kaysan Barnett	Rocky Mountain	Frontier Conference	Honorable Mention
DB	Daylon Henson	Concordia (Neb.)	GPAC	Honorable Mention
DB	Joseph Bonga	Southeastern (Fla.)	Sun Conference	Honorable Mention
DB	Justin Richardson	Georgetown (Ky.)	Mid South Conf.	Honorable Mention
DB	Caleb Walker	St. Thomas (Fla.)	Sun Conference	Honorable Mention
DB	Deylon Rodgers	Texas Wesleyan	Sooner	Honorable Mention
DB	Prince Brown	Grand View	Heart North	Honorable Mention
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
DL	Joseph Chavez	Nelson	Sooner	Honorable Mention
DL	Cortez Thomas	Point	Appalachian	Honorable Mention
DL	Ayobami Arokoyo	Saint Xavier	MSFA Midwest	Honorable Mention
DL	Jacardon Hardemon	Southwestern College	KCAC Kessinger	Honorable Mention
DL	Gabe Foster	Southern Oregon	Frontier Conference	Honorable Mention
DL	Dylan Dahlgren	Dickinson State (N.D.)	NSAA	Honorable Mention
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
LB	Luke Bays	Indiana Wesleyan	MSFA Mideast	Honorable Mention
LB	AJ Hemphill	Ottawa University	KCAC Bissel	Honorable Mention
LB	Chris Swayne	Saint Xavier	MSFA Midwest	Honorable Mention
LB	Iona Purcell	Southern Oregon	Frontier Conference	Honorable Mention
LB	Cade Sheedy	Grand View	Heart North	Honorable Mention
LB	Cole Wyant	Montana Tech	Frontier Conference	Honorable Mention
LB	Marquis Willoughby	Friends University	KCAC Kessinger	Honorable Mention
LB	Jace Fitzgerald	Montana Western	Frontier Conference	Honorable Mention
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
K	Job Matossian	Cumberlands (Ky.)	Mid South Conf.	Honorable Mention
K	Zachary Alvarez	St. Thomas	Sun Conference	Honorable Mention
K	John Mears	Montana Western	Frontier Conference	Honorable Mention
K	Josh Clifton	Indiana Wesleyan	MSFA Mideast	Honorable Mention
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
P	Dean Mason	Concordia (Mich.)	MSFA Mideast	Honorable Mention
P	Brodrick Smith	Tabor College	KCAC Bissel	Honorable Mention
P	Ryan Conner	Evangel University	KCAC Kessinger	Honorable Mention
–	————–	————–	————–	————–
RS	Draylon Robinson	OPSU	Sooner	Honorable Mention
RS	Laken Harnly	Morningside	GPAC	Honorable Mention