#16 – TJ Wendt, OL Sioux Falls 2009

The anchor on the Cougar offensive line for all three titles in the 2000’s, the 6-2, 308 Wendt was a 4-year starter at arguably the toughest position to learn in football. Three times he would be named 1st team all-GPAC and twice was named to VSN’s 1st team All-American unit. Opening holes for running backs like Mike Dvoracek, Eric Cimpl and Ryan Lowmiller, Wendt was a powerful blocker in the trenches. He could also pass-protect and did so for quarterbacks Chad Cavender and Lorenzo Brown. Wendt was in the NAIA National Championship game all four seasons and ended his career as a major contributor to the Cougars’ 56-1 mark.

#15 – Sean Stewart, SS Concordia 2002

Another stalwart on the only Bulldog team to make the NAIA Championship Series in 2001, Stewart was the most common answer to my question of the best safety people had seen in the GPAC. Not only a hard hitter at 6-2, 215, but Stewart held the league’s interception record at 18, until it was broken 4 years later. He was a second team member of the very first VSN All American team in 2002. A member of the Bulldogs 2001 co-championship squad, he made 1st team all-GPAC 3 years in a row, 2000 thru 2002. During his time as defensive leader, Concordia had seasons of 7-4, 10-2 (with a 1-1 mark in the postseason, and 5-4 for a 22-10 overall mark.