WHITE LAKE, Mich. -- At the conclusion of the 2024 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) regular season, head coaches from the eight MIAA football-sponsoring institutions voted on All-MIAA awards.
Hope College's Chance Strickland was named the MIAA Most Valuable Offensive Player, while teammate Cole Luhmann was voted the MIAA's Most Valuable Defensive Player. Derik Smith of Hope received the Pete Schmidt Memorial Scholar-Athlete Award.
Senior running back Chance Strickland assisted the Flying Dutchmen to the 2024 MIAA regular-season title with an unblemished record of 7-0. Playing in five contests, Strickland totaled 89 rushes for 558 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had 79 receiving yards and one touchdown. Strickland is now a two-time All-MIAA honoree.
Cole Luhmann, a senior linebacker, led Hope defensively. In playing all seven league games, Luhmann had 20 solo tackles, 32 assisted tackles, seven tackles for loss, one sack, a fumble recovery, and five pass breakups. Luhmann is now a two-time All-MIAA selection.
The Pete Schmidt Memorial Scholar-Athlete Award has been presented every year since 2001 honoring the legacy of Pete Schmidt, an Alma College alumni and Albion College football coach who died of cancer in 2000. Hope defensive lineman Derik Smith received the award this season. After being diagnosed with cancer at a young age and having part of his right leg amputated, Smith was determined to continue competing and has played his football career with a prosthetic leg. Along with football, Smith competes in track and field and is trying to qualify for the Paralympics in long jump and javelin. He previously competed for Team USA at the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation 2022 World Games and earned three first-place finishes in four events. Smith received Hope's Karen Paige Award in 2023, served as the guest of honor at the American Cancer Society's "Taste of Hope", and was featured on CBS's "Courage in Sports: Gridiron Greatness". He also had the incredible opportunity of announcing the Denver Broncos' Day 3 pick during the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit.
Both Hope's Dylan Clem and Luke Marsh became four-time All-MIAA honorees this season. Alma College's Joshua Hernandez, Carter St. John, Reese Townsend and Eddie Williams are now three-time All-MIAA players, while Albion College's Luke Lovell, Alma's JB Couch, Bryce Fredenburg, Devon Frenchko and Jerome Roberson, Hope's Oatis Ackermann and Grant Holtzer, and The University of Olivet's Dontal Wright are all receiving All-MIAA recognition for the second time in their careers.
Most Valuable Player - Offense
Chance Strickland, Hope
Most Valuable Player - Defense
Cole Luhmann, Hope
Pete Schmidt Award
Derik Smith, Hope
2024 Football All-MIAA First Team
First Team - Offense
QB - Carter St. John, Alma (3)
RB - Chance Strickland, Hope (2)
RB - Eddie Williams, Alma (3)
WR - Devon Frenchko, Alma (2)
WR - Grant Holtzer, Hope (2)
WR - Ty Lotterman, Alma
TE - Trevor Smith, Albion
OL - Dylan Clem, Hope (4)
OL - JB Couch, Alma (2)
OL - Luke Marsh, Hope (4)
OL - Isaiah Simon, Adrian
OL - Reese Townsend, Alma (3)
First Team - Defense
DL - Evan Eastman, Alma
DL - Jack Lamancusa, Hope
DL - Michael Pruchnic, Albion
DL - Mike White, Adrian
LB - Andrew Debri, Hope
LB - Jayth Joseph, Albion
LB - Cole Luhmann, Hope (2)
OLB - Brad Raredon, Hope
CB - Daniel Budwah, Trine
CB - Austin Harvey, Hope
S - Sam Cochran, Hope
S - Bryce Fredenburg, Alma (2)
First Team - Special Teams
K - Joshua Hernandez, Alma (3)
P - Brice Kempf, Alma
RS - Tristan Burrus, Trine
2024 Football All-MIAA Second Team
Second Team - Offense
QB - Luke Lovell, Albion (2)
RB - Tyler Amos, Hope
RB - Dontal Wright, Olivet (2)
WR - Dilon Denison, Albion
WR - Lucas Hanifan, Kalamazoo
WR - Jalen Wallace, Adrian
H - Seth Luhmann, Hope
OL - Mitchell Abrams, Albion
OL - Owen Denk, Alma
OL - Jelani Harbor, Olivet
OL - Evan Kaehr, Trine
OL - Blake Monroe, Olivet
Second Team - Defense
DL - Oatis Ackermann, Hope (2)
DL - Randall Broome, Adrian
DL - Cam McCarver, Trine
DL - Caleb Paarlberg, Hope
DL - Jerome Roberson, Alma (2)
DL - Dominico Tejeda, Olivet
LB - Carson Deines, Kalamazoo
LB - Jett King, Alma
LB - Trevor Martens, Calvin
OLB - Connor Davey, Albion
CB - Mar'Sean Massenburg, Alma
CB - Charles Thompson, Trine
Second Team - Special Teams
K - Sal Ruffino, Calvin
P - Dan Le-Hernandez, Trine
RS - Jaylan Johnson, Olivet
(#) Number of multi-time All-MIAA, including career first- and second-team honors