3 Pioneers earn all-West Region honors

Three University of Wisconsin-Platteville football players earned all-West Region honors, according to D3football.com.

Record-breaking wide receiver Dan Arnold earned first team honors, while quarterback Tom Kelly and offensive tackle Brett Jerdee were third team selections.

Arnold, a senior from Fargo, North Dakota, caught 65 passes for 1,176 yards and 16 touchdowns. The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference offensive player of the year set a Pioneer record with his 16 receiving receptions and tied the school mark with 16 total touchdowns. Running back Dave Shumway recorded 16 total touchdowns to set that record in 1990. Wideout Matt Kent held the previous single-season receiving yards mark with 1,139 in 2002.

Kelly, a senior from Chicago, Illinois, completed 225 passes in 377 attempts for 2,944 and a school-record 37 touchdowns. He was only intercepted five times all season. His 37 touchdowns beat the previous Pioneer record of 36 set by his brother John in 2013.

Kelly ranked third in NCAA III national statistics for touchdown passes, while Arnold was fifth in receiving touchdowns.

Jerdee, a senior from Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, helped the Pioneers roll up 479.8 yards and 41 points per game. Both totals led the WIAC in 2016.

The Pioneers finished 8-2 in the regular season and earned the school's second-ever NCAA Division III playoff berth. UW-Platteville was ranked 12th in the final D3football.com regular-season poll. The Pioneers dropped a 32-31 playoff contest at St. John's, Minnesota, ending their season at 8-3.

The honor teams were selected in balloting by West Region sports information directors and D3football.com staff. Division III member schools nominated 260 student-athletes for West Region honors. Those nominated are now eligible for All-America honors, which will be announced Dec. 16 prior to the national championship game, the Stagg Bowl XLIV.

By Paul Erickson, Director, Communications, 608.342.1194, pr@uwplatt.edu