Galesburg, IL - A record-setting linebacker for the Prairie Fire has been selected to a 2011 D3Football.com All-Region Team.
Junior Mike Hendrick (Smithton, IL, Freeburg High School) was named First Team All-Midwest Conference after he led the league in tackles by a wide margin, tackles per game, and tackles for a loss. He was also the national leader in solo, assisted, and total tackles, as well as tackles per game.
Hendrick was selected as a Beyond Sports Network (BSN) Defensive Player of the Week in September. The honor was given to only six defensive players in all of NCAA Division III football.
Hendrick has received yet another award for his stellar season on the gridiron. He’s been named to the D3Football.com All-West Region Team’s Second Team Defense. The two other linebackers joining Hendrick on the second team are Carroll University’s Mike Dziewit, who was second in the MWC in tackles, and Cornell College’s Tyler Bailey.
Hendrick set three new school records in 2011: most tackles in a season (157), most tackles in a game (26), and most solo tackles in a season (75). He averaged 15.7 tackles per game.
Tracy Rodgers previously held the record for the most tackles in a season when he had 141 in 1991. Hendrick broke Del Camp’s single game tackles record of 23, which had stood since October of 1968. Hendrick recorded 26 tackles on September 24 at home against Beloit College. Tyler Hill owned the record for unassisted tackles in a season with 54 since 2006 until Hendrick surpassed that total this past season.
In addition, Hendrick owns the record for solo tackles in a game with 14, which he had in 2010 at Illinois College. He also ranks second with 12 unassisted stops achieved earlier this past season against Beloit. Hendrick holds down the fifth and 11th spots all-time for assisted tackles in a game with 14 and 12 (twice), respectively.
Besides his 26 tackle effort against Beloit, Hendrick had 18 tackles in two games in 2011, ranking him eighth on the all-time list. He also moved into the top 10 for tackles for a loss in a season (16 = T #6), tackles for a loss in a game (4 = T #4), quarterback sacks in a game (3 = T #4), and assisted tackles in a season (82 = #7).
Hendrick, with one season to go, has 116 career solo tackles, which is fifth on the all-time list. He needs just 37 solo stops to tie and 38 to break the record of 153 owned by Anthony Balthazor (1999-2002). He also could crack the all-time top 10 next season for most assisted career tackles, most tackles in a career, and most tackles for a loss in a career.
Hendrick was one of nine players from the Midwest Conference named to the D3football.com All-West Region Team.
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