Football

Three Mustangs Honored By Football Gazette

Ortegren And Winklepleck Are Second-Team All-Americans

Several Mustangs Honored By NAIA Football.Net

Mustangs Announce Award Winners

Mustangs Enjoy Record Setting Campaign

Six Mustangs Earn First-Team All-GPAC Honors

Fobbe Is NAIA National Player Of The Week

Craig Fobbe was the NAIA National Offensive Player of the Week for the week of Oct. 18.

Three Mustangs Honored By Football Gazette

Mike Winklepleck, E.J. Infanger, and Kyle Ortegren have been named to Don Hansen’s Football Gazette NAIA All-America team.

Winklepleck, a 5-10, 190 lb. senior defensive back from Sioux City, was named to the first team; Infanger, a 6-1, 225 lb. freshman linebacker from Salmon, Idaho, was named to the second team; and Ortegren, a 5-11, 190 lb. junior wide receiver from Oskaloosa, Iowa, was named to the third team.

Winklepleck led the Mustangs with five interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and three forced fumbles this past season. He returned the interceptions for 37 yards and one touchdown for an average of 7.4 yards per return. Winklepleck was the Mustangs’ second leading tackler with 40 solos and 59 assists for 99 total tackles. His statistics also included eight tackles behind the line of scrimmage for losses of 29 yards, six pass breakups, two quarterback hurries, and one quarterback sack.

Infanger was the Mustangs' leading tackler with 63 solo stops and 59 assists for 122 total tackles. He also topped the Mustangs' defense with 15.5 tackles for losses of 60 yards, 7.5 quarterback sacks, and three quarterback hurries. Infanger also had two interceptions for 26 yards, three pass breakups, one fumble recovery, and one forced fumble. He had a team-high nine double figure tackle performances and was the Mustangs' leading tackler in eight of their 11 games.

Ortegren caught 79 passes for 900 yards and seven touchdowns and averaged 11.4 yards per reception this past season. His 79 receptions was the second highest single-season total in Morningside history, while his 900 reception yards was the school’s fourth highest single-season total. Ortegren ranked second nationally with an average of 7.2 receptions per game.

Ortegren And Winklepleck Are 2nd Team All-Americans


Kyle Ortegren	Mike Winklepleck

Morningside’s Kyle Ortegren, a 5-11, 190 lb. junior wide receiver from Oskaloosa, Iowa, and Mike Winklepleck, a 5-10, 190 lb. junior defensive back from Sioux City, have both been named to the second team of the 2004 NAIA All-America Football Team announced on Jan. 18.

Ortegren was a first-team All-American last year, while Winklepleck moved up from last year’s NAIA All-America honorable mention list.

He is Morningside’s all-time leader with 207 career receptions and has caught at least one pass in all 31 games of his Morningside career. Ortegren ranks second in school history with 2,789 career pass reception yards and 22 career touchdown receptions.

Aside from his pass catching exploits, Ortegren was the Mustangs’ top kickoff return threat during the 2004 season with eight returns for 177 yards for an average of 22.1 yards per return. He was the Mustangs’ third leading scorer with seven touchdowns and one two-point conversion for 44 points.

Winklepleck has a school-record 15 interceptions during his Morningside career to tie a mark previously set by Jay Depner from 1978-81. He has amassed 278 tackles during his Morningside career.

In addition to their two second-team All-Americans, the Mustangs also had three players named to the NAIA All-America honorable mention list. They are B.J. Batterton, a 6-2, 250 lb. junior offensive center from Des Moines, Iowa; Craig Fobbe, a 6-3, 220 lb. junior quarterback from Maple Lake, Minn.; and E.J. Infanger, a 6-1, 225 lb. freshman linebacker from Salmon, Idaho.

Batterton was the blocking standout for a Morningside offense that averaged 24.2 points, 382.6 yards total offense, and a school-record 267.8 yards passing per game.

Fobbe completed 240 of 407 passes (59.0 percent) for 2,937 yards with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He set school single-season records for yards passing, touchdown passes, completion percentage, pass completions, pass attempts, and 2,951 yards total offense. Fobbe ranked fifth nationally with an average of 267.0 yards passing per game and sixth with an average of 268.3 yards total offense per game.

Fobbe is Morningside’s all-time career record holder with 6,738 yards passing, 48 touchdown passes, 551 pass completions, 1,017 pass attempts, and 6,818 yards total offense.

Infanger was the Mustangs’ leading tackler with 63 solo stops and 59 assists for 122 total tackles. He also topped the Mustangs’ defense with 15.5 tackles for losses of 60 yards, 7.5 quarterback sacks, and three quarterback hurries. Infanger also had two interceptions for 26 yards, three pass breakups, one fumble recovery, and one forced fumble. He had a team-high nine double figure tackle performances and was the Mustangs’ leading tackler in eight of their 11 games.

Morningside was one of the nation’s most improved teams in the NAIA ranks during the 2004 season. The Mustangs, who were coming off a 3-7 finish in 2003, posted an 8-3 record to tie a school record for victories, were ranked 12th nationally in the final regular season NAIA poll, and made their first-ever appearance in the NAIA National Playoffs.

Click here for the complete 2004 NAIA All-America Football Team.

Ortegren And Winklepleck Make NAIA Football.Net Honor Squad

Kyle Ortegren and Mike Winklepleck were each named to NAIA Football.Net’s United States Sports Academy 2004 All-America first-team.

In addition, the Mustangs’ Steve Ryan was named NAIA Football.Net’s 2004 Co-Coach of the Year along with Patrick Ross of Lindenwood College.

Ortegren, a 5-11, 190 lb. junior wide receiver from Oskaloosa, Iowa, caught 79 passes for 900 yards and seven touchdowns during the 2004 campaign to become Morningside’s all-time leader with 207 career pass receptions.

Winklepleck, a 5-10, 190 lb. junior defensive back from Sioux City, led the Mustangs with five interceptions and was their second leading tackler with 99 total tackles. He has a school-record 15 interceptions during his Morningside career.

Ryan guided the Mustangs to an 8-3 record and a NAIA National Playoff berth for the college’s first-ever post-season appearance.

Morningside’s Craig Fobbe, a 6-3, 220 lb. junior quarterback from Maple Lake, Minn.; E.J. Infanger, a 6-1, 225 lb. freshman linebacker from Salmon, Idaho; and Cory Wirth, a 6-3, 230 lb. junior fullback from Tabor, Iowa, all made the NAIA Football.Net All-America honorable mention list.

The official NAIA All-America team will be released in January.


Craig Fobbe	Kyle Ortegren	Mike Winklepleck

Mustangs Announce Award Winners

Craig Fobbe, a 6-3, 220 lb. junior quarterback from Maple Lake, Minn., was named the Mustangs’ 2004 Most Valuable Player at the Morningside College football team’s awards banquet held Saturday.

Fobbe completed 240 of 407 pass attempts for 2,937 yards and 22 touchdowns during the 2004 campaign. He set Morningside single-season records with his 2,937 yards passing, 240 completions, and 22 touchdown passes. He also set single-season records with a 59.0 completion percentage and 2,951 yards total offense.

Fobbe is Morningside’s all-time leader with 6,738 career yards passing, 551 career completions, 48 career touchdown passes, and 6,818 career yards total offense.

The Mustangs named Kyle Ortegren their Most Valuable Offensive Player and Mike Winklepleck their Most Valuable Defensive Player.

Ortegren, a 5-11, 190 lb. junior wide receiver from Oskaloosa, Iowa, led the Mustangs with 79 pass receptions for 900 yards and seven touchdowns. His 79 receptions was the second highest single-season total in Morningside history and his 900 reception yards was the school’s fourth highest total.

Ortegren is Morningside’s all-time leader with 207 career pass receptions and ranks second in the Mustangs’ record book with 2,789 career pass reception yards.

Winklepleck, a 5-10, 190 lb. junior defensive back from Sioux City, led the Mustangs with five pass interceptions, three fumble recoveries, and three forced fumbles. He ranked second on the Mustangs' tackle chart with 40 solo stops and 59 assists for 99 total tackles.

Winklepleck has intercepted 15 passes during his Morningside career to share the school record with Jay Depner, who played at Morningside from 1978-81.

Morningside's other award winners were:

Mustang Award - Cody Rininger

Outstanding Offensive Lineman - B.J. Batterton

Outstanding Defensive Lineman - Tyler McClellan

Outstanding Offensive Back - Cory Wirth

Outstanding Linebacker - E.J. Infanger

Outstanding Receiver - Cody Jaminet

Outstanding Defensive Back - John Zevenbergen

Outstanding Special Teams Player - Brian Drew

Mustangs Enjoy Record-Setting Campaign

What A Turnaround!
Morningside was one of the nation’s most improved teams in the NAIA ranks during the 2004 season. The Mustangs, who were coming off a 3-7 finish in 2003, posted an 8-3 record to tie a school record for victories in a season previously set in 1912.
The Mustangs were ranked 12th nationally in the NAIA’s final regular season poll and made their first-ever appearance in the NAIA National Playoffs.

2004 Morningside Scoreboard
Morningside 35, Hastings 21
Morningside 10, Northwestern 6
Morningside 24, Dana 17
Midland Lutheran 26, Morningside 24
Morningside 26, Briar Cliff 0
Morningside 38, Doane 7
Morningside 38, Nebraska Wesleyan 20
Morningside 45, Dakota Wesleyan 0
Sioux Falls 16, Morningside 7
Morningside 16, Concordia 13
NAIA National Playoffs
Saint Francis 53, Morningside 3

Fobbe Rewrites Morningside Record Book
Photo of Craig Fobbe Craig Fobbe, a 6-3, 220 lb. junior quarterback from Maple Lake, Minn., was the Mustangs’ most productive record setter during the 2004 season.

Fobbe set Morningside single-season records with 2,937 yards passing, 240 pass completions, 22 touchdown passes, 407 pass attempts, a 59.0 completion percentage, and 2,951 yards total offense. He broke the former school records of 2,457 yards passing by Jim Gibson in 1984, 240 pass completions by Gibson in 1984, 20 TD passes by Gibson in 1985, 354 pass attempts by Gibson in 1984, a 56.8 completion percentage by Gibson in 1984, and 2,442 yards total offense by Fobbe last season.

Fobbe became Morningside’s all-time passing leader with 6,738 career yards to break Gibson’s former Morningside record of 6,315 yards from 1982-85. Fobbe also broke Morningside career records with 551 completions, 48 touchdown passes, 1,017 pass attempts, and 6,818 yards total offense. He broke the previous Morningside career records of 546 completions, 40 TD passes, 1,001 pass attempts, and 5,981 yards total offense all held by Gibson.

Ortegren Becomes All-Time Pass Reception Leader
Photo of Kyle Ortegren Kyle Ortegren, a 5-11, 190 lb. junior wide receiver from Oskaloosa, Iowa, 79 passes for 900 yards to become the Mustangs’ all-time leader with 207 career receptions. Ortegren, who has caught a pass in all 31 games of his Morningside career, broke the former Morningside record of 201 career receptions by Mitch Allner from 1996-99. Ortegren’s 79 catches this season was the second highest single-season total in Morningside history, while his 900 reception yards was the school’s fourth highest total.

Ortegren ranks second in Morningside history with 2,789 career pass reception yards.

Winklepleck Ties Career Interception Mark
Photo of Mike Winklepleck Mike Winklepleck, a 5-10, 190 lb. junior defensive back from Sioux City, led the Mustangs with five interceptions during the 2004 campaign to raise his career total to 15 interceptions to tie a Morningside record first set by Jay Depner from 1978-81.

Jaminet Breaks Return Records
Photo of Cody Jaminet Cody Jaminet, a 5-10, 180 lb. sophomore wide receiver from Sioux City, set a Morningside record with 279 punt return yards to break the former school single-season record of 213 yards by Gary Kinard in 1994. Jaminet set Morningside single-game records with seven punt returns against Briar Cliff University on Oct. 2 and with 121 kickoff return yards in the Mustangs’ NAIA playoff game against the University of Saint Francis on Nov. 20. Jaminet also tied a Morningside single-game record with six kickoff returns in the Saint Francis game.

Osborne Sets PAT Record
Photo of Joel Osborne Joel Osborne, a 5-10, 170 lb. freshman placekicker from Norfolk, Neb., made 30 PATs during the 2004 season to break the former Morningside single-season record of 29 PATs by Dave Chop in 1985.

Infanger Tops Mustangs’ Tackle Chart
Photo of E.J. Infanger E.J. Infanger, a 6-1, 225 lb. freshman linebacker from Salmon, Idaho, was the Mustangs’ leading tackler with team highs of 63 solos and 59 assists for 122 total tackles. He also topped the Mustangs’ defense with 15.5 tackles for losses of 60 yards, 7.5 quarterback sacks, and three quarterback hurries.

Infanger had a team-high nine double figure tackle performances and was the Mustangs’ leading tackler in eight of their 11 games.

Mustangs Place Six On All-GPAC First Team


Craig Fobbe	Steve Ryan
Player of the Year	Coach of the Year

Morningside’s Craig Fobbe has been named the 2004 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Co-Player of the Year and Steve Ryan has been named the 2004 GPAC Coach of the Year.

Fobbe, a 6-3, 220 lb. junior quarterback from Maple Lake, Minn., shares the GPAC Player of the Year award with Hastings College running back Eric Moody. Fobbe is one of six Morningside Players named to the All-GPAC first-team as selected by the league’s head coaches.

Fobbe is joined on the All-GPAC first-team by Kyle Ortegren, a 5-11, 190 lb. junior wide receiver from Oskaloosa, Iowa; Cory Wirth, a 6-3, 230 lb. junior fullback from Council Bluffs, Iowa; B.J. Batterton, a 6-2, 250 lb. junior offensive center from Des Moines, Iowa; E.J. Infanger, a 6-1, 225 lb. freshman linebacker from Salmon, Idaho; and Mike Winklepleck, a 5-10, 190 lb. junior defensive back from Sioux City.

Ortegren and Winklepleck are both repeat selections from last year’s All-GPAC first-team.

Fobbe finished the regular season with 211 completions in 360 pass attempts (58.6 percent) for 2,679 yards and 22 touchdowns. His 2,679 yards and 22 touchdown passes are both Morningside single-season records. Fobbe’s 2,713 yards total offense this season is also a Morningside record.

He is also the Mustangs’ all-time leader with 6,480 career yards passing, 48 career touchdown passes, and 6,580 career yards total offense.

Ryan guided Morningside to an 8-2 regular season record, a No. 12 national ranking in the final NAIA poll, and a berth in the NAIA National Playoffs. The Mustangs will travel to Fort Wayne, Ind., to face second-ranked University of Saint Francis in the first round of the playoffs this Saturday at noon Eastern time.

Ryan led Morningside to a remarkable turnaround season following a 3-7 finish a year ago. Morningside’s eight victories tied a school record for wins in a season previously set in 1912 when the team finished 8-1-1. Ryan has a 16-14 career record in three seasons as the Mustangs’ head coach.

Ortegren is the Mustangs’ leading pass receiver with 68 catches for 833 yards and seven touchdowns. He has averaged 12.2 yards per reception. His 68 receptions is the third highest single-season total in Morningside history, while his 833 reception yards is the school’s fourth highest single-season total.

Ortegren, who has caught at least one pass in all 30 games of his Morningside career, ranks second in school history with 196 career receptions and 2,722 career reception yards.

Wirth has caught 46 passes for 618 yards and a team-high eight touchdowns. He also tops the Mustangs’ receivers with an average of 13.4 yards per catch.

He has climbed into seventh place in the Morningside record book with 95 career receptions and in ninth place with 1,128 career reception yards.

Batterton, a second-team All-GPAC selection last season, is the blocking standout for a Morningside team that is averaging 392.5 yards total offense and 26.3 points per game.

Infanger is the Mustangs’ leading tackler with 61 solos and 50 assists for 111 total tackles. He also tops the team with 7.5 quarterback sacks, 14 tackles behind the line of scrimmage for losses of 58 yards, and three quarterback hurries. He was the Mustangs’ leading tackler in eight of their 10 regular season contests.

Winklepleck is the top takeaway artist on the Mustangs’ defense with a team-high five interceptions and three fumble recoveries. He is the Mustangs’ second leading tackler with 37 solos and 46 assists for 83 total tackles.

He has 15 career interceptions to tie a Morningside record first set by Jay Depner from 1978-81. Winklepleck has amassed 262 tackles during his Morningside career.

Morningside had nine players named to the All-GPAC honorable mention list. They are Cody Jaminet, a 5-10, 180 lb. sophomore wide receiver from Sioux City; Shawn Robinson, a 6-4, 300 lb. sophomore offensive lineman from Bettendorf, Iowa; Tyler McClellan, a 5-11, 250 lb. sophomore defensive lineman from Schleswig, Iowa; Drew Hahn, a 6-0, 215 lb. junior linebacker from Cherokee, Iowa; John Zevenbergen, a 6-1, 185 lb. junior defensive back from Hinton, Iowa; Jeremy Kenyon, a 6-0, 250 lb. senior offensive lineman from Redding, Calif.; Saul Salinas, a 5-9, 160 lb. junior defensive back from Alamo, Texas; B.J. Whitener, a 5-11, 210 lb. senior running back from St. Louis, Mo.; and Chad Hustedt, a 6-1, 180 lb. freshman linebacker from Galva, Iowa.

Click here for the complete 2004 All-GPAC team.

Fobbe Is NAIA National Player Of The Week

Photo of Craig Fobbe Craig Fobbe, a 6-3, 220 lb. junior quarterback from Maple Lake, Minn., has been named the NAIA National Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in the Mustangs’ 38-7 victory against Doane College on Oct. 16.

Fobbe completed 22 of 32 passes for a career-high 337 yards and four touchdowns. He accounted for a career-high 364 yards total offense and tied a school record for career touchdown passes with 40 to match a total first achieved by Jim Gibson from 1982-85.

His 337 yards passing was the fourth highest single-game performance in Morningside history. Fobbe, who has topped the 200-yard passing mark in 13 of his last 16 starts dating back to last season, has thrown 10 touchdown passes over the Mustangs’ last three games and has thrown a touchdown pass in seven consecutive games dating back to last season.

He has completed 126 of 218 passes (57.8 percent) for 1,587 yards and 14 touchdowns so far this season. His 1,587 yards passing is the sixth highest single-season total in Morningside history. With 5,388 career yards, Fobbe is the second most prolific passer in Morningside history and is on pace to break the school record of 6,315 career yards passing set by Gibson from 1982-85.

Morningside, off to its best start since the 1957 season, will take a 5-1 record into this Saturday’s 1 p.m. game against Nebraska Wesleyan University at Lincoln, Neb.

Click here for the NAIA release.