Jones and Nelson are Named First Team All-West Region

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Senior running back Dylan Jones (Santa Maria, CA/Ernest Righetti HS) and senior inside linebackerJack Nelson (Portland, OR/Jesuit HS) from Willamette University have been named First Team All-West Region for the 2014 season by D3football.com.

Offensive tackle Chris Brinkmeier from Wartburg College (Iowa) was chosen West Region Offensive Player of the Year, while linebacker Jacob Zilbar from University of Wisconsin-Platteville was selected West Region Defensive Player of the Year. Head Coach Rick Willis of Wartburg was named West Region Coach of the Year.

A total of 25 players received First Team All-West Region honors, with 26 players on the Second Team and 26 players on the Third Team. Jones was one of two running backs named to the First Team, while Nelson was one of three linebackers selected for the First Team.

Willamette finished the season with a 5-4 record, including 3-4 in the Northwest Conference. The Bearcats defeated archrival Linfield, 31-28, in McMinnville, Ore., on Nov. 1. During the season, the Bearcats averaged 31.9 points and 413.4 total yards per game. WU gained 258.9 rushing yards per game.

First Team All-West Region

Dylan Jones (Sr., RB) led NCAA Division III with 177.7 rushing yards per game. He set a Willamette record with 1,599 rushing yards on 237 carries. Jones scored 18 rushing touchdowns and ranked fifth in Division III with 12.0 points per game.

He was joined on the All-West Region First Team by St. John's University (Minn.) running back Sam Sura, who rushed for 1,769 yards in 12 games, including two rounds of the NCAA Division III Playoffs. Sura averaged 147.4 rushing yards per game.

Jones was selected NWC Offensive Player of the Year and was named First Team All-NWC this season. He was named Second Team All-NWC in 2012 after rushing for 716 yards and scoring seven touchdowns. He received Honorable Mention All-NWC recognition in 2013 despite missing three of nine games due to injury.

This year, he rushed for more than 120 yards in all nine of Willamette's games and gained over 160 yards in five games. He achieved a school record 350 rushing yards on 30 carries against Whitworth University on Oct. 11, and set another school record with a 98-yard touchdown run against Linfield.

During his career, Jones rushed 484 times for 2,857 yards and 34 touchdowns. He finished two yards away from the Willamette record of 2,859 career rushing yards set by Stan Solomon from 1957-60. Jones also scored twice on pass receptions, giving him 36 total touchdowns and 216 career points.

Jones was named NWC Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week three times this fall. He received the award for his efforts against Whitworth, Linfield and University of Puget Sound.

He is one of 10 semifinalists for the Gagliardi Trophy, which is awarded to the most outstanding player in NCAA Division III each season. The trophy honors football excellence as well as academics and community service. The four finalists will be named on Dec. 9 and the winner will be announced during a banquet in Salem, Va., on Dec. 17.

Jones helped the Willamette offense gain 2,330 rushing yards. Willamette's 258.9 rushing yards per game ranked 15th in NCAA Division III.

Jack Nelson (Sr., ILB) led Willamette and the Northwest Conference with 104 total tackles, 63 solo tackles and 41 assists this season. He ranked 18th in NCAA Division III with 11.6 tackles per game and was 16th in the nation with 7.0 solo tackles per game.

He earned at least nine tackles during every game in 2014. He registered a career-high 17 tackles against Puget Sound on Nov. 15. He finished the year with 9.0 tackles for loss and 3.5 quarterback sacks. He was named NWC Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week for his efforts against California Lutheran University, Lewis & Clark College and Linfield.

Nelson was chosen First Team All-NWC for the third year in a row. He was joined on this year's All-West Region First Team by University of Wisconsin-Platteville linebacker Jacob Zilbar and by University of Wisconsin Whitewater linebacker Justin Dischler. Nelson was named Third Team All-West Region in 2013.

For three consecutive years, Nelson led the Bearcats in tackles. During 2012, he achieved 72 total tackles (45 solo, 27 assists). In 2013, he provided WU with 112 tackles (67 solo, 45 assists), ranked ninth in NCAA Division III in tackles per game (12.4), and was seventh in solo tackles per game (7.4).

Nelson set a Willamette record with 315 career tackles. He accumulated 191 unassisted tackles and earned 124 assists. He also recorded 25.0 tackles for loss, including 9.5 quarterback sacks, during his career. He intercepted four passes, broke up eight passes, forced two fumbles and recovered two fumbles.

He has been nominated for the Cliff Harris Award this season and was a finalist for the award in 2013. The Cliff Harris Award is presented to the nation's top small college defensive player.