Nov. 14–

The Concordia football team had 11 total players honored as the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference announced the 2006 all-conference teams, as selected by league coaches. Four Golden Bears were first team selections while three were picked to the second team and four were honorable mention.

The four first team selections were junior quarterback Kole Goodchild, senior center Dan Warnemunde, senior defensive tackle Eric Power and senior cornerback Antonio Brown.

The second team consisted of senior offensive tackle Phil Unger, sophomore wide receiver Tyrone Ruffin and senior wide receiver Jason Simmons who made the team as a kick return specialist.

The honorable mention selections were senior offensive tackle Lonal Van, junior defensive end Ben Schumacher, junior linebacker Jordan Frain and redshirt freshman strong safety Rojeer Wright.

Goodchild made a strong impression in his first year under center for CU as he led the Bears to the top passing offense in the NSIC in their eight conference games in which he completed 15 touchdowns to just five interceptions. Overall, Goodchild finished 172-293 for 2,012 yards with 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The NSIC's leader in total offense also rushed for 278 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He earned back-to-back NSIC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performances at Upper Iowa and Wayne State.

In his third season starting on the offensive line at Concordia, Warnemunde secured his first bid on the all-NSIC first team. A second team all-conference selection in 2005, Warnemunde helped contribute to an offensive line unit that protected the top ranked Concordia passing game in their eight conference games.

Senior tackles Phil Unger and Lonal Van joined Warnemunde on the offensive line. Unger was a second team all-conference selection last year in his first year with Concordia while Van was an honorable mention selection for the second consecutive year this season and was a three year starter up front.

Preseason all-American Eric Power lived up to the hype he received as he recorded 52 tackles (31 solo), 16.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, a safety and 17 quarterback hurries on the season. His tackles for loss ranked second in the conference and 28th in the nation.

Brown returns to the all-NSIC first team after being named all-region first team last season. Brown finished the season this year with 44 tackles, two interceptions, two pass breakups, two blocked kicks and a forced fumble.

Last season's NSIC Offensive Newcomer of the Year, Tyrone Ruffin, earns his first all-conference selection with the second team award. Ruffin was the Golden Bears top receiving threat this year, leading the team in receptions (54), yards (749) and touchdowns (7).

Simmons emerged from a crop of talented kick returners this season and proved to be explosive, averaging 21.9 yards per return with 20 returns for 437 yards. His long on the season was 44 and he consistently provided the Bears with solid field position.

Joining Van on the honorable mention team were three defensive newcomers to the starting lineup. Schumacher had 24 tackles, 5.5 for loss, 2.5 sacks and seven quarterback hurries while Wright and Frain battled all season for second on the team in tackles with Wright finishing second with 75 tackles and Frain ending up with 74. Wright (left, making a leg tackle) also had 7.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, one interception and six pass breakups. Frain had 9.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, one interception, four pass breakups and two fumbles forced.

Concordia football finished 5-6 overall and 4-4 in the Northern Sun, giving them seven consecutive seasons with at least a .500 NSIC record in eight years of NCAA Division II football experience.

Full 2006 NSIC All-Conference Team