February 10, 2016
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The NCAA has announced that two Bluffton University standouts have topped the nation in three individual categories for the 2015 football season. Senior Ryan Aelker (Holgate/New Bavaria) is the Division III statistical champion for sacks per game and tackles-for-loss per game. Sophomore Micah Roberson (Ada) joined Aelker as an NCAA statistical champion on the other side of the ball. Roberson led the country in receptions per game. Aelker's 15.5 sacks (1.55 sacks per game) and 24 TFL's (2.4 TFL's per game) broke his own school records from 2014 (13 sacks and 22 TFL's). Roberson smashed the previous school record of 62 receptions with an eye-popping 100 catches (10.0 RPG) this season. He also equaled the school mark with 10 touchdown grabs.
Aelker was the Defensive Player of the Year in the Heartland Conference for the second straight year. He was recently honored as the best Division III player in the nation when the Cliff Harris Award was announced. It marks just the second time in school history that a Bluffton football player has been crowned a statistical champion by the NCAA following Aelker's 1.3 sacks per game as a junior! The standout defensive end and receiver along with the Bluffton football program will receive plaques commemorating their outstanding national achievements.
A total of 63 players were named as finalists for the Cliff Harris award in 2015. Just 19 came from Division III with Aelker the only player from the Heartland Conference to be honored. Recently named honorable mention All-America and First Team All-North Region by D3football.com, Aelker is a two-time finalist for the Cliff Harris award, the first Beaver to earn that distinction.
With all eyes on him and with 10 offensive coordinators scheming to keep Aelker away from the ball, all the senior did was go out and lead the nation in sacks for the second straight season while adding the most tackles-for-loss in NCAA Division III to his resume. His school record 13 sacks from 2014 stood for just one season as Aelker dropped opposing quarterbacks for an NCAA-best 15.5 sacks this season. He broke his school record of 22 TFL's with 24 TFL's as a senior, giving him the top two single-season marks in both sacks and TFL's at Bluffton. Aelker led the conference with three forced fumbles in addition to topping the conference leaderboard in sacks and TFL's. His 60 tackles were second for the Beavers and he stuffed the stat sheet with an interception, four breakups, two quarterback hurries and a blocked kick.
Aelker expanded his repertoire as a senior and he gave Bluffton's offense another weapon at tight end. He caught two passes, both for touchdowns as Bluffton took advantage of the former high school quarterback's versatility and athletic ability. He will leave Bluffton as the most decorated defensive player in school history. In addition to his back-to-back HCAC Defensive Player of the Year awards, Aelker tops Bluffton's career lists with 35 sacks for 214 yards, 60 TFL's for 286 yards, eight forced fumbles and 11 quarterback hurries. He finished his career with 165 tackles (110 solos), two interceptions, 11 breakups, two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick. Aelker was a Second Team All-HCAC selection as a sophomore before earning First Team All-HCAC honors the past two season. He was a three-time HCAC Defensive Player of the Week, once as a sophomore and twice this season. Aelker is the first player to earn HCAC Defensive MVP honors twice since Matt Lawless from MSJ in 2004 and 2006 and is the only the second player to win the award consecutively following Hanover linebacker Kevin O'Donohue in 1995-96.
The Bluffton record books also saw their share of adjustments on the offensive side of the ledger thanks to the outlandish numbers Micah Roberson put up. The sophomore, who was a Third Team All-North Region selection by D3football.com, needed just over six games to knock Eric Metz and Jack Tomlinson out of the top spot for reception in a single season. Roberson's 10 catches at Manchester gave him 70 and eight more than the previous mark of 62 receptions. He went on to haul in an even 100 for the season. His 1,096 receiving yards also surpassed the previous school record of 1,063 set by Eric Metz in 1999. Roberson equaled Donovan's Brown's school record of 10 receiving touchdowns.
He was named the HCAC Offensive Player of the Week after hauling in 10 catches for 143 yards and two touchdown's in Bluffton's 28-20 win at Manchester when he broke the season receptions record. With two years of eligibility left, Roberson is closing in on two major career marks. He has 155 receptions, just eight away from the all-time mark of 163 currently held by Eric Metz. His 1,637 career receiving yards are fourth all-time with Eric Metz also topping that list with 2,677 career receiving yards. Roberson needs eight touchdowns to overtake Andy Nowlin's school mark of 20 touchdown catches. He also established a new single-season record at Bluffton with six games of at least 100 yards receiving this year.
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