The Norther Sun Conference named BSU Senior Safety Brody Scheff as the Defensive Player of the Year in the league. Scheff finished his senior season seventh in the NSIC in tackles with 91 (41 solo) for the No. 7 scoring defense in the nation. His four interceptions in conference play tied for first. He was named NSIC Defensive Player of the Week twice (Oct. 10 and Nov. 7) this season and earned D2Football.com National Defense Player of the Week honors Oct. 11.
He earned the conference and national player of the week award after tying a BSU program record (Since 1971) for interceptions in a game with three. He also had 11 tackles in the 20-7 homecoming victory against Concordia University, St. Paul Oct. 8. Scheff posted a career-high 19 tackles twice this season, both coming against nationally-ranked opponents, which tied for second most by an NSIC player in a game in 2011.
He had 19 tackles and his first-career sack in the 26-23 loss to then-No. 11 University of Minnesota, Duluth Sept. 24 and posted 19 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the 19-14 upset victory against then-No. 6 St. Cloud State Nov. 5 that earned him his second weekly conference laurel. Scheff started all 10 NSIC games and added three tackles for loss (-9 yards), two sacks (-8 yards), two fumble recoveries, a pass break-up and a forced fumble in league play this season.
Scheff owns a 3.65 GPA in business and was named to the Capital One All-Academic All-District VII College Division First-Team for his efforts in the classroom. Scheff is now a three-time all-conference award winner (2009 honorable mention and 2010 second team).
His six overall interceptions (T-15th nationally) tied five other BSU players for third on the interceptions list in a season, while his 10 career interceptions ties for sixth most in a career at BSU. His 96 tackles (42 solo) was a career-high and finished tied for the eighth in the conference. He led the team in tackles two of his four seasons at BSU and compiled 244 tackles in his career to fall 22 short of BSU’s career top 10 list.
Elsewhere, the NSIC named 12 student-athletes as All-Conference players, including five All-NSIC First Team members.
Senior center Cory Immerman and junior tight end Brian Leonhardt were named North Division All-NSIC First Team Offense, Scheff and sophomore nose guard Matthew Shaver were named North Division All-NSIC First Team Defence and senior punter Jesse Sundby was named North Division All-NSIC First Team Special Teams.
Junior wide receiver Justin Lee earned his first all-conference award as he was a second team offense honoree. Second team defense award winners were senior safety Dusty Sluzewicz and junior linebacker Cory Crosby.
Bemidji State honorable mention award winners were senior offensive tackle Davis Mickelson and juniors Brett DeLange, Dustin Kroeplin and Lance Rongstad.