Linfield completed its second straight undefeated regular season in 2022. A perennial powerhouse in Division III football, the nationally-ranked Wildcats earned two major awards and 21 selections to the All-Northwest Conference Football Team, released Monday.
 
After being named an honorable mention a year ago, junior linebacker Blake Rybar was named the NWC Defensive Player of the Year, marking the 17^th time that a Linfield player has earned the award.
 
Head coach Joseph Smith was voted on by his peers as the NWC Coach of the Year for the third straight season and the 12^th time in his 16 years at the helm. Smith led Linfield to a 9-0 overall record and a 7-0 mark against conference opponents. It was the program's 21^st unbeaten regular season. The Wildcats claimed their third straight NWC championship and will head to the NCAA Division III playoffs for the 12^th time in the last 13 seasons. The 'Cats now have 38 NWC titles, including 31 won outright.
 
Linfield's 21 all-conference selections are just one shy of the program's record of 22, set in 2021. Nine players repeated as first-teamers.
 
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Ten of Linfield's 14 First Team All-NWC players come from the Wildcats' high-scoring offense, which ranks No. 4 in Division III with 47.6 points per game.
 
Entering the 2022 season, there were questions as to who would replace Wyatt Smith under center. Those questions were quickly answered as Blake Eaton emerged as Linfield's new QB1, making his all-conference debut as one of two quarterbacks on the First Team. The sophomore from Central Point, Oregon, ranks No. 6 in the nation with a .719 completion percentage while also ranking ninth with 22.4 completions per game. He connected on 202 of his 281 passes for 2,307 yards and 28 touchdowns. He also rushed for four touchdowns.
 
Connor McNabb earned a second straight First Team All-NWC selection at running back after rushing for 528 yards on 93 carries, averaging 5.7 yards per attempt. He scored six touchdowns on the ground to go with a touchdown reception. McNabb was named the NWC Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week for the first time in his career following a two-touchdown performance at George Fox on Oct. 29.
 
Linfield has one of the top receiving corps in Division III as Joel Valadez, Colton Smith and Devon Murray were all named to the All-NWC First Team in back-to-back years. Murray is second in the NWC with 10 touchdown receptions. Valadez has seven touchdowns on the year and leads the team with 77.3 yards per game while Smith has 607 receiving yards for eight scores. Tight end Franco Keplinger reeled in his first all-conference nod with 10 catches for 83 yards and a touchdown.
 
Much of the success on offense is credited to an outstanding offensive line, which landed three seniors on the First Team in guard Julien Sears, tackle Taylor Adams and center Matt Metcalf. The O-line has led Linfield to 20 touchdowns on the ground and 32 through the air while allowing 14 sacks in nine games. Sears was picked as a Preseason First Team All-American by D3football.com while Metcalf was chosen as a third-teamer.
 
Maclain Stoneking rounds out the group as a First Team All-NWC returner. Stoneking has returned 26 punts for 407 yards while also returning seven kickoffs for 166 yards. He was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week after returning six punts for 179 yards and a pair of touchdowns in Linfield's 72-2 rout of Puget Sound on Oct. 1.
 
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Rybar has spearheaded a Linfield defense that ranks 11^th in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 10.44 points per game. The Monroe, Washington, native racked up 52 tackles in the regular season, 37 solo. He has 12 tackles for loss, including 3 ½ sacks, while contributing a forced fumble. Rybar was named the NWC Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week on three occasions this year.
 
Rybar is joined on the First Team defense by defensive tackles Chase Lydig and Nick Severson and rover Caiden Biege-Wetherbee, all of whom repeated as first-team honorees.
 
Lydig has 19 tackles on the season with 4 ½ tackles for loss and three sacks for a loss of 19 yards. He has applied pressure on opposing quarterbacks, adding three QB hurries, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery. Severson is third on the team with 5 ½ tackles for loss, including three sacks. Biege-Wetherbee is second on the team to Rybar with 38 tackles, 28 solo. He has four tackles for loss, a half sack, an interception, a fumble recovery and five breakups to his name in 2022.
 
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Offensive guard Bailey Lee represents Linfield on the Second Team offense for the second straight season. The 'Cats are averaging 167.9 rushing yards and 292.7 passing yards per game. They have punted 25 times in nine games while only attempting 10 field goals.
 
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
The Second Team defense features two Linfield players in defensive end Travis Swanson and safety Colby Kalaukoa.
 
The NWC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021, Swanson earned Preseason Second Team All-America honors from D3football.com. Despite missing some games due to injury, the graduate student tallied 23 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 8 ½ sacks for a loss of 56 yards in the regular season.
 
Kalaukoa is fourth on the team with 29 tackles, 15 solo and half for loss. He has a breakup and two interceptions, one of which he returned for 56 yards against Puget Sound before being brought down at the 1-yard line.
 
HONORABLE MENTION
The 'Cats landed four honorable mentions on the All-NWC Team. Offensive tackle Diego Rodriguez, defensive end Vinny Niosi and cornerback Chance Sparks all earned all-conference honors for the first time. Monsterback Ben Baxter picked up the honor after being named a first-teamer last year.
 
NOTES
Senior wide receiver Leon Johnson III became the first player in George Fox history to be named the NWC Offensive Player of the Year. The Bruins' Jacob Erickson, a defensive lineman, was tabbed as the NWC Rookie of the Year. Both players are members of the All-NWC First Team.