Although their University of Minnesota Duluth playing days officially concluded this past Saturday at the NCAA Division II championship, the college careers of Ted Schlafke and Tyler Yelk aren't over quite yet.
The two Bulldog team captains were among 84 NCAA II seniors chosen to play in the Valero Cactus Bowl on Jan. 9 at Javelina Stadium on the campus of Texas A & M University-Kingsville. The all-star event, which was first played in Fargo, N.D. (and was then known as the Snow Bowl) in 1991 before moving to its current site seven years later, will feature 19 All-Americans and six Harlon Hill Trophy candidates – including a trio of finalists in Schlafke, West Chester University wide receiver Michael Washington ad Tusculum College quarterback Corey Russell. Six other players from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Sun Conference will join Schlafke and Yelk on the 42-member West Team.
Schlafke, a native of Stevens Point, Wis., exited the Bulldog program as the owner of every single-game, single-season and career passing and total offense record. A starter in a school-record 47 consecutive games, Schlafke was named to the American Football Coaches Association All-America Team (a UMD first) this fall in addition to being bestowed with both NSIC and Daktronic Super Regional 3 Offensive Player of the Year honors. He finished fifth on the career NCAA II total offense charts with 13,031 and is sixth all-time in passing yardage (11,587).
Yelk, a two-time all-conference first team selection (North Central Conference in 2007 and NSIC this year), had a hand in more total tackles (323) than anyone in the 76-year history of Bulldog football. The Arlington, Wis. product was third among Bulldogs in tackles this season with 70 stops after topping the club in each of the previous three years.
Schlafke and Yelk become the fourth and fifth Bulldogs to be invited to the Cactus/Snow Bowl, following in the footsteps of linebacker Russ Rabe (2005), and offensive linemen Tim Rohweder (1999) and Dave Emerson (1994).
UMD capped off a perfect 15-0 season last Saturday by upending Northwest Missouri State University 21-14 in Florence, Ala. for its first NCAA II title ever.
WEST TEAM
QB - Ted Schlafke - Minnesota-Duluth
QB - Keith Null - West Texas A&M
RB - Caleb Farabi - Pittsburg State
RB - Brian McNeill - Nebraska-Omaha
RB - Daniel Thomas - Angelo State
WR - Charly Martin - West Texas A&M
WR - Johnathan Ferguson - Abilene Christian
WR - Jarrett Byers - Northeastern State
WR - Marques Nelson - Pittsburg State
WR - Jareko Taylor - Texas A&M-Kingsville
WR - John Means - Western New Mexico
TE - Zack Miller - Nebraska-Omaha
TE - Todd Burkoth - Winona State
OL - Dennis Cooper - Cheyney
OL - Darron Sheppard - Texas A&M-Commerce
OL - Tom Pestock - Northwest Missouri State
OL - Devin Livingston - Tarleton State
OL - Joseph Thompson - Abilene Christian
OL - Reid Kirby - Northwest Missouri State
OL - Nick Urban - Winona State
OL - Dustin Finn - Central Oklahoma
PK - Jared Keating - Mesa State
CB - Terrell Phelps - Bemidji State
CB - Tremaine Wright - Tarleton State
CB - Gerrett Burl - East Central
CB - Devon Hughes - Henderson State
CB - Gregory Toler - St. Paul's College
CB - Jerome Mann - St. Paul's College
S - Tyler Yelk - Minnesota-Duluth
S - Jabir Perkins - Texas A&M-Kingsville
LB - Jared Brock - West Texas A&M
LB - Mark Meng - Fort Lewis
LB - Jeff Souder - Nebraska-Omaha
LB - Blake Freese - Minnesota State-Mankato
LB - K.C. Asiodu - Central Oklahoma
DL - Ryan Kees (A) - St. Cloud State
DL - Les Hammers - Truman State
DL - John Wood - Central Missouri
DL - Matt Cox - Western Oregon
DL - Chris Burnkhorst - Minnesota State-Mankato
DL - Ronald Green - Eastern New Mexico
P - Jamie Hanson - Missouri Western
EAST TEAM
QB - Corey Russell - Tusculum
QB - Kevin McCabe - California (Pa.)
RB - Mike McLendon - North Alabama
RB - Sammy Milton - Elizabeth City State
RB - George Washington III - Mars Hill
WR - Mike Washington - West Chester
WR - Julius Pruitt - Ouachita Baptist
WR - Garett Manning - Henderson State
WR - Edward Gant - North Alabama
WR - Dyshaun Edwards - Tiffin
WR - Chad Schroeder - Delta State
TE - Denayne Davidson-Dixon - Edinboro
TE - Bob Ruffing - Ouachita Baptist
OL - Kennis Jones - West Chester
OL - Desi Mayner - Saginaw Valley State
OL - Louis West - Henderson State
OL - Nate Hollins - Ashland
OL - Ross Conn - Harding
OL - Sam Allen - Grand Valley State
OL - Mark Ellis - Delta State
OL - Jeremy Ashcraft - Arkansas Tech
PK - Tom Schneider - North Alabama
CB - Darren Banks - West Liberty State
CB - Matt Black - Saginaw Valley State
CB - Otis Ballard - Carson-Newman
CB - Barry Tate - Lenoir-Rhyne College
CB - Lionell Mitchell - East Stroudsburg
CB - Steven Jackson - Fort Valley State
S - Rodrick Jones - Elizabeth City State
S - Dante Dunn - Wayne State
LB - Dan Skuta - Grand Valley State
LB - Terrence Jackson - Indiana (Pa.)
LB - Darren Burns - California (Pa.)
LB - Anthony King - Delta State
LB - Justin Scott - Tusculum
DL - Jon Ochs - Bloomsburg
DL - Jahlim Cuttino - Southern Connecticut
DL - Sammy Hill - Stillman
DL - Jacob Visser - Ferris State
DL - Chris Dowdell - Mars Hill
DL - Christopher Murphy - Gannon
P - Nick Krut - East Stroudsburg
