November 15, 2006

CEDAR RAPIDS , IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that Central College junior running back Vance Schuring (Pella, Iowa/Pella) has been named the 2006 IIAC football Most Valuable Player and Central head coach Jeff McMartin has been named the 2006 IIAC football Coach of the Year. It is the second straight year both individuals have earned the Conference honors.

Schuring rushed for 1,094 yards and 11 touchdowns on 233 carries in nine regular season games. He is just the second Central runner to surpass the 1,000-yard rushing plateau twice in his career (finishing last season with 1,339 yards). His season rushing total to date (with the NCAA playoffs remaining) is the ninth-most in Central history, and his 121.6 yard per game rushing average, tops in the IIAC this season, is seventh-best all-time in school history.

He rushed for 100-plus yards five times this season, 13 times in 20 career games, and narrowly missed the mark three other times this year with games of 92, 94 and 95 yards. With 110 receiving yards (on 11 receptions) and 32 passing yards (on two-of-three passing with a touchdown), Schuring averaged 133.8 all-purpose yards per game and 125.1 yards of total offense per game. He ranked third in the IIAC in all-purpose yards and ninth in total offense, first among non-quarterbacks.

Schuring is just the third player to earn back-to-back Iowa Conference football MVP honors, joining Simpson’s Brad Jorgensen (1996-97) and Coe’s Fredrick Jackson (2001-02).

McMartin led the Dutch to their 14th undefeated regular season with a 10-0 overall mark including an 8-0 mark in the Iowa Conference and their IIAC-record 28th football title. Central is making its NCAA record-tying 18th postseason appearance. Under his guidance this year, Central ranks among the top-three in the Conference in 16 statistical categories including leading the IIAC in scoring defense, rushing defense, turnover margin, fewest sacks allowed and kickoff return yardage. This marks the ninth time a coach has won IIAC Coach of the Year honors in back-to-back years, the first time since Simpson’s Jim Williams in 1996-97.

The IIAC also announced today the 2006 football All-Conference Team. The 54-member Team includes 19 repeat All-Conference honorees, including five individuals who become three-time All-Conference performers. Conference Champion Central has an IIAC-best 11 All-Conference players, including seven First Team members. Wartburg College and Coe College each have nine All-Conference players, including four First Teamers. The University of Dubuque received eight All-Conference honors including Walner Belleus who earned First Team honors as a receiver and return specialist and Second Team honors as a defensive back to become the first IIAC player to receive All-Conference honors at three different positions in the same season under the current All-Conference format.

The complete 2006 IIAC All-Conference football Team is here.

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