WACO, Texas - The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) announced its 2021 Division III Coaches' All-America Team on Tuesday, Dec. 14, with
Ben Beise representing UW-River Falls on the First Team Offense.
Beise, a senior tight end from Loretto, Minn., becomes the sixth Falcon in UWRF football history to earn First Team All-American honors. Beise started in 10 of 11 games this season, helping guide the Falcons to a ground-breaking season in which the team tied a program record for wins a season with nine.
Also an All-WIAC First Team tight end, Second Team all-purpose back, and D3football.com Second Team All-Region award winner, Beise compiled 414 all-purpose yards during the regular season, rushing for three touchdowns along with one receiving touchdown.
"We are all so proud of Ben for this amazing achievement," said UWRF head coach
Matt Walker, the 2021 WIAC Co-Head Coach of the Year. "He had an incredible season and was the leader of an offensive unit that broke nearly every total offense record in school history and led the best league in Division III in most major offensive stats. He not only dominated the game as a traditional tight end, but because of his athletic ability, we were able to use him a variety of ways. We could match him up as an outside receiver, play him in the slot, slide him around as a fullback, and he was a unique and effective wildcat quarterback for us."
Beise was a key piece in the team's top-scoring and rushing offense in the WIAC. UWRF crushed a program record with 477 total points scored, breaking the previous record of 344 set in 1989 and 1985.
During the season finale and his final game as a Falcon versus Washington University-St. Louis in the inaugural Culver's Isthmus Bowl, Beise ran for a touchdown and collected a two-point conversion reception. It was the program's first bowl game and fifth postseason appearance in program history.
Beise is a three-time WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll member.
The first UW-River Falls All-American since 2017 and 12th total, Beise follows in the footsteps of Joe Green (1999), Greg Corning (1987), Roland Hall (1982), and Gerald Sonsalla (1980) as just the fifth Falcon named an AFCA First Team All-American.
"Nobody deserves this award more than Ben," Walker commented. "He was a part of a senior class that reset the standard around here for what hard work, effort, and dedication mean. He was not a star when he got here. He worked every day he was in this program and turned himself into the player he has become. Now he is an All-American and legitimate prospect at the next level."
