CHICAGO – 10 members from the Saint Xavier University football team (7-4, 3-2 MSFA Midwest) were named to the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) Midwest League All-Conference Team when the awards were announced by the league office Thursday afternoon. The Cougars had three players earn All-MSFA Midwest League First Team, four claim All-MSFA Midwest League Second Team honors, and three All-MSFA Midwest League Honorable Mention selections. In addition to the student-athletes earning recognition for their efforts on the field, SXU defensive coordinator Tyler Reinhardt was named the MSFA Midwest League Co-Assistant Coach of the Year in his first season on the sidelines for Saint Xavier.

First Team picks were senior linebacker Terry Elias Jr. (Monee, Ill./Crete-Monee), who earned his third consecutive All-MSFA First Team award, junior defensive back Taj McClellan (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy), his first All-MSFA award, and senior defensive lineman Justin Yeazell (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North), coming away with his second All-MSFA honor after being named an honorable mention last season.

Earning Second Team accolades were fifth-year senior wide receiver Ronnie Foster (Peoria Heights, Ill./Peoria Heights), winning his second straight All-MSFA Second Team award, redshirt sophomore defensive back Cam Manney (Chicago, Ill./Curie), his first All-MSFA award, senior linebacker Chris Swayne (LaSalle, Ill./LaSalle-Peru Township), earning his second All-MSFA honor after being named First Team in 2024, and senior offensive lineman Jacolby Washington (Chicago, Ill./Montini Catholic), who claimed his first All-MSFA selection.

Honorable Mentions included redshirt sophomore defensive lineman David Burton (St. Louis, Mo./Parkway West), sophomore defensive back Zach Norred (Manteno, Ill./St. Rita) and senior wide receiver Marquel Porter (Calumet Park, Ill./DuPage/Richards). It is the first All-MSFA win for all three players.
Reinhardt, coaching with the Cougars for the first time after serving as defensive backs coach and kickoff team coach at University of Wisconsin-Platteville, shared the Co-Assistant Coach of the Year award with Keith Beckham, the offensive coordinator for Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.).

• Elias Jr. totaled 111 tackles (43 solos), 12.5 tackles for loss (TFL) for 47 yards, 11 quarterback hurries, 4.0 sacks for 24 yards, four pass breakups, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception. He earned MSFA Midwest League Defensive Player of the Week twice this season.
• McClellan led the team with five interceptions, along with 56 tackles (38 solos), 15 pass breakups, 2.5 TFL for six yards and a forced fumble. He was named the NAIA and MFSA Midwest League Defensive Player of the Week on September 22.
• Yeazell came away with 45 tackles (18 solos), 10.0 TFL for 43 yards, 10 quarterback hurries, 5.5 sacks for 29 yards, three fumble recoveries, three pass breakups and a pair of forced fumbles.
• Foster led SXU with 442 receiving yards on a team-best 27 receptions. He tied for the team-lead with four touchdown catches. Foster averaged 16.4 yards per catch with a season-long of 49 yards. He also had two punt returns for nine yards.
• Manney tallied 39 tackles (20 solos), eight pass breakups, three interceptions, 2.0 TFL for five yards and a quarterback hurry. He returned four punts for 81 yards.
• Swayne posted a team-leading 115 tackles (41 solos), along with 10.0 TFL for 32 yards, eight quarterback hurries, 6.0 sacks for 24 yards, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles and an interception. He was named the MSFA Midwest League Defensive Player of the Week on October 4.
• Washington was a starter for all 11 games on the offensive line, helping Saint Xavier amass 3,163 yards of total offense (1,256 rushing and 1,907 passing).
• Burton recorded 32 tackles (13 solos), 6.5 TFL for 30 yards, 4.0 sacks for 25 yards and three quarterback hurries.
• Norred finished with 49 tackles (24 solos), 10 quarterback hurries, 6.5 TFL for 52 yards, 5.5 sacks for 50 yards, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and an interception.
• Porter caught 25 passes for 367 yards and four touchdowns. He averaged 14.7 yards per catch with a long of 41 yards. Porter also had 52 passing yards (3-for-10 with an interception) with 55 rushing yards on 14 attempts and a score.
• Reinhardt's defense totaled 766 tackles (352 solos), 71.0 TFL for 337 yards, 57 quarterback hurries, 55 pass breakups, 36.0 sacks for 221 yards, 13 interceptions, 11 forced fumbles and eight fumble recoveries.