Official NWC Release

HILLSBORO, Ore. — The Pacific Lutheran University football team earned postseason hardware on Tuesday with 14 Lutes earning All-Northwest Conference accolades, including Nico Golla, Kalen Davis-White, and Sam Morasch all securing First Team honors.

Jacob Schuh, Thor Stepina, Connor Meade, Gavin Hawley, and Colby Rhinelander secured Second Team All-NWC recognition while Darius Chaffin, Griffin Montana, Nico Skinner, Aron Daley, Thomas Ta'avili, and Micah Ragaza-Bourassa landed Honorable Mention status.
 
Nico Golla earns First Team All-Conference honors as a defensive lineman for the second consecutive season. The Puyallup, Washington native led the conference in tackles for loss (TFLs) with 16 on the season while leading the Lutes and ranking fourth in the conference in sacks with 7.5. Golla had 34 tackles this fall and six quarterback hurries.

Kalen Davis-White earns First Team laurels for the second year in a row. The linebacker from Hilo, Hawaii led the Lutes in tackles with 81 on the season while also registering 8.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, one interception, and a forced fumble. 

Sam Morasch is the third Lute to earn First Team All-League, earning the award as a defensive back. The Covington, Washington native was every quarterbacks nightmare, tying for the league lead in interceptions with five on the season. Morasch also had seven pass breakups, 35 tackles, and 2.5 TFLs.

Jacob Schuh is honored as Second Team All-Conference as a running back. The Mount Vernon, Washington native led the Lutes' ground attack with 532 rushing yards and four touchdowns, averaging 4.5 yards per rush. Schuh additionally caught 20 passes for 183 yards and two scores. 
 
Thor Stepina is Second Team All-Conference as a wide receiver for the second straight fall. The Portland native led the Lutes aerial attack with 43 receptions for 604 yards and seven touchdowns. His seven touchdowns led the Lutes and was the fourth most receiving TDs in the NWC in 2024.

Connor Meade lands Second Team All-League as a kick return specialist. The Tacoma native returned 10 kickoffs for 285 yards, averaging 28.5 yards per return. That includes a 90-yard touchdown return on the opening kickoff in PLU's 34-18 road win over Pacific University. 

Gavin Hawley earns Second Team All-NWC at defensive line after earning Honorable Mention status last fall. The Midvale, Utah native missed two games this fall but still had plenty of big stats, finishing with 5.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, and two pass breakups while also collecting 23 tackles.

Colby Rhinelander grabs Second Team All-League as a defensive back. A First Team selection last fall, the Kuliouou, Hawaii native had a team-high nine pass breakups this fall. Rhinelander had one interception and 26 tackles, including 21 solo takedowns. 
 
Quarterback Darius Chaffin is Honorable Mention All-NWC for the second consecutive season. The Kahili, Hawaii native threw for 1,969 yards and 16 touchdowns, competing 63.2 percent of his passes while running for 442 more yards and seven scores.

Four offensive lineman earned Honorable Mention All-Conference for the Lutes including Snohomish, Washington's Griffin Montana, Sumner, Washington's Nico Skinner, Puyallup, Washington's Aron Daley, and Pago Pago, American Samoa's Thomas Ta'avili. This unit helped the Lutes average 404.6 yards per game, including 182 yards per game on the ground. That includes an impressive 4.4 yards per rush. Montana was a Second Team All-League selection last fall while Skinner earns Honorable Mention for the second year in a row.
 
Micah Ragaza-Bourassa rounds out the Lute award winners, earning Honorable Mention as a linebacker. The Cheney, Washington native was second on the team in tackles with 60 this fall while racking up seven TFLs, 2.5 sacks, and two quarterback hurries. 
 
The Lutes finished the 2024 campaign with a 7-3 overall record and a 5-2 mark in conference play, placing third in the NWC standings. PLU's seven wins was the most for the program since the 2014 season.