Pride football has nine players on the 2023 All-Heart Teams

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After tying the program record for wins in a season with three, the Heart of America Conference announced nine members of the Clarke University football team to be placed on various All-Conference teams.

Five players awarded on the second team include Craig Elmore, Ricci Giambruno, Israel Hernandez, Bryan Valdes, and Johel Gonzalez. Four players being named honorable mention were Jackson Ostrander, Steele Fredricks, Rondell Juba, and Andrew Adams.

After transferring from Kent State University at the NCAA level in 2021, Elmore became the bell cow running back in 2023 where he took 214 carries for a total of 896 yards with a 4.2 yards per carry average. Elmore became the first player in Pride football history to record four touchdowns in a game, which came Nov. 4th in a 31-17 road victory against Peru State University.

Playing at the center position on the offensive line, Giambruno was a big reason the Pride offense averaged the most points per game in program history with 14.9 and the most rushing yards per game with 106.5.

Hernandez has been with the program since the inaugural 2019 season with this being his fourth time on an All-Heart conference team, making him one of only two guys who have done so along with a fellow individual on this year's team. As a defensive end in the Pride's defense, Hernandez was a pass-rushing threat off the edge finishing 2023 with 29 tackles, four sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble in nine games played. Hernandez had two of his four sacks on Sept. 23rd at MidAmerica Nazarene University.

Being on the second team for the third year in a row, Valdes led the team in tackles for his second straight year compiling 66 from his linebacker position. His instincts also led to 5.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and an interception. In the Nov. 4th win over Peru State, Valdes made 11 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.

A set-it-and-forget-it player for the Pride, Gonzalez is as reliable as they come from his safety position. Making an All-Heart team for the fourth consecutive season, Gonzalez finished 2023 with 43 tackles, five pass breakups, one sack, and 1.5 tackles for loss in nine games played. Gonzalez had a leading performance on Oct. 21st against Culver-Stockton University where Gonzalez had 10 tackles, one sack, and 1.5 tackles for loss.

Ostrander made a big jump in 2023 after minimal opportunities during his first two years in the program. The Dubuque, Iowa native led the Pride in receiving by a large margin, catching 53 balls for 691 yards and three touchdowns. Making a statement in the first game of the season on Aug. 26th, Ostrander caught five passes for 121 yards, which included a deep 75-yard strike, the third-longest play of the season.

At the outside linebacker position, Fredricks is always around the football. He finished 2023 with 48 tackles, three sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, and was tied for tops on the team with two interceptions. Fredricks highlighted his season with nine tackles, one sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, and one interception performance in Nov. 4th's victory over Peru State.

As a first-year starter, Juba finished second on the team with 59 tackles from his linebacker spot and was a versatile player who could also line up as a defensive end. Always finding his way into the backfield, Juba led the team with 11 tackles for loss.

Second-year starter, Adams, also a linebacker, played in nine games where he made 50 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and an interception. Adams averaged 5.6 tackles per game and had a season-high nine tackles in two different games.

Pride football will enter their offseason after a 2023 record of 3-8 overall and 2-3 in conference under first-year head coach Adam Hicks.