Nelson, Borland, Vogel take home IIAC awards

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Simpson football players Taylor Nelson (Offensive Player and Athlete of the Week), Ben Borland (Defensive Player of the Week) and Brad Vogel (Special Teams Player of the Week) swept the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) weekly football awards for the period ending Oct. 7, the league office announced Monday.

A junior quarterback from West Des Moines, Iowa, Nelson threw for 199 yards and a touchdown and added 86 yards and another touchdown in Simpson's 21-18 win over rival Central. His touchdown pass was a 40-yarder to Taylor Rogers that put Simpson up 21-7 in the third quarter. Nelson's rushing total is the most by a Simpson player in a single game this season and he has now thrown a touchdown pass in 13 straight games.

The award is the third of Nelson's career and second of 2012. He was the IIAC Male Athlete of the Week on Sept. 7 of this year and on Oct. 16, 2011.

A senior linebacker from Lennox, Iowa, Borland posted a team-high nine tackles (six solo) while helping Simpson hold Central to 311 yards of total offense, the Dutch's lowest output of the season. The award is the first of Borland's career.

A junior wide receiver and return specialist from Donnellson, Iowa, Vogel returned two kickoffs for 67 yards and two punts for 10 yards in Simpson's victory at Central on Oct. 6. He also made a game-high seven grabs for 74 yards.

The award is the third of Vogel's career and second of 2012. He was the IIAC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 23 this year and the Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 18, 2011.

Simpson hosts Loras in a 1 p.m. kickoff Saturday, Oct. 13.