(Photos courtesy of David Faulkner, SPX Sports.)
SAINT PETER, Minn. – D3football.com released its 2019 All-West Region Teams on Tuesday and two Gustavus student-athletes received recognition. For the second consecutive season, tight end Brayton Finch (Sr., Mount Morris, Ill.) earned First Team honors, while wide receiver Brice Panning (Sr., Hamburg) was honored on the Second Team.
A First Team All-Conference selection, Finch caught 48 passes for 476 yards and seven touchdowns – all marks that ranked first in the MIAC among tight ends. He posted six-plus catches in five contest this year, with his strongest output of the year coming in the team’s final win over St. Olaf, where he had 10 catches for 76 yards and two scores. Throughout his career, Finch has been a stronghold at the tight end position, racking up 118 catches, for 1,299 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has also got work on the ground in his time with the Black and Gold, rushing for 189 yards and three scores.
Panning, who also received First Team All-Conference honors, caught 70 passes for 1,128 yards and 17 touchdowns, with his touchdowns being tops in the MIAC and fifth in the nation. He topped 100 all-purpose yards in eight games this season, totaling at least eight catches and 100-plus yards in half of the Gusties’ 10 contests. He was the only player in NCAA Division III with a touchdown reception in each of his team’s games, while his 17 receiving scores also tied the program record for receiving touchdowns in a single-season. In his career, Panning caught 145 passes for 2,517 yards and 27 touchdowns, with all three marks being top-six in Gustavus history.