Western Colorado University Athletics

Austin Ekeler was the driving force for Western football in 2016. Along with setting nearly every career rushing record in Western history, the senior running back led all NCAA divisions in rushing yards through the first eight weeks of the season and was the NCAA's active career rushing leader through the first nine weeks (currently sits second).  Despite only playing in one of the final eight quarters of the season, Ekeler was the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's leader in rushing yards and rushing yards per game. He led all of Division II with 149.5 average rushing yards per game.
 
In 2016, Ekeler ran for 316 yards, including a career long 88-yard run, and scored five touchdowns to help Western defeat then ranked No. 23 Colorado School of Mines 45-31. In the 10 games Ekeler appeared, he accounted for nearly 40 percent of Western's points (108-of-278). He also helped the Mountaineers to the most program wins in 18 years (7), recorded over 100 all-purpose yards in eight games, and over 200 in four games. Most of his yardage came after being hit at or behind the line of scrimmage, and recorded 92 of his 174 all-purpose yards after first contact against Black Hills State University.

     

2016 KEY STATS Rushing Yards: 1,495 (1-RMAC; 5-DII) Rushing Yards Per Game: 149.5 (1-RMAC; 1-DII) Yards Per Carry: 6.44 (2-RMAC; 16-DII) Rushing Touchdowns Scored: 15 (2-RMAC; T-22 DII) Touchdowns Scored: 18 (3-RMAC; T-20 DII) Points Scored: 108 (4-RMAC; T-28 DII) Avg. Points Per Game: 10.8 (3-RMAC; T-10 DII) Receiving Yards: 236 Receiving Yards Per Game: 23.60 Receiving Yards Per Catch: 13.11 All-Purpose Yards: 1,751 (1-RMAC; 7-DII) All-Purpose Yards Per Game: 175.10 (2-RMAC; 17-DII)	CAREER AWARDS 2016 Don Hansen Football Gazette All-America Second Team 2016 D2Football.com All-America First Team 2016 Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Region IV First Team 2016 Associated Press Little All-America Second Team 2016 D2CCA All-America Second Team 2016 AFCA Division II All-America Second Team 2016 D2CCA All-Super Region IV First Team 2016 All-RMAC First Team Selection 2015 Don Hansen Football Gazette All-America Second Team 2015 Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Region IV First Team 2015 NFFCC First Team 2015 Associated Press Little All-America Third Team 2015 D2CCA All-America Second Team 2015 D2CCA All-Super Region IV First Team 2015 All-RMAC First Team Selection Six-time RMAC Offensive Player of the Week (Twice in 2016) Two-time D2Football.com Offensive Player of the Week (10/28/2015; 9/29/16) Six-time Western Student-Athlete of the Week HERO Sports D2 Stud of the Week (10/30/15) 2014 Daktronics All-Region Second Team 2014 BSN All-America Fourth Team 2014 All-RMAC First Team Selection 2014 Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Region Third Team 2013 Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Region First Team 2013 Don Hansen Football Gazette All-Region Freshman of the Year 2013 All-RMAC First Team Selection
CONFERENCE RECORDS Game Rushing Yards: 344 at Western New Mexico 10/24/15 (3rd) Season Rushing Yards: 1,637 - 2015 (8th) Career Rushing Yards: 5,857 (3rd) Season Rushing Touchdowns: 19 - 2015 (T-10th)	SCHOOL CAREER RECORDS  Career Rushing Yards: 5,857 (1st) Career Rushing Attempts: 932 (1st) Career Rushing Touchdowns: 55 (1st) Career Scoring: 378 (1st)
SCHOOL SEASON RECORDS Season Rushing Yards: 1,676 (1st), 1,637 (2nd), 1,495 (4th) Season Rushing Yards Per Game: 163.7 (1st), 152.4 (3rd), 149.5 (4th), 116.6 (7th) Season Rushing Yards Per Attempt: 7.2 (8th) Season Rushing Attempts: 298 (2nd), 232 (6th), 227 (7th) Season Rushing TDs: 19 (1st), 15 (T-3rd), 14 (6th) Season Scoring: 126 (1st), 108 (T-2nd), 96 (4th) Season All-Purpose Yards: 2,093 (1st), 2,039 (2nd), 1,751 (3rd) Season All-Purpose Yards Per Game: 203.9 (1st), 190.3 (2nd), 175.1 (3rd), 134.3 (T-7th)	SCHOOL GAME RECORDS Game Rushing Yards: 344 (1st) Game Rushing Attempts: 44 (2nd), 41 (4th), 37 (T-5th), 33 (T-10th) Longest Run: 88 (4th), 83 (7th), 82 (8th), 80 (T-10th) Longest Reception: 85 (T-6th) Game Rushing Touchdowns: 5 (T-1st), 4 (T-3rd)
ACADEMIC AWARDS 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team 2016 RMAC Football Offensive Academic Player of the Year 2016 RMAC All-Academic First Team 2015 NFFCC Academic All-Colorado First Team 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team 2015 RMAC All-Academic First Team 2014 CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team 2014 CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team 2014 RMAC Football Academic Player of the Year 2014 RMAC All-Academic First Team 2014 NFFCC All-Colorado First Team