Two standout Hillsdale College football players who helped the Chargers rally to a winning campaign in 2024 received a high honor on Friday afternoon from the Don Hansen Football Committee.

Senior offensive lineman Nick Affholter and sophomore wide receiver Shea Ruddy both earned Honorable Mention All-American honors for the 2024 season, the Don Hansen Committee announced in a press release. It's the first time either player has been named an All-American in their collegiate careers, and the latest in a long line of honors for the duo.

The Don Hansen Football Committee awards All-American teams for NCAA DII football on an annual basis in honor of small college football advocate Don Hansen, who published Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette for three decades and first selected a NCAA DII All-American team in 1988. Hansen, a Brookfield, Illinois native, passed away in 2010, and the committee has carried on his work ever since.

Affholter, ends a decorated career at Hillsdale as an All-American, adding to a haul of awards that includes D2CCA second-team All-Super Region 1 honors for the 2024 season, as well as recognition as 2024 G-MAC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Year, All-G-MAC honors for three consecutive seasons, and three straight years of being named Hillsdale's Offensive Lineman of the Year. A five-year starter for Hillsdale, Affholter didn't miss a game in five seasons as a Charger and as center, was a critical player up front in 2024 for the G-MAC's top rushing attack at 163.2 yards per game. That elite season came after a 2023 campaign as a junior where Affholter helped pave the way for the record-setting season of Harlon Hill finalist tailback Michael Herzog, who is now in the Canadian Football League. He did much of his work playing alongside his twin brother Ben Affholter, who also starred at guard for Hillsdale for the last five seasons. In addition to playing with Ben, Nick's younger brother, Zac Affholter, also plays for the Chargers as an offensive lineman, and Nick's father, Brad, helps coach the offensive line and is a Hillsdale graduate who, like Nick, was a conference Offensive Lineman of the Year as a senior in 1996.

Ruddy, meanwhile, joins a small group of Chargers legends who brought home All-American honors as a sophomore, after a 2024 season that saw the wide receiver also earn Great Midwest Special Teams Player of the Year honors, as well as first-team All-G-MAC recognition. Ruddy set a new G-MAC single-season record with 33.3 yards per kickoff return, and was the only G-MAC player with multiple kickoff return touchdowns, including a G-MAC long 95 yard return against Walsh. Ruddy's 732 kickoff return yards led the G-MAC and was second nationally, and his 1,779 all-purpose yards also led the G-MAC and ranked in the top five nationally. A gifted receiver as well as a return man, Ruddy led the Chargers with 680 yards receiving and led the G-MAC with 28.3 yards per catch while also finishing with eight receiving touchdowns. A dynamic player with the ball in his hands, no matter the context, Ruddy has a bright future ahead as he's slated to return to Hillsdale for the 2025 season with two more years of eligibility remaining.

In earning All-American honors, Affholter and Ruddy extend Hillsdale's streak of seasons with at least one All-American to six, dating back to 2018. Affholter is Hillsdale's first offensive lineman to earn All-American honors since Mark Konkle in 2019, and just the fourth since 2000, joining Konkle, Drew Callahan (2018), and former NFL offensive lineman Jared Veldheer (2009) in earning the honor.  Ruddy, meanwhile, is one of just four All-American wide receivers since 2000 as well for Hillsdale, joining Isaac TeSlaa (2022), Trey Brock (2016, 2018) and former NFL player Andre Holmes (2010) in earning the recognition.