WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- Mount Union quarterback Braxton Plunk (Plant City, Fla.), center John Valentine (Ashland), receiver Wayne Ruby (Miami, Fla. / Flanagan), linebacker Mason McMillen (Wadsworth), defensive back Malik Britt (Bossier City, La.  / Airline) and defensive coordinator Daryl Ely have all earned special awards and are part of 20 Purple Raiders named to the All-Ohio Athletic Conference Football teams by the conference's 10 head coaches.

Plunk, a junior, was named the Bob Packard Offensive Back of the Year for the second straight year as he led the conference with 319.5 passing yards per game. He completed 73.4-percent (257-of-350) of his passes for 3195 yards with 31 touchdowns during the regular season. Named for former Baldwin Wallace head coach Bob Packard it is the fifth straight year and 24^th time a Mount Union quarterback or running back has won the award.

Valentine, a senior, was named Ken Wable Offensive Lineman of the Year and has started every game this season at center for an offensive line that has led the nation in tackles for loss allowed for an offense ranked No. 3 in NCAA Division III. The Ken Wable Award is named after the former Mount Union coach who was on the sidelines for the Raiders from 1962-85 and led the team to its first OAC title in 1985. It is the 20th time a Mount Union lineman has the award (also known as the Gregory Award from 1956-2007).

Ruby, a senior, was named Ed Sherman Receiver of the Year Award and had an OAC-best 75 receptions for 1,008 yards with eight touchdowns. He has had over 100 yards receiving in six games so far this season. The award is named after former Muskingum head coach Ed Sherman and it is the 14th time a Mount Union player has won the award.

Britt, a senior, is the Lee Tressel Defensive Back of the Year as he led the conference with four interceptions to go along with 38 tackles and three pass breakups. The award is named for former Baldwin Wallace coach Lee Tressel and it is the fourth straight year and 16th time a Mount Union defensive back has won the award.

McMillen, a junior, is the Gene Slaughter Linebacker of the Year and leads the Raiders in tackles and had a career-high 16 stops at Heidelberg. The award is named for former Capital head coach Gene Slaughter and it is the 13th time a Mount Union linebacker has won the award and first since Danny Robinson in 2018.

Ely is the OAC Assistant Coach of the Year and has been a part of the coaching staff since 2009, in his second as defensive coordinator. He played defensive back for the Raiders and was a two-time All-American and captain of the 2008 national championship team. It is the eighth time a Mount Union coach has been given the award and first since current head coach Geoff Dartt won the award in 2018.

Along with these players, the other Mount Union first team selections include junior offensive lineman Carson Barrett (Roswell, Ga.), senior running back Josh Petruccelli (Perry), junior defensive lineman Duke Hill (Memphis, Tenn. / Germantown), senior linebacker Kordell Ford (Massillon / Massillon Washington) and senior defensive back Jesse Vail.

All-OAC second team selections include senior wide receivers Derrick Harvey, Jr. (Akron / Buchtel) and Jaden Manley (Columbus / Bishop Hartley), junior running back DeAndre Parker (Crystal River, Fla.), senior defensive linemen Eli Beers (Canal Fulton / Northwest) and Matt Lilja (Ashtabula / Edgewood), linebacker Carson Kovath (Brighton, Mich. / Catholic Central) and senior defensive back Derrick Bradley (Bradenton, Fla. / Palmetto) along with senior special teams returner KJ Redmon (Fairborn).

Two other Raiders earned honorable mention honors in senior offensive lineman Jonathan Bisono (Cincinnati / Deer Park) and junior defensive back Josh Jones (Twinsburg / Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary).

Mount Union won its record 32nd OAC title in 2021.