January 15, 2013

BLUFFTON, Ohio - A pair of Bluffton University linebackers were named Third Team All-Ohio by OhioCollegeFootball.com for Division 3. Ben Kaufman (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) and Josh Runda (Lima/Bath) were recognized for their contributions on the gridiron. They followed in the footsteps of Justin Crosier who was a Second Team All-Ohio selection for 2011.

Senior Ben Kaufman spearheaded the stout Bluffton defense, earning First Team All-HCAC honors in his final campaign with the Beavers. He finished second on the team with 88 total tackles, including 31 solo stops. Kaufman picked off a pair of passes, broke up two more and added two quarterback hurries this season. Following the RHIT triple-overtime win, Kaufman was named the Ohio College Football as well as the HCAC Defensive Player of the Week thanks to a 16-tackle performance. He forced a fumble, recovered one and finished with 3.5 TFL's for a loss of 19 yards, 11 of which came on a sack against Hanover College. The senior finished his career with 147 tackles, nine TFL's, three sacks, three hurries and he forced three fumbles as a Beaver.

Junior Josh Runda moved into a starting position following an injury to fellow linebacker Joe Maldonado and he took the conference by storm, pacing the Beavers with 98 tackles, including 49 unassisted stops. His 98 tackles placed him fourth in the Heartland Conference. Runda also led Bluffton with 12.0 TFL's for 47 yards, including three huge sacks for a loss of 25 yards. He broke up two passes, forced two fumbles and recovered two others en route to being named Second Team All-HCAC. With one more year to play, Runda is up to 156 tackles, 21 TFL's and six sacks. He has three breakups, three forced fumbles and three recoveries for his career.

Bluffton finished 6-4 overall and 5-3 in the Heartland Conference for the Beavers' first winning season since 2000. The Beavers finished in fourth place after knocking off Mount St. Joseph for the first time in 11 tries. It marks only the third time in school history that Bluffton has won five games in the HCAC, the first being in 2000 and the second a year ago when Bluffton tied for second in the conference. Bluffton played in and won its first ever three-overtime game at RHIT and capped the season with a two-overtime victory over rival Defiance on Senior Day.

-BEAVERS-