CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) recognized Montez Archer Jr. (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King) as the 2020-21 Male Athlete of the Year on Tuesday, following a vote of league officials. Archer Jr. joins All-American Ryan Aelker (2016) as the second Bluffton male to be named the Heartland Conference Athlete of the Year! Terrill Webb was the top HCAC female athlete in 2016.

The newcomer from Bluffton University had an outstanding first year campaign on the gridiron for the Beavers. His efforts earned the titles of Spring 2021 Football HCAC Defensive Player of the Year, Spring 2021 Football HCAC Special Teams Player of the Year and Spring 2021 Football HCAC Newcomer of the Year, the first time a student athlete has claimed multiple major awards in Heartland football history!

Archer kicked off 2021 with an impressive two-game stretch, picking off six passes in a span of eight days as the Beavers took down Manchester and Anderson to open Heartland Conference play. He was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week twice, while earning HCAC Player of the Week three consecutive weeks.

Archer's seven interceptions leads all of NCAA Division III for pickoffs. He is also tops in the country with 531 kickoff return yards and 234 punt return yards. His 21.3 yards per punt return is currently third in the nation. The sensational first-year moved into second place on the single-season interceptions list with the seven pickoffs and his 65 fumble return yards is already second on the career list at Bluffton.

Archer led the Beavers and was second in the Heartland Conference with 54 total tackles, including 40 solo stops. The Detroit native also broke up seven passes in addition to the seven interceptions and he chipped in with two TFL's. The (D3FB) Huddle recently named Archer Jr. its 'Rookie of the Season'.

The HCAC Athlete of the Year award is in its eighth year of existence. The award is voted on by the sports information directors of each member institution.

For more information on all things HCAC, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the HCAC's home on the internet at www.heartlandconf.org. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference news by following @HCACDIII on Twitter and by liking the "HCAC DIII" Facebook page.

HCAC Men's Athlete of the Year

2021    Montez Archer Jr., Football, Bluffton University

2020    Cornell Beachem Jr., Football, Mount St. Joseph University

2019    Cam Fails, Men's Basketball, Hanover College

2018    Chase Burton, Football, Franklin College

2017    Wes McKinney, Men's Basketball, Hanover College

2016    Ryan Aelker, Football, Bluffton University

2015    Max Kittle, Track & Field, Anderson University

2014    Kyle Linville, Football, Franklin College

-BEAVERS-

Portions courtesy of Heartland Conference Sports Information