FHSU Athletics
Fort Hays State senior defensive lineman Gaven Haselhorst was named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List on Wednesday evening (Aug. 12). He was one of four defensive linemen named to the first team. Haselhorst was an All-America Honorable Mention selection by the Don Hansen Football Committee, as well as a D2Football.com Elite 100 Team member, for the 2025 season. He was a unanimous All-MIAA first team selection last year.
Haselhorst joins Emporia State's Landon Boss as the two student-athletes from the MIAA named to the defensive first team on this year's watch list. Boss was the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2025. The MIAA also had one offensive first team selection, that being offensive lineman Kaleb McCullough of Northwest Missouri State.
Haselhorst, a Hays native, is coming off a strong 2025 season, when he led the Tigers in sacks (6.0) and tackles for loss (9.5). He recorded 39 total tackles for the season from his defensive end position, while also forcing three fumbles, and notching an interception and a fumble recovery.
This is the third-straight year the Tigers have had a student-athlete named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List.
Below is the D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List for 2026.
First Team - Offense
QB Judd Novak Kutztown
RB Dawson Forgy Wayne State
RB Andrew Miller Harding
WR Shea Ruddy Hillsdale
WR Hank Brown Jr. Sioux Falls
TE Klayton Sattler Augustana
OL Jamari Mason Johnson C. Smith
OL Kaleb McCullough Northwest Missouri
OL Tyler Leopold Indianapolis
OL Jarvis Windom Ferris State
OL Will Hart Wingate
First Team - Defense
DL Freddie Retter Kutztown
DL Gaven Haselhorst Fort Hays State
DL Derrick Drayton Albany State
DL Adom LeDuc Saginaw Valley
LB Landon Boss Emporia State
LB Jake Adams Northern State
LB Mikey Blandin Newberry
DB Marvelous Owens Northeastern State
DB Preston McQueen Minnesota Duluth
DB Jacob Tueimeh Tiffin
DB Everette Dingle East Stroudsburg
First Team - Special Teams
K Elijah Guyton West Alabama
P Jay Todd Baker Southern Arkansas
AP Kellen Reed Grand Valley
Second Team - Offense
QB Andrew Schuster Grand Valley
RB JayJay Jordan Slippery Rock
RB Cephus Harris Davenport
WR Denny Furlong Findlay
WR Carter McElhany Ouachita Baptist
TE Dane Petersen Wayne State
OL Carter Geerts Minnesota Duluth
OL Nico Traczyk Ashland
OL Tyler Luzan Central Washington
OL Ethan Lett North Greenville
OL Cobe Williams Harding
Second Team - Defense
DL Tim Allen Ferris State
DL Kyree Butler Kutztown
DL Ashton Blose East Stroudsburg
DL Justin Sobczak Harding
LB Owen Fitzgerald Assumption
LB Jacob Vance Hillsdale
LB Ian Loomis Western Colorado
DB Vincent Cooley Davenport
DB Jamal Spiyee Minnesota State
DB Christion Stokes Findlay
DB Gibson Leafgreen Colorado Mesa
Second Team - Special Teams
K Austin Schmitt Pittsburg State
P Lucas LeSieur Colorado School of Mines
AP Taariik Brett Ferris State
SQUAD - Offense
QB Jett Huff Central Oklahoma
QB Dylan Hair Truman State
QB Gunner Hensley Augustana
QB Ethan Hamby Northwood
QB Rahsaan Matthews Jr. Virginia State
QB Wyatt Bower Ferris State
QB Donnie Smith Northeastern State
RB Kieran Falzon Southern Connecticut State
RB Sam Backer Minnesota State
RB Noah Dobert Northern Michigan
RB Bobby Smith Johnson C. Smith
RB KJ Smothers Frostburg State
RB Johntarrious Thomas Edward Waters
RB Hunter Patterson West Liberty
RB Isaiah Harris Nebraska Kearney
WR Charlie Guinade Mars Hill
WR Que Kennedy UNC Pembroke
WR Darius Cyprian Kentucky State
WR Traylen Suel UTPB
WR Marcellus Honeycutt Jr. CSU Pueblo
WR Davon Jones Clarion
TE Connor Shamany IUP
OL Josh Crummitt Shepherd
OL Leon Wesley Valdosta State
OL Brandon Devries Michigan Tech
SQUAD - Defense
DL Nijawn Sterling Western Oregon
DL Jake Fredericks Bentley
DL William Stemler Chadron State
DL Drew Johnson Western Colorado
LB Julius Pascal Valdosta State
LB Jefferson Mobry Minnesota State
LB JC Heim Washburn
LB Jack Talkington Ashland
LB Jack Weltha Truman State
LB Brycen Indell Central Washington
LB Jimmy Downs Grand Valley
LB Justin Crutchmer Ouachita Baptist
LB Alvin Contreras Indianapolis
LB Trevon French Edward Waters
LB Carter Mazalewski Frostburg State
LB Jax Hertel Northern Michigan
LB Blake Carr Pittsburg State
LB Malachi Thomas California (PA)
DB Tyler Schultze Emporia State
DB Jason Dandridge Minnesota State
DB Eli Liapis Indianapolis
DB Miles Hill West Texas
DB Caden Bolte Bemidji State
RS Tre Roberson Lenoir Rhyne
RS Zyaire Tart Virginia Union