Pachot, Powell Named to Valley All-Newcomer Team

ST. LOUIS — Missouri State football standouts Jordan Pachot (QB, Highland, Calif.) and Avery Powell (CB, East Orange, N.J.) were named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team, the league announced Tuesday (Nov. 28).

Pachot started the last seven games of the 2023 season and finished the campaign with 183 completions in 271 attempts for 2,285 yards and 19 touchdowns. As a starter, he averaged 284.1 passing yards per game and currently ranks 10th nationally in completion pct. (.675); 14th in pass efficiency (154.8), 15th in yards per attempt (8.43); and 23rd in passing TD’s (19). Pachot helped lead the Bears to a No. 5 national ranking in passing offense (300.3), tops in MVFC and the highest per-game average in club history.

Powell, a transfer from Holy Cross, racked up 50 tackles in 11 games as a redshirt freshman, including 32 solo stops. He also accumulated 2.0 tackles for loss with a team-high 8 pass breakups on the season. His season was highlighted with 10 total tackles at UT Martin (9/9/23) with eight solo stops and seven tackles in the win over Murray State (10/21/23) with five solos and seven total stops vs. North Dakota State with a tackle for loss. Powell also broke up four passes in the club’s win over No. 15 Northern Iowa (11/11/23). 

The 26-player MVFC All-Newcomer Team includes Valley Freshman of the Year, LB Tye Niekamp, and Newcomer of the Year, RB Mason Blakemore, both of Illinois State.

Only Illinois State (103) has achieved more MVFC All-Newcomer selections in the league’s history than Missouri State (92).

Fellow MSU newcomer Hutson Lillibridge (So., DL, St. Louis, Mo.) was named to the All-MVFC Team on Monday along with six other Bear standouts.