2015 All-GLIAC Football Awards Announced

2015 All-GLIAC Football Awards Announced

Scroll down the release to view 2015 GLIAC Football All-Conference Teams

The 2015 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Football postseason awards have been announced after voting conducted by the league's coaches. 

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jason Vander Laan - Ferris State

Ferris State senior quarterback Jason Vander Laan led the Bulldogs to a second-straight unbeaten regular season and GLIAC Championship this season. The 6-4 standout became college football's greatest rushing quarterback of all-time this year and his 2,239 passing yards and 1,319 rushing yards enabled him to become the first signal caller in NCAA history to both rush and pass for 1,000 plus yards four consecutive years. Vander Laan made his statement for a second-straight Harlon Hill Trophy by completing 66.7% of his passes en route to throwing for 22 scores and rushing for 19 more. He ranked among the national leaders in scoring, total offense, rushing & points responsible for while directing one of the nation's most explosives offenses. This season, Vander Laan also became the GLIAC's all-time career total offense leader and he averaged nearly 356 yards per game as the Bulldogs posted a 10-0 mark and stretched their regular-season win streak to 25-straight games. He also was chosen as one of the 12 national finalists from all levels for the Campbell Trophy or the "Academic Heisman".

OFFENSIVE BACK OF THE YEAR
Antonio Pipkin - Tiffin

Tiffin junior quarterback Antonio Pipkin had a record-breaking year for Tiffin University. He has thrown for 3,227 yards and 32 touchdowns, while running for 729 yards and 8 touchdowns, while setting a new GLIAC single season total offense record with 3548 yards. He finished 2nd in the GLIAC in passing yards per game, passing yards, and 1st in completions, and attempts. He has eclipsed 300 passing yards in 6 of his 11 games this season, including 460 yards vs. Grand Valley State, the second highest single game total in school history, along with 6 touchdown passes, a new school record. Nationally, Antonio is one of the best quarterbacks in the nation at the NCAA Division II level, ranking 4th in total offense. 

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR
Chris Reaper - Findlay

Findlay senior offensive lineman Chris Reaper helped pave the way for the Oilers to average 477.5 yards per game in 2015, the third best mark in the GLIAC and the 18th best total in all of NCAA Division II football. His efforts on the offensive line helped enable the team to establish new school records for passing yards in a season (3,350) as well. As the leader of the Oilers offensive line, Reaper helped the Oilers churn out 273 first downs and 36.1 points per game in 2015. Their first down total led the GLIAC and ranked tenth in the nation. The Toledo, Ohio native earned second team all-conference honors for Findlay in 2014. He was an honorable mention all-league pick in 2013 as well. In his career, Reaper started all 43 games in which he played.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR
Matt Judon - Grand Valley State

Grand Valley State senior defensive end Matt Judon has been selected as the 2015 GLIAC Defensive Lineman of the Year. Judon leads the nation, regardless of division, in QB sacks with 18.0 (-118), a total that is sixth-best in college football history for a single-season. Judon tallied 52 tackles, 19.0 tackles for loss, six QB hurries, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries during the 2015 campaign. He recorded a QB sack in eight of 11 games played this season and now ranks second all-time in GVSU annals with 32.0 sacks in his career, just .5 behind the 2008 GLIAC Defensive Lineman of the Year Dan Skuta. Judon, who is the ninth Laker to earn the GLIAC Defensive Lineman of the Year award since 1999,  was a key figure in the Lakers 9-2 record in 2015 and a return to the NCAA DII Playoffs.

DEFENSIVE BACK OF THE YEAR
Brad McCurdy - Ohio Dominican

Ohio Dominican senior defensive back Brad McCurdy led the Panthers in tackles this season with 83 and tied for second in the GLIAC with four interceptions. He ends his ODU career with 275 tackles, third most in school history, and 12 picks, the most by a Panther. He helped lead a pass defense that held seven opponents to less than 200 yards passing this season and led the GLIAC with allowing 204.0 yards passing per game. McCurdy was a two-time Honorable Mention All-GLIAC selection.

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Joe Reverman - Hillsdale

Although Hillsdale College freshman Joe Reverman didn't start the season as the Chargers' starting tailback, he sure ended the season impressively. He became one of the conference's toughest runners after grabbing the starting spot in late October, finishing with 1,083 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 6 yards per carry. He had back-to-back 200-yard rushing games, against Tiffin and Saginaw Valley State, and his 276 yards on the ground against the Dragons were the second-most in a game in school history. He was named Hillsdale's team MVP, the first freshman in school history to win that award. 

JACK H. MCAVOY AWARD
Jake Riepma - Northwood

Jake Riepma is the third Northwood player to earn the award, joining Scott Stuible (2003) and Ryan Whittum (2012). Riepma is a fifth-year senior who has gone from walk-on to a key player for the Northwood defense.  This season, the linebacker finished with 15 tackles and an interception while also playing on special teams. Off the field, Riepma sports a 3.83 grade point average as an Entertainment, Sport & Promotion Management.  He will end up earning the GLIAC Academic Excellence award at the end of the semester. He has been extremely active both within the athletic department and in the community. Riepma has been a camp leader for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as well as a part of the "Motor Citzens" volunteer initiative for World Medical Relief. Riepma also took part in a spring break mission trip to Atlanta, Georgia with ReNU Campus ministry. He has also been active in Special Olympics, Make-a-Wish, the Midland Pumpkin Festival and a variety of other event. Riepma has also become one of the main voices for the Northwood athletic department, spending time as the voice for Northwood basketball as well as serving as the emcee for a variety of events. 

CO-COACHES OF THE YEAR
Tony Annese (Ferris State) & Lee Owens (Ashland)

Ferris State University head coach Tony Annese led the Bulldogs to a second consecutive unbeaten regular season and GLIAC Championship as the Bulldogs compiled a perfect 10-0 regular season record in 2015. Under Annese's direction, the Bulldogs also received a second-straight NCAA Playoff berth and stretched their regular season winning streak to 25 consecutive games. Ferris State boasted one of the nation's most explosive offenses and was a consensus top-five team in the national rankings most of the year, including the program's highest ever listings in both the current D2Football.com (1st) and AFCA (2nd) polls. The veteran coach has posted a 36-8 overall mark in four seasons at the FSU helm and has been the mastermind behind a Bulldog turnaround leading to 29 wins in the program's past 33 games overall. He earned GLIAC Coach of the Year laurels for the second year in a row.

For guiding his team to an undefeated regular season and a share of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship, Ashland University head football coach Lee Owens is the 2015 GLIAC Football Co-Coach of the Year. Owens led the Eagles to a 10-0 regular-season record, including three home wins against nationally-ranked teams, and their fourth NCAA Division II postseason appearance in his 12 seasons on Saturday (Nov. 21) at noon against Grand Valley State at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field. He also has led AU to its highest-ever ranking of No. 3 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Top 25 poll. This is the third time Owens has received GLIAC Coach of the Year honors (2005, 2012). He is 89-41 (.685) at Ashland with a pair of GLIAC titles to his credit.

 

 A complete list of the 2015 All-GLIAC football teams is below:
 
2015 All-GLIAC Football First Team
Name School Yr. Pos. Hometown/High School
Jason Vander Laan Ferris State Sr. QB Frankfort, Ill. / Chicago Christian
Vance Settlemire Ashland Jr. RB Findlay, Ohio / Findlay
Anthony Bilal Lake Erie Sr. RB Painesville, Ohio / Riverside 
Kirk Spencer Grand Valley St. Sr. RB East Grand Rapids, Mich. / East Grand Rapids
Adam Shaheen Ashland So. TE Galena, Ohio / Big Walnut
Dez Stewart Ohio Dominican Sr. WR Cincinnati, Ohio / Walnut Hills
Jamie Potts Grand Valley St. Sr. WR Muskegon, Mich. /  Oakridge
Jake Lampman Ferris State Sr. WR East Lansing, Mich./Haslett
Marcus Tucker Northern Michigan Sr. WR Flint, Mich. / Grand Blanc / Mott CC
Jim Walsh Grand Valley St. Sr. OL Howell, Mich. / Howell
Jake Daugherty Ferris State So. OL Big Rapids, Mich./Big Rapids
Zachary Douglass Ashland Jr. OL Marshallville, Ohio / Smithville
Ben Copher Ohio Dominican Sr. OL Dayton, OH / Valley View
Tommy Richardson Wayne State So. OL Troy, Mich. / Troy
Chris Reaper Findlay Sr. OL Toledo, Ohio / Whitmer
Matt Judon Grand Valley St. Sr. DL
West Bloomfield, Mich. / West Bloomfield
Justin Zimmer Ferris State Sr. DL
Greenville, Mich. / Greenville
Skyler Parks Walsh Sr. DL Canton, Ohio / McKinley
Chase Hoobler Ashland Sr. DL Orrville, Ohio / Orrville/Indiana
Paul Wesselhoeft Ohio Dominican Jr. DL Logan, OH / Logan
Donzale Ashley Ashland Sr. DB Chico, Calif. / Lincoln/Butte College
Brad McCurdy Ohio Dominican Sr. DB Columbus, OH / Bishop Watterson
Jaleel Canty Ferris State Jr. DB Lansing, Mich./Everett
Brett Gervais Michigan Tech Sr. DB Lake Linden, Mich.
Da'Twane Harris Ohio Dominican Sr. DB Cleveland, OH / Glenville Academic Campus
Brandon Gency Ashland Jr. LB Streetsboro, Ohio / Streetsboro
Austin Osborne Ohio Dominican Sr. LB Jackson, Ohio / Jackson
Anthony Darkangelo Ferris State Jr. LB Brighton, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central
Marquez Gollman Grand Valley St. Jr. LB Ypsilanti, Mich. / Ypsilanti
Paul Kuoppala Michigan Tech Sr. LB Iron Mountain, Mich.
Brent Wahle Ohio Dominican Sr. PK Pataskala, Ohio / Bishop Hartley
Austin Bruns Ashland Jr. P Coldwater, Ohio / Coldwater
Dez Stewart Ohio Dominican Sr. KR Cincinnati, OH / Walnut Hills
2015 All-GLIAC Football Second Team
Name School Year Pos. Hometown/High School
Antonio Pipkin Tiffin Jr.  QB  Gary, Ind.
Romello Brown Wayne State So. RB Westland, Mich. / Livonia Churchill
Daiquone Ford Findlay Sr. RB Myrtle Beach, S.C. / Myrtle Beach
Joe Reverman Hillsdale Fr. RB Grand Ledge, Mich. / Grand Ledge
Alex Sherbinow Michigan Tech So. TE Marquette, Mich.
Charles Holland Tiffin So. WR West High School
Matt Williams Grand Valley St. Jr. WR Geneva, Ill.
Pedro Correa III Tiffin Sr. WR Deerfield Beach HS
Casey Williams Ohio Dominican Sr. WR Nashport, OH / Tri-Valley
Frank Vruwink Michigan Tech Sr. OL Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Lincoln
Kyle Steuck Northern Michigan Sr. OL Green Bay, Wis. / West De Pere
Devon Johnson Ferris State Fr. OL Aurora, Ill./Waubonsie Valley
Robert Kelly Wayne State Jr. OL Grosse Pointe, Mich. / Chandler Park Acad.
Brandon Revenberg Grand Valley St. Sr. OL Essex, Ont. / Essex, Ont.
Brad Oxnevad Northwood Sr. OL Oak Park, Ill. / River Forest
Tanner Agen Michigan Tech Sr. DL Kaukauna, Wis.
Dylan Roney Ferris State So. DL Plymouth, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central
De'Ondre Hogan Grand Valley St. Jr. DL Livonia, Mich. / Clarenceville
Evan Mayer Michigan Tech Jr. DL Wausau, Wis./West
Brandon Ehlinger Ashland Jr. DL Springfield, Ohio / Springfield
Troy Smith Ferris State Sr. DB Indianapolis, Ind./Pike
Garrett Pougnet Grand Valley St. So. DB Fenton, Mich. / Flint Powers
Jamiil Williams Wayne State Sr. DB Lima, Ohio / Lima Shawnee
Terrell Hudson Ashland Jr. DB Canal Winchester, Ohio / Eastmoor
Zak Bielecki Wayne State Sr. DB Macomb, Mich. / Lutheran North
Bryan Jones Saginaw Valley So. LB Schoolcraft, Mich. / Schoolcraft HS
Valorian Cunningham Wayne State Jr. LB Kalamazoo, Mich. / Loy Norrix
Levi Perry Northern Michigan Sr. LB Northville, Mich. / Northville
Michael Fisher Northwood Jr. LB Rochester, Mich. / Adams
Nick King Walsh Jr. LB Reynoldsburg, OH / Bishop Hartley
Tomislav Derezic Tiffin Sr. PK Mentor HS
Robert Salani Northern Michigan Jr. Kenosha, Wis. / Tremper
Matt Williams Grand Valley St. Jr. KR Geneva, Ill.
 2015 All-GLIAC Football Honorable Mention
Ashland
Name Yr. Pos. Hometown/High School
Dale Irby So.
CB/KR
Sandusky, Ohio / Perkins
Jon Cipa
Sr. LG
Tallmadge, Ohio / Tallmadge
Travis Tarnowski
So. QB
Broadview Heights, Ohio / North Royalton
Zach Olszewski Jr.
ILB Pickerington, Ohio / Pickerington North
John Conner R-Fr. T Akron, Ohio / Walsh Jesuit
Adam Wallace R-Jr. DE Sterling, Ohio / Nowayne
Ferris State
Antonio Agurs Sr. SL Bradenton, Fla. / Manatee
Bryan Bell Jr. OL  Walled Lake, Mich. / Central 
Cody Dingeldey Sr. OL  L'Anse, Mich. / L'Anse 
Corey Arnouts Jr. DT  Grand Ledge, Mich. / Grand Ledge 
Nick Huckabay Jr. LB  Montrose, Mich. / Hill-McCloy 
Brady Sheldon Jr. LB  Novi, Mich. / Novi 
Findlay
Dylan Blunk Jr. WR Findlay, Ohio / Findlay
Tim Szabo Sr. WR Dayton, Ohio / Chaminade-Julienne 
Bobby Brown Sr. OL Grove City, Ohio / Grove City 
Chiebuka Chukwuneke Fr. DB Edison, N.J. / John P. Stevens 
Anthony Linnear Jr. LB Ft. Wayne, Ind. / North Side 
Rhys Gervais So. QB Puyllap, Wash. / Lakes / Western Ill.  
Grand Valley State
Brad Horling Sr. DB Zeeland, Mich. / East
Alton Voss Jr.  DE New Port Richey, Fla. / Gulf 
Collin Schlosser So.  LB  Ada, Mich. / Forest Hills Central 
Joel Schipper  Jr.  Grand Rapids, Mich. / Christian
Bart Williams So.  QB  Grand Blanc, Mich. / Grand Blanc
David Talley Jr.  LB  Southfield, Mich. / Orchard Lake St. Mary's
Hillsdale
Alex Fogt Sr. H-Back Anna, Ohio / Anna
Danny Drummond So.  OL  Pittsford, NY / Rush Henrietta
Steve Mette Jr.  P/K  Rockford, Mich. / Rockford
Roger Stewart Sr.  DL  Sturgis, Mich. / White Pigeon
David Galginaitis Sr.  DL  Colgate, Wisc. / Germantown
Kegan Smith Sr.  TE  Gladwin, Mich. / Gladwin
Lake Erie
Shane Van Fleteren Sr. WR Shelby, Mich. / Utica
Jeremy Durbin Sr. OL Helena, Ohio / Fremont St. Joseph 
Aaron Lindgren Sr. WR  Willoughby, Ohio / South 
Aaron Rojas Sr. DL  Watsonville, Calif. / Watsonville / Cabrillo 
Anthony Kukwa Sr. TE Perry, Ohio / Perry / Ball State 
Maurice Hale Jr. DB  Columbus, Ohio / Beechcroft 
Malone
Will Szpor Sr. QB Reedley, Calif. / Reedley
Matt Blasiole So. RB Uniontown, Ohio / Lake
Tripp Clearman Sr. OL  Ocean Spring, Miss. / Ocean Springs
Ryan Weber So. LB Butler, Ohio / Loudonville 
Dan Mower R-Sr. LB  Holland Patent, N.Y. / Holland Patent
J.C. Pawlyk Jr. DB  Canal Fulton, Ohio / Northwest
Michigan Tech
Andrew Clark Sr. WR Green Bay, Wis. / Ashwaubenon 
Brandon Cowie Jr.  QB  West Bend, Wis. / West
Brandon Hutchison Sr.  DL  Northville, Mich.
Ben Tauchen Jr.  LB  Bonduel, Wis.
Ryan Van Goethem Sr.  West Branch, Mich. / Ogemaw Hts.
Dave Walter Jr.  WR  Midland, Mich.
Northern Michigan
Keyondre Craig So. WR Muskegon, Mich. / Muskegon
Chris Washington Jr. CB  Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / St. Thomas Aquinas
Keshawn Walker Jr. CB  Dearborn, Mich. / Dearborn 
Paris Woods Jr. WR  Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Champlin Park 
Shaye Brown Jr. QB  Fenton, Mich. / Linden 
Jared Vuksan Jr. DL  Gladstone, Mich. / Gladstone
Northwood
Charles Williams So. DE Plantation, Fla. / Plantation
Mike Keith Sr. LB  Roseville, Mich. / Warren De La Salle 
Theron Wilson Jr. WR Ann Arbor, Mich. / Skyline
Vashon Nutt So.  RB  Chicago, Ill. / Homewood-Flossmor
Ohio Dominican
Zack Williams R-So. OL Hilliard, Ohio / Hilliard Darby
Andrew Lorenz R-So. OL  Dublin, Ohio / Bishop Watterson 
Jerad Butler Sr. TE  Nevada, Ohio / Wynford 
Marquise Tyus Jr. DB  Lakewood, Ohio / Lakewood 
Cameron Kohl R-So. LB  Hilliard, Ohio / Hilliard Darby 
Hunter Maynard Sr. DL  Ashville, Ohio / Bishop Watterson 
Saginaw Valley
Marq Johnson R-Fr. WR Pontiac, Mich. / Clawson
Andrew Courtemanche So. P Macomb, Mich. / L'Anse Creuse 
Jordan Sanders Jr. DL Rochester, Mich. / Michigan State 
Jack Jennings So. DL  Paw Paw, Mich. / Paw Paw 
Dwight Trammer Sr. LB  Detroit, Mich. / Inkster 
Will Farr So. TE  Grand Ledge, Mich. / Grand Ledge 
Tiffin
Mason Butler So. OL Malvern, Ohio / Minerva
Tony Shead Sr. WR  South Bend, Ind. / South Bend Clay 
Jerry Brown Jr. RB  McComb, Ohio / McComb 
Morgan Loyd Jr. OLB  Dacula, Ga. / Dacula 
Stefan Willis Jr. DB  Akron, Ohio / Akron Firestone 
Jalen Randolph  Jr. DL  Columbus, Ohio 
Walsh

Alex Jones

Jr. DE Maple Heights, Ohio / Eastern Mich.
Jeremy Willison Jr. WR  Zanesville, Ohio / Maysville 
Braily Blair Sr. LB  Zanesville, Ohio / Zanesville 
Aidan O'Neill So. OL  Noblesville, Ind. / Cathedral 
C.J. Chatman Sr. DB  Copley, Ohio / Copley 
Alex Knight Jr. PK  Solon, Ohio / Solon 
Wayne State
Anthony DeDamos R-Jr. LB Rockford, Mich. / Rockford
Jamel Hicks R-Jr. WR  East Cleveland, Ohio / Shaw
Derrick Rodgers R-Sr. DT  Redford, Mich. / Thurston 
Ethan Walsh R-Sr. TE  Canton, Mich. / Salem 
Manny Mendoza R-So. WR  Rochester Hills, Mich. / Rochester