2016 GLIAC Football Teams, Player of the Year Awards Announced

2016 GLIAC Football Teams, Player of the Year Awards Announced

Scroll down the release to view 2016 GLIAC Football All-Conference Teams

The 2016 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Football postseason awards have been announced after voting conducted by the league's coaches. 

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Antonio Pipkin - Tiffin

Antonio Pipkin had a stellar season in leading Tiffin University to an 8-3 record. He broke the GLIAC career passing mark with 9,671 yards and also set new GLIAC records for career completions, attempts, plays and single-game completion percentage. He passed for 2,534 yards this season with a 64.9 completion percentage while also rushing for 757 yards (68.8 yards per game). Pipkin is only the third quarterback in Division II history to gain 2,000 yards rushing and 10,000 yards passing in a career. He is a four-time All-GLIAC honoree who was also named 2015 GLIAC Offensive Back of the Year. He is also 13th in Division II history in career total offense with 13,147 yards.

OFFENSIVE BACK OF THE YEAR
Marty Carter - Grand Valley State

Carter led the nation in rushing with 1,590 yards and 18 touchdowns on 205 carries. His rushing total is also the top regular season rushing mark in GVSU football history, while the 1,486 rushing yards in GLIAC action ranks seventh all-time in league history. Marty averaged  7.8 yards per carry, a mark that ranked third nationally and first among all running backs with 200 or more carries. Carter also led the GLIAC all-purpose yards with 1,646. Marty tallied seven runs of 53 yards or more, six of which went for touchdowns and he had 20 rushing plays of 20 yards or more in 11 games. Carter broke the 100-yard rushing mark in eight games, including a GVSU single-season record three games of 200 yards or more. He set the Grand Valley State single-game rushing record with 298 yards vs. Northern Michigan and was named the GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week three times. 

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR

Nate Theaker - Wayne State

Wayne State senior left tackle Nate Theaker returned to the active roster in 2016 after missing all of 2015 following back surgery.  In 2016, the graduate student helped anchor the Warrior offensive line which guided the WSU offense to the GLIAC's best rushing attack (273.4 yards per game), which ranked seventh nationally.  The Wayne State offensive line also ranked 13th nationally in fewest tackles for loss allowed per game at 4.18.  The White Lake, Mich. native earned All-GLIAC First Team accolades for the second time in his career (other was in 2014).  Theaker played in 42 games in his collegiate career for the Green and Gold starting 33 times (14 at right guard, 11 at left tackle and eight at right tackle).

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR
Zach Sieler - Ferris State

Ferris State University sophomore defensive lineman Zach Sieler had a standout season leading the Bulldogs' defensive unit. He tallied a league-leading 14 sacks (-97 yards) and 22 tackles for loss (-118 yards) to rank among the top five players in the country in both categories. Seiler also came up with 60 total tackles, which ranked third on the squad, while compiling three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, a blocked kick and a pass breakup. He notched at least one sack in nine contests and set a Top Taggart Field record with both 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks in a dominating home win over Lake Erie. A second-year starter, Seiler became the leader of a defensive unit that helped the Bulldogs lead the league in rushing defense and twice claimed GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors this campaign.

DEFENSIVE BACK OF THE YEAR
Matt McKoy - Saginaw Valley

Saginaw Valley State senior safety Matt McKoy becomes the second-ever GLIAC Defensive Back of the Year after his stellar season to round-out his career in a Cardinal uniform. McKoy led the GLIAC with five interceptions, taking one back for a score and returning another fumble for a touchdown. McKoy amassed 76 tackles from the defensive backfield, averaging 8.4 per contest in his nine games played. 

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Travis Tidwell - Michigan Tech

Michigan Tech defensive back Travis Tidwell had a great freshman season for the Huskies and emerged as one of the teams' leaders on defense. Tidwell led the Huskies with four interceptions (tied for third in the GLIAC) and was third on the team with 62 total tackles. Tidwell averaged 6.2 tackles per game and ended the year with 12 pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. 

JACK H. MCAVOY AWARD
Alton Voss - Grand Valley State

Grand Valley State senior defensive end Alton Voss is the 2016 Jack McAvoy Award recipient, presented annually to the GLIAC football student-athlete who best combines outstanding character and leadership on the field, in the classroom, and in the community. Voss, who is also a First-Team All-GLIAC performer, ranks fourth on the team and first among defensive linemen in tackles with 52 (16 solo/36 assisted). He is fourth in tackles for loss with 8.5 (-34) and third in QB sacks with 4.5 (-22), while also recording six QB hurries, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four pass deflections. Alton is a four-year letter winner for the Lakers, earning All-GLIAC honors as a junior and senior. He was a 2015 nominee for the Allstate Good Works Team and is an active public speaker to a wide variety of groups across West Michigan. Voss is also active in community service trips and youth football camps. 

COACH OF THE YEAR
Gary Goff - Tiffin

Head Coach Gary Goff led Tiffin University to their best record ever in GLIAC play, finishing 8-3 overall and second in the GLIAC South with an 7-3 mark. Tiffin's 8 victories were their most in 10 years, marking a steady progression from a winless season in Goff's first year of 2011 to the fourth-best record overall in the GLIAC in 2016. Goff's team also improved their defense during the 2016 season, cutting 6 points per game off their points allowed from one season ago while also fielding the second-best pass defense in the GLIAC. His potent offenses again averaged over 31 points per game and boasted a 87 percent red zone scoring percentage (second best in the conference).

 A complete list of the 2016 All-GLIAC football teams is below:
 
2016 All-GLIAC Football First Team
Name School Yr. Pos. Hometown/Previous
Antonio Pipkin Tiffin Sr. QB Gary, Ind. / Thea Bowman
Romello Brown Wayne State R-Jr. RB Westland, Mich. / Livonia Churchill
Marty Carter Grand Valley St. So. RB East Chicago, Ind.
Vance Settlemire Ashland Sr. RB Findlay, Ohio
Adam Shaheen Ashland Jr. TE Galena, Ohio / Pittsburgh-Johnstown
Trey Brock Hillsdale So. WR Missouri City, Texas / Ridge Point
Charles Holland Tiffin Jr. WR Columbus, Ohio / West
Jason Moore Findlay Jr. WR Oberlin, Ohio
Matt Williams Grand Valley St. Sr. WR Geneva, Ill.
Andrew Alten Findlay Jr. OL Loveland, Ohio 
Aaron Cox Grand Valley St. Sr. OL Macomb, Mich. / Utica Ford 
Zach Douglass Ashland Sr. OL Marshallville, Ohio / Smithville 
Devon Johnson Ferris State So. OL Aurora, Ill. / Waubonsie Valley 
Tommy Richardson Wayne State Jr. OL Troy, Mich.
Nate Theaker Wayne State Gr. OL White Lake, Mich. / Lakeland 
Dalton Binkowski Wayne State Sr. DL Washington, Mich. / Romeo 
Brandon Ehlinger Ashland Sr. DL Springfield, Ohio
Demetrius Farmer Ohio Dominican Jr. DL Dover, Ohio 
Zach Sieler Ferris State So. DL Pinckney, Mich. 
Alton Voss Grand Valley St. Sr. DL New Port Richey, Fla. / Gulf 
Billy Eakins Ohio Dominican Sr. DB Pickerington, Ohio / Central 
Marquez Gollman Grand Valley St. Sr. DB Ypsilanti, Mich. 
Terrell Hudson Ashland Sr. DB Canal Winchester, Ohio / Urbana 
Matt McKoy Saginaw Valley Sr. DB Canton, Mich. 
Tavierre Thomas Ferris State Jr. DB Detroit, Mich. / Allen 
Valorian Cunningham Wayne State Sr. LB Kalamazoo, Mich. / Loy Norrix 
Anthony Darkangelo Ferris State Sr. LB Brighton, Mich. / Detroit Catholic Central
Michael Fisher Northwood Sr. LB Rochester, Mich. / Adams 
Brandon Gency Ashland Sr. LB Streetsboro, Ohio 
David Talley Grand Valley St. Sr. LB Southfield, Mich. / Orchard Lake St. Mary's 
Joel Schipper Grand Valley St. Sr. PK Grand Rapids, Mich. / Christian
Trevor Bermingham Ferris State Sr. P Addison, Ill. / Addison
Deiontae Nicholas Wayne State So. KR Chesterfield, Mich. / L'Anse Creuse North
2016 All-GLIAC Football Second Team
Name School Year Pos. Hometown/Previous
Travis Tarnowski Ashland Jr.  QB  Broadview Heights, Ohio / North Royalton
Chauncey Bridges Findlay Jr. RB Farmington Hills, Mich. / North
Jahaan Brown Ferris State Jr. RB East Grand Rapids, Mich.
Jake Mayon Northern Michigan So. RB Plainfield, Ill. / East
Trent Brodbeck Wayne State Sr. TE Toledo, Ohio / St. John's Jesuit
Cory Contini Ohio Dominican So. WR Dover, Ohio
Jamel Hicks Wayne State Sr. WR East Cleveland, Ohio / Shaw
David Walter Michigan Tech Sr. WR Midland, Mich.
Paris Woods Northern Michigan Sr. WR Brooklyn Park, Minn. / Minn. St. C&T
Nathan Brady Grand Valley St. Fr. OL Tecumseh, Mich. 
Mason Butler Tiffin Jr. OL Malvern, Ohio  /Minerva
Jake Daugherty Ferris State Jr. OL Big Rapids, Mich.
Danny Drummond Hillsdale Jr. OL Pittsford, N.Y. / Rush Henrietta 
Robert Kelly Wayne State Sr. OL Grosse Pointe, Mich. / Chandler Park 
Cole Tameris Ohio Dominican Jr. OL Cincinnati, Ohio / Sycamore 
Corey Arnouts Ferris State Sr. DL Grand Ledge, Mich. 
Cody Goldsworthy Michigan Tech So. DL L'Anse, Mich. 
Willie Mays Tiffin Sr. DL Escondido, Calif. / San Mateo
Sydney Omameh Grand Valley St. Sr. DL Columbus, Ohio / Ohio Dominican 
Adam Wallace Ashland Sr. DL Sterling, Ohio / Norwayne 
Donte Carey Grand Valley St. Sr. DB Grand Rapids, Mich. / Ottawa Hills 
Chiebuka Chukwuneke Findlay So.  DB Edison, N.J. / John P. Stevens 
Brandon Lee Wayne State Sr. DB Detroit, Mich. / Southeastern 
Nick Tripp Northwood Jr. DB Detroit, Mich. / Crockett 
Stefan Willis Tiffin Sr. DB Akron, Ohio / Firestone
Anthony DeDamos Wayne State Sr. LB Rockford, Mich.
Bryan Jones Saginaw Valley Jr. LB Schoolcraft, Mich. 
Nick King Walsh Sr. LB Reynoldsburg, Ohio / Bishop Hartley 
Collin Schlosser Grand Valley St. Jr. LB Ada, Mich. / Forest Hills Central 
Ben Tauchen Michigan Tech Sr. LB Bonduel, Wis. 
Tyler Blackburn Northern Michigan Sr. PK Montrose, Mich. / Arizona Western
John Kwiecinski Northern Michigan Fr. Plymouth, Mich. / Orchard Lake St. Mary's
Jajuan Pollock Ferris State Jr. KR Bradenton, Fla. / Manatee
 2016 All-GLIAC Football Honorable Mention
Ashland
Name Yr. Pos. Hometown/Previous
John Conner So.  DL  Akron, Ohio / Walsh Jesuit 
Dominic Giunta So.  OL  Willoughby, Ohio / South 
Austin Bruns Sr.  Coldwater, Ohio 
Dale Irby Jr.  DB  Sandusky, Ohio / Perkins 
Kamaron Green So.  WR  Columbus, Ohio / Mifflin 
Zach Olszewski Sr  LB  Pickerington, Ohio / North 
Ferris State
Willie Smith Jr.  DB Bradenton, Fla. / Manatee
David Churchwell Sr.  DB Muskegon, Mich. 
Nick Huckabay Sr.  LB  Montrose, Mich. / Hill-McCloy
Reggie Bell Jr.  QB  Los Angeles, Calif. / Susan Miller Dorsey
Shakur Sanders Sr.  WR  Kentwood, Mich. / Ottawa Hills
Bryan Bell Sr.  OL  Walled Lake, Mich. / Central
Findlay
Rhys Gervais Jr. QB  Puyallup, Wash. / Western Illl. 
Anthony Federico Jr.  TE  Willoughby, Ohio / South 
Myles Alexander Sr. LB  Cleveland, Ohio / Euclid 
Cyle Skidmore So. DL  Bucyrus, Ohio / Wynford 
Dylan Blunk Sr. WR  Findlay, Ohio 
Aaron Ivory Jr. DB  Cleveland, Ohio / Glenville 
Grand Valley State
Mark Rosenquist Sr.  DL  Lake Forest, Ill. / Academy
D.J. Hogan Sr.  DL  Livonia, Mich. / Clarenceville
Bart Williams So.  QB  Grand Blanc, Mich.
Nick Dodson So.  WR  Aurora, Ill. / Metea Valley
Dylan Carroll So.  DL  Portland, Mich.
Garrett Pougnet Jr.  DB  Fenton, Mich. / Flint Powers
Hillsdale
Chance Stewart So. QB Sturgis, Mich. 
Joe Reverman So. RB Grand Ledge, Mich. 
Jake Bull Jr. OL  Hudsonville, Mich.  
Drew Mallery Sr. DL  Vicksburg, Mich. 
Wyatt Batdorff So. DB  Grand Rapids, Mich. / Forest Hills Northern 
Scotty Penola Jr. LB  Zionsville, Ind. 
Lake Erie
Anthony Kukwa Sr. TE Perry, Ohio / Ball State 
Ryan Bedard Sr. OL Strongsville, Ohio 
Josh Durst Fr. OL Willoughby, Ohio / South 
Maurice Hale Sr. DB Columbus, Ohio / Beechcroft 
Zach Jude Sr. LB Canal Winchester, Ohio / Bloom Carroll 
Nick Kirschner Jr. LB Mentor, Ohio 
LunDerek Craig Fr. RB Stockbridge, Ga. / Eagles Landing
Michigan Tech
Nick Brajak Sr. DB  Munster, Ind.
Brandon Cowie Sr. QB West Bend, Wis. / West
Even Mayer Sr. DL  Wausau, Wis. / West
Alex Sherbinow Jr. FB  Marquette, Mich.
Ryan VanGoethem Sr.  West Branch, Mich. / Ogemaw Heights
Joe Vieau Sr.  OL  Midland, Mich.
Northern Michigan
Shaye Brown Sr. QB Fenton, Mich. / Linden
Josh Crim Jr. OL  Lansing, Mich. / Eastern 
Zyggy Arledge So. OL  Hoover, Ala. 
Keshawn Walker Sr. DB  Dearborn, Mich. 
Jared Vuksan Sr. DL  Gladstone, Mich. 
Darryl Williams Jr. LB  Cooper City, Fla. / St. Thomas Aquinas 
Northwood
Jake Van Ittersum Fr. OL  Warren, Mich. / De La Salle
Theron Wilson Sr. WR  Ann Arbor, Mich. / Skyline 
Matt Modreske Jr.  OL  Hopkins, Mich. 
Jeremy Marshall Jr.  OL  Algonquin, Ill. / Dundee Crown 
Ayrn Curtis Sr.  DB  Detroit, Mich. / West Bloomfield 
Colt Harrington Sr. DL  Greenville, Mich. 
Ohio Dominican
Grant Russell Jr.  QB  Newark, Ohio 
Dar Stanford So.  WR  Zanesville, Ohio 
Aaron Stephens Sr.  TE  Ironton, Ohio 
Ross Thompson So.  LB  Delphos, Ohio / Jefferson 
Marquise Tyus Sr.  DB  Lakewood, Ohio 
Paul Wesselhoeft Sr.  DL  Logan, Ohio 
Saginaw Valley
Joe Craven Sr.  LB  Grand Rapids, Mich. / Catholic Central
Alex Kenrick So.  Canton, Mich. / Plymouth Salem
Dillon Dixon So.  DB  Detroit, Mich. / U. of Detroit Jesuit
Marvin White Fr.  DB  Oak Park, Mich.
Alfonso Vultaggio Jr.  WR  Shelby Township, Mich. / Utica Eisenhower
David Nay Sr.  RB  Galion, Ohio
Tiffin
Ridge Tarwacki Fr. OL  Edwardsburg, Mich. / Penn
Jacob Mertus  Fr. LB  Tallmadge, Ohio 
Morgan Loyd Sr. LB  Dacula, Ga. 
Shawn Scott Sr. DB  Dublin, Ohio / Coffman
Jerry Brown Sr. RB  McComb, Ohio 
DJ Edwards-Steward Jr. DB Detroit, Mich. / Henry Ford
Walsh
Aidan O'Neill Jr. OL  Noblesville, Ind. / Cathedral 
Antonio Tate Fr. WR  DeKalb, Ill.  
Alex Jones Sr. DL  Maple Heights, Ohio / Eastern Michigan 
Matt Matuska Sr. WR  Akron, Ohio / St. Vincent-St. Mary 
Nick Sturgill Fr. LB  York, S.C. 
Seamus O'Sullivan Jr. LB  South Grafton, Mass. / Holy Name 
Wayne State
James Howard Jr. DB  Detroit, Mich. / Chandler Park Academy
Derrick Coleman So. DL  Beverly Hills, Mich. / Country Day 
Demetrius Stinson Jr. RB  Detroit, Mich. / Ferris State 
Garrett Wiska Sr. RB  Northville, Mich. / Notre Dame College 
Donovan Zezula So. QB  Clarkston, Mich. 
Nate White Sr. DL  Toledo, Ohio / St. Francis de Sales