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
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).
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. | P | 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. | P | 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. | P | 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. | K | 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 |