GLIAC -- The 2023 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) football postseason awards have been announced, following a vote by the league's coaches. 

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Cade Peterson, Grand Valley State
Senior quarterback Cade Peterson led the Lakers to an undefeated ledger in GLIAC action and guided an offense that ranked among the leaders nationally in virtually every statistical category. Peterson, who led the GLIAC and ranked 7th nationally in pass efficiency rating (168.6), led the GLIAC in passing TDs (18), total offense per game (214.3), yards per attempt (9.34), yards per completion (14.2), points responsible for (144) and completion percentage (65.9). He completed 120-of-182 passes for 1,694 yards and 18 TDs, while also toting the ball 74 times for 460 yards and six touchdowns. Peterson has accounted for over 8,500 yards and 85 TDs in his career.

OFFENSIVE BACK OF THE YEAR
Myren Harris, Davenport
Myren Harris had a significant impact on the Davenport offense in his first year with the program. He became the single-season record holder at DU with 976 rushing yards on 153 carries with four touchdowns. He also caught 14 passes for 129 yards and a score which came against Ferris State. He led the GLIAC in three different categories including rushing yards, rushing yards per game (97.6), and yards per carry (6.38). Harris also ranked in the top 25 nationally in Division II in those same categories. He had a great stretch of games during the season in which he rushed for 100-plus yards in six straight games. Harris also broke the school record with 161 rushing yards against Wayne State on October 14. He is earning first team honors for the second time also getting the nod in 2021 while playing at Wayne State. During his three-year career, Harris has rushed for 2,660 yards on 431 carries with 20 touchdowns.

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR
Garrett Carroll, Grand Valley State
Senior offensive guard Garrett Carroll started all 10 games for the Lakers on an offensive line that proved to be one of the best in the country.  Carroll is a key piece that is helping GVSU lead the nation in scoring (51.8 ppg), while ranking third in total offense (482.7 ypg) and sixth in rushing (259.7 ypg). GVSU leads the GLIAC in yards per carry (6.6) by over a yard, ranks second in third down conversions (.419) and second in passing (223.0 ypg). Carroll has graded out with a 94.7 percent blocking/protection efficiency for an offense that scored 43 or more points in eight consecutive games.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR
Christian McCarroll, Grand Valley State
Senior defensive end Christian McCarroll led the top defensive line in the country and recorded career-highs in every statistical category. McCarroll led all GLIAC defensive lineman with 44 tackles (16 solo/28 assisted), while leading the GLIAC in tackles for loss with 15.0 (-74) and quarterback sacks with 8.0 (-56). He recorded a TFL in nine games and a QB sack in seven games, despite not playing in the second half of two games and the fourth quarter of four additional games. McCarroll is a key figure in a defense that leads the nation in QB sacks with 45 and ranks seventh in TFL with 83. The Lakers rank second nationally in rushing defense (51.6 ypg) and has not allowed a team to reach the 100-yard rushing mark in nine consecutive games. Christian was named the GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week twice during the 2023 campaign.

DEFENSIVE BACK OF THE YEAR
Shon Stephens, Ferris State
Ferris State University senior defensive back Shon Shephens has had a major impact in the Bulldog secondary this season. The graduate senior transfer, who was an All-American a season ago at West Liberty, has came up with eight interceptions this campaign to go with 24 tackles, including 18 solo stops, along with two tackles for loss. His eight interceptions tied for the conference lead and he also led the league in passes defended at 1.2 per contest, which ranked among the national leaders. Stephens had a 100-yard kickoff return for a score in the Bulldogs' 28-10 road win at Davenport late in the season and added a pick six interception return in the same game, earning National Player of the Week laurels. He added four pass breakups and helped play a key role on one of the nation's top defensive units while solidying a FSU secondary that lost two starters due to injury in week two.

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Terrance Brown, Saginaw Valley State
Redshirt freshman running back Terrance Brown finished the season with a team-high 733 rushing yards along with 172 yards receiving, which ranked fourth on the team. He scored eight touchdowns (six rushing, two receiving). His 66.6 rushing yards per game and 5.4 yards per carry marks rank third in the league. Brown tops the team in all-purpose yards with 905 with an 82.3 yards per game average (7th in the GLIAC). The Detroit native made a statement in the first game of the year, rushing for a season-high 168 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Winona State. Brown ended the season on a high note as well, compiling 98 yards on the ground, his highest total against a GLIAC foe.

COACH OF THE YEAR
Scott Wooster, Grand Valley State
First-year head coach Scott Wooster guided Grand Valley State to the 2023 GLIAC Championship, the 19th all-time in program history, with a perfect 6-0 mark and finished 9-1 with one of the nation’s toughest schedules that featured two top-ranked football teams. In addition, GVSU advanced to the NCAA DII playoffs for the 23rd time in school history and ranked among the national leaders in virtually every offensive, defensive and special teams’ categories. GVSU ranked among the top 20 in 20 different stat ledgers, including leading the nation in scoring (51.6 ppg), ranking second in rushing defense (51.8 ypg) and sixth in rushing offense (259.7 ypg).

 A complete list of the 2023 All-GLIAC football teams is below:

 

2023 First Team All-GLIAC