Lindenwood, SBU, Truman Win GLVC Football Postseason Honors

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INDIANAPOLIS – Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) football champion Lindenwood University, Southwest Baptist University, and Truman State University earned the league’s five major individual postseason awards, it was announced by the Conference office Monday. Lindenwood senior linebacker Drew Seers, sophomore return specialist Spencer Redd, freshman running back Robert Giaimo, and head coach Jed Stugart earned four of the five major honors, while Southwest Baptist junior quarterback Cooper Callis and Truman State sophomore running back Cody Schrader tied as the GLVC Offensive Players of the Year. Seers was named the Defensive Player of the Year, Redd was picked as Special Teams Player of the Year, Giaimo was chosen GLVC Freshman of the Year, and Stugart was voted by his peers as GLVC Coach of the Year. In addition, a total of 74 standouts earned All-Conference accolades, while another 41 were named Honorable Mention.

This GLVC Player of the Year honor is the second for Callis in less than six months, as he was also voted as such after the COVID-19 spring-shortened season in May and shares this fall’s honor. He is only the second SBU player to win a major football accolade, as former quarterback TJ Edwards was the 2015 GLVC Freshman of the Year and 2016 GLVC Offensive Player of the Year. In seven GLVC games this fall, Callis led league quarterbacks in pass attempts (285), completions (198), completion percentage (69.5), efficiency (163.5), yards (2,463), average yards per game (351.9), and touchdowns (24). Overall, the junior ranks in the top three in NCAA Division II with 340.8 yards per game (second), 337.5 passing yards per game (second), and 3,712 passing yards (third). In the season-finale, Callis set four new Bearcats’ single-season records for total passing yards, passing yards per game, passing touchdowns (35), and completion percentage (69.2). On Oct. 11, he was named the GLVC Offensive Player of the Week and was selected to the All-GLVC First Team for the second-straight time.
 
After a big-time sophomore season, Schrader is the first GLVC Offensive Player of the Year and fourth overall major honoree for Truman. His total rushing yards (1,855) this fall leads NCAA D-II, while his 168.6 yards per game and 12.5 points per game are both second-best in D-II. During the seven-game Conference slate, the running back was first among his counterparts in attempts (168), rushing yards (1,221), and rushing touchdowns (14), while he was second in longest rush (76 yards) and average yards per game (174.4). On three occasions, he registered new career-high marks, including rushing attempts (35, 9/4), rushing yards (278, 10/9), and rushing touchdowns (four, 9/4). Among all players, the St. Louis, Mo., native led the GLVC in scoring with 12.9 points per game, 90 total points, and 15 TDs. Schrader was twice named GLVC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 6 and 27 while also one of two at his position to be named a unanimous All-GLVC First Team member.

Seers was also a two-time GLVC Defensive Player of the Week this season on Sept. 20 and Nov. 8 and earns his second GLVC Defensive Player of the Year award this fall after first being named as such after the 2019 season. The unanimous first-team All-GLVC linebacker finished the season second in Division II with 131 total tackles and 74 assisted tackles while sixth with 10.92 tackles per game. In seven GLVC games for Lindenwood, Seers was second in the loop for assisted tackles (42), third in tackles (74) and tackles per game (10.6), and sixth in solo tackles (32). He added five tackles for loss and three interceptions for 61 yards, which included one pick six, while he also recorded the third-highest tackles among league players in a game with 19 against Southwest Baptist on Oct. 23.

Redd earned the respect of the seven other GLVC coaches as the Special Teams Player of the Year, which is the first of its kind for the Lions, while he also garnered a unanimous nod to the All-GLVC First Team. The Springfield, Illinois, native led the league during the seven-game slate with a 31.4 kick return average and 11.9 punt return average. His 191 total punt return yards was the most in the loop along with his 16 returns, while his 471 kick return yards was second-most. Redd had the top-two longest punt returns in GLVC games this season with a 51-yarder against SBU on Oct. 23 and a 36-yarder the very next week on Oct. 30 against William Jewell College. The former was also returned for a touchdown. He also had the longest kick return this season at 97 yards against Quincy on Oct. 9 and scored a TD on the run. On both Oct. 11 and Oct. 25, the sophomore was named the GLVC Special Team Player of the Week.

In addition to being selected as the league’s top newcomer, Giaimo was the only freshman selected to the All-GLVC First Team. The Lions’ running back was third in the GLVC during league play with eight rushing touchdowns, fifth with 6.3 yards per run and 480 total rushing yards, and sixth in three categories: attempts (76), rushing yards per game (68.6), and longest run yards (65). He was tied for second in scoring TDs with five for 4.3 points per game while eighth in scoring with 30 points.

Stugart earns GLVC Coach of the Year honors after leading the Lions to the outright GLVC Championship for the second time in three seasons with an undefeated 7-0 mark and a 9-3 overall record, which secured the school’s second NCAA Division II playoff appearance. Under the direction of two-time GLVC Coach of the Year, 10 Lions were named first-team All-GLVC, including Seers, Redd, Giaimo, senior offensive utility Alex Faddoul, junior receiver Payton Rose, graduate tight end Clint Sigg, senior defensive back Grady Daniels, junior defensive back Kai Ross, junior offensive lineman Blake Rogenhofer, and graduate defensive lineman Arsante Conners. Of those 10, Seers, Redd, Sigg, Daniels, and Ross were all unanimous picks. Additionally, eight Lions were second-team All-GLVC selections and another three earned honorable mention distinction. 

The eight league head coaches nominate and vote for the honorees but, per GLVC policy, cannot vote for their own players. After the vote, 36 student-athletes were selected to the All-GLVC First Team, while 38 honorees were named to the Second Team due to a tie at the defensive line and defensive back positions. The standard 36-member GLVC All-Conference squad is comprised of a quarterback, three running backs, four wide receivers, one tight end, six offensive linemen, one offensive utility, one defensive utility, five defensive linemen, five linebackers, five defensive backs, a kicker, a punter, one return specialist, and a long snapper. The Honorable Mention squad is made up of any player who receives at least one coach's vote but doesn't earn a spot on the First or Second Team, capping the list at 40 players unless there are ties that can't be broken.

Lindenwood led the league with 21 All-Conference honorees, followed by Truman State (18), Missouri S&T (17), McKendree (16), UIndy (15), Quincy (13), Southwest Baptist (10), and William Jewell (four). Eight standouts were unanimous picks at six different positions on the Al-GLVC First Team, as Schrader, Seers, Redd, Sigg, Daniels, and Ross were joined by University of Indianapolis running back Toriano Clinton and graduate student offensive lineman Clay Hadley.

The league also recognized William Jewell as the winner of the GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award for the sport of football. In addition, eight standouts were named GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award honorees. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These individuals must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. The honorees are now eligible to become one of their school’s two Spalding Sportsmanship Award winners, which will be announced at the end of the academic year.
 
A complete list of the 2021 GLVC All-Conference honorees follows below.
 
GLVC CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF YEAR: Cooper Callis, QB, Jr., Southwest Baptist & Cody Schrader, RB, So., Truman State
GLVC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF YEAR: Drew Seers, LB, Sr., Lindenwood
GLVC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF YEAR: Spencer Redd, KR/PR, So., Lindenwood
GLVC FRESHMAN OF YEAR: Robert Giaimo, RB, Lindenwood
GLVC COACH OF YEAR: Jed Stugart, Lindenwood
 

FIRST TEAM (36) Spencer Redd, So., KR/PR LWU # Michael Klotz, Sr., K, QU Paul Buisman, Gr., P, UINDY Alex Faddoul, Sr., OFF-UT, LWU Cooper Callis, Jr., QB, SBU Payton Rose, Jr., WR, LWU Jacob Bachman, So., WR, MCK Breon Michel, Sr., WR, S&T Eugene Witherspoon, Jr., WR, QU Toriano Clinton, Jr., RB, UINDY # Robert Giaimo, Fr., RB, LWU Cody Schrader, So., RB, TSU # Clint Sigg, Gr., TE, LWU # Jorge Escalante, Jr., OL, S&T Clay Hadley, Gr., OL, UINDY # Blake Rogenhofer, Jr., OL, LWU Tarnjeet Singh, Gr., OL, UINDY Jake Stevenson, Sr., OL, MCK Kednal Alexis, Jr., OL, UINDY Collin Alves, So., DEF-UT, TSU Grady Daniels, Sr., DB, LWU # Justin Onwugbufor, Sr., DB, S&T Kai Ross, Jr., DB, LWU # Ben Watson, Jr., DB, TSU Landry Mavungu, Sr., DB, UINDY Kiave Guerrier, Jr., LB, UINDY Drew Seers, Sr., LB, LWU # Ben Straatmann, Jr., LB, S&T Gavin Bane, Sr., LB, UINDY Ben Hunnius, Jr., LB, UINDY Arsante Conners, Gr., DL, LWU Sidney Houston, Jr., DL, MCK Jacob Jones, Jr., DL, UINDY Alec Patch, Gr., DL, UINDY Robert Greco, Jr., DL, TSU Levi McKinney, Sr., LS, UINDY   # Unanimous Selection

SECOND TEAM (38) * Jaylon Jefferson, Sr., KR/PR, TSU Joshua Scheiderer, Sr., K, TSU Taylor Cornish, Jr., P, TSU Jacob Morris, Sr., OFF-UT, TSU Cade Brister, Jr., QB, LWU Steven Towns, Sr., WR, MCK Preson Carson, So., WR, SBU Glen Gibbons, Sr., WR, LWU Jalik Jaggwe, Sr., WR, WJC Tremayne Lee, So., RB, QU Payton McAlister, Sr., RB, S&T Aaron Moya, Sr., RB, S&T Matt Hall, So., TE, TSU Dane Eggert, Jr., OL, TSU Ethan Johnson, Fr., OL, LWU BJ Wilson, Jr., OL, QU Zach White, Jr., OL, WJC Dami Oyesanya, So., OL, SBU Nick Biesemeyer, Fr., OL, TSU Trey Quick, So., DEF-UT, S&T Jordan Perry, Gr., DB, LWU Ben Thomas, So., DB, TSU Cameron Clemons, Sr., DB, S&T Michael Brown, Fr., DB, UINDY Ben Miller, Fr., DB, TSU Kenshawn Bragg, Fr., DB, QU Peyten Chappel, Jr., LB, QU Isaiah Estes, So., LB, TSU Carson Anderson, Jr., LB, WJC CJ McClure, Sr., LB, LWU Coleton Smith, Jr., LB, SBU David Knox, Sr., DL, LWU Chance Deitz, Sr., DL, SBU Tayvian Weary, Jr., DL, LWU Michael Neisler, Sr., DL, TSU Henry Preckel, Jr., DL, S&T Jack Roush, Jr., DL, S&T Reid Williams, Jr., LS, LWU   *Extra Members Due to Tie

HONORABLE MENTION (41) ^ Gideon Niboh, So., KR/PR, S&T Logan Seibert, Fr., K, LWU Parker Boyce, Jr., P, S&T Brady Monks, Sr., P, WJC Payton McAlister, Sr., OFF-UT, S&T Turner Pullen, So., QB, MCK Josh Brown, Sr., WR, S&T Cassian Foreman, Jr., WR, SBU Jordan Kent, Fr., WR, SBU Jeremiah Lee, Fr., WR, UINDY Dante Ruffin, Gr., WR, TSU Eric Knight, Sr., RB, SBU Taylor Temple, Fr., RB, QU Jace Kennedy, Sr., TE, MCK Austin Huls, Sr., OL, MCK Dea'veon Harden-Smith, Jr., OL, MCK Josh Thornton, Sr., OL, S&T Gareth Warren, Fr., OL, LWU Justin Watson, Fr., OL, TSU Max Snell, Sr., OL, QU Micah Wheeler, Sr., OL, QU Kenshawn Bragg, Fr., DEF-UT, QU Keith Beverly, Sr., DB, LWU Drew Crooks, Jr., DB, MCK Kasyus Kurns, Fr., DB, UINDY Kenneth Scarbrough III, Jr., DB, MCK Bryton Lewi, Jr., DB, SBU Devon Myles, Sr., DB, MCK Michael Tucker, Gr., LB, MCK Dontay White, Sr., LB, S&T Ulysses Ross, Fr., LB, TSU Aaron Harris, Jr., LB, SBU Jack Hayes, Jr., LB, S&T Lucas Pisoni, Fr., LB, MCK Will Henegar, Sr., DL, QU Cole Schnettgoecke, Fr., DL, QU Isaiah Ward, Sr., DL, MCK Sam Amponsah, Fr., DL, MCK Jamari Johnson, Sr., DL, MCK Collin Olla-Chatman, Fr., DL, QU Brandon Tate, Sr., LS, QU ^ Extra Member Due to Tie

 
GLVC JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM AWARD WINNER
William Jewell

GLVC JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP INDIVIDUAL HONOREES
Bryce Stancombe, UINDY
Reid Willliams, LWU
Jake Bachman, MCK
Justin Onwugbufor, S&T
Beau Kaffka, QU
Jarvis Funk, SBU
Dante Ruffin, TSU
Mario Magana, WJC