INDIANAPOLIS – Southwest Baptist University junior Cooper Callis was named the 2020-21 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) football Offensive Player of the Year, while University of Indianapolis graduate student Mitch Dewitt was tabbed Defensive Player of the Year and senior Daveon Bell dubbed Special Teams Player of the Year, and Truman State University quarterback Nolan Hair selected Freshman of the Year. UIndy mentor Chris Keevers was voted the league’s Coach of the Year by his peers.
In addition, 59 student-athletes were honored as All-GLVC performers, while seven garnered James R. Spalding Sportsmanship distinction, and Truman State University was named the sportsmanship team recipient. In years past, an All-GLVC First Team, Second Team, and Honorable Mention are chosen; however, due to the shortened spring season, only a First Team and Honorable Mention were honored on Wednesday.
Per GLVC policy, the All-Conference teams are decided by the league’s head coaches, who are not allowed to submit votes for their own players. Due to Lindenwood University not participating in the 2021 spring season, its players were not eligible for All-Conference honors.
Truman led all league members with 10 First Team selections, while McKendree University followed with six and UIndy five.
Callis garnered the first GLVC Offensive Player of the Year award for SBU since TJ Edwards in 2016 after leading the league with 368.7 passing yards per game. The junior quarterback completed 63.3 percent of his passing attempts this spring, accumulating a 161.59 pass rating and 10 touchdowns through the air. The Jackson, Mo., native was also a threat on the turf, averaging a team-high 35.3 rushing yards per game, including a season-best 59 in the finale against William Jewell. Also against the Cardinals on April 17, Callis tossed for 429 yards and four touchdowns.
Dewitt established himself as the top defensive back this spring, becoming the first Greyhound in program history to be named GLVC Defensive Player of the Year. The graduate student out of New Paris, Ind., tallied nine tackles, two pass breakups, and one quarterback hit in three games, with a pair of stops coming in the GLVC championship game against Truman on April 24. In addition to the major award, Dewitt was a unanimous selection to the All-GLVC First Team.
Joining his teammate as unanimous choice on the league’s top team this spring is Bell, who earned UIndy’s first GLVC Special Teams Player of the Year since Brad Schickel in 2017 and first Greyhound returner since Reece Horn in 2015. Bell led the Conference with a kickoff return average of 29.6, totaling 296 yards on 10 attempts. The senior also fielded seven punts, compiling 85 return yards with a long of 34. The local product of Lawrence Central led the Greyhounds with 285 yards and 26 receptions as a wideout, scoring one touchdown.
Hair impressed as a rookie signal caller, leading the Bulldogs to a GLVC title game appearance in his first season under center. The Jefferson City, Mo., native was the lone league quarterback to play in four games this spring, averaging 204.5 passing yards and 57.3 completion percentage as a freshman. Hair threw for nine touchdowns and accumulated 818 yards through the air. Against UIndy in the GLVC Championship, Hair went 31-of-57 in the air, finishing with a season-high 316 yards and four touchdowns without throwing an interception.
Keevers returned UIndy to form this spring, leading the Greyhounds to their league-best seventh GLVC championship with the 46-29 win over Truman on April 24. UIndy averaged 45 points offensively this spring, while the defense allowed just 17.3 points per game and tallied a shutout in the season opener at Quincy University on April 3. Keevers’ win marks the fifth time a UIndy mentor was voted the league’s Coach of the Year and the first since four-time recipient Bob Bartolomeo in 2017.
The league also recognized Truman as its GLVC Football James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award team recipient, as well as seven GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award Individual nominees. 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.
Below are the complete 2021 All-GLVC football teams and major award winners.
GLVC Offensive Player of the Year: Cooper Callis, Jr., Southwest Baptist
GLVC Defensive Player of the Year: Mitch Dewitt, Gr., UIndy
GLVC Special Teams Player of the Year: Daveon Bell, Sr., UIndy
GLVC Freshman of the Year: Nolan Hair, Truman
GLVC Coach of the Year: Chris Keevers, UIndy
All-GLVC First Team
| Dan McHale, Gr., OL, UINDY |
Shelby Benn, Sr., DL, MCK |
| BJ Wilson, Jr., OL, QU |
Collin Olla-Chatman, Fr., DL, QU |
| Danny Presler, Jr., OL, WJC |
Kenderick Scarbrough, Fr., DL, TSU |
| Ryan Truvillion, Sr., OL, S&T |
Mike Tucker, Sr., Sr., LB, MCK |
| Jacob VanDoren, Sr., OL, TSU |
Peyten Chappel, Jr., LB, QU |
| Jake Stevenson, Sr., OL, MCK |
Reed McBroom, Sr., LB, TSU |
| Cooper Callis, Jr., QB, SBU |
Aaron Harris, Jr., LB, SBU |
| CODY SCHRADER, So., RB, TSU |
Kole Wagener, Sr., LB, WJC |
| DAVEON BELL, Sr., R, UINDY |
MITCH DEWITT, Gr., DB, UINDY |
| Aaron Matio, Gr., R, UINDY |
Connor Steeb, Gr., DB, UINDY |
| Jalik Jaggwe, Sr., WR, WJC |
Ben Watson, So., DB, TSU |
| Curtis Cuillard, Sr., R, SBU |
Myles Nash, Fr., DB, WJC |
| Jacob Ellis, Jr., TE, TSU |
Devon Myles, Sr., DB, MCK |
| Jacob Morris, Jr., O-UT, TSU |
Caleb Shipley, Sr., D-UT, MCK |
| Robert Greco, So., DL, TSU |
Josh Lazaro, Sr., K, MCK |
| Alec Devecchi, So., DL, TSU |
Jaylen Jefferson, Jr., P/KR, TSU |
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Chase Cole, Fr., P, S&T |
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| Unanimous selection in CAPS |
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All-GLVC Honorable Mention
| Nino Schmitt, Sr., OL, S&T |
Steven Leadlove, Sr., TE, MCK |
| Josh Thornton, Sr., OL, S&T |
Chance Deitz, Jr., O-UT, SBU |
| Zach White, Jr., OL, WJC |
Killian Carper, So., DL, SBU |
| Dami Oyesanya, So., OL, SBU |
Marcel Scott, Jr., DL, QU |
| Nathan Schaffner, Gr., OL, SBU |
Henry Preckel, Jr., DL, S&T |
| Max Snell, Jr., OL, QU |
Isaiah Estes, Fr., LB, TSU |
| Nolan Hair, Fr., QB, TSU |
Troy Landon, Fr., DB, SBU |
| Will Schnieder, Sr., QB, WJC |
Ben Thomas, So., DB, TSU |
| Josh Brown, Sr., R, S&T |
Drew Crooks, So., DB, MCK |
| Jake Bachman, So., R, MCK |
Lazerick Hill, Fr., DB, QU |
| Dante Ruffin, Jr., R, TSU |
Bryton Lewi, Jr., DB, SBU |
| Jordan Kent, Fr., R, SBU |
Gianni D'Arienzo, Sr., DB, WJC |
| Joe Sarabia, Sr., TE, UINDY |
Joshua Scheiderer, Jr., K, TSU |
GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Team Award
Truman State
GLVC Spalding Sportsmanship Recipients
Mitch Dewitt, UINDY
Devon Myles, MCK
Nino Schmitt, S&T
Will Henegar, QU
Cooper Callis, SBU
Dante Ruffin, TSU
Danny Presler, WJC