Four Schools Voted as GLVC Football Major Award Winners

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INDIANAPOLIS – McKendree University senior quarterback Turner Pullen, as well as Missouri S&T senior linebacker Ben Straatmann, junior kick/punt returner Gideon Niboh, and freshman running back Cameren Smith, along with University of Indianapolis head coach Chris Keevers and Truman State University head coach Gregg Nesbitt have earned major postseason honors for the 2022 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Football season, the league office announced on Tuesday.
 
Pullen was named Offensive Player of the Year, Straatmann earned Defensive Player of the Year, Niboh was selected as Special Teams Player of the Year, Smith garnered Freshman of the Year, while Keevers and Nesbitt were dubbed co-Coaches of the Year by their peers. In total, 116 student-athletes claimed All-Conference honors with 37 on the First Team, 40 on the Second Team, and 39 Honorable Mention, while seven were chosen as GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship honorees for the sport and Truman State was selected as the team sportsmanship award winner.
 
The All-Conference awards are nominated and voted on by league coaches, who, per GLVC Bylaws, are not permitted to vote for their own players.
 
Offensive Player of the Year: Turner Pullen, Senior, Quarterback, McKendree

• Becomes McKendree’s second Offensive Player of the Year as a unanimous choice this season, following senior quarterback Isaac Fisher’s recognition in 2015.
• Led GLVC through 11 games in completions (329), attempts (469), completion percentage (70.1), pass yards (3,541), and passing touchdowns (30).
• Ranked first in NCAA Division II for total offense (341.0) and completions, as well as third in pass yards and completion percentage.
• Sits first in McKendree history for single-season total yards, total and pass TDs, total points, first downs, pass yards, and completions, while also ranking first in career pass yards and pass TDs.
• Named GLVC Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 3.
• Earns second All-GLVC accolade but the first on the First Team.

 
Defensive Player of the Year: Ben Straatmann, Senior, Linebacker, Missouri S&T

• Becomes S&T’s second Defensive Player of the Year after senior linebacker Chris Emesih earned the award in 2013.
• Led GLVC with 14 tackles for loss, 93 yards, and 2.0 TFL yards per game in 10 games.
• Ranked first in GLVC with eight sacks and 63 yards, as well as three fumble recoveries to go with 65 yards, while second with three fumbles forced.
• Sits fifth in GLVC with 44 tackles to average 8.0 per game.
• Named GLVC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 12.
• Repeats as All-GLVC honoree on the First Team and is one of five unanimous picks.

 
Special Teams Player of the Year: Gideon Niboh, Junior, Kick/Punt Returner, Missouri S&T

• Becomes S&T’s second Special Teams Player of the Year, following sophomore kick/punt returner Braxton Graham’s selection in 2016.
• Ranked first in GLVC with 19.0 punt return average yards, a long of 66 yards, and two return touchdowns in nine games on nine returns, totaling 171 yards.
• Ranked second in GLVC with 26.6 kick return average yards and third with a long of 70 yards, totaling 373 yards in nine games on 14 returns.
• Named GLVC Special Teams Player of the Week on Oct. 3.
• Earns second All-GLVC accolade but the first on the First Team.

 
Freshman of the Year: Cameren Smith, Running Back, Missouri S&T

• Becomes S&T’s first Freshman of the Year in the sport.
• Ranked fifth in GLVC with 816 rushing yards on 124 attempts to average 6.58 yards per carry and 81.6 per game.
• Stands sixth in the league with eight touchdowns.
• Ran for a season-high 176 yards against McKendree with a season-long rush of 70 yards and two TDs.
• Added two receptions for 12 yards and two kick returns for 47 yards.
• One of just six freshmen on the All-GLVC Second Team and only Miners freshman to earn postseason honors.

 
Co-Coach of the Year: Chris Keevers, Indianapolis

• Voted by his peers as Coach of the Year for the second time with the first coming after the spring 2021 season, while this is the sixth time a Greyhounds mentor has won the honor.
• Led UIndy to a 9-2 overall record and 6-0 GLVC record to win the program’s eighth GLVC Championship.
• Ranked 13th in American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Coaches’ Poll.
• Guided 25 players to All-GLVC distinction, including 11 on the First Team with two unanimous choices, 10 on the Second Team, and four Honorable Mention.

 
 Co-Coach of the Year: Gregg Nesbitt, Truman State

• Voted by his peers as Truman’s first Coach of the Year in the sport.
• Led Truman to an 8-2 overall record and 5-1 GLVC record, finishing runner-up in the league.
• Clinched third-straight bid to the America’s Crossroads Bowl.
• Ranked 23rd in American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Coaches’ Poll.
• Guided 18 players to All-GLVC distinction, including 13 on the First Team with two unanimous choices, three on the Second Team, and two Honorable Mention.

UIndy led the league with 25 All-Conference honorees, followed by Southwest Baptist University (20), Truman (18), Quincy University (17), Missouri S&T (15), McKendree (14), and William Jewell College (seven). Five standouts were unanimous picks at four different positions on the All-GLVC First Team, as Straatmann was joined by University of Indianapolis defensive back Landry Mavungu and linebacker Ben Hunnius, along with Truman offensive lineman Justin Watson and defensive lineman Robert Greco.
 
The seven GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award honorees are listed below, which are student-athletes 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 2022 All-GLVC teams and postseason honors can be found below.
 
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF YEAR:  Turner Pullen, Sr., QB, McKendree #
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF YEAR: Ben Straatmann, Sr., LB, Missouri S&T
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF YEAR:  Gideon Niboh, Jr., KR/PR, Missouri S&T
FRESHMAN OF YEAR:  Cameren Smith, RB, Missouri S&T
CO-COACH OF YEAR:  Chris Keevers, Indianapolis & Gregg Nesbitt, Truman State
 

FIRST TEAM Justin Watson, Jr., OL, TSU # Alan (BJ) Wilson, Sr., OL, QU Kednal Alexis, Jr., OL, UINDY Dane Eggert, Jr., OL, TSU Dami Oyesanya, Jr., OL, SBU Austin Keele, Jr., OL, UINDY Turner Pullen, Sr., QB, MCK Toriano Clinton, Gr., RB, UINDY Shamar Griffith, Gr., RB, TSU Narkel LeFlore, So., RB, MCK Yogi Flager, So., R, MCK Jacob Bachman, Sr., R, MCK Alonzo Derrick, So., R, UINDY Curtis Cuillard, Sr., R, SBU Matt Hall, Sr., TE, TSU Collin Sutton, Jr., O-UT, TSU Robert Greco, Sr., DL, TSU # Aaron Barnett, So., DL, UINDY Henry Preckel, Sr., DL, S&T Ben Miller, Jr., DL, TSU Dylan Shelton, So., DL, UINDY Ben Hunnius, Gr., LB, UINDY # Ben Straatmann, Sr., LB, S&T # Kiave Guerrier, Sr., LB, UINDY Isaiah Estes, Jr., LB, TSU Coleton Smith, Sr., LB, SBU Landry Mavungu, Jr., DB, UINDY # Ben Thomas, Jr., DB, TSU Ben Watson, Sr., DB, TSU Brenden Smith, Jr., DB, SBU Michael Brown, So., DB, UINDY Jake Closser, So., D-UT, TSU Grant Ross, Jr., K, TSU Parker Boyce, Sr., P, S&T Gideon Niboh, Jr., P/KR, S&T Doug Haugh, Gr., LS, UINDY Casey Voichahoske, Sr., LS, TSU   # Unanimous Selection * Extra Member Due to Tie

SECOND TEAM Cole Littrell, So., OL, S&T Andrew Johnson, So., OL, MCK Zach Clark, Jr., OL, UINDY Will Bressi, Fr., OL, SBU Jake Seidel, So., OL, S&T Ryne Buttz, Fr., OL, UINDY Cooper Callis, Gr., QB, SBU Abel Carter, Jr., RB, SBU JaQuan Buchanan, Sr., RB, UINDY Cameren Smith, Fr., RB, S&T AJ Hardin, Sr., R, QU Jalen Lawrence, Sr., R, QU Jordan Kent, So., R, SBU CJ Jarmon, So., R, S&T Deldrionn Amos, Jr., R, WJC Kevin McNelis, Gr., TE, UINDY Jeremiah Lee, So., O-UT, UINDY Kyle Borske, Jr., DL, UINDY Josh Koranda, Fr., DL, SBU Edd Becton, Jr., DL, WJC Mike Dennison, Gr., DL, UINDY Jacob Jones, Sr., DL, UINDY David Tabakovic, Jr., DL, QU Peyten Chappel, Sr., LB, QU Ulysses Ross, So., LB, TSU Wulfe Retzlaff, Gr., LB, S&T Nick Mattli, Jr., LB, S&T Adam Callahan, So., LB, WJC Carson Prenger, So., DB, S&T Kivonte Houston, So., DB, UINDY Jeran Seabolt, So., DB, SBU Peyton Carr, So., DB, TSU Andrew Sherry, So., DB, MCK Joseph Webb, So., DB, QU Sean Mitchell, Fr., DB, WJC Peyton Plunkett, Jr., D-UT, QU Logan Turner, So., K, SBU Taylor Cornish, Sr., P, TSU Markez Gillam, Fr., P/Kr., UINDY Preston Carson, Sr., LS, SBU *Extra Members Due to Tie

HONORABLE MENTION Wyatt Hall, Sr., LS, MCK Ben Thomas, Jr., P/KR, TSU Colin Seymour, Fr., K, UINDY Drew Crooks, Jr., DB, MCK Brandon Thomas, Fr., DB, UINDY Matt Lockard, Fr., DB, SBU David Lewis, So., DB, QU Luca Gualdoni, Sr., LB, MCK Clay Schulte, So., LB, UINDY Peyton Plunkett, Jr., LB, QU Bryton Lewi, Sr., LB, SBU Carson Anderson, Sr., LB, WJC Jackson Connell, Jr., LB, QU Kyle Viverito, Sr., LB, S&T Bentley Hart, So., DL, S&T Ryan Skeens, Gr., DL, SBU Cole Schnettgoecke, So., DL, QU Killian Carper, Jr., DL, SBU Jacob Stoneburner, So., DL, MCK Jordan Sprycha, So., TE, MCK Ethan Hand, So., TE, UINDY Hans Wisnewski, So., TE, QU Isaiah Wright, Jr., R, S&T Diontay Griffin, So., R, MCK Paul Sullivan, Sr., R, QU Preston Carson, Sr., R, SBU Kylan Herrera, Jr., R, SBU Tremayne Lee, Jr., RB, QU Jordan Clay, So., RB, WJC Nolan Hair, Jr., QB, TSU Tionne Harris, Jr., QB, QU Cole Hon, Sr., OL, WJC Jorge Escalante, Sr., OL, S&T Chase Barthlett, Sr., OL, SBU Austin Dearing, So., OL, QU Lucas Sartori, Fr., OL, QU Kenny Thomason, Sr., OL, MCK Jake Rich, Sr., OL, MCK Cody Brackeen, Fr., OL, SBU

 
JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP INDIVIDUAL HONOREES
JaQuan Buchanan, UINDY
Jake Bachman, MCK
Parker Boyce, S&T
Joseph Webb, QU
Cooper Callis, SBU
Justin Watson, TSU
Carson Anderson, WJC
 
JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM AWARD WINNER
Truman State