Four GLVC Football Programs Awarded Major Conference Honors

INDIANAPOLIS – The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) announced Monday that four GLVC programs earned major awards. Indianapolis earned Player of the Year and Co-Special Teams Player of the Year. Quincy garnered Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Truman State was awarded Coach of the Year, while Upper Iowa gleaned the other Co-Special Teams Player of the Year.
 
The Indianapolis honorees include senior quarterback Gavin Sukup as Offensive Player of the Year, junior return specialist Anthony Crowell as Co-Special Teams Player of the Year. Quincy's include Jaylin Vaughn as Defensive Player of the Year, and Bradyn Little as Freshman of the Year. Truman State's honoree was head coach Kellen Nesbitt, as named by his peers, and Upper Iowa's is Nathan Behne as Co-Special Teams Player of the Year. In total, 112 student-athletes claimed All-Conference honors with 36 on the First Team, 38 Second Team and 38 Honorable Mention, while nine were chosen as GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship honorees for the sport and Missouri S&T 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: Gavin Sukup, Senior, Quarterback, Indianapolis

• Becomes UIndy's eighth Offensive Player of the Year overall and the first ever player to win the award three times.
• Led GLVC through 12 games overall in total passing yards (3,484), passing touchdowns (38), passing yards per game (290.3), passing efficiency (199.4), total yards (3,782), and total yards per game (315.2).
• Led GLVC in eight Conference contests in completion percentage (75.6), passing yards (2,237), passing touchdowns (29), passing efficiency (209.4), total yards (2,528), and total yard per game (316.0).
• Led Division II in completion percentage (.735), passing efficiency (199.40), and yards per attempt (10.75).
  • Second in passing touchdowns (38) and points responsible for (260), and third in passing yards (3,484).
• Named GLVC Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 6, Nov. 10, and Nov. 17.
• Earns third career All-GLVC accolade as the First Team quarterback.

 
Defensive Player of the Year: Jaylin Vaughn, Senior, Defensive Line, Quincy

• Becomes Quincy's second Defensive Player of the Year after linebacker Cody Leonard nabbed the award in 2018.
  • Third Quincy major award winner
• Tied for second in the conference in forced fumbles (3), and fumbles recovered (2), tied for third in sacks (7), and sixth in tackles for loss (12.0),
• Joint-top of forced fumbles (2) and fumbles recovered (2) in conference only games.
  • Tied for second in sacks (5.5) and tied for fourth in tackles for loss (9.0)
• Earns second-straight All-GLVC honor, this year being named to the First Team after being named to the Second Team last season.

 
Co-Special Teams Player of the Year: Nathan Behne, Sophomore, Kicker/Punter, Upper Iowa

• Becomes Upper Iowa's first-ever Special Teams Player of the Year, and GLVC major honor.
• Topped the GLVC in punting average (43.3)
  • Placed fifth in kicker scoring with 67 points, 6.1 per game, and ninth in total scoring
• In Conference games, leads the GLVC in punting average (44.7). also is fourth in kicker scoring (54, 6.8 per game)
• Named GLVC Special Teams Player of the Week on Oct. 20 and Nov. 3.
• Earns first All-GLVC accolade on the Second Team.

 
Co-Special Teams Player of the Year: Anthony Crowell, Junior, Return Specialist, Indianapolis

• Becomes UIndy's sixth Special Teams Player of the Year
• Returned one kickoff return for a touchdown.
• Sits atop Conference stats in overall games through 12 contests with 225 punt return yards, a 15.0 average.
• In Conference games, leads the GLVC in punt return yards at 219, and punt return average (15.6).
• Earns third All-GLVC accolade but the first on the Second Team after making the First Team in 2023 and 2024.

Freshman of the Year: Bradyn Little, Quarterback, Quincy

• Becomes Quincy's second Freshman of the Year joining Chris Harris is 2014.
  • Fourth Quincy major award winner.
• Ranked fourth in GLVC through eleven games in completion percentage (65.2), and passing yards (2,492), fifth in average yards per game (226.5), sixth in total yards (2,527) and seventh in total yards per game (228.8)
• Played in eight GLVC games and stands fifth in completion percentage (64.8), sixth in passing yards (1,856), and yards per game (232), eighth in total yards (1,852), and total yards per game (231.5).
• Named GLVC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 2.

 
Coach of the Year: Kellen Nesbitt, Truman State

• Voted by his peers as Coach of the Year for the first time
  • Joins his father Gregg Nesbitt as the only Truman State coaches to garner the award.
• Led Truman to a 8-4 overall record and 7-1 GLVC record to place second in the GLVC
• Earned first NCAA Division II Playoff bid since 1994.
• Guided 15 players to All-GLVC distinction, including seven on the First Team, six on the Second Team, and two Honorable Mention.

 
Indianapolis led the league with 26 All-Conference honorees and 13 on the First Team, followed by Upper Iowa (18), Truman State (15), McKendree, (13), Missouri S&T (12), Southwest Baptist (10), Quincy (8), Lincoln (7), and William Jewell (3),
 
The nine 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 2025 All-GLVC teams and postseason honors can be found below.
 
Offensive Player of the Year: Gavin Sukup, Sr., QB, Indianapolis #
Defensive Player of the Year: Jaylin Vaughn, Sr., DL, Quincy
Co-Special Teams Player of the Year: Nathan Behne, So., K/P, Upper Iowa
                                                                Anthony Crowell, Jr., RS, Indianapolis
Freshman of the Year: Bradyn Little, Fr., QB, Quincy
Coach of the Year: Kellen Nesbitt, Truman State
 

FIRST TEAM Brandon Stuckey, R-So., OL, UINDY Ryne Buttz, Sr., OL, UINDY Greg Krupa, So., OL, TSU Grant Ray, Sr., OL, UINDY Klay Seehase, R-Jr., OL, UIU Wyatt Bonnett, So., OL, TSU Gavin Sukup, Sr., QB, UINDY Denim Cook, Sr., RB, TSU Garrett Sherrell, So., RB, UINDY Eddie Clark, Jr., RB, MCK Kamau Ransom, Sr., WR, SBU Mante Morrow, Sr., WR, UIU Alonzo Derrick, R-Sr., WR, UINDY Marcus Harris, Jr., WR, LIN Eddie Burgess, Sr., TE, UIU Garrett Sherrell, So., O-UT, UINDY Jaylin Vaughn, Sr., DL, QU Danny Royster, R-Jr., DL, UINDY Dameion Hatten, Sr., DL, MCK Shaquille Roman, Sr., DL, UIU Caleb Saner, R-So., DL, SBU Jalen Wilson, R-Sr., LB, UINDY Brock Inman, Gr., LB, QU Alvin Contreras, So., LB, UINDY Ricky Woodhouse, Jr., LB, SBU Jack Weltha, Jr., LB, TSU TJ Easley-Jones, R-Jr., DB, UINDY Eli Liapis, So., DB, UINDY Jaxin Patterson, So., DB, TSU Tade Parsons, R-Jr., DB, UIU Connor Baxley, Sr., DB, TSU Alvin Contreras, So., D-UT, UINDY Chase Reeves, So., K, MCK Chase Reeves, So., P, MCK Thomas Pulliam, R-Fr., RS, TSU Graham Carter, Sr., LS, S&T

SECOND TEAM* Connor Andresen, Gr., OL, UIU Tyler Leopold, R-Jr., OL, UINDY Austin Mahoney, Jr., OL, S&T Khi'Len Gates, So., OL, LIN Nicholas Cicero, Sr., OL, MCK Keiveion Anderson, R-Jr., OL, UINDY Dylan Hair, Jr., QB, TSU Juseters Fataki, R-Fr., RB, UINDY Evan Wells, R-Fr., RB, S&T Jayden Gordon, R-Fr., RB, UIU Avery Lambert, Sr., WR, SBU Nathan Ryan, Jr., WR, TSU Markez Gillam, Sr., WR, UINDY Reid Weber, Sr., WR, S&T Gerard Grewe, So., TE, TSU Gerard Grewe, So., O-UT, TSU Bentley Hart, Sr., DL, S&T Eddy Latanauskas, Sr., DL, UIU Cornell Branch IV, R-Jr., DL, UINDY Thomas Spaulding, Sr., DL, TSU Tanner Hollerich, Sr., DL, MCK Brock Wiley, Jr., LB, QU Nick Bova, Jr., LB, MCK Jerrell Franklin, Jr., R-So., LB, UINDY Logan Turbyfill, Sr., LB, MCK Justin Gniedziejko, Sr., LB, S&T Cyris Davis, R-Fr., DB, MCK Jed Brandon, Gr., DB, SBU Kendrick Adimado, So., DB, QU Mario Williams, So., DB, UINDY Avery Dixon, R-Jr., DB, UIU Yashua Pettis-Taylor, Jr., DB, UIU Jack Weltha, Jr., D-UT, TSU Nathan Behne, So., K, UIU Nathan Behne, So., P, UIU Anthony Crowell, Jr., RS, UINDY Markez Gillam, Sr., RS, UINDY Corey Rocchietti, R-So., LS, UINDY   *Extra Member due to Tie.

HONORABLE MENTION Ryan McDonough, Jr., OL, UIU Wade Moore, Jr., OL, SBU Tre Wince III, Sr., OL, QU Nick Perry, R-So., OL, UIU Kunmi Ibrahim, So., OL, S&T Nathan Smith, Gr., OL, QU Kerwin Williams, Jr., OL, WJC Mason Dempsey, R-Fr., OL, SBU Sam Gravert, So., OL, S&T Drew Sandefur, So., OL, S&T Jack Bishop, Jr., OL, QU Nash Gagliano, Sr., OL, WJC Darryl Overstreet, Jr., Sr., QB, UIU Jareese Howard, So., RB, LIN Jobe Smith, Jr., RB, SBU Collin Parsons, So., RB, QU Jay Ford, Sr., WR, MCK Cobi Lewis, Sr., WR, UINDY Daryle Jones, Jr., R-Fr., WR, MCK Quincy Hall, Jr., So., WR, MCK Jacob McGhee, So., DL, LIN Demontay Mack, Jr., DL, UIU Joshua Koranda, Sr., DL, SBU Derrick Von Hubbard, R-Jr., DL, WJC Tyler Hart, Gr., DL, SBU Tyler Shanks, Jr., DL, TSU Evan Dorn, So., LB, UIU Seneca Bradley, Jr., LB, S&T Cameron Sturgell, So., LB, S&T Jordan Hoskins, Sr., LB, LIN Trevor Thompson, Gr., LB, UIU Leroy Tellis, Sr., DB, LIN Jalyn Givan, R-Sr., DB, UINDY Dominic Grand, Jr., DB, TSU Mylan Nettles, So., DB, MCK Anthony Crowell, Jr., DB, UINDY Max Barnes, So., DB, S&T Nathan Harden, So., DB, LIN

 
JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES
Jalyn Givan, UINDY
Isaiah Franklin, LIN
Eddie Clark, MCK
Jake Farrell, S&T
Brock Inman, QU
Josh Koranda, SBU
Nate Ryan, TSU
Darryl Overstreet, Jr., UIU
Derrick Von Hubbard, WJC
 
JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD TEAM WINNER
Missouri S&T