Jeff Ligney Director of Media Relations 1110 Washington Ave. Bay City, MI 48708 Voice: (989) 894-229 Fax: (989) 894-2825 E-mail: [email protected] web site: www.gliac.org/mens/football/ November 9, 2005 For immediate release SVSU’s John DiGiorgio Named 2005 GLIAC Football Player of the Year 2005 GLIAC Football Postseason Awards Player of the Year: John DiGiorgio, Saginaw Valley State University Freshman of the Year: Luke Krombach, Northwood University Offensive Back of the Year: Cullen Finnerty, Grand Valley State University Offensive Lineman of the Year: Josh Bourke, Grand Valley State University Defensive Back of the Year: Devin Conwell, Ashland University Defensive Lineman of the Year: Michael McFadden, Grand Valley State University Coach of the Year: Lee Owens, Ashland University BAY CITY, Mich. -- Saginaw Valley State University senior linebacker John DiGiorgio (Shelby Twp., Mich./Utica Eisenhower) was named the 2005 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Football “Player of the Year” in balloting conducted by the league’s head coaches. Northwood University offensive center Luke Krombach (Grayslake, Ill./Carmel) was voted “Freshman of the Year” while Ashland University’s Lee Owens garnered “Coach of the Year” honors. The rest of the GLIAC’s postseason awards were chosen as follows: junior quarterback Cullen Finnerty (Brighton, Mich.) of Grand Valley State University was named “Offensive Back of the Year;” senior safety Devin Conwell (Baltimore, Md./Montgomery C.C.) of Ashland earned “Defensive Back of the Year” honors; senior tackle Josh Bourke (Tecumseh, Ontario/Orchard Lake St. Marys) of Grand Valley State was named “Offensive Lineman of the Year;” while fellow Laker, junior Michael McFadden (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage), earned the League’s “Defensive Lineman of the Year” title. DiGiorgio ranked second in the GLIAC and eighth nationally in tackles this season, averaging 11.5 stops per game. DiGiorgio topped the 100-tackle mark for the third straight year in 2005 with 115 tackles, including 62 solo stops, which ranked seventh in Division II. DiGiorgio is the all-time leading tackler in SVSU history with 435 tackles in 45 career games. Prior to this season, he was named Second Team All-Under Appreciated by Consensus Draft Services and was also a Preseason All-American candidate. DiGiorgio was named First Team All-GLIAC last season and Second Team All-Region by D2Football.com and Daktronics. He has a career-high of 21 tackles, which occurred in the 2003 NCAA Division II playoffs against Edinboro (Pa.) in a first round matchup. John has recorded 10 or more tackles in 25 career games and is averaging 9.7 tackles per game for his career. -more- ALL-GLIAC Football Release, 11-9-05 Page 2 of 4 He has played well in big games this season and during his career for the Cardinals. He tallied 14 tackles in the 2005 season-opener at nationally-ranked Northwood, and posted 13 tackles at No. 1 Grand Valley State this season. He recorded nine tackles for loss and five sacks this season, while forcing two fumbles and seven pass breakups. Krombach became Northwood’s starting center as a freshman, and he has been a key contributor to the Timberwolves’ rushing attack. Northwood currently leads the nation in rushing yardage at 331.5 yards per game. Krombach has helped Northwood average 6.5 yards per carry and allowed just six quarterback sacks in 141 passing attempts this season. Owens is in his second season at Ashland after nine seasons as the head coach of the University of Akron. He guided the Eagles to a 9-2 record after a 5-6 finish in 2004. The last time AU won nine games was in 1997. The Eagles ended the year with a six-game winning streak, AU’s longest winning streak since the 1998 team reeled off a six-game winning streak. In the two seasons before Owens arrived on campus, the Eagles went a combined 4-18. With Owens at the controls, runningbacks Antwan Hart (2004) and Jason Schwalm (2005) have set school single- season records for rushing, Devin Conwell has become one of the top defensive players in the country, and this year’s team is ranked second in the nation in scoring defense. Finnerty, the 2003 GLIAC Freshman of the Year, completed 113-of-196 passes for 1,685 yards and 14 touchdowns, while rushing for 401 yards and seven scores on 86 carries. Finnerty tallied a league-best 149.36 pass efficiency rating, while ranking fourth in passing yards per game (187.2) and fifth in total offense (231.8). Cullen concluded the year with a league-low four interceptions in 196 attempts (1 INT/50 attempts). Bourke has been a key figure amongst a Grand Valley State offensive line that is averaging over 225.0 yards rushing and passing per game, becoming just one of six teams in Division II to accomplish that feat. The Laker offen- sive line has yielded just eight quarterback sacks in 234 passing attempts this campaign. Bourke, a 2003 First-Team All-GLIAC honoree and the 2003 GVSU Lineman of the Year, has started each of the last 38 games he has played. Conwell moved to safety from linebacker this season and spearheaded a unit that is ranked second in the country in scoring defense, eighth in total defense and ninth in rush defense. Conwell finished the year with 79 tackles (36 solo) and three interceptions, returning one pick 98 yards for a touchdown. He had four tackles for loss and six pass breakups this season. A year ago, he led the nation in solo tackles (80). This is the second straight season Conwell has been a first-team All-GLIAC selection. McFadden leads Grand Valley State with 12 quarterback sacks and 12 tackles for loss during the 2005 football campaign. McFadden, who has 60 total tackles on the year, has recorded a sack and a tackle for loss in every game played this season, a streak that extends nine games. Mike ranks ninth nationally and third in the GLIAC in sacks per game (1.3) and seventh in the GLIAC in tackles for loss (12.0). -more- ALL-GLIAC Football Release, 11-9-05 Page 3 of 4 2005 GLIAC All-Conference Football Teams First-Team Offense Position Name School Yr. Hometown QB Cullen Finnerty Grand Valley State Jr. Brighton, Mich. RB Lee Marana Michigan Tech Jr. Ishpeming, Mich./Westwood RB Astin Martin Grand Valley State Jr. Grand Rapids, Mich./Toledo RB Jason Schwalm Ashland Sr. Kenosha, Wis./Dublin Coffman H-Back Keith Recker Hillsdale Sr. Delphos, Ohio/St. John’s WR Carlton Brewster Ferris State Sr. Grand Rapids, Mich./Creston WR Brandon Langston Grand Valley State Sr. Northville, Mich. WR Vincent Mayfield Northern Michigan Sr. Grand Rapids, Mich./East Kentwood WR Yared Yearby Northwood Sr. Detroit, Mich./Crockett OL Brandon Barnes Grand Valley State So. Detroit, Mich./Pershing OL Josh Bourke Grand Valley State Sr. Tecumseh, Ont./Orchard Lake St. Mary’s OL Nick Degg Northwood Sr. Pinconning, Mich. OL Blake Dickson Ashland Sr. North Canton, Ohio/Jackson OL David Kopke Michigan Tech Sr. Hancock, Mich. OL Mike Marko Northwood Sr. Battle Creek, Mich./Lakeview PK Scott Greene Grand Valley State Sr. Hartland, Mich. Spec. Chad Gurica Hillsdale Sr. Adrian, Mich. First-Team Defense Position Name School Yr. Hometown DL Kyle Clement Northwood So. Hudsonville, Mich. DL Damion DeRosia Saginaw Valley State Jr. Flint, Mich./E.A. Johnson DL Michael McFadden Grand Valley State Jr. Saginaw, Mich./Heritage DL Leo Wells Wayne State Sr. Detroit, Mich./Hamtramck DL Kyle Zelazny Ashland Jr. Westerville, Ohio/South LB Matt Beaty Grand Valley State So. Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech LB John DiGiorgio Saginaw Valley State Sr. Shelby Twp., Mich./Utica Eisenhower LB Charleston Hughes Northwood Jr. Saginaw, Mich. LB Brady Miller Ashland Jr. Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder LB Bruce Renner Indianapolis Sr. Delphos, Ohio/Jefferson DB Joe Ballard Grand Valley State Sr. Chesaning, Mich. DB Devin Conwell Ashland Sr. Baltimore, Md./Montgomery C.C. DB Melvyn Griffin Findlay Sr. Columbus, Ohio/Reynoldsburg DB Jon Horn Northwood Sr. Battle Creek, Mich./Central DB Carl Lile Indianapolis Sr. Indianapolis, Ind./North Central P Bill Koenig Michigan Tech Jr. Warren, Mich./Cousino 2005 All-GLIAC Honorable Mention Team Ashland: Vince Cashdollar (Jr./OL), Ray Frisbee (Sr./LS), Jeremy Crabtree (Jr./LB), Chris Holland (Jr./DB), Chris Meyer (So./DL); Ferris State: Brandis Bowie (Sr./WR), Ryan Kaul (Jr./QB), Michael Klobucher (Jr./LB), Jim Skodak (Jr./CB), Jake Visser (Fr./DT) Findlay: Joel McDaniel (So./RB), Robby Rouault (Sr./WR), Mike Patrick (Jr./ OL), Nick Notario (Jr./LB), Caleb Meyer (So./DB); Gannon: Jason Sibley (Jr./OL), Ron Bailey (Sr./RB), Joe Dipre (Jr./LB), Rich Lee (So./LB), Greg Pullen (Sr./OL); Grand Valley State: Mike Pinter (Sr./OL), Chris Stoddard (Sr./ OL), Matt Regnery (Sr./P), Bill Brechin (So./DB) Hillsdale: Steve Upchurch (Sr./DL), Phil Martin (So./RB), Ike Dougherty (Jr./OL), Matt Vanover (So./P), Eric Weber (Fr./DL) . (Continued on page 4) -more- ALL-GLIAC Football Release, 11-9-05 Page 4 of 4 2005 GLIAC All-Conference Football Teams Second-Team Offense Position Name School Yr. Hometown QB Buddy Rivera Northern Michigan So. Grandville, Mich. RB Daryl Graham Michigan Tech Jr. Detriot, Mich./St. Martin De Porres RB Chris Gruse Northwood Sr. Taylor, Mich./Wyandotte Mt. Carmel RB Chris Middlebrooks Wayne State Jr. Romulus, Mich. H-Back Brian Mong Ashland Sr. Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Watterson WR Nick Body Wayne State Jr. Ortonville, Mich./Our Lady of the Lakes WR Eric Fowler Grand Valley State Jr. New Haven, Mich WR Brian Janeshek Michigan Tech Sr. Green Bay, Wis./Preble WR Dalorean White Ashland Sr.