UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – Saginaw Valley State redshirt-sophomore quarterback Mason McKenzie highlighted the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) awards by being selected the 2025 conference Player of the Year.
The Cardinals earned 16 All-GLIAC selections. Four players made the First-Team All-GLIAC: McKenzie, Michael Jamerson III, and Terrence Brown Jr. on offense, plus Adom LeDuc on defense. Seven SVSU players were named to the Second Team, three on offense (Ryan Whitely, Shaun Shahu, Teagen Lenderink) and four on defense (Christian Boivin, Jaden Bevier, DJ Voltz, Sean Hodges).
Five Cardinals earned All-GLIAC Honorable Mention: Timothy Alonzo Jr., Joe Botello, Eric Craft, James McDonald, and Tyus Thompson.
McKenzie claims his second major GLIAC award with his Player of the Year selection this season. The 2024 GLIAC Freshman of the Year had a stellar sophomore campaign. He led the Cardinals in both passing yards (2,086) and rushing yards (942) this season, topping the GLIAC in total offense with 275.3 yards per game—a mark that ranks 22nd in Division II. The Caledonia, Michigan, native hit the 200-passing-yard mark four times this season and rushed for 100 yards five times, combining the passing and rushing totals twice this season (Northeastern State 243 passing/101 rushing and Northern Michigan 243 passing/110 rushing). He scored 27 total touchdowns (17 passing/10 rushing), scoring at least one of each in 10 of the 11 games this year. His best performance came in week 10, where he accounted for five of the six Cardinal touchdowns in the game (2 passing/3 rushing).
"Mason was the most exciting player in the GLIAC this season. It has been incredible how quickly he has developed. I credit Mason's relentless work ethic and his desire to be elite. He is an outstanding leader, and his teammates thrive off his competitiveness and will to win. Mason is one of the best players I have ever coached, and he's just scratched the surface of his true potential. One of my favorite qualities about Mason is he loves to compete at everything!" said SVSU head coach Ryan Brady.
Jamerson III finished as the team's second-leading rusher with 557 yards on 117 carries, averaging 4.8 yards per run and ranking seventh in the GLIAC for total rushing yards. He scored eight total touchdowns, including a league sixth-best seven on the ground, and added 12 receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown.
Brown Jr. had an excellent season after shifting from the backfield to wide receiver for the Cardinals in 2025. He led the team with 57 receptions for 689 yards and eight receiving touchdowns. He tied for the lead in the GLIAC for touchdown receptions and was second in the conference in receiving yards. His standout performance came during homecoming, when he caught eight passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns against Northern Michigan. Brown Jr., from Detroit, also contributed 21 carries for 221 rushing yards and three touchdowns, totaling 11 touchdowns and ranking second on the team with 66 points.
LeDuc paced all Cardinal defensive linemen with 51 tackles, including 3.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss. He notched a career-high 10 tackles against Northeastern State in the opener—his first double-digit tackle game—and finished tied for third-most sacks in the GLIAC.
Whitely started all 11 games at guard and anchored an SVSU offensive line that ranked third in rushing and fifth in passing in the GLIAC.
Shahu, a redshirt junior, started all 11 games at tackle, supporting SVSU's offense in ranking third in rushing and fifth in passing in the conference.
Lenderink led SVSU's kicking game, making 8-of-15 field goals, highlighted by a career-long 53-yarder in a 20-19 win over Grand Valley State. In that victory, he accounted for half the Cardinals' points (3 field goals, 1 extra point), earning him GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week. The junior also punted 30 times for 1,163 yards, leading the team in that category.
Boivin was the defensive leader for SVSU with 105 tackles (second-most in the GLIAC), along with 3.5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, a forced fumble, and four pass breakups. He posted double-digit tackles five times, with 18 in the season opener and a two-interception, 15-tackle game in week 10.
Bevier ranked second in tackles on the Cardinal defense with 57 stops, led the team with 4.0 sacks, recorded 8.0 tackles for loss, and forced a fumble. His top games included eight tackles each in the opener and week nine.
Voltz appeared in all 11 games, contributing 18 tackles, seven pass breakups, and an interception in the defensive backfield.
Hodges played in all 11 games, finishing sixth on the team with 43 tackles and leading with eight pass breakups (tied for the GLIAC lead). He added 5.5 tackles for loss, an interception on homecoming, and a career-best nine tackles in the opener.
Alonzo Jr. appeared in all 11 games on the defensive line, finishing with 23 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, and three pass breakups.
Botello played in six games, with four starts over the last five games of the season on the SVSU offensive line, helping the Cardinals rank third in rushing and fifth in passing in the GLIAC.
Craft played all 11 games, finishing with 19 catches for 241 yards and two touchdowns. He caught three passes three times (Northern Michigan, Ferris State, Michigan Tech), with his best effort coming in the finale: three catches, 33 yards, and a score.
McDonald saw action in nine games and ranked fifth on the team with 50 tackles, reaching double-digit stops three times. His top showing was 12 tackles, leading the team in the 20-19 win at Grand Valley State.
Thompson appeared in all 11 games for the Cardinals during the 2025 season. He anchored the SVSU offensive line at center and played a crucial role in the team finishing third in the league in rushing and fifth in passing.