Valparaiso University football fifth-year senior Ben Niesner (Black Diamond, Wash. / Tahoma [Portland State]) has been selected to play in the SPIRAL Tropical Bowl on Jan. 15 in Orlando, Fla.

The Tropical Bowl showcases the top college football seniors to NFL scouts and General Managers, who travel from around the country for the event. The weekend is focused on teaching and scouting. Since the event’s inception in 2016, more than 350 Tropical Bowl alumni have gone on to play in the NFL. The game will take place at Camping World Stadium, also the home of the Citrus Bowl, Cheez-It Bowl and the Camping World Kickoff.

Niesner was named the Special Teams Most Valuable Player for the for the FCS Bowl by Spiral on Dec. 12 in Daytona, Beach, Fla., an annual postseason all-star game consisting of the top players from college football Division-I FCS schools. Niesner booted six punts for 301 yards, averaging 50.2 yards per punt in the game.

A two-time All-PFL First Team honoree, Niesner posted a punting average of 43.2 this season, a mark that ranked third in program history. He tied program and PFL records for single-season punting average during the Spring 2021 campaign at 43.6, earning him PFL co-Special Teams Player of the Year recognition for the spring season. Niesner finished this season with the league’s top punting average, a mark that ranked 16th nationally.

In addition, Niesner was recognized as an Academic All-PFL First Team honoree for the second straight year. He was named the PFL Special Teams Player of the Week twice this fall and four times in the calendar year of 2021.