The Valparaiso University football program continued to haul in postseason recognition on Wednesday as a pair of rookies received Freshman All-American honors from HERO Sports for their performances this spring. Defensive back Keyon Turner (Chicago, Ill. / Marist) and kick returner Charlie Maxwell (Elkhart, Ind. / Elkhart Christian Academy) both earned the high accolade.
The lone freshman on the All-Pioneer Football League First Team, Turner finished his season as the FCS nation’s true leader in takeaways with six. He recovered fumbles in Week 1 and Week 6 sandwiched around a four-game stretch of contests with an interception in Weeks 2-5. The rookie was named the co-PFL Defensive Player of the Week for Week 3.
Turner’s four picks helped him become one of only five Valpo players with four or more interceptions in a single season over the last 12 years despite the fact that this year’s slate was shortened to six games. The FCS National Freshman of the Year finalist ranked in the top 10 nationally in interceptions per game, led the nation in interceptions per game among freshmen, became the first Valpo player with interceptions in four straight games in over two decades and became the first Valpo freshman with four interceptions in a season in over 20 years.
A Second Team All-PFL honoree, Maxwell finished his season as the FCS national leader in kickoff return average at 29.8 yards per return. He was named a national player of the week honorable mention following his Week 6 performance against San Diego, which featured an 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. He accrued 151 return yards in that game, the most by any PFL player in a single contest this season. The 86 yarder marked the second-longest return by a PFL player this year.
Freshman All-American
Offense
QB Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State
QB Cameron Ward, Incarnate Word
QB Tony Muskett, Monmouth
RB Isaiah Davis, South Dakota State
RB Devon Starling, Tennessee State
RB Dontae McMillan, Weber State
RB Lan Larison, UC Davis
RB Damonta Witherspoon, Murray State
OL Evan Roussel, Nicholls
OL Grey Zabel, North Dakota State
OL Justice Guillory, Stephen F. Austin
OL Michael Dorundo, Duquesne
OL Clayton Frady, Gardner-Webb
WR Antwane Wells Jr., James Madison
WR Bo Belquist, North Dakota
WR Yogi Flager, Butler
WR Ty James, Mercer
WR Josh Sterns, Houston Baptist
TE Ethan Howard, Southern
Defense
DL Jared Verse, Albany
DL Ty French, Gardner-Webb
DL Carson Hatchett, The Citadel
DL Eli Mostaert, North Dakota State
DL Jonathan Hammond, Davidson
DL Caleb Fox, Stephen F. Austin
LB Isaac Dowling, Mercer
LB Adam Bock, South Dakota State
LB Jaylen Swain, Jacksonville State
LB Jamar Shegog, Robert Morris
DB Myles Harden, South Dakota
DB Keyon Turner, Valparaiso
DB Pig Cage, Nicholls
DB Alijah Huzzie, ETSU
DB Braiden Clopton, Sam Houston
DB Dorian Davis, Western Carolina
Special Teams
P Zach Haynes, SEMO
P Scotty Roblow, Northwestern State
K Seth Morgan, Sam Houston
K Tyler Larco, UT Martin
LS Micah Torres-Whitmer, Grambling State
PR Alijah Huzzie, ETSU
KR Charlie Maxwell, Valparaiso
Sophomore All-American
Offense
QB Justin Miller, Southern Utah
QB John Bachus III, UT Martin
QB Jeff Undercuffler, Albany
RB Juwon Farri, Monmouth
RB Otis Weah, North Dakota
RB Geno Hess, Southeast Missouri
RB Javon Williams Jr., Southern Illinois
FB Hunter Luepke, North Dakota State
OL Garret Greenfield, South Dakota State
OL Mason McCormick, South Dakota State
OL Bucky Williams, Austin Peay
OL Tylan Grable, Jacksonville State
OL Noah Atagi, Weber State
OL Isaiah Helms, Western Carolina
OL Prince Pines, Sam Houston
WR Tyler Hudson, Central Arkansas
WR Hayden Hatten, Idaho
WR Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim, Alabama A&M
WR Xavier Gipson, Stephen F. Austin
WR Jaxon Janke, South Dakota State
TE Derek Kline, San Diego
TE McCallan Castles, UC Davis
Defense
DL Jevon Leon, Sam Houston
DL Davoan Hawkins, Tennessee State
DL Micheal Mason, Wofford
DL Logan Jessup, Central Arkansas
DL Damon Washington, Lafayette
LB Stone Snyder, VMI
LB Tristan Wheeler, Richmond
LB Jason Johnson, Eastern Illinois
LB Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross
LB Donovan Manuel, ETSU
DB Chris Edmonds, Samford
DB Nicario Harper, Jacksonville State
DB Eddie Heckard, Weber State
DB Cody Cline, Charleston Southern
DB Noah Plack, Delaware
DB Lance Wise, Mercer
DB Montrae Braswell, Missouri State
DB Marcis Floyd, Murray State
Special Teams
P Timmy Bleekrode, Furman
K Matthew Cook, Northern Iowa
LS Robert Soderholm, VMI
PR Devron Harper, Gardner-Webb
KR Cameron Myers, Central Arkansas
All-American (All Classes)
Offense
QB Eric Barriere, Eastern Washington
QB Eric Schmid, Sam Houston
QB Cole Kelley, Southeastern Louisiana
RB Julius Chestnut, Sacred Heart
RB Otis Weah, North Dakota
RB Pierre Strong Jr., South Dakota State
OL Cordell Volson, North Dakota State
OL Drew Himmelman, Illinois State
OL Mason McCormick, South Dakota State
OL PJ Burkhalter, Nicholls
OL Raymond Gillespie, James Madison
WR Jakob Herres, VMI
WR Jequez Ezzard, Sam Houston
WR Tyler Hudson, Central Arkansas
TE Trae Barry, Jacksonville State
Defense
DL Isaiah Chambers, McNeese
DL Jared Brinkman, Northern Iowa
DL Mike Greene, James Madison
DL Joseph Wallace, Sam Houston
DL Jordan Lewis, Southern
LB Colby Campbell, Presbyterian
LB Stone Snyder, VMI
LB Tre Walker, Idaho
LB Ryan Greenhagen, Fordham
LB Storey Jackson, Prairie View A&M
LB Logan Backhaus, South Dakota State
DB Kordell Jackson, Austin Peay
DB Robert Rochell, Central Arkansas
DB Nicario Harper, Jacksonville State
DB Qua Brown, Southern Illinois
DB Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston
Special Teams
P Daniel Whelan, UC Davis
P Garret Wegner, North Dakota State
K Ethan Ratke, James Madison
LS Robert Soderholm, VMI
PR Jequez Ezzard, Sam Houston
KR Christian Watson, North Dakota State
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