BAY CITY, Mich. - Saginaw Valley State University senior quarterback Jonathon Jennings (Columbus, Ohio/Westerville South HS) has been named the 2013 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference "Player of the Year."
Jennings earned the GLIAC "Player of the Year" award after compiling 3,284 yards passing and 30 touchdowns this season. The senior quarterback added 470 yards rushing with 12 touchdowns as well. Jennings's 3,284 yards and average of 298.5 yards per game led the league. His 30 touchdowns were a GLIAC-best and were five more than the second highest mark. Jon broke his own SVSU single game passing record for passing yards in a single game with 541 in the team's 47-34 victory over Hillsdale. In that game, Jennings also broke the SVSU record with seven TD passes. Jennings finished his GLIAC career as the conference's all-time leader in passing yards (9,546) and total offense (10,700).
Senior wide receiver Jeff Janis (Tawas City, Mich./Tawas Area HS) was named the 2013 GLIAC "Offensive Back of the Year" for the second consecutive time. Janis earned his second-consecutive GLIAC "Offensive Back of the Year" award after posting another monster season for the Cardinals. The senior wideout hauled-in 78 catches for 1,541 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging 140.1 yards per game. Janis was the only GLIAC wide receiver to break the 1,000 yard mark and average over 100 yards per contest. The 2012 All-American selection tied the GLIAC single season record for receiving yards this season with 1,492 in conference games only. He ranks second in career yards with 3,879 in conference games, spanning from 2010-13. Janis broke his own GLIAC and SVSU record with 331 yards receiving in the team's 47-34 win over Hillsdale earlier this year. In that game, he tied a school record with four TD catches as well.
Joining Jennings and Janis on the All-GLIAC First Team are senior offensive tackle Tevon Conrad (Detroit, Mich./Pershing HS), senior defensive end Ryan Busch (Holton, Mich./Holton HS) and senior linebacker Brian Johnson (Muskegon, Mich./Catholic Central HS).
Conrad was an anchor of an offensive line that led the Cardinals to 490.2 yards per game and a scoring average of 40.5 points per game. He was named to the All-GLIAC Honorable Mention Team last season.
Busch recorded 38 tackles and three sacks with a forced fumble from the end position. He was a 2012 All-GLIAC Second Team honoree.
Johnson, an honorable mention selection in 2012, piled-up 110 tackles this season with three interceptions and a sack. His 110 stops ranked him third in the conference.
The Cardinals also had five student-athletes named Second Team All-GLIAC.
Junior tight end Andrew Dillon (Ypsilanti, Mich./Lincoln HS) emerged as a top target for SVSU. Dillon was the team's second leading receiver with 27 catches for 550 yards and five touchdowns.
Senior left guard Christian Babini (Rochester, Mich./Adams HS) joined Conrad on the left side of the line, helping SVSU to the outstanding offensive numbers.
Junior kicker Scott Stanford (Novi, Mich./Novi HS) was also named to the second team. Stanford was good on 11-of-14 field goals in 2013, with his longest coming from 51 yards out. He also knocked one in from 50 yards out. Scott broke the SVSU single season record for extra points in a season with 57, besting the previous mark of 53.
Senior defensive backs Jon Bryant (Detroit, Mich.) and DeAngelo Parris (Clinton Twp., Mich./De La Salle HS) were also named to the All-GLIAC Second Team.
Bryant was second on the team wiht 84 tackles, including four tackles for loss and an interception and blocked punt. He had two defensive touchdowns on the season.
Parris had 37 tackles and a team-high five interceptions in 2013. His five interceptions ranked him second in the conference.
SVSU had six individuals named to the All-GLIAC Honorable Mention squad as well, as senior Norman Shuford (Farmington Hills, Mich.), senior Kaleb Forr (Davison, Mich./Davison HS), juniors Logan Hauserman (Circleville, Ohio./Logan Elm HS) and Will Schwarz (Troy, Mich./Troy HS) and seniors Michael Albrecht (Midland, Mich./Midland HS) and Mason Duke (Attica, Mich./Imlay City HS) all earned that distinction.
The Cardinals finished the 2013 season with a 9-2 overall record and claimed their third consecutive GLIAC North Division Championship after posting a 9-1 record in league play. They travel to Grand Valley State to play an opening round contest in the 2013 NCAA Division II Playoffs. Kickoff is set for 1:00 pm in Allendale.