UIndy Leads GLVC Preseason Poll

August 1st, 2025 10:00am

INDIANAPOLIS – The University of Indianapolis was voted in the preseason coaches’ poll as the unanimous choice to win the 2025 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) football title, the league office announced on Friday.

The preseason poll is selected by the league’s nine head coaches, who are not permitted to vote for their own team, per GLVC bylaws.

No. 1 Indianapolis

Received all eight of the possible first-place votes and 64 total points.
Head coach Chris Keevers enters his seventh season at the helm of the program, recording a 10-2 mark overall and 8-0 Conference record en route to winning his fourth league crown and GLVC Coach of the Year award in 2024.
Finished season ranked No. 19 in American Football Coaches’ Association (AFCA) poll, reaching as high as No. 14.
Garnered third consecutive NCAA Division II playoff bid last season, falling to Grand Valley State on the road in the first round.
UIndy returns 14 starters, including nine on offense and three on defense.
The Greyhound offense will be led by back-to-back GLVC Offensive Player of the Year, quarterback Gavin Sukup.
UIndy brings back 16 letterwinners on the defensive side of the ball, including All-GLVC honorees Jalyn Givan (Second Team, CB) and Brandon Smith (HM, DE).
Kick returner Markez Gillam is back for his senior season after earning Don Hansen All-America Honorable Mention recognition last year with 33.5 yards per return – ranked third in DII – and 2 touchdowns.

No. 2 Truman State

Received the other first-place vote and 57 total points.
Have won one GLVC title when it shared the crown in 2016 with Southwest Baptist.
Head coach Kellen Nesbitt enters his second season after notching an 8-4 overall record and 6-2 GLVC mark in 2024 under the interim tag.
The Bulldogs won the America’s Crossroads Bowl for the fourth time last season, beating Tiffin 29-10.
Truman returns 16 starters, including seven on offense and five on defense.
Key returning offensive contributors include a pair of All-GLVC Second Team members – quarterback Dylan Hair and running back Denim Cook – along with GLVC Freshman of the Year Jackson Overton (WR).
Defensive end Thomas Spaulding highlights the defensive players returning to Kirksville after claiming first-team honors last year.

No. 3 Upper Iowa

Received 43 total points.
Head coach Jason Hoskins enters his sixth season, recording his best campaign in Fayette with a 7-4 overall record and 6-2 in league mark.
Upper Iowa returns numerous familiar faces, as 14 starters and 56 letterwinners come back for 2025.
The Peacock offense will feature eight returning players, highlighted by All-GLVC Second Team selections Mante Morrow (WR) and Klay Seehase (OL).
Five Upper Iowa defensive players are back this season after earning All-GLVC honors last season, including three second-team honorees – Trevor Thompson (LB), Michael Mulherin (LB), Eddie Latanauskas (DL) – and honorable-mention selections Avery Dixon (DB) and Braden Powers (DL).

No. 4 Quincy

Received 39 total points.
Head coach Jason Killday enters his second season at the helm, registering a 6-4 overall mark and 5-3 GLVC record in 2024.
The Hawks return 11 starters, including six on defense and four on offense.
Offensive returners are headlined by a pair of All-GLVC offensive linemen in Nate Smith (Second Team) and Tre Wince III (Honorable Mention).
Four players come back on the defensive side who earned All-GLVC recognition last season: Brock Inman (1st, LB), Jaylin Vaughn (2nd, DL), Matt Austin (HM, DL), and Brock Wiley (HM, LB).

No. 5 McKendree

Received 37 total points.
Head coach Jason Rejfek enters his second season after serving as the interim mentor last season.
The Bearcats went 5-6 overall and 4-4 in conference games in 2024.
McKendree returns 14 starters, including seven on offense and six on defense.
Running back Eddie Clark will lead the Bearcat offense on the ground after earning All-GLVC Second Team honors last season.
23 letterwinners are back on defense, highlighted by second-team defensive end Tanner Hollerich.

No. 6 Missouri S&T

Received 35 total points.
Andy Ball comes into his fourth season as the Miners’ head mentor, finishing with a 3-5 Conference record while going 4-7 overall last year.
S&T returns 16 starters, including six on both offense and defense.
On the offensive side, All-GLVC Second Team offensive lineman Nadeem Ayoub and Honorable Mention tight end Justic Braden highlight the returners.
The top defensive players coming back include second-team selection Justin Gniedziejko (DB) and third-team honoree Bentley Hart (DE).
Special teams will feature two All-GLVC performers from last season: long snapper Graham Carter (1st) and punter Logan Jacobson (2nd).

No. 7 William Jewell

Received 25 total points.
Head coach Jason Ambroson enters his second season after leading the Cardinals to a 5-6 overall record and 3-5 GLVC mark in 2024.
Jewell brings back 13 starters for this season, with seven on offense and six on defense.
The offensive returners are spotlighted by All-GLVC Honorable Mention wide receiver AJ Austene.
On the other side of the ball, Derrick Von Hubbard and Justin Endicott return to anchor the defensive line, while Caleb Donnell, Keagan Hart, and Max McKenzie are back to patrol the secondary.

No. 8 Southwest Baptist

Received 15 total points.
SBU has won one GLVC title when it shared the league crown with Truman in 2016.
Paul Hansen will lead the Bearcats in 2025 after spending the last five seasons as head coach at MidAmerica Nazarene.
SBU finished last season with a 2-8 overall mark and 1-7 conference mark.
The Bearcats return 13 starters, including seven on defense and four on offense.
Running back Jobe Smith and wideout Kamau Ransom are back to lead the offensive attack.
Among 15 returning defensive letterwinners, All-GLVC Second Team linebacker Ricky Woodhouse paces the group.

No. 9 Lincoln

Received nine total points.
Head coach Moses Harper enters his second season after going 1-10 last season.
Lincoln returns 15 starters, including seven on both offense and defense.
Quarterback Isaiah Tate and All-GLVC Honorable Mention running back Jareese Howard will look to power the Blue Tiger offense in their sophomore campaign.
Senior linebackers Jordan Hoskins and Donte Moore headline the returners on the defense.

The 2025 GLVC Champion will be determined by the results of the round-robin league schedule, which begins Sept. 20.

The complete poll and voting results can be found below.

GLVC Press Release