BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University football team announced its team awards at its annual season ending banquet in the Strosacker Hall on the BW campus.
Second-year Head Coach Jim Hilvert and his staff recognized a total of 145 student-athletes for their efforts during the season. 13 players were honored with varsity awards and two student-athletes were recognized for contributions on the scout team.
The 13 top honorees were senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference defensive back and team captain Ty Fields (St. Augustine, Fla.), senior offensive lineman Willy Hedberg (North Ridgeville), , senior All-OAC quarterback and team captain Jake Hudson (East Lake, Fla.), senior All-OAC defensive end Wezlee Spence (North Canton/Hoover), senior All-OAC wide receiver Chad Steinwachs (Buffalo, N.Y./Williamsville North), senior quarterback and holder Will Vance (Centerville), senior All-OAC wide receiver and team captain Rob Wolfington (Rapids City, Mich./Elk Rapids), senior offensive lineman Daulton Znosko (Winter Springs, Fla.), junior Academic All-OAC defensive back Kyle Kelly (Wadsworth/St. Vincent-St. Mary), junior Academic All-OAC placekicker Jimmy Marshall (Lakewood), junior quarterback A.J. Miller (Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Springs Charter), sophomore linebacker Brenton Miller (Carrollton) and sophomore All-OAC running back Jon Murray, Jr. (Cincinnati/Withrow).
The two scout team award winners were freshman defensive lineman Tim Monroe (Littleton, Colo./Chatfield) and freshman linebacker Clay Wimmer (Sandusky/St. Mary's Central Catholic).
Fields was selected as the Outstanding Defensive Back Award winner for the second straight season. He was second on the team and eighth in the OAC with eight pass breakups. Fields was fourth on the team with a career-high 51 tackles. He was the OAC Defensive Player of the Week on October 29 after recording a career-best 16 tackles in victory at Marietta College. For his career, Fields appeared in 29 games and recorded 114 tackles, 23 pass breakups, had one fumble recovery and one interception.
Hedberg was named as the Eloise Tressel J-A-C-K-E-T Award recipient for the most spirited teammate. He appeared in three games on a Yellow Jacket team that averaged 38.8 points per game and 456.6 total yards of offense per contest. For his career, Hedberg appeared in 14 games and earned three varsity letters.
Hudson was selected as the Ray E. Watts Most Valuable Offensive Player for the second straight campaign. He closed out an illustrious career by setting the school single season-records for passing yards with a career-best 2,640 and total offensive yards with a career-high 3,101 yards. Hudson had career-bests in completions (196), attempts (293) and touchdowns (25). He was second on the team with 461 yards rushing and was second on the squad with a career-best tying seven rushing touchdowns. Hudson threw a career-best 350 yards with a career-high tying five touchdowns in his final game of his career. He was the OAC Offensive Player of the Week on September 24, the Frank Ropollo Offensive Player of the Game versus Mount Union on September 15 and the 41st Annual Lee Tressel Shrine Classic Player of the Game versus Alma (Mich.) on August 30. For his career, Hudson appeared in 29 games and completed 462 of 738 passes for 6,155 yards with 51 touchdowns. He rushed for 1,655 yards on 367 carries with 18 touchdowns. Hudson also caught four passes for 139 yards with two touchdowns.
Spence was named the Ray E. Watts Most Valuable Defensive Player and the Outstanding Defensive Lineman Award recipient. He led the team and was third in the OAC with a career-high 9.5 quarterback sacks and led the squad and was sixth in the OAC with a career-best 13.5 tackles for loss. He also was tied for second on team with a career-high 54 tackle and tallied a career-high four pass breakups and a career-best two fumble recoveries. Spence blocked first career kick on an extra point at Heidelberg on September 22. For his career, Spence appeared in 28 games and recorded 119 tackles, 13 quarterback sacks, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one blocked kick.
Steinwachs was selected as the Co-Outstanding Receiver Award winner. He led the team and was eighth in the OAC with a career-best eight receiving touchdowns and was third on the team and tied for ninth in the OAC with a career-high 39 receptions. Steinwachs was third on squad with a career-best 464 yards receiving. He also carried the ball one time for eight yards and made a career-high two tackles. Steinwachs had Finnie-stadium and NCAA Division III-record tying 100-yard interception return for a touchdown vs. Ohio Northern on November 3. For his career, Steinwachs appeared in 33 games and caught 89 passes for 1,061 yards with 14 touchdowns. He carried the ball one time for eight yards and made three tackles.
Vance was named the Co- Roy Seitz Yellow Jacket Award recipient. He appeared in all 10 and completed 5-of-8 passes for 76 yards with one touchdown, made his first two career tackles on special teams and was the holder on all kicks. Vance appeared in 19 career games and completed 12-of-19 passes for 286 yards with four touchdowns.
Wolfington was selected as the Co-Outstanding Receiver Award winner. He led the team and was third in the OAC with a career-high 783 yards receiving, led the squad and was seventh in the OAC with a career-best 49 receptions, second on the team and 10th in the OAC with six receiving touchdowns and fourth in the OAC with a 35.2 punting average. Wolfington closed out his career with three straight 100-yard receiving games and two games with a career-high 10 catches. For his career, Wolfington appeared in 22 games and caught 83 passes for 1,425 yards with 11 touchdowns. He also punted 31 times for 1,090 yards with a long of 54 yards, eight punts inside the 20, 12 fair catches and one touchback.
Znosko was named the Dick Van Alman Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award recipient. He appeared and started in all 10 games on a Yellow Jacket team that averaged 38.8 points per game and 456.6 total yards of offense per contest. For his career, Znosko appeared in 18 games and earned two varsity letters.
Kelly was selected as the Lee Tressel Academic award recipient for the second consecutive season. He is a College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA)/Google Cloud Academic All-American second-team selection and a two-time Academic All-OAC selection. This season, Kelly appeared and started in all 10 games and was tied for eighth on the team with 28 tackles and also recorded two pass breakups. For his career, Kelly has appeared in 21 games and tallied 75 tackles and five pass breakups.
Marshall was named the Most Valuable Special Teams Player. He had a career year as he converted 5-of-7 field goals and 47-of-51 extra points for a career-best and team leading 62 points. Marshall kicked a career-long and game-winning 42-yard field goal in a 30-28 victory at Marietta College on October 20. He is an Academic All-OAC selection and a Dean's List student and Jacket Scholar. For his career, Marshall has appeared in 28 games and has made six field goals and 49 extra points for 67 career points.
A.J. Miller was selected as the Co- Roy Seitz Yellow Jacket Award winner. He served as a backup quarterback and player caller on a Yellow Jacket team that averaged 38.8 points per game and 456.6 total yards of offense per contest. He appeared in his first collegiate game vs. Mount Union on September 15 but did not attempt a pass. Off the field, A.J. Miller is a a two-time Academic All-OAC selection and a Dean's List student.
Brenton Miller was named the Outstanding Linebacker Award recipient. He had a breakout season as he was second on squad with a career-high five quarterback sacks and was tied for second on the team with a career-best 54 tackles. Brenton Miller made a career-high 18 tackles at John Carroll on November 10. He was named the OAC Defensive Player of the Week on October 1. For his career, Brenton Miller has appeared in 19 games and has recorded 82 tackles, five sacks, forced one fumble and had one pass breakup.
Murray, Jr. was selected as the Outstanding Offensive Back Award winner. He led the team and was fifth in the OAC with a career-high 723 yards and led the squad and was fifth in the Ohio Athletic Conference with a career-best nine rushing touchdowns. Murray, Jr. carried the ball a career-high 128 times. He scored first collegiate touchdown, including a career-high four total touchdowns and scored a career-long 80-yard touchdown at Capital on September 29. Murray, Jr. also caught nine passes for 91 yards with a long of 25.
Monroe was selected as the Scout Team Defensive Player of the Year. Wimmer was named the Scout Team Special Teams Player of the Year
BW finished the 2018 campaign with an overall record of 8-2 and third place finish in the OAC with a mark of 7-2. The Yellow Jackets open the 2018 season on Saturday, September 7 when they travel to Alma, Michigan for their lone non-conference game against Alma College.
