Valpo Football Announces Week 11 Team Awards
The Valparaiso University football program has announced its team awards for Week 11 of the season following Saturday’s 23-20 overtime victory over Stetson.
Redshirt sophomore running back Ryan Mann (Vernon Hills, Ill. / Vernon Hills [Northern Illinois]) has repeated as the team’s Offensive Player of the Week, while redshirt senior linebacker Evan Annis (Hilliard, Ohio / Hilliard Davidson) was named the team’s Defensive Player of the Week. Freshman Max Samuel (Edina, Minn. / Edina) earned Special Teams Player of the Week honors, while senior defensive lineman Kurt Kessen was awarded the team’s Hammer Hit.
In addition, the following players earned Scout Team Player of the Week recognition – redshirt sophomore Daniel Ojaide (Charlotte, N.C. / North Mecklenburg) on offense, redshirt freshman Alex Goworwoski (Chicago, Ill. / Saint Patrick) on defense and redshirt sophomore Gavin Hooper (Menifee, Calif. / Heritage) on special teams.
Mann rushed for a personal-best 121 yards on 25 carries and broke the plane with a 1-yard touchdown run. Annis contributed nine tackles including three tackles for loss and two sacks. One of his sacks came on the game’s penultimate play and helped clinch the overtime victory. Samuel, who was also named the Pioneer Football League’s Special Teams Player of the Week, blocked two punts, becoming the eighth player in the FCS nation with multiple blocked kicks in a game this season.
The Beacons will close out the 2023 campaign on Saturday at 1 p.m. at St. Thomas.
