INDIANAPOLIS – The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) announced Friday the 18 student-athletes who have been selected to attend the 2025 GLVC Football Kickoff, which will take place in Lebanon, Illinois, on Friday, August 1. The GLVC contingent, highlighted by nine All-Conference returners, will participate in the 13th annual event. The event will take place at The Hettenhausen Center for the Arts on the campus of McKendree University from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Central Time and will serve both the league's media members and passionate fans through several social media outlets.

The coach and two student-athletes from each of the nine GLVC football institutions will be on hand to help promote the Conference's 14th season.
 
Four of the nine offensive players attending the kickoff are the signal callers for their respective teams. Gavin Sukup (UINDY) earned GLVC Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 and 2024. Ty Michael (MCK) placed second in total passing yards (2,542), while Dylan Hair (TSU) led the league in touchdown passes with 25. Michael earned Honorable Mention while Hair was named to the All-GLVC Second Team. Isaiah Tate (LIN) rounds out the quarterback group adding 1,359 passing yards in 2024.

Three offensive linemen and two wide receivers will also be going to the Kickoff at the end of the month. Austin Mahoney (S&T), Nathan Smith (QU), and Nash Gagliano (WJC) represent the offensive lineman with Smith being named to the All-GLVC Second Team in 2024. Kamau Ransom (SBU) caught 30 passes for 309 yards, and Mante Morrow (UIU) recorded 40 receptions for 537 yards and earned All-GLVC Second Team honors.

On the other side of the ball, we have a good representation of all areas of the defense with three defensive lineman, three linebackers, and three defensive backs, making the trip. Jacob McGhee (LIN), Shaquille Roman (UIU), and Justin Endicott (WJC) represent the lineman with McGhee coming off a five sack campaign, Roman a one sack, and Endicott a 5.5 sack season. The linebacking core includes Nick Bova (MCK), Brock Inman (QU), and Jack Weltha (TSU), with Bova an Honorable Mention and Inman a first team selection in 2024. Bova registered 63 tackles (8.5 for loss), Inman 55 (7.5 for loss), and Weltha is coming off a one game season. The defensive backs are represented by Jalyn Givan (UINDY), Justin Gniedziejko (S&T), and Jed Brandon (SBU). Givan and Gniedziejko were both named to the All-GLVC Second Team last season with Givan part of a Top 10 defensive unit in all of Division II last season. Gniedziejko had 55 tackles and Brandon had 22 in 2024.

While attendance in person is for approved media only, fans are encouraged to participate in the event through a variety of social media platforms and follow along online with each GLVC school, as they rotate through stations over the course of the 90-minute event. A complete schedule, as well as the official 2025 GLVC Football Kickoff website, will be announced on Wednesday, July 30. 

Media members interested in attending the 2025 GLVC Football Kickoff can apply for access by contacting GLVC Assistant Commissioner for Strategic Communications Noah Stubenrauch at noah@glvc-sports.org by Tuesday, July 29 at 5 p.m. ET.

The complete list of the 2025 GLVC Football Kickoff player attendees is below.

 

School	Offensive Player	Defensive Player
Indianapolis	Gavin Sukup, Sr. QB (Seward, Neb.)	Jalyn Givan, R-Sr., DB (Plainfield, Ill.)
Lincoln	Isaiah Tate, So., QB (Memphis, Tenn.)	Jacob McGhee, So., DL (Chicago, Ill.)
McKendree	Ty Michael, Gr., QB (O'Fallon, Ill.)	Nick Bova, Jr., LB (Troy, Mo.)
Missouri S&T	Austin Mahoney, Jr., OL (St. Peters, Mo.)	Justin Gniedziejko, Sr., DB (Chicago, Ill.)
Quincy	Nathan Smith, Gr., OL (Roeland Park, Kan.)	Brock Inman, Gr., LB (Arnold, Mo.)
Southwest Baptist	Kamau Ransom, Sr., WR (Evanston, Ill.)	Jed Brandon, Sr., DB (Willard, Mo.)
Truman State	Dylan Hair, Jr., QB (Wardsville, Mo.)	Jack Weltha, Sr., LB (Bloomington, Ill.)
Upper Iowa	Mante Morrow., Sr., WR (Joliet, Ill.)	Shaquille Roman, Sr., DL (Beloit, Wis.)
William Jewell	Nash Gagliano, Sr., OL (Prosper, Texas)	Justin Endicott, Sr., DL (Prosper, Texas)

 

PLAYER PROFILES
Gavin Sukup, Senior, Quarterback (Seward, Neb.)

• Enters third season with UIndy after leading College of DuPage to the NJCAA National Championship as a true freshman in 2022.
• Named GLVC Offensive Player of the Year for two seasons in a row, as well being a two-time Harlon Hill Trophy candidate.
• Led the GLVC last season in passing yards (2,621), total offense per game (248.6) and passing efficiency (158.3).
• Racked up 362 yards and five TDs on the ground, with the latter tops among all GLVC quarterbacks.
• Has led UIndy to a back-to-back conference titles and playoff appearances.
• Enters his final season ranked second in career completion percentage (.646) and seventh in both career passing yards (5,337) and career passing TDs (46).

Jalyn Givan, Redshirt-Senior, Cornerback (Plainfield, Ill.)

• Three-year letterman and two-time all-conference performer; earned All-GLVC Second Team accolades in 2024 and All-GLVC Honorable Mention in '23.
• Started 25 consecutive games dating back to the end of 2022.
• Only returning starter in the UIndy defensive backfield.
• Part of a unit that in 2024 paced the GLVC in scoring defense and total defense, ranking in the top 10 in Division II in both metrics.
• Standout performer on three GLVC championship teams and three consecutive playoff qualifiers.

For profiles of the other attendees, visit GLVCSports.com.