Eight national finalists have been selected for the 2025 Gene Upshaw Divi sion II Lineman of the Year Award, presented by the Manheim Touchdown Club.
Two finalists from each of NCAA Division II’s four super regions were voted forward by sports
information directors around the country.
They are: from SR1, Slippery Rock offensive tackle Joe Cooper and Kutztown offensive tackle Ryan Schernecke; from SR2, Wingate guard Will Hart and Catawba offensive tackle Avery Swinton; from SR3, Ferris State offensive tackle Tim Anderson and Ashland defensive end Michael Shimek; and from SR4, Central Washington center
Slade Edwards and Harding offensive tackle Jake Mitchell.
Two programs earn their first-ever finalists: Catawba with Swinton, and Central Washington with Edwards. Three other institutions have their second finalists ever with Mitchell marking Harding’s
second in a row, while Schernecke is Kutztown’s first finalist since 2016 and Shimek represents
Ashland’s first since 2018.
Slippery Rock extends its national-best finalists streak to six consecutive awards with Cooper, while Wingate has a finalist for the third consecutive year in Will Hart after their Marquise Fleming won the 2024 award. Ferris State, which has won three of the last five Upshaw Awards, returns to the finalists group after a year away with Anderson. It is only the second time in the award’s history - and first since 2012 - that seven offensive linemen were in the finalists group.
The eight finalists came from a group of 29 nominees, and three finalists are still playing as their
teams participate in this weekend’s NCAA Division II Championship quarterfinals: Schernecke
with Kutztown, Anderson with Ferris State, and Mitchell with Harding. Eight nominees overall
played in this year’s NCAA D-II tournament.
The winner will be voted upon by sports information directors from across Division II and
announced Dec. 12. All nominees are seniors or graduate players/transfers and are lineman on either side of the ball at either offensive tackle, guard, or center; or defensive tackle, guard, or end.
The award is named in honor of the late Mr. Upshaw, who was not only an All-Pro lineman for
the Oakland Raiders, but later served as the executive director of the NFL Players Association
for 25 years. Upshaw, a former standout offensive lineman at Texas A&I University (now Texas
A&M Kingsville), was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 in his first year of
eligibility. The award is presented annually by the Manheim Touchdown Club.
2025 Gene Upshaw Award Nominees and Finalists
Super Region 1 (CIAA, MEC, NE10, PSAC)
Joe Cooper - OT - Slippery Rock
Ryan Schernecke - OT - Kutztown
Chance Batte - OG - IUP
Jack Driscoll - OT - Assumption
Guy Gilyard - OT - East Stroudsburg
Joe LoChiatto - OT - Bentley
Super Region 2 (CC, GSC, SAC, SIAC)
Will Hart - OG - Wingate
Avery Swinton - OT - Catawba
Ben Newton - OC - West Alabama
Mark Robinson - DT - Valdosta State
Noah Stovall - OT - Albany State
Collin Shaw - DE - West Florida
Super Region 3 (GLIAC, GLVC, GMAC, NSIC)
Tim Anderson - OT - Ferris State
Michael Shimek - DE - Ashland
Ryne Buttz - OT - Indianapolis
Caydon Christensen - OC - Concordia-St. Paul
Isaac Hagstrom - OT - Bemidji State
Adom LeDuc - DE - Saginaw Valley State
Klay Seehase - OT - Upper Iowa
Thomas Spaulding - DE - Truman State
Jaylin Vaughn - DE - Quincy
Will Washenberger - OC - Wayne State (Neb.)
Mojo Weerts - DE - Minnesota-Duluth
Super Region 4 (GAC, LSC, MIAA, RMAC)
Slade Edwards - OC - Central Washington
Jake Mitchell - OT - Harding
Hunter Hewitt - DE - Southern Arkansas
Dylan Horton - OT/C - Ouachita Baptist
Clayton Power - DT - Northwest Missouri State
Domingo Prince II - OG - CSU Pueblo
Finalists in bold
(Photos and bios of the finalists and photos of Gene Upshaw are below.)
Previous Award Winners
• 2024 - Marquise Fleming, Wingate University
• 2023 - Levi Johnson, Colorado School of Mines
• 2022 - Caleb Murphy, Ferris State
• 2021 - Dylan Pasquali, Ferris State
• 2019 - Austin Edwards, Ferris State
• 2018 - Markus Jones, Angelo State
• 2017 - Marcus Martin, Slippery Rock
• 2016 - Jordan Morgan, Kutztown
• 2015 - Matt Judon, Grand Valley State
• 2014 - Darius Allen, Colorado State-Pueblo
• 2013 - Darius Allen, Colorado State-Pueblo
• 2012 - Garth Heikkinen, Minnesota-Duluth
• 2011 - Joe Long, Wayne State
• 2010 - Brandon Fusco, Slippery Rock
• 2009 - Ben Staggs, West Liberty
• 2008 - Sam Collins, Abilene Christian
• 2007 - Brandon Barnes, Grand Valley State
• 2006 - Mike McFadden, Grand Valley State
• 2005 - Mike McFadden, Grand Valley State
• 2004 - Nathan Baker, Pittsburg State
