Football | December 15, 2019

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Western Michigan football program held its annual End of Year Celebration on Sunday at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Kalamazoo.

The third-winningest class in Bronco history was recognized on Sunday and numerous awards were presented.

The 2019 senior class consists of: K Michael Arenberg, DE Antonio Balabani, RB LeVante Bellamy, S Stefan Claiborne, LB Najee Clayton, DE Timothy Collins, CB Anton Curtis, LB Alex Grace, C Luke Juriga, C Alex Keys, LB Joseph Miller, WR Keith Mixon Jr., WR Alex Mussat, TE Giovanni Ricci, LB Drake Spears, OG Jonathan Todd, S Justin Tranquill, S Andrew Trost, RB Davon Tucker, QB Jon Was­sink and DT Jamal Williams.

Broncos earning All-MAC status were also recognized. Bellamy was voted the 2019 Mid-American Conference Vern Smith Leadership Award winner as the league's most valuable player and the MAC Offensive Player of the Year while junior linebacker Treshaun Hayward was tabbed the MAC Defensive Player of the Year.

Joining Bellamy on the first-team offense were Juriga, Ricci and freshman wide receiver Skyy Moore. Hayward and Mixon Jr. rounded out the first-team honorees. The second team was anchored by a pair of junior offensive linemen in Jaylon Moore and Mike Caliendo. Second-team defensive representatives were Spears and junior defensive end Ali Fayad. Wassink and sophomore cornerback Patrick Lupro were named to the third team, as was Mixon Jr., this time a punt return specialist.

Western Michigan team awards were as follows:

John Gill Scholar Athlete - senior quarterback Jon Wassink
Established in 1982 and presented to the football student-athlete who carries the highest cumulative GPA on the team.
Wassink finished his undergraduate career with a 3.96 grade-point average. The all-league quarterback was a 2019 National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Award recipient as well as the winner of the prestigious Wuerffel Trophy.

Mike Gary Sportsmanship Award - senior linebacker Najee Clayton
Established in 1964 and presented to the Bronco who is the consummate teammate and willing to do whatever it takes for the betterment of those around him. This award recognizes the sacrifices made throughout a career and standing up when your name is called no matter what.
Clayton took part in 24 of 25 games the past two seasons. Against Miami this fall, he helped turn a 6-0 deficit into a 38-16 victory. He served as a game captain in each of the team's 12 regular season games and recorded WMU's first turnover gained this season with an interception at Michigan State.

Bill Johnston Community Service Award – senior safety Justin Tranquill
Acknowledges those who go above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to lending a helping a hand to those that are in need.
Tranquill has taken an extremely active role in our community from the various trips to Tree of Life, to helping organize the team donation to the Ministry with Community and mentoring youth. He and his teammates also established a branch of Uplifting Athletes at WMU to raise raises money for the rare disease community.

Outstanding Offensive Scout Team Players of the Year - freshmen Jack Sherwin and Marshawn Kneeland
Presented to the players who have shown the most tenacity, fight and reliance on the scout teams. These men are the unsung heroes during the week.
Sherwin and Kneeland both received multiple Scout Team Player of the Week awards during 2019 and are expected to be significant contributors in the years ahead.

Iron Bronco Award - senior tight end Giovanni Ricci
Presented to the Bronco who played the most snaps, showing dedication to being physically and mentally prepared for game day.
A John Mackey Award semifinalist, Ricci was named to the All-MAC First Team and took part in 905 plays this season.

Greg Jennings Outstanding Offensive Player - senior center Luke Juriga
Awarded to the player whose performance proved crucial to the offensive unit.
Juriga repeated as a first-team All-MAC honoree and has started 51 consecutive games, tied for the most among active players. He played every offensive snap during the campaign and has accepted his invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl.

John Offerdahl Outstanding Defensive Player – junior linebacker Treshaun Hayward
Awarded to the player whose performance proved key to the defensive unit.
The Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Hayward tops the team with 132 tackles and is the first Bronco since 2000 to have eight or more games with double-digit tackles in the same campaign.

John Potter Special Teams Player of the Year - senior return specialist Keith Mixon Jr.
Awarded to the player who had the greatest impact on special teams performance.
A two-team All-MAC honoree, Mixon Jr. earned a first-team pick as a kickoff return specialist and a third-team award as a punt return specialist. He ranks eighth in WMU single-season history with 7-6 kickoff return yards.

Bill Brown Most Valuable Player - senior running back LeVante Bellamy
Presented to the individual whose performance propelled the Broncos during the season. Brown was a four-year member of the Western Michigan football team, lettering as a halfback from 1950-52. In 1952, he was selected the team's most valuable player as he led the squad in rushing, receptions and scoring.
The Mid-American Conference Most Valuable Player, Bellamy has been the anchor for the Broncos this fall, ranking second in WMU single-season history in rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns and total points. He was also named the league's offensive player of the year and first team all-league.

Captains Award - senior quarterback Jon Wassink, senior center Luke Juriga, senior running back LeVante Bellamy, senior defensive end Antonio Balabani and senior safety Justin Tranquill
Selected by the coaching staff in recognition of their tenacity, grit and leadership skills.  
These five helped guide the Broncos through the ups and downs of 2019. This group helped establish the team's culture and held the squad to the Bronco Core Values. Each of them also served as members of the 2019 WMU Football Leadership Council.

#LetsRide