GLIAC — Head Coach Sparky McEwen has been named Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for the first time in his career and the Panthers were very well represented in the GLIAC Football All-Conference voting conducted by the league's head coaches.
 
Grad student wide receiver Sy Barnett, sophomore kicker Brandon Gielow, redshirt sophomore defensive end Austin Alward, and senior defensive back Shaq Floyd were all members of the First Team All-GLIAC list.
 
In addition, the Panthers had a bevy of Second Team All-GLIAC honorees. On offense it was grad student quarterback Jason Whittaker, redshirt junior running back Caleef Jenkins, sophomore wide receiver Preston Smith, redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Dwight Harris, and grad student offensive lineman Savon Simmons. On defense it was grad student defensive lineman Malik Barrow, senior linebacker Payton Mitchell, grad student linebacker Elysee Mbem-Bosse, and senior return specialist Roy Livingstone.

Finally, the team had five members receive Honorable Mention All-GLIAC and that list includes freshman offensive lineman Trent Allen, senior defensive back Jalen Robinson, grad student defensive lineman Brendan Boman, grad student tight end Justin Pope, and senior defensive back Marshall Brooks.
 
Information on the award winners follows:

McEwen guided one of the best turnarounds in NCAA Division II this season. He has taken the Panthers from 3-8 a year ago into an 8-2 team and a NCAA Division II playoff participant for the first time in the short history of Davenport football. The Panthers set a season record with eight wins and began the season with an 8-0 record before finishing the season with two of the premier opponents not only regionally but nationally. Davenport reached as high as 13th nationally after that 8-0 start and had never been nationally ranked until this season. Davenport turned it around with a revamped offense that put up big numbers at times this season. Last season, Davenport averaged under 10 points per game and so far this season that average is up to 32.9 points per game. His squad had the top passing offense in the conference (249.9 yards per game). The defense also posted some impressive numbers ranking seventh nationally and first in the GLIAC in takeaways with 26. The pass defense was also a highlight ranking 11th nationally and first in the conference allowing 154.2 yards per game.
 
Barnett (Williamston, Mich.) made a major impact in his first season as a Panther after transferring from Ferris State. He was named First Team All-GLIAC in 2018 and 2019 with the Bulldogs making him a three-time recipient of First Team All-GLIAC honors. Barnett did a little bit of everything for Davenport but made his mark at wide receiver by setting single-season records for receptions (48) and receiving yards (642), while catching four touchdown passes. He also served as a punter with 19 attempts for an average of 42 yards. He set the school record with an 87-yarder back on Nov. 5 at Ferris State. He pinned the opponent inside the 20-yard line seven times and had four punts of 50-plus yards. Barnett also contributed as a punt returner with nine returns for 59 yards. He was named GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week twice this season.
 
Gielow (Leesburg, Fla.) was a reliable kicker all season long and made the special teams unit formidable this season. He finished 9-for-11 in field goals this season and set the single-season record with 64 points including 37 extra-points and those nine field goals. He tied the single-game record with three field goals at Saginaw Valley State on Oct. 29 in a narrow 29-28 victory. He began the season 9-for-9 in field goals attempts before the last two attempts were blocked. Gielow had a signature moment at Northern Michigan on Oct. 8 in the overtime win as he kicked a 36-yard field goal as time expired to send the game into overtime and booted a 27-yard field goal in overtime for the winning points.
 
Alward (Middleville, Mich.) led the defense in tackles for loss for the second year in a row and is currently tied for third in a single season with 14 tackles for loss including 6.5 sacks. That sack total is tied for the most in a season at Davenport. Alward ranked fourth on the team in total tackles with 44 and also had seven quarterback hurries and one pass breakup. He had a season-high eight tackles coming on Oct. 15 against Wayne State.
 
Floyd (Orlando, Fla.) was named Honorable Mention All-GLIAC in 2021 and stepped up his game in the secondary in 2022. He led the team with three interceptions which is the fifth-most in a campaign at Davenport. He also had 49 tackles including 32 solo stops to rank third on the team in total tackles. Floyd had a pick-six covering 40 yards back on Sept. 17 against Northern Michigan. He is the only Panther ever to return two interceptions for a touchdown and his seven career interceptions is good for third all-time.
 
Whittaker (Rockford, Mich.) proved to be the signal-caller that Davenport has so desperately needed over the years. The transfer from Northwestern wasted no time in showing his ability to throw the ball. In the third game of the season against Northwood on Sept. 24, Whittaker passed for 360 yards and five touchdowns. That began a stretch of four games in which he threw for 250-plus yards and multiple touchdowns. He set the single-game record with six passing touchdowns against Wayne State on Oct. 15 and completed 30-of-49 passes for 369 yards. Whittaker was named GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week three times this season and currently has 175-of-317 through the air for 2,224 yards and 25 touchdowns. He set single-season marks for completions, yards, and touchdowns.
 
Jenkins (River Rouge, Mich.) is a punishing runner who makes a living between the tackles. He led the team in rushing with 125 carries for 544 yards and eight scores. Jenkins set the single-season record for rushing touchdowns and needs 38 yards to become the single-season record holder. He had a pair of 100-yard rushing performance this season including a season-high 104 yards on 12 carries with two scores against Northern Michigan on Sept. 17 and 102 yards on 27 carries (second-most in a game at DU) at Saginaw Valley State on Oct. 29.
 
Smith (Sterling Heights, Mich.) provided a solid option at wide receiver and was a compliment to what Barnett was doing in the receiving corps. He hauled in 43 catches for 561 yards and six touchdowns. Smith ranks second in a season at DU now in receptions and receiving yards and his six scores is tied for fourth. He tied the school single-game record with three touchdown catches versus Wayne State on Oct. 15 and had nine catches for 112 yards in that contest. He has three 100-yard receiving games this season and had a season-high 143 yards on nine catches with two touchdowns against Michigan Tech on Oct. 1.
 
Harris (Miami, Fla.) paved the way for a much-improved offense and the offensive line was a big reason for that increase in production. He started in nine games as the Panthers averaged 386.8 yards per game.
 
Simmons (Fayetteville, Ga.) teamed up with Harris after transferring from Kennesaw State. He started in eight games for the Panthers on an offensive line that allowed just 14 sacks in 10 games this season.
 
Barrow (Tampa, Fla.) in his first year anchored a revamped defensive interior for the Panthers. He ranked second on the team with 10 tackles for loss and also had 2.5 sacks. Barrow led the team with eight quarterback hurries and broke up a pair of passes. He had a total of 31 tackles including 18 solo stops.

Mitchell (Gilroy, Calif.) made the transition from tight end to linebacker and not only succeeded but led the team with 78 tackles. He also forced and recovered a fumble. Mitchell ranked fifth in the GLIAC in total tackles this season. He had a season-high 12 tackles including eight solo stops at Northern Michigan on Oct. 8 and also had 11 tackles against Michigan Tech the week before on Oct. 1.

Mbem-Bosse (Ellenwood, Ga.) played in eight games and finished with 27 tackles. He also had an interception against Northwood on Sept. 24 and had five tackles in that game. He had a season-high six stops and a tackle for loss against Northern Michigan on Sept. 17.

Livingstone (Miami, Fla.) had a solid season as a returner with 16 kick returns for 298 yards. He also returned 10 punts for 75 yards and had a season-long 27-yard return at Truman State on Sept. 3. Livingstone also led the team with nine touchdown receptions, which tied for the single-season record at DU. He hauled in 31 passes for 449 yards and caught three against Northwood on Sept. 24.

Allen (Windemere, Fla.) was the only true freshman to crack the starting lineup for the Panthers and played at guard in 10 games. He helped provide protection and running lanes for a potent offense that scored 44 touchdowns in 10 games.

Robinson (Detroit, Mich.) ranked second on the team with 65 tackles after being named Second Team All-GLIAC last season after a school-record 101 tackles. He was also named Honorable Mention All-GLIAC in 2019. Robinson had 4.5 tackles for loss, one interception against Grand Valley State on Nov. 12, and a fumble recovery. He has 245 career tackles which ranks second all-time at DU.

Boman (Grand Rapids, Mich.) decided to come back for another season in 2022 and finished with 37 tackles including five tackles for loss and three sacks. He also finished with four quarterback hurries and forced two fumbles. Boman is a repeat pick for Honorable Mention All-GLIAC from 2021 and had a season-high nine tackles back on Oct. 15 against Wayne State. He is first all-time at DU with 15 sacks and is tied for first with six forced fumbles.

Pope (Beaufort, S.C.) hauled in eight catches for 59 yards this season. He had a season-high three catches for 21 yards in the season opener at Truman State on Sept. 3.

Brooks (Flint, Mich.) finished with 21 tackles in eight games including 14 solo takedowns. He had one interception with 32 return yards against Michigan Tech on Oct. 1 and had a season-high five tackles in that contest. He finished with four pass breakups. Brooks has appeared in 37 career games with 53 tackles and 12 pass breakups.
 
Davenport is gearing up for their first-ever playoff game which will take place on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 1 PM in Big Rapids, Mich. against No. 5 and defending national champion Ferris State.