Tech Football Announces 2021 Recruiting Class
HOUGHTON, Mich. – Head Coach Steve Olson and the Michigan Tech football program are pleased to announce that 14 student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent and will join the Huskies in fall 2021. Six additional student-athletes intend to enroll at Tech as preferred walk-ons.
Michigan Tech's incoming class includes 16 players from Michigan, three from the upper peninsula. Also arriving are two players from Illinois, and one each from Wisconsin and Minnesota.
"First of all, I'd like to thank our staff," said head football coach Steve Olson. "It takes a lot of hard work throughout the year to be a part of the recruiting process and they did a great job. In addition to the football staff, I'd like to thank Beth Williams and Chris Hohnholt for coming to our recruiting weekend events, as well as the advisors and faculty members that came to visit with the prospective student athletes and their parents. Michigan Tech has a strong reputation academically, but the people here really help students to understand how special MTU is."
The Huskies did not play in fall 2020 due to health and safety concerns concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. Michigan Tech finished 5-5 overall and finished fifth in the GLIAC standings in 2019. The team also secured the Miner's Cup for the 10th straight season with a 24-20 victory over rival Northern Michigan at Sherman Field at Kearly Stadium. Tech will begin spring practices in late March. Their future schedule has not yet been announced.
Below is an alphabetical list of the 20 student-athletes who have signed NLI's or intend to enroll at Tech and will play football this fall. A brief biography and highlight/introduction video on each recruit also available.
Shawn Allen – DB – 5-8 – 160 – Flint, Michigan
Attended Grand Blanc High School…Was named first team all-conference…Part of team leadership committee…Earned team defensive most valuable player…Intends to major in Business at Michigan Tech.
Connor Cardell – LB – 6'1 – 200 – River Falls, Wisconsin
Attended River Falls High School as an outside linebacker…Made 11 sacks, 52 tackles, four tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one interception, and one safety…Named first team all-conference linebacker…Three-time varsity football letter winner…Game captain…Academic all-conference, three academic awards…Assisted team to two conference championships…Intended major is Civil Engineering at Michigan Tech.
Drew Collins – QB – 6'3 – Montague, Michigan
Attended Montague High School…Threw for 2,138 yards, 25 touchdowns with two interceptions as a senior. Completed 72.2-percent of passes and ran for 713 yards and 18 touchdowns…Career 6,510 passing yards, 71 touchdowns, 71 rushing touchdowns, 41 touchdowns…Held a 32-5 record as a starter…AP 2020 Division five and six player of the year…First team all-state 2019 and 2020…First team quarterback for M-live dream team…All-State honorable mention 2018…first team all-region…two time first team all-area…two time first team all-conference, second team all-conference in 2018…Helped team to 2020 state championship, three region championships, three district championships, and two conference championships…Major is Sport and Fitness Management.
Jalyn Givan – DB – 6'0 – 160 – Plainfield, Illinois
Played at Plainfield North High School…EFT Showcase Standout…PRZ Showcase Standout…All-conference and state qualifier track and field athlete…Honor roll student…Named Track and Field captain as a junior…Intends to major in Business at Michigan Tech…Givan will play his senior season in spring 2021.
Connor Hindenach – DL – 6'3 – 250 – Paw Paw, Michigan
Set a school record with 32 career tackles for loss at Paw Paw High School…Named all-state honorable mention in 2019…All-conference first team on two occasions…Member Kalamazoo dream team in 2019 and 2020…Earned all-region honors in 2020…Member of National Honors Society…2020 team captain and defensive most valuable player…Assisted team to 2019 District Championship…Plans to major in Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Tech.
Kolby Hindenach – DL – 5'11 – 190 – Paw Paw, Michigan
Attended Paw Paw High School…First team all-state in 2020 as well as first team all-region, first team all-conference offensive and defensive, first team Kalamazoo dream team, and team offensive most valuable player. As a junior, named second team all-state, first team all-area, first team all-conference, and team offensive most valuable player…two-time Kalamazoo area player of the week…Helped team to 2019 District Championship… Major is Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Tech.
Patrick Kastner – TB – 5'11 – 195 – Elmhurst, Illinois
Three-sport athlete at York Community High School, including football, basketball, and baseball…Two-time Elmhurst Independent player of the week…Three-time offensive player of the week…Member of National Honor Society…Had 575 yards on 90 carries as a junior with eight touchdowns, 6.4 yards per carry, 35 tackles…Named 2021 team captain…Plans to major in Accounting and/or Engineering Management at Michigan Tech…Kastner will play his senior season in spring 2021.
Caleb Lung – DL – 6'5 – 210 – Perham, Minnesota
Attended Perham High School…Midwest red district defensive lineman of the year…Member Midwest all-red district team…Team defensive most valuable player…Played defensive end and tallied 48 total tackles (32 solo), 15 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, two blocked passes, seven solo sacks for 44 lost yards…Academic honor roll student…Plans to major in Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Tech.
Bryant Maki – WR – 6'3 – Gladstone, Michigan
Prepped at Escanaba High School…Collected 1,163 receiving yards, 63 receptions, and nine receiving touchdowns…Division Four first team all-state…All UP dream team…All UP first team…All-conference first team on two occasions…Team captain…Member of National Honors Society…Helped team to district championship in 2018…Majoring in Civil Engineering.
Nicholas Noel – DL – 6'3 - Westphalia, Michigan
Attended Pewamo Westphalia High School…Made 18 tackles for loss and six sacks…Xenith all-star…Second team all-conference selection…All-area Ionia County…AP all-state honorable mention…Member of National Honors Society…Helped team to CMAC Championship…Intends to major in Business Management at Michigan Tech.
Bryce Pietrantonio – FB/H – 6'1 – 205 – Kingsford, Michigan
Played at Iron Mountain High School…Won the Michigan Tech academic leading scholar award (2020)…Helped team to four conference championships, four district championships, and one regional championship…First team academic all-state…West PAC all-conference first team tight end…West PAC all-conference co-lineman of the year…Division eight all-regional team athlete…MHSFCA Academic all-state…20201 UP all-star game participant…UPSSA all-UP first team linebacker…West PAC all-conference defensive first team…Hometown Lumber athlete of the month, November 2019…IMHS Honor roll seven consecutive semesters…IMHS Honor Society inductee…Certificate of excellence academic awards from 2017-20…IMHS student of the week…Plans to study Engineering Management at Michigan Tech.
Joey Pizzo – DB – 5'10 – 180 – Grosse Ile, Michigan
Played multiple positions at Grosse Ili High School…All news herald dream team…First team all-state specialist…All Huron League first team running back…Detroit Free Press all-west slot…Honorable mention all Huron League student athlete…Team Most Valuable Player as a junior and senior…Rushed for 1,189 yards and 15 touchdowns…Had 320 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns…Made 36-38 point after attempts…Majoring in construction management at Michigan Tech.
James Targosz – DB – 6'4 – 205 – Livonia, Michigan
Attended Winston Churchill High School…Named first team all-west region…Honorable mention all-state…two-time all-conference selection…Defensive player of the year…Helped team to two district championships and two city championships…Seven-time scholar athlete…Academic all-state…Made 52 tackles as a senior with four tackles for loss, eight passes broken up, and two forced fumbles…Plans to major in Civil Engineering at Michigan Tech.
Jacob Yarberry – TB – 5'10 – 185 – Royal Oak, Michigan
Played at Detroit Country Day High School…Played in nine games as a senior and recorded 746 all-purpose yards at multiple positions including 303 rushing yards, 147 passing yards, 153 punt return yards, and 143 kick return yards…Scored six touchdowns with two interceptions, and 26 tackles on defense at cornerback…Three-year varsity starter…National Scholar Athlete, Magna Cum Laude…Team captain, state champion…High school record 29-5…Majoring in Marketing at Michigan Tech.
PREFERRED WALK-ONS
Joshua Byers – OL – 6'2 – 190 – Sterling Heights, Michigan
Attended Henry Ford High School…Passed for 2,677 yards over 13 games with 24 touchdowns, 639 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns, and a 67-percent completion percentage…All-league MAC white…Macomb Daily all-county team…Detroit News all metro East…All-state honorable mention…Elite 11 regional quarterback…Academic honor roll…Named team most valuable player…Majoring in Business at Michigan Tech.
Andrew Kanary – DL -6'3 – 220 – Grayling, Michigan
Attended Grayling High School…Made 26 tackles for loss, six sacks, 94 tackles, 32 receptions, four touchdowns…Posted 409 receiving yards during senior season…MHSFCA All region first team defensive end…MHSFCA first team all-state defensive end, AP all-state honorable mention defensive end…first team all-conference defensive end…first team all-conference tight end…Weekly choice dream team…Record Eagle dream team…2020 regional championship…academic all-state…member National Honors Society, AP Society, and honor roll.
Connor LeClaire – DB – 6'0 – 165 – Dollar Bay, Michigan
Attended Dollar Bay High School and played football at Hancock High School…All-conference first team kicker as a senior…All-conference wide receiver, safety, kicker as a junior…All-conference safety as a sophomore…UP all-star football game selection…Also prolific in basketball and track and field…Plans to study Exercise Science at Michigan Tech…Honor Roll student, National Honors Society President…Student council president, class president…Football team captain.
Austin Venema – OL – 6'3 – 225 – Grand Haven, Michigan
Attended Grand Haven High School…Named Muskegon dream team honorable mention…Muskegon all-area honorable mention…Earned player of the week…Majoring in engineering at Michigan Tech.
Nathan Vereeke – DL – 6'3 -215 – Zeeland, Michigan
Went to Zeeland East High School…Started two seasons…Played six games as a senior and allowed one sack, made 12 tackles, five sacks, and 11 quarterback knock downs…Honor roll student…Member National Honors Society…Majoring in mechanical engineering at Michigan Tech.
Porter Zeeman – LB – 6'0 – 200 – Owosso, Michigan
Attended Corunna High School…Made 228 career tackles…Named first team Flint Metro, first team all-region, and honorable mention all-state…2020 academic all-state…Member of National Honors Society…Earned defensive team most valuable player three straight seasons…Desired major: undecided.
Additions after National Signing Day: Brendan Stephens, Dante Basanese, Ethan Schumaker, Nick D'Autremont, Caleb Klein, Jeffery Price