Sippel, Willis Named to D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Michigan Tech football junior linebacker Marc Sippel and junior wide receiver Darius Willis have been selected to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List as two of the top players in the nation heading into the 2023 season.
The duo earned Don Hansen All-America Honorable Mention accolades for their performances on the field a year ago, while being tabbed First Team All-GLIAC.
Sippel, hailing from Wausau, Wisconsin, finished second in NCAA Division II tackles with 131 (58 solo) during the regular season, leading the conference in the category by a margin of 26.0 tackles over Antonio Howard (Northern Michigan). He also collected 13.5 tackles for loss (fourth), 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and two passes broken up. He achieved a season-high 15.0 tackles at Hillsdale College on November 5. Sippel also was named to the D2CCA All-Region Second Team.
Willis, a native of Warren, Michigan, was the GLIAC's top receiver a season ago as a sophomore. He topped the charts in receptions (74), receiving yards (1,051), and touchdowns (10). His 1,825 all-purpose yards ranked fourth best in NCAA Division II this past fall. Willis started all 11 games for the Huskies. He posted a career-high 13 receptions for 198 yards on November 12 against Saginaw Valley State and had three multi-touchdown games.
The Huskies were tabbed to finish fifth in the GLIAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The season opens Saturday, September 9, as Tech hosts Hillsdale at 1 p.m.