The Missouri Valley Football Conference has announced its top honors and they include RB Marshaun Coprich of Illinois State; DB Deiondre’ Hall of UNI; QB Aaron Bailey of UNI; DE Andrew Van Ginkel of South Dakota and coach Bob Nielson of Western Illinois.

For the first time since joining the league in 2012, a South Dakota student-athlete has earned Freshman of the Year honors as Andrew Van Ginkel earned the award this year. He’s the second Coyote to win a major player award, joining Tyler Starr, who was Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.

Coprich is the fourth player in the MVFC’s 31-year history to repeat as Offensive Player of the Year and first since Western Illinois QB Russ Michna (2002-03). Hall is the second defensive back to earn the honor in the past four seasons and first UNI Defensive Player of the Year since 2011 (L.J. Fort). For the fourth time in the past six years, the league Newcomer of the Year is a quarterback as UNI’s Bailey takes the honor this year — the last Panther to win the award was his teammate QB Sawyer Kollmorgen (in 2012).

Western Illinois coach Bob Nielson earned this year’s Bruce Craddock MVFC Coach of the Year award after leading the Leathernecks back to the playoffs for the first time since 2010. He’s the first WIU mentor to win the award since 2002 (Don Patterson).

The complete MVFC All-Conference Team will be announced Monday (Nov. 30).  The All-Newcomer unit will be announced Tuesday (Dec. 1), and the MVFC All-Academic Team will be announced Wednesday (Dec. 2