CLEVELAND, Ohio (Dec. 4, 2025) – The Mid-American Conference announced the All-MAC Teams & Specialty Award selections for the 2025 football season today. All of the awards were voted on by the league's 13 head coaches.
Western Michigan defensive end Nadame Tucker was tabbed the winner of the 44th Vern Smith Leadership Award as the top player in the MAC as well as the Defensive Player of the Year. WMU's Lance Taylor was selected as the Head Coach of the Year, while Broncos quarterback Broc Lowry was tabbed as the Offensive Player of the Year. Kent State kick returner Da’Realyst Clark was selected as the Special Teams Player of the Year while Bowling Green running back/kick returner Cameron Pettaway earned Freshman of the Year honors, rounding out the specialty award selections.
The Western Michigan Broncos will take on the Miami RedHawks in the MAC Football Championship Game this Saturday, Dec. 6 at 12 p.m. ET. The game will be aired live on ESPN.
Clark was an electric returner for the Flashes this season and made a splash in the season-opener with a 100-yard game-winning kick return to give the Flashes their first win in over two years, defeating Merrimack 21-17. Clark also started homecoming with a bang, returning the opening kickoff 97 yards to give the Flashes a 7-0 lead in a 42-6 rout versus UMass. Clark finished the regular season, leading the nation with two kick return touchdowns and fourth in yards per kick return.
Pettaway leads the nation in kick return average at 33.0 yards per return, a BGSU single-season record. His first collegiate touch resulted in a 98-yard kickoff return touchdown to open the season against Lafayette. Offensively, he rushed 72 times for 365 yards (5.1 avg) and caught eight passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Pettaway posted a breakout performance against Toledo, catching two passes for 118 yards and two scores as the Falcons erased a 21-0 deficit.
More coming soon..
2025 MAC Football Postseason Specialty Awards & All-Conference Teams
Coach of the Year: Lance Taylor, Western Michigan
Vern Smith Leadership Award Winner: Nadame Tucker, DE, Western Michigan
Offensive Player of the Year: Broc Lowry, QB, Western Michigan
Defensive Player of the Year: Nadame Tucker, DE, Western Michigan
Special Teams Player of the Year: Da’Realyst Clark, KOR, Kent State
Freshman of the Year: Cameron Pettaway, RB/KOR, Bowling Green
2025 All-MAC First Team Offense
Quarterback – Broc Lowry, Western Michigan
Offensive Lineman – Trevor Brock, Buffalo
Offensive Lineman – Davion Weatherspoon, Ohio
Offensive Lineman – Anthony Boswell, Toledo
Offensive Lineman – Raheem Anderson, Western Michigan
Offensive Lineman – Chad Schuster, Western Michigan
Tight End – Jyrin Johnson, Bowling Green
Wide Receiver – Nik McMillan, Buffalo
Wide Receiver – Victor Snow, Buffalo
Wide Receiver – Kam Perry, Miami
Wide Receiver – Junior Vandeross III, Toledo
Running Back – Sieh Bangura, Ohio
Running Back – Chip Trayanum, Toledo
Placekicker – Dom Dzioban, Miami
2025 All-MAC First Team Defense
Defensive Lineman – Nathan Voorhis, Ball State
Defensive Lineman – Michael Heldman, Central Michigan
Defensive Lineman – Adam Trick, Miami
Defensive Lineman – Nadame Tucker, Western Michigan
Linebacker – Gideon Lampron, Bowling Green
Linebacker – Red Murdock, Buffalo
Linebacker – Jordan Kwiatkowski, Central Michigan
Linebacker – K’Von Sherman, Toledo
Defensive Back – Eli Blakey, Miami
Defensive Back – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
Defensive Back – Andre Fuller, Toledo
Defensive Back – Braden Awls, Toledo
Punter – Keegan Andrews, UMass
2025 All-MAC First Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – Cameron Pettaway, Bowling Green
Kickoff Return Specialist – Da’Realyst Clark, Kent State
2025 All-MAC Second Team Offense
Quarterback – Parker Navarro, Ohio
Offensive Lineman – Nate Pabst, Bowling Green
Offensive Lineman – Tyler Doty, Buffalo
Offensive Lineman – Drew Terrill, Miami
Offensive Lineman – Jordon Jones, Ohio
Offensive Lineman – Ethan Spoth, Toledo
Tight End – Joshua Long, Eastern Michigan
Wide Receiver – Israel Polk, Akron
Wide Receiver – Marcel Williams, Akron
Wide Receiver – Chase Hendricks, Ohio
Wide Receiver – Trayvon Rudolph, Toledo
Running Back – Jordan Gant, Akron
Running Back – Dontae McMillan, Eastern Michigan
Placekicker – Jackson Kleather, Bowling Green
2025 All-MAC Second Team Defense
Defensive Lineman – Julien Laventure, Akron
Defensive Lineman – Jamond Mathis, Kent State
Defensive Lineman – Marques White, UMass
Defensive Lineman – Jay Crable, Ohio
Defensive Lineman – Martez Poynter, Toledo
Linebacker – Dakota Cochran, Central Michigan
Linebacker – CJ Young, Kent State
Linebacker – Corban Hondru, Miami
Linebacker – Quinton Urwiler, Northern Illinois
Defensive Back – Bryce Llewellyn, Eastern Michigan
Defensive Back – Silas Walters, Miami
Defensive Back – Avery Smith, Toledo
Defensive Back – Tate Hallock, Western Michigan
Punter – Dylan Drennan, Buffalo
2025 All-MAC Second Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – Victor Snow, Buffalo
Kickoff Return Specialist – Trayvon Rudolph, Toledo
2025 All-MAC Third Team Offense
Quarterback – Tucker Gleason, Toledo
Offensive Lineman – Keylen Davis, Akron
Offensive Lineman – Mickey Rewolinski, Eastern Michigan
Offensive Lineman – Eric Smith, Miami
Offensive Lineman – Evan Malcore, Northern Illinois
Offensive Lineman – Nick Marinaro, Ohio
Tight End – Mason Williams, Ohio
Wide Receiver – Langston Lewis, Central Michigan
Wide Receiver – Nick Devereaux, Eastern Michigan
Wide Receiver – Cade Wolford, Kent State
Wide Receiver – Jacquon Gibson, UMass
Running Back – Chavon Wright, Northern Illinois
Running Back – Jalen Buckley, Western Michigan
Placekicker – Jack Howes, Buffalo
Placekicker - Cade Graham, Central Michigan
2025 All-MAC Third Team Defense
Defensive Lineman – Bruno Dall, Akron
Defensive Lineman – Junior Poyser, Buffalo
Defensive Lineman – Malachi Davis, Toledo
Defensive Lineman – Esean Carter, Toledo
Linebacker – Mason Woods, Kent State
Linebacker – Tyler Martin, UMass
Linebacker – Jackson Kuwatch, Miami
Linebacker – Chris D’Appolonia, Toledo
Defensive Back – MJ Cannon, Bowling Green
Defensive Back – Jalen McClendon, Bowling Green
Defensive Back – Tank Pearson, Ohio
Defensive Back – Josh Franklin, Western Michigan
Punter – Mitchell Tomasek, Eastern Michigan
2025 All-MAC Third Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – Dev’ion Reynolds, Northern Illinois
Kickoff Return Specialist – Bryson Hammer, Toledo
