ROYAL OAK – The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has named Trine University quarterback Eric Watt its Most Valuable Player on offense and Adrian College defensive lineman Gino Panza its Most Valuable Player on defense for the 2009 football season.

Former Cassopolis standout Paul Curtis was second team All-MIAA for Trine.

Watt, a junior from South Newton, Ind. (Kentland HS), led the MIAA in passing efficiency with a rating of 170.4 in conference play in leading the Thunder to its second straight MIAA championship. In six league games, Watt completed 68.9 percent of his passes (84-of-122) for 1,066 yards and 11 touchdowns, while throwing only one interception.

Panza, a senior from Monroe (Jefferson HS), led a Bulldogs’ defense that led the MIAA in virtually every statistical category in conference play this season, including fewest points allowed (13.2 per game), rushing defense (112.3 yards per game and only two touchdowns allowed) and total defense (246.2 yards per game).

The MIAA also awarded Hope quarterback Neil Droppers, a senior from Maitland, Fla. (Winter Park HS) with its Pete Schmidt Memorial Scholar-Athlete Award.

The award honors the late Albion College coach who won a record nine MIAA titles and an NCAA Division III national championship in 14 seasons as head coach of the Britons.

Following is the 2009 All-MIAA Football Team:
All-MIAA First Team
Offense
QB – Eric Watt, Trine** (junior from Kentland, Ind./South Newton HS)
RB – Kent Biller, Trine* (sophomore from Nappanee, Ind./NorthWood HS)
RB – Tim Elzinga, Hope* (junior from Grand Rapids/GR South Christian HS)
WR – Andrew Schaar, Alma** (junior from DeWitt/DeWitt HS)
WR – Kyle Dietrich, Hope* (junior from Gobles/Gobles HS)
WR – Jimmy Semelsberger, Kalamazoo** (senior from Bloomfield Hills/Lahser HS)
TE – Nick Leeman, Trine* (senior from Noblesville, Ind./Hamilton Heights HS)
OL – Cameron Reichow, Albion** (senior from Albion/Albion HS)
OL – Kelly Durr, Alma* (senior from Bad Axe/Bad Axe HS)
OL – Josh Droppers, Hope* (sophomore from Kalamazoo/Portage Northern HS)
OL – James Greenlee, Trine (senior from Columbus, Ind./North HS)
OL – Bryce Sims, Trine* (junior from Columbia City, Ind./Columbia City HS)
* – Number of years All-MIAA First Team
Defense
DL – Gino Panza, Adrian** (senior from Monroe/Jefferson HS)
DL – Charles Green, Albion* (senior from Chattanooga, Tenn./The McCallie School)
DL – Austin Rodgers, Albion** (junior from Dexter/Chelsea HS)
DL – Matt Medina, Trine* (junior from Decatur, Ind./Adams Central HS)
LB – Jared Kwiatowski, Adrian* (junior from Warren/Cousino HS)
LB – Zach Jones, Hope* (junior from Three Rivers/Three Rivers HS)
LB – Brandon Foutz, Kalamazoo* (senior from Grand Blanc/Grand Blanc HS)
LB – Jake Vance, Trine* (junior from Fenton/Lake Fenton HS)
DB – John Parvin, Adrian* (senior from White Lake/Walled Lake Northern HS)
DB – Chris Greenwood, Albion* (sophomore from Detroit/Martin Luther King HS)
DB – Kyle Warren, Hope* (junior from Grandville/Hudsonville Unity Chrisitan HS)
DB – Aaron Selking, Trine* (junior from Decatur, Ind./Adams Central HS)
Specialists
K – Jeremy Howard, Trine** (junior from Elkhart, Ind./Concord HS)
P – Ryan Patten, Olivet*** (senior from Charlotte/Charlotte HS)
RS – Andrew Schaar, Alma* (junior from DeWitt/DeWitt HS)

All-MIAA Second Team
Offense
QB – Brandon Luczak, Kalamazoo (senior from Rochester Hills/Rochester HS)
RB – Clinton Orr, Albion (freshman from Buchanan/Buchanan HS)
RB – Mike Martin, Olivet (sophomore from Caledonia/Wayland HS)
WR – Eric Suttie, Adrian (senior from Sylvania, Ohio/Northview HS)
WR – Paul Curtis, Trine (junior from Cassopolis/Ross Beatty HS)
WR – Mario Brown, Trine (sophomore from Battle Creek/Battle Creek Central HS)
TE – Nick Hemmingsen, Adrian (senior from Clinton Twp./Chippewa Valley HS)
OL – Brett Rude, Albion (senior from Waterford/Kettering HS)
OL – Shane Jesiel, Albion (freshman from Sterling Heights/Henry Ford II HS)
OL – Jared Andrzejewski, Kalamazoo (senior from Saint Johns/Saint Johns HS)
OL – Deryck Jefferies, Trine (senior from Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead HS)
OL – Tyler Terry, Trine (junior from Stroh, Ind./Prairie Heights HS)
Defense
DL – Austin Fritz, Adrian (junior from Ayersville, Ohio/Ayersville HS)
DL – Justin Judd, Adrian (junior from Grosse Ile/Grosse Ile HS)
DL – Jeremy Green, Albion (junior from Chattanooga, Tenn./The McCallie School)
DL – Cody Stripling, Alma (senior from Haslett/Haslett HS)
LB – Danny Taylor, Adrian (junior from Commerce Twp./White Lake Lakeland HS)
LB – Conrad Bovee, Alma (sophomore from Ithaca/Ithaca HS)
LB – Chris Behnke, Olivet (junior from Bellevue/Olivet HS)
LB – Aaron Shoemaker, Trine (sophomore from Onsted/Onsted HS)
DB – Jacob Lee, Albion (senior from Spring Lake/Spring Lake HS)
DB – Robbie Moffett, Albion (junior from Chelsea/Chelsea HS)
DB – Bart Blystone, Alma (senior from Mount Pleasant/Mount Pleasant HS)
DB – Ryan Rickaby, Trine (sophomore from Adrian/Adrian HS)
Specialists
K – Justin Warner, Adrian (senior from Paw Paw/Paw Paw HS)
P – Mychal Galla, Albion (junior from Muskegon/Catholic Central HS)
RS – Joey Beehler, Adrian (senior from Wakarusa, Ind./Mishawaka Penn HS)