Head coach Jed Stugart and the Lindenwood Lions won their second straight Great Lakes Valley Conference championship in 2021 and will be looking to make it three in a row when the season begins in August. (Photo courtesy: Lindenwood Athletics)
by DeMarcus Dixon
Staff Writer
The Lindenwood University football team announced its 2022 signing class on Wednesday, which is National Signing Day for NCAA football teams, with the Lions adding 15 new players to their program.
The newest members of the Lindenwood football team will include 10 high school seniors and five college transfers — four of which will be coming from NCAA Division I FCS programs.
Five of the high school players are from the St. Louis area, and eight of the players overall are from either Missouri or Illinois.
“This is always one of the most exciting days of our year, and today’s additions to our Lion family only confirms it,” Lindenwood head football coach Jed Stugart said, in a statement released by the program. “We will always be ‘Loyal to the Lou’, and we are tremendously excited for the talent we added in our own backyard, as well as in our region. Not only did we add great talent to our team, but the character, academic dedication, and championship mindset of this class sets up for what we believe will continue to enhance the success of our program.”
The Lions will look to defend their Great Lakes Valley Conference title next season, after winning its second championship in as many seasons competing in the league. Lindenwood also made its second appearance in the NCAA Division II Playoffs in 2021, after earning the program’s first postseason bid in 2019.
The Lions collected 21 All-GLVC conference selections, including four major awards.
Stugart was named GLVC Coach of the Year for the second time, while middle linebacker Drew Seers won back-to-back GLVC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Seers was also named the D2Football.com National Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-American honors by the Associated Press and the American Football Coaches Association.
He was also a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award, which is the D2 equivalent of the Heisman Trophy award. Sophomore wide receiver/kick returner Spencer Redd was named the GLVC Special Teams Player of the Year, and running back Robert Giaimo was named GLVC Freshman of the Year.
The Lions ended the season with a 9-3 record, and were a perfect 7-0 mark in the GLVC for the second straight year.
2022 Lindenwood Football Signees
Tre’ Bell | DB | 6-2 | 175 (Ballwin, Mo./Parkway West)
Mason Brown | QB | 6-3 | 205 (Fenton, Mo./Rockwood Summit)
Brayden Darrell | DL | 6-2 | 230 (Bixby, Okla./Bixby)
Luke Desherow | DL | 6-5 | 235 (Mt. Prospect, Ill./Grand Valley State)
Tyrone Griffin | LB | 6-4 | 225 (Brownsburg, Ind./Indiana State)
Drew Krobath | WR | 6-2 | 185 (Fenton, Mo./Rockwood Summit)
Colin Krzeczkowski | OL | 6-5 | 270 (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township)
Chase Lanckriet | TE | 6-4 | 235 (Windsor, Colo./Northern Colorado)
Jordan Lawrence | DL | 6-3 | 250 (Bloomington, Ill./Indiana State)
Hunter Neely | LB | 6-1 | 220 (Celina, Texas/Celina)
Jared Rhodes | RB | 6-0 | 200 (St. Louis, Mo./Ladue)
Will Stemler | LB | 6-2 | 220 (Sierra Vista, Ariz./Buena)
Khalid Stewart | DB | 5-11 | 180 (St. Louis, Mo./DeSmet)
Ronnie Thomas Jr. | WR | 6-0 | 190 (Owasso, Okla./Owasso)
David Whittemore | LB | 6-2 | 235 (Indianapolis, Ind./Indiana State)