Jared Veldheer's drive to the NFL draft picking up steam

Hillsdale College senior offensive tackle Jared Veldheer got some exciting news to close out 2009. On Wednesday December 30th, the pro hopeful was officially invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Veldheer will compete against the rest of the linemen vying for a spot beginning February 24th.

The 6'8", 315 pound All-American begins his draft-focused training sessions this Monday at the D1 Sports Performance Center in Nashville, TN, co-owned by Peyton Manning. The facility has been the training home to NFL standouts Albert Hainsworth and DeAngelo Williams. Working specifically with Veldheer will be former 11 year pro Jason Mathews. Over 100 other combine invitees have trained at D1 Nashville.

Although invited to the D2 Cactus Bowl All-Star game, Veldheer will forgo that opportunity for the upcoming Texas vs. The Nation All-Star Game in El Paso on February 6th at 2 PM EST. That game has been in years past carried by CBS College Sports.

The NFL Draft will be held this year with Round 1 on Thursday April 23 at 7:30 PM, with the second and third rounds on Friday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by Rounds 4-7 on Saturday, April 24 at 10 a.m. ET.

WOOD TV: Grand Valley's Chuck Martin leaving for Notre Dame

Real GM Football: Jeff Risdon's take on Hillsdale's Jared Veldheer

Real GM Football Jeff Risdon gives his weekly 10 cents. See what he has to say about senior Charger tackle Jared Veldheer's rising draft status. Veldheer is at .10.

Article

Veldheer Earns AP Little All American Honors

Charger senior offensive tackle Jared Veldheer has been named to yet another All American team.

The AP Little All-American team features NAIA, D3, and D2 players.

Full Release

Midland Daily News: Pat Riepma, Faith, Family, and Friends

Editor's note: Pat Riepma is a member of the Hillsdale College athletic hall of fame as a Quarterback and served as the school's offensive coordinator and SID before leaving to take over the Northwood football program in 1993.

Midland Daily News

Chris Stevens
stevens@mdn.net

Published: Sunday, December 13, 2009 4:21 AM EST

When Pat Riepma stepped down as head football coach at Northwood University after the 2007 season, he knew he was in for a new adventure.

What he didn't know was that his journey would include an intense battle with cancer.

This past summer, Riepma, the NU athletics director, began a fight with tongue cancer that included extensive surgery and a one-two punch of radiation and chemotherapy. Through that process, he's had to have a tracheotomy inserted in his throat to help him breathe, he's been fed through feeding tubes, a section of his tongue has been surgically removed and reconstructed, affecting his speech, and he's lost 35 pounds.

But, just like he did on the football field for 15 years, where he set the NU record for most career wins (90), Riepma has never given up and has never wallowed in self-pity. It's not in his DNA.

Riepma competed to win.

He accepted the challenge of fighting cancer and has battled all four quarters.

"I have the utmost respect for my husband. He's my hero for what he's gone through," said Sherri Riepma, his wife of 22 years. "He never complained, and never asked, 'Why me?' He was an excellent role model for our (three) boys."

Riepma, who turns 49 in February, has completed radiation and chemotherapy treatment, and is on the mend. His speech is not yet back to normal, and he's still unable to taste food. But the 6-foot, 3-inch Riepma has been able to put on five pounds, and is now up to 165 from a low of 160.

He's optimistic about his future, though, and believes God is using this trial in a positive way to reach others and give them hope.

"I feel better every day," Pat said.

Full Article

Mike Gatt and Jim Eckhardt Named in Hall of Fame Class

Excerpt from Hillsdale College Release

Mike Gatt, M.D., was the quarterback behind Hillsdale’s 1985 NAIA national championship team and at the time of his graduation, holder of most passing records in school history. His 2,664 passing yards, 201 completions and 355 pass attempts were all single-season records that stood for 22 years.

He was a three-year starter for the Chargers and was named Academic All-American in 1984 and 1985. He was also the senior class president and was honored as the Senior Man of the Year.

Gatt was named NAIA All-American following that 1985 season, when he threw 25 touchdown passes. After graduating, Gatt earned his M.D. from Michigan State University in 1990 and served his residency at Providence Hospital in Southfield, Michigan. He is currently the chairman of the OB/GYN department at St. Mary Hospital in Livonia. He and his wife Maureen, also a Hillsdale College graduate, have four children: Meredith, Nickolas, Mitchell and Carson.

Jim Eckhardt has been a fixture at Hillsdale College sporting events for more than 20 years, and has handled color commentary for close to 1,000 football and basketball games in his career through his work with WCSR 92.1-FM in Hillsdale. A lively and energetic personality, Eckhardt lends a wonderfully lighthearted, but informed touch to all of his broadcasts.

He called his first Charger football game in 1975, and has approached every game since then with the same passion and love that have made him synonymous with Charger athletics. A former registered game official and father of a Hillsdale College alumn, Jim has also been a valued contributor and consultant to the Hillsdale College athletic department through the years. He has served on several coaching search committees and has been an important part of the Charger Club, actively involved in fundraising efforts for the department.

Hillsdale College Finishes #11 in final AFCA Poll

2009 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll
December 14, 2009

Rank	School (1st votes)	Rec.	Pts.	Prev.	Postseason Results	Head Coach
1.	Northwest Missouri St. (25)	14-1	625	2	D. No. 3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 30-23, in championship	Mel Tjeerdsma
2.	Grand Valley St. (Mich.)	13-2	600	3	Lost to No. 2 Northwest Missouri St., 30-23, in championship	Chuck Martin
3.	Central Washington	12-1	558	1	Lost to No. 2 Northwest Missouri St., 21-20, in quarterfinals	Blaine Bennett
4.	Carson-Newman (Tenn.)	11-3	535	10	Lost to No. 3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 41-27, in semifinals	Ken Sparks
5.	Minnesota-Duluth	11-2	502	4	Lost to No. 3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 24-10, in quarterfinals	Bob Nielson
6.	North Alabama	11-2	492	5	Lost to No. 10 Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 24-21, in quarterfinals	Terry Bowden
7.	California (Pa.)	11-4	426	22	Lost to No. 2 Northwest Missouri St., 56-31, in semifinals	John Luckhardt
8.	Nebraska-Kearney	11-2	413	6	Lost to No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth, 42-7, in second round	Darrell Morris
9.	West Liberty (W.Va.)	11-2	377	9	Lost to No. 22 California (Pa.), 57-35, in quarterfinals	Roger Waialae
10.	Tarleton St. (Texas)	10-3	362	12	Lost to No. 1 Central Washington, 27-6, in second round	Sam McElroy
11.	Hillsdale (Mich.)	10-3	352	15	Lost to No. 3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 44-27, in second round	Keith Otterbein
12.	Minnesota St.-Mankato	10-2	310	8	Lost to No. 15 Hillsdale (Mich.), 27-24 OT, in first round	Todd Hoffner
13.	Abilene Christian (Texas)	9-4	307	18	Lost to No. 2 Northwest Missouri St., 35-10, in second round	Chris Thomsen
14.	Midwestern St. (Texas)	9-3	289	7	Lost to No. 18 Abilene Christian (Tex.), 24-21, in first round	Bill Maskill
15.	Shippensburg (Pa.)	9-3	272	17	Lost to No. 22 California (Pa.), 26-21, in second round	Rocky Rees
16.	Texas A&M-Kingsville	9-3	253	13	Lost to No. 12 Tarleton St. (Texas), 57-56 2OT, in first round	Bo Atterberry
17.	Tuskegee (Ala.)	10-2	244	14	D. Elizabeth City St. (N.C.), 21-7, in Pioneer Bowl	Willie Slater
18.	Arkansas Tech	9-3	235	21	Lost to No. 5 North Alabama, 41-28, in second round	Steve Mullins
19.	Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)	9-3	206	16	Lost to No. 6 Nebraska-Kearney, 35-20, in first round	Jim Collins
20.	North Carolina-Pembroke	9-2	166	11	Lost to No. 21 Arkansas Tech, 41-13, in first round	Pete Shinnick
21.	West Alabama	8-5	113	NR	Lost to No. 10 Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 59-41, in second round	Bobby Wallace
22.	Albany St. (Ga.)	8-3	106	20	Lost to West Alabama, 24-22, in first round	Mike White
23.	Charleston (W.Va.)	9-2	82	19	DNQ Playoffs	Tony DeMeo
24.	Edinboro (Pa.)	9-4	77	NR	Lost to No. 9 West Liberty (W.Va.), 84-63, in second round	Scott Browning
25.	Washburn (Kan.)	8-3	43	24	DNQ Playoffs	Craig Schurig