TIGER FOOTBALL INKS 27 SIGNEES ON NATIONAL SIGNING DAY
MITCHELL, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan football head coach and interim Athletic Director, Ross Cimpl inked 27 signees on National Signing Day. Tiger football signed 12 athletes from here in South Dakota, five from Nebraska, and one from Minnesota, Idaho, North Carolina, North Dakota, California, Washington, Iowa, Wyoming, Arizona and Montana. The 2024 DWU Tiger recruiting class totals 12 different states across the board.
Head Coach, Ross Cimpl had this to say about the 2024 recruiting class; " The 2024 recruiting class has big shoes to fill after graduating 24 seniors this last fall. Our coaches have been working tirelessly since last summer identifying the best prospects to add to our program. We have a tremendous new group of players and families that we are very excited to add to the Tiger Family. We are looking to build on the success of last season and this class is going to be a critical piece to our future success. We hope to see all of our new recruits and families at our signing day party on Saturday Feb 24th at 6:30pm."
The signees include:
- Angel Perez- 5-8, 180, Defensive Back, Chandler, Ariz.
- Blake Peterson- 6-2, 195, Wide Receiver, Granite Bay, Calif.;
- Brandon Bailiff- 6-2, 240, Defensive End, Grimes, Iowa;
- Braylon Vancura- 6-1, 175, Quarterback, Columbus, Neb.;
- Carson Leonhardt- 5-7, 230, Offensive Lineman, Cresbard, S.D.;
- Chase McGillivary- 6-3, 230, Tight End, Rockhorn, S.D.;
- Daniel Jacobs- 5-10, 177, Wide Receiver, Rapid City, S.D.;
- David Hondel Jr.- 5-11, 160, Defensive Back, Cheyenne, Wyo.;
- Dayne Toney- 5-10, 195, Linebacker, Billings, Mont.;
- Dominic DeBoer- 5-11, 205, Linebacker, Lennox, S.D.;
- Drue Davis- 6-1, 212, Linebacker, Wayne, Neb.;
- Gavin DeBeer- 6-3, 200, Wide Receiver, Luverne, Minn.;
- Gavin Kucera- 6-3, 275, Offensive Lineman, Sioux Falls, S.D.;
- Gavin Pischke- 6-3, 280, Offensive Lineman, Hartford, S.D.;
- Jack Driskill- 6-0, 170, Quarterback, Moscow, Idaho;
- Kaden Froehlich- 5-9, 170, Running Back, Pierce, Neb.;
- Kaleb Krein- 5-11, 185, Linebacker, Rapid City, S.D.;
- Parker Barnes- 5-10, 211, Defensive End, Rapid City, S.D.;
- Peyton Hora- 5-11, 255, Defensive Lineman, Chamberlain, S.D.;
- Rodney King- 5-10, 165, Linebacker, Houston, Texas;
- Sean Deblieck- 5-7, 153, Wide Receiver, Lakewood, Wash.;
- Trevor Sladky- 5-9, 165, Defensive Back, Wahoo, Neb.;
- Trey Mittelstedt- 6-0, 215 Defensive Lineman, Omaha, Neb.;
- Trey Skoglund, 5-11, 185, Linebacker, Oakes, N.D.;
- Triston Butler- 5-9, 190, Linebacker, Lennox, S.D.;
- Truman Vail- 5-11, 275, Offensive Lineman, Brandon, S.D.;
- Wesley Smith- 6-2, 220, Linebacker, Liberty, N.C.
Angel Perez:
2024 graduate at Chandler High School where he played four years of football and two years in track. Finished career with 104 tackles, 12 pass break ups, and six interceptions, while helping his team to two championships.
Blake Peterson:
A 2018 graduate of Granite Bay High School, Peterson joins DWU's football team as a wide receiver. He played football for four years in high school as well as baseball for three years, starting in each sport for all seven seasons.
Brandon Bailiff:
The 2024 graduate joins DWU to play football for the Tigers. A two-sport athlete in football and baseball. In his junior season he recorded 26.5 tackles with one sack and 6 tackles for loss. During his senior season of football, he recorded 21.5 tackles, 2 sacks, and 6 tackles for loss. Was named to the First Team All-District his senior year and Second Team All District his junior year. Bailiff was named to the Academic All District team twice for football and named to the honor roll four times.
Braylon Vancura:
The 2024 graduate comes to DWU to be a quarterback for the Tigers. Played varsity football for three years and earned three varsity letters. Was named team captain during high school and Academic All-Conference for three years.
Carson Leonhardt:
A 2024 graduate of Faulkton Area High School, Leonhardt comes to DWU to play football for the Tigers. The two-sport athlete in wrestling and football earned eight varsity letters in his career while compiling 41 tackles and seven tackles for loss on the defensive side of the ball. He helped his team to the 9B State Runner-Up in 2023 and was named to First team All-State and First team All-Conference in football his senior year and was a two-time state qualifier in wrestling and two-time Honorable Mention All-Conference wrestler. Was named to the Honor Roll, a member of National Honor Society, and named to Academic All-State.
Chase McGillivary:
2024 graduate and three-year starter at Redfield High School. He earned All-Conference and academic awards 3.5-4.0 Honor Roll, NHS officer and member.
Daniel Jacobs:
Played three years of varsity football for Rapid City Christian Football where he recorded 400 plus reception yards his senior year with one TD, one sack, and three picks. Was named to the Black Hills Conference Honorable Mention Team in 2023.
David Hondel Jr.:
A 2024 graduate of Cheyenne East High School, Hondel Jr. comes to DWU as a two-way player for the football team. The two-sport athlete was a member of the football team and the track and field teams. On the offensive side of the ball, Hondel Jr. recorded 29 receptions for 355 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior. On defense he recorded 23 total tackles, 2.5 for a loss, and broke up 6 passes while on specials he ran back one touchdown on a punt return and piled up 273 return yards. He helped his team to a combined record of 20-4 his last year and made it to the state championship both years as the runner up team. Was named to the All-Conference team as a wide receiver and defensive back and was a four-year academic letter winner.
Dayne Toney:
The 2024 graduate of Skyview High School comes to DWU to be a defensive back for the Tiger's football team. Toney was a three-sport athlete in football, basketball, and track. He recorded 42 tackles, 2.5 sacks, seven QB pressures, and four pass break ups his senior year while also earning All-Conference Honors and Academic All-State Honors.
Dominic DeBoer:
The 2024 graduate joins the Tiger's Football team as a linebacker. The three-sport athlete earned varsity letters in football, baseball, and powerlifting. On the football field he recorded 97 total tackles, five sacks, six tackles for loss, picked off one pass, forced three fumbles, and recovered two of them. DeBoer earned Academic All-State, named to the A Honor roll four times, a member of National Honor Society, and had a GPA of 3.85.
Drue Davis:
2024 Graduate and three sport athlete at Wayne High School. He had 138 career tackles. Was a three-time All-State Honorable Mention, All-District First Team and was Honor Roll every quarter for all four years of high school.
Gavin DeBeer:
A 2024 graduate, DeBeer comes to DWU to play football for the Tigers. As a three-sport athlete at Luverne High School, he played football, basketball, and track for all four years of high school. Was named to the All-District team his senior year of football, All-Conference in track in 2023, and All-Conference player in basketball in 2023.
Gavin Kucera:
The 2024 graduate joins DWU's offensive lin. Was a two-sport athlete in football and track for four years.
Gavin Pischke:
The 2024 graduate comes to DWU to be a part of the Tiger Football team. The two-sport athlete was a four-year member of the football and wrestling team. He helped his team to a combined record of 20-4 in his last two years of football and was named Academic All-State and First Team All-State his senior year of football.
Jack Driskill:
The 2024 graduate joins DWU to play football at the quarterback position. The three-sport athlete earned varsity letters in football, basketball, and baseball. In his senior season of football, Driskill threw for 2,716 yards with a completion percentage of 61% and threw 40 passings touchdowns, he rushed for 1,077 yards on 119 attempts and found pay dirt 18 times. He led his team to a 9-1 record his senior year and earned the League Champions title. Driskill was named First Team All-State Quarterback, League MVP, and League First Team QB and DB.
Kaden Froehlich:
2024 Graduate and two sport athlete at Pierce Public High School. He had 34 carries, 188 yards, three rush touchdowns, five receptions for 53 yards and one touchdown. He earned four varsity letters, two-time State Champion, and a State Runner up. Was on the honor roll 2020-2023.
Kaleb Krein:
A 2024 graduate, Krein joins DWU to play football for the Tigers. He recorded 96 tackles, two picks, and one touchdown in his final season in high school. Was named to the Academic All-State team.
Parker Barnes:
A 2024 graduate and two-sport athlete at Rapid City Stevens High School. He had 20 tackles and 3.0 TFL his junior year, 30 tackles and 5.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks his senior year and was named Academic All-State and on the National Honor Society.
Peyton Hora:
A 2024 graduate, Hora joins the DWU football team on the line. Hora competed in football and track through high school earning varsity letters in both. He had four sacks and forced a pair of fumbles his senior year on the gridiron. Was named to the Academic All-State, a member of the National Honor Society, and made the Honor Roll.
Rodney King:
The 2024 graduate from Houston, Texas joins the DWU football team. The three-sport athlete in football, wrestling, and track helped his team to a record of 13-1 as a senior and won the state championship.
Sean Deblieck:
The 2024 graduate joins DWU to play football. The two-sport athlete in football and track earned seven varsity letters. In his senior season he recorded 14 receptions for 181 yards, three receiving touchdowns, 210 kick return yards with one touchdown, 10 tackles, one interception, and compiled 460 all-purpose yards. Was named PLC First Team All-League Kick Returner and has earned four Athlete of the Meet awards in track and field. Deblieck earned PLC standard of Academic Achievement in the 2022 and 2023 football seasons.
Trevor Sladky:
2024 graduate and three-sport athlete at Bishop Newmann High School. Had 12 total varsity TD's junior and senior year including one defensive. Sladky led the team in receiving with 214 yards and four TD's in 2023. Was All-District Honorable Mention in 2022, All-Conference Honorable Mention in 2022, and Prep Redzone Second Team All-State in 2023. Was a eight time semester honor roll student and was Academic All-Conference.
Trey Mittelstedt:
The 2024 graduate comes DWU to be a member of the Tiger's football team. A two-year starter for the football team earned an All-State Honorable Mention in 2022 for defense and named All-State Football Team in 2023 for defense.
Trey Skoglund:
The 2024 graduate joins DWU to play football for the Tigers. A three-sport athlete playing football, basketball, and track earned varsity letters in all three sports. During his senior year, became the record holder for receptions in a year with 34 passes caught and moved into third for receiving touchdowns with seven while also holding the record for career tackles at Oakes High School with 318 tackles. Was named to the All-Region Football team as a linebacker three times and Second Team All-State once. Earned All-District in basketball three times and made a state track appearance as a member of the 4x4 relay. Was named to the B Honor Roll three times.
Triston Butler:
The 2024 graduate joins DWU's football team as a linebacker. A three-sport athlete in high school playing football, baseball, and wrestling earned 10 varsity letters. In his senior season of football Butler recorded 68 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 7.0 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and picked off one pass then rushed for 260 yards on 56 attempts and found the endzone three times. Was named All-Conference in football while also earning academic letters, named to the honor roll, a member of National Honor Society, coted senior class president, and earned academic All-State honors.
Truman Vail:
A 2024 graduate, Vail comes DWU to be a member of the Tigers offensive line. Was a two-sport athlete in high school, was a member of the power lifting team for four years and football for four years. He earned the Brandon Valley Alumni Award and named the Coca Cola Unsung Hero Award.
Wesley Smith:
A 2024 graduate, Smith comes to DWU to play middle linebacker. The two-sport athlete played football and track for the Patriots. He recorded a career total of 263 tackles in his varsity career, blocked five kicks, forced six fumbles, and recovered three of them. Was named to the First Team All-Conference four times. One-time All-Region Defensive team and named his teams Defensive MVP. He helped his team make it to the fourth round of the playoffs with a record of 12-2 in his senior year. Was a three time A Honor Roll student with a 4.37 GPA.
