The Valparaiso University football team received considerable recognition after the team's thrilling, come-from-behind 32-31 victory over Stetson on Saturday as the Pioneer Football League announced its weekly awards on Sunday.
 
Redshirt junior quarterback Rowan Keefe (Park Ridge, Ill. / Maine South) was named the league's Offensive Player of the Week after engineering the game-tying touchdown drive in the final minute, while redshirt sophomore defensive back Nic Lendino (Naperville, Ill. / Neuqua Valley) achieved the league's Special Teams Player of the Week award for a game-altering blocked punt.
 
Keefe led Valpo to the program's biggest comeback on record, as the Beacons came from 24-0 down with under six minutes remaining in the third quarter to stun Stetson 32-31 in overtime on Saturday at Brown Field. He led a 95-yard touchdown drive to tie the game that started with Valpo taking over on its own 5-yard line, down eight with 49 seconds remaining.
 
Keefe threw the game-extending touchdown pass to Devin Yeats and the game-tying 2-point conversion pass to Colin Hayes to force overtime, then in the extra session he ran for a touchdown to bring Valpo to within 31-30 before throwing the game-winning 2-point conversion pass to Hayes. The Valpo QB finished 18-of-26 for 204 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions while also rushing for a TD and throwing for three 2-point conversions. 

 

With Valpo trailing 24-8 with 5:08 left in the third quarter right after getting on the board with a TD and 2-point conversion, the defense forced a three-and-out and then Lendino came up with a game-altering special teams play by blocking a punt to set up a short field for the Beacons. Valpo took advantage by scoring a touchdown and 2-point conversion that would prove crucial.
 
This marks the second straight week that Valpo has achieved the league's Special Teams Player of the Week after Ryan Ricketti did so for his efforts in the return game against San Diego. The Beacons now have four total weekly awards from the league office this year. Keefe became Valpo's first PFL Offensive Player of the Week since Aaron Dawson in 2022 and became the first Valpo quarterback to garner that award since Jimmy Seewald in 2017.     
 
Valpo will close the season this week by visiting Butler on Saturday at noon CT in the Battle for the Hoosier Helmet.