Keefe, Allison, & Lendino Take PFL’s Week 12 Individual Honors

11/16/2025 1:52:43 PM

By: Cody Bush, PFL Media Relations Director

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Valparaiso quarterback Rowan Keefe and wide receiver Nic Lendino were joined by Drake linebacker Sean Allison as the Pioneer Football League’s Week 12 Players of the Week, announced Sunday.

Keefe threw two touchdowns and three two-point conversions, and ran for another touchdown while Lendino blocked a punt to help supercharge the Beacons’ come-from-behind effort that resulted in a 32-31 overtime win against Stetson. Allison intercepted a pair of passes, including one in the end zone, as Drake secured a share of the PFL Championship with a 14-6 victory at Dayton.

Drake looks to secure the 2025 PFL title, and the automatic bid that comes with it, when it hosts Morehead State in Week 12. Waiting in the wings at two losses are Presbyterian, San Diego – the Blue Hose host Marist and the Toreros travel to Stetson.

Offensive

Rowan Keefe, Valparaiso (Junior (RS), Quarterback, Park Ridge, Illinois)
Keefe led Valparaiso to their largest come-from-behind victory in program history, accounting for 24 points in a 32-31 overtime victory against Stetson. The Beacons trailed 24-0 with under six minutes left in the third quarter. Keefe started the comeback effort with a 55-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Ricketti, and he tossed the two-point conversion to Max Carter to make it 24-8. He sent the game to overtime with a two-yard touchdown pass to Devin Yeats as time expired in regulation, tying the game with another two-point conversion pass to Colin Hayes. Keefe capped the day with a two-yard touchdown run and another two-point conversion pass to Hayes to claim the walk-off win. He completed 18-of-26 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns as well as three two-point conversions, and ran for 21 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.

Others Nominated

  • Drake running back Nick Herman ran for 153 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries in a 14-6 victory at Dayton.
  • Marist quarterback Sonny Mannino accumulated a career-high 317 yards and two touchdowns while completing 18-of-24 passes in a 37-10 victory against Davidson.
  • Presbyterian quarterback Collin Hurst completed 17-of-24 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-9 victory against St. Thomas.
  • San Diego running back Matt Colombo had 21 carries for 113 yards and a touchdown in a 29-7 victory against Butler.

Defensive

Sean Allison, Drake (Senior, Linebacker, Hinsdale, Illinois)
Allison intercepted two passes and has 12 tackles (eight solo) to lead a Drake defensive effort that held Dayton off the scoreboard until under nine minutes remaining in the game en route to a 14-6 victory on the road. Allison’s first interception came in the end zone late in the first quarter to deny Dayton what proved to be a pivotal scoring opportunity.  Allison’s second interception, which included a 16-yard return, came on Dayton’s first drive of the second half, stopping a drive that had reached midfield. He then had a pass breakup on a 4th-and-12 opportunity on the Drake 15-yard line, forcing a key turnover on downs. Allison closed the day with six tackles in the fourth quarter alone.

Others Nominated

  • Marist safety Jace Williamson had eight tackles (four solo) and an interception in a 37-10 victory against Davidson.
  • Presbyterian linebacker Michael Torres notched eight tackles (five solo), with a sack, in a 23-9 victory at St. Thomas.
  • San Diego linebacker Nate Fischer posted nine tackles (seven solo), forced and recovered a fumble then picked off a pass in a 29-7 victory against Butler.
  • St. Thomas linebacker Caden Nelson scored 14 tackles (four solo), including a half tackle for loss, and a fumble recovery in a loss to Presbyterian.
  • Valparaiso linebacker Anthony Feltrinelli finished with 11 tackles (seven solo), 2.5 for loss, in a 32-31 overtime win against Stetson.

Special Teams

Nic Lendino, Valparaiso (Sophomore (RS), Defensive Back, Naperville, Illinois)
Lendino’s blocked punt in the third quarter fueled Valparaiso’s come-from-behind effort in a 32-31 overtime win against Stetson. After Valparaiso scored its first touchdown, the Beacons’ defense forced a punt in Stetson territory. Lendino blocked the attempt, and the ball went out of bounds and was recovered at the Stetson 31-yard line. Valparaiso scored on the ensuing drive, cutting its deficit to 24-16 at the end of the third quarter. In his defensive role, Lendino had four tackles (two solo) and two pass breakups.

Others Nominated

  • Marist kicker Samer Layous was responsible for seven points with a 36-yard field goal and four PATs in a 37-10 victory against Davidson.

About the Pioneer Football League

The Pioneer Football League is the only non-scholarship, football-only NCAA Football Championship Subdivision conference. The PFL is a truly national conference with members on each coast and throughout the nation’s heartland. Butler University, the University of Dayton, Drake University, and Valparaiso University were among the league’s founding members in 1993, with Davidson College, Marist College, Morehead State University, Presbyterian College, the University of San Diego, the University of St. Thomas, and Stetson University joining to form the current 11-team league.