Montague football legend Drew Collins, who recently completed his Michigan Tech football career, was announced Monday as this year's recipient of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's (GLIAC) Jack H. McAvoy Award, which is presented annually to a GLIAC football player who best combines outstanding character and leadership on the field, in the classroom and in the community.
The award is named for former Hillsdale College athletic director and head coach Jack McAvoy, who was instrumental in founding the Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference (MIFC), now known as the GLIAC.
During his Montague career, Collins starred at quarterback for three seasons, leading the Wildcats to the 2020 state championship, as well as a 2018 state runner-up finish and the 2019 state final four. He was named Division 6 state player of the year in his senior season.
“There is nobody more deserving than Drew to win this award,” said Michigan Tech head coach Dan Mettlach in a press release. “Drew has done an incredible job since the day he stepped on campus raising the standard of what it means to be a part of our program. Drew has volunteered with multiple projects in our community on top of leading team Bible studies. He will graduate from Michigan Tech with a degree in Sports and Fitness Management and a master's degree in Business Administration.
“His leadership was valued by everyone in our program as he was voted a team captain in 2025 as well as a member of our Leadership Council for five years.”
On the gridiron, Collins was a two-time All-GLIAC honorable mention player, playing in 37 games in his career and scoring 10 touchdowns. He recorded 269 all-purpose yards, including a career-high four touchdowns, in the 2025 campaign.
Academically, Collins is a three-time GLIAC Academic Excellence team selection, earning a degree in sports and fitness management in the spring of 2025 and will complete his MBA in spring 2026.
