ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Dante Hendrix's First Team selection at wide receiver highlighted six Indiana State players that were honored on the Missouri Valley Football Conference postseason All-Conference teams on Monday afternoon.
 
Hendrix's selection marked the second First Team nod in the redshirt senior's career after previously receiving the honor in 2019. Justin Dinka (RB) and Rylan Cole (DB) both received Second Team recognition for the first time in their ISU careers. Harry Van Dyne (WR), Lucas Hunter (DL), and Jose Vazquez IV (OL) all received Honorable Mention honors.
 
Hendrix posted another strong campaign in his final season in the Sycamore Blue & White. The Florence, Ky. native finished among the Valley leaders in receptions (50) and receiving yards (719) while adding four touchdowns in 2022. He posted three 100-yard receiving efforts in MVFC play against Youngstown State (117), North Dakota State (109), and Illinois State (107). The two-time ISU team captain finished fourth in the Valley in receptions (5.0) and receiving yards (71.90) per game. He wrapped up his final season as ISU's all-time career receiving yards leader (2,500) and second in career receptions (190).
 
Dinka had a breakout campaign in his first full season in the Sycamore backfield. A consistent threat to take it all the way every time he touched the ball, the Flower Mound, Texas native posted the two longest carries in the MVFC this season: an 82-yard touchdown run against North Dakota State and a 75-yard touchdown run against Youngstown State. He finished the regular season third in the MVFC in total rushing yards (895), second in yards per carry (5.77), and third in yards per game (81.36).
 
Cole made a statement on opening night with eight tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, and two interceptions in the season-opening wins against North Alabama and the sophomore rode the momentum into becoming one of the premier tacklers in the MVFC this season. The McCordsville, Ind. native finished tied for sixth in the MVFC in total tackles (84), while adding 6.0 tackles-for-loss and 11 total passes defended. He posted a career-high 18-tackle effort against North Dakota State and was a two-time MVFC Defensive Player of the Week selection in 2022.
 
Van Dyne added another Sycamore threat on the outside in the 2022 season as the Overland Park, Kan. native used his 6-5 frame effectively as a third-down and red-zone threat. The redshirt senior wide receiver finished second on the team with 24 receptions and third with 284 receiving yards – both career-high marks during his time at Indiana State. Highlighting his year included a five-catch, 66-yard game with a touchdown against Illinois State. He also posted a four-catch, 59-yard contest against North Dakota and added a touchdown reception at South Dakota State.
 
Hunter finished the 2022 season with 35 total tackles, including 4.5 tackles-for-loss and one sack as an interior defensive lineman. The Indianapolis, Ind. native highlighted his season with a career-high 11 tackles, a TFL and 0.5 sacks against North Dakota State. The junior defensive lineman also recorded a scoop-and-score fumble recovery for a touchdown early in the season against Montana for his first collegiate touchdown.
 
Vazquez IV lined up as Indiana State's primary right guard in the 2022 season starting 10 games on the year. The redshirt junior is a three-year starter on the ISU offensive line and posted an average grade of 88.7% throughout the year. This average bumped up to an 89.5% mark in conference play. The Carol Stream, Ill. native allowed just 1.5 sacks in the 2022 season and just three quarterback hurries, while providing run blocking for Justin Dinka to pick up nearly 900 rushing yards and a 5.8 yard-per-carry average.
 
Youngstown State running back Jaleel McLaughlin has been named the Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year, while Illinois State linebacker Zeke Vandenburgh was tabbed the league's Defensive Player of the Year. Indiana State's Cade Chambers is the conference Freshman of the Year, Western Illinois' Naseim Brantley the conference Newcomer of the Year, and South Dakota State's Coach John Stiegelmeier was named the MVFC 'Bruce Craddock' Coach of the Year as voted on by the conference's head coaches, SID staffs, and media members.
 
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