Fort Lewis College Athletics

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Jake Penney (0) on defense against the ThunderWolves at the CSU Pueblo Thunderbowl (Oct. 11, 2025)

Penney named NFFCC All-Colorado Defensive Player of the year, Udengwu grabs Second-Team honors

12/18/2025 9:45:00 AM

By: Hayden Mangan, Assistant AD-Communications & Fan Engagement

DURANGO, Colo. – Fort Lewis College football Inside linebacker Jake Penney has been named the Defensive Player of the Year by the National Football Foundation Colorado Chapter, with Mikel Udengwu picking up All-Colorado Second-Team honors as well. Penney is the first Skyhawk in program history to earn player of the year honors at any position from the NFFCC.

The Colorado Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame was chartered on July 1, 1992, and is one of 120 chapters in 47 states to comprise the organization. Colorado is the only chapter nationwide that selects collegiate players of the week and a collegiate All-State team, beginning in 2003.

Penney, a redshirt junior, graduate of Spanish Springs High School, and native of Sparks, Nev., recently became the program's third-ever linebacker to earn All-Region honors from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association. Additionally, Penney picks up All-Colorado First-Team honors for the second-straight season from the NFFCC, adding to his NFFCC Player of the Week (Oct. 28) recognition and his Academic All-Colorado Honorable Mention nod last season.

It was a record-breaking 2025 fall campaign for Penney, who cemented himself as the program's all-time leader in career solo tackles with 206. Boasting 150 tackles and an average of 13.6 tackles per game, the third-most ever by a Skyhawk and most since 1979, Penney stood as the NCAA leader in total tackles across all levels (FBS, FCS, DII, DIII) at the end of the regular season (Nov. 15). At the conference level, Penney was also seventh in tackles for loss with 11.0 for 29 yards lost, 16^th in sacks with 3.5 for 16 yards lost, tied for the sixth-most fumbles forced with two, and also broke up two passes and forced one quarterback hurry.

Junior offensive lineman Mikel Udengwu, a dominant left tackle out of John Glenn High School and Norwalk, Calif., earns his first career honor from the NFFCC, adding to this year's All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference First-Team selection and last season's nod as an Honorable Mention All-RMAC talent.

This season, Udengwu helped Fort Lewis' offensive line rank eighth in rushing and passing across the conference, at 122.7 yards and 180.0 yards per game, respectively. The Skyhawks averaged 302.7 yards of total offense, marking the most by a Fort Lewis team and the first 300+ average since 2017. In addition, Udengwu did not surrender a sack all season.

Fort Lewis football looks ahead to National Signing Day on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, as well as its spring camp later in April. Fans can follow the Skyhawks on Instagram @thefort_football, stay up to date on GoSkyhawks.com, or download the Fort Lewis Skyhawks mobile app and enable push notifications to get all of the latest on Skyhawks football.

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