Youngstown State quarterback Beau Brungard and wide receiver Max Tomczak highlighted a group of eight Penguins who were named All-Missouri Valley Football Conference, the league announced on Monday.

Earning second-team honors was OL Jaison Williams, LS Sam Merryman and punter Brendon Kilpatrick while CB Jaylen Castleberry, TB Tyshon King and OL Desmeal Leigh were honorable-mention selections.

A first-year starter, Brungard was named a first-team all-purpose performer after throwing for more than 2,000 yards and rushing for nearly 1,000 in starting 12 games. Tomczak had a monster season as the Penguins' top receiver. He finished his third year with the program with 2,003 career receiving yards.

Williams becomes a four-time All-MVFC performer with his second-team selection. He was an honorable-mention pick in 2021 and 2022 while earning second-team honors in 2023 and 2024. Merryman is a two-time all-conference honoree after being named to the honorable-mention squad in 2023. Kilpatrick had one of top season in the country to earn the first honor of his YSU career.

King is also a two-time all-league recipient after earning honorable-mention honors in 2024. He was a first-team pick after rushing for more than 1,000 yards in 2023. For his career he had 16 touchdowns and 1,552 yards rushing on 325 carries.

Castleberry and Leigh are first-time all-league selections.

First-Team Selections

#4 WR Max Tomczak, YSU, 6-0, 195, Jr., Frankfort, Ill. (Lincoln-Way East HS)
Started all 12 games…caught 73 passes for 904 yards and four touchdowns…in MVFC games, had 53 receptions for 658 yards and two TDs…eclipsed over 2,000 career receiving yards (2,003) in 36 games and 155 catches…had 10 grabs for 168 yards at Southern Illinois…added 10 catches for 87 yards and score vs. UNI…hauled in nine passes for 90 yards against South Dakota…had eight catches for 87 yards and a TD at Illinois State…had at least four catches in 11 games…had 48-or-more yards receiving in 10 contests.

#12 QB Beau Brungard, YSU, 6-0, 215, So., New Middletown, Ohio (Springfield HS)
Passed for 2,141 yards while rushing for 998 yards…completed 209-of-314 passes and 12 scores…had 159 rushes and scored 16 touchdowns…finished with 3,191 total offensive yards…in MVFC games, completed 143-of-218 passes for seven TDs and 1,438 yards…had 117 carries for 678 yards and 12 TDs…three-time MVFC Offensive Player of the Week (Valparaiso, North Dakota, UNI)…had more than 100 yards rushing in four games and was over 59 on eight occasions…had three rushing scores against Southern Illinois, North Dakota and Valparaiso…had two scores vs. UNI and Missouri State…passed for over 200 yards four times…season-high was 266 at SIU.

Second-Team Selections

#54 OL Jaison Williams, YSU, 6-4, 320, Sr., Trotwood, Ohio (Trotwood-Madison HS)
Started all 12 games at right tackle…played every snap in eight games…Yearly average grade = 91% (1 Sack Allowed) 98% Pass Pro Efficiency…finished career with 52 total starts on the offensive line…second-team All-MVFC in 2023…two-time honorable-mention all-conference.

#0 LS Sam Merryman, YSU, 6-2, 215, Sr., Shadyside, Ohio (Shadyside HS)
Started 52 games at the position throughout career…snapped on 39 PAT tries, 17 field-goal attempts and 40 punts in 2024…YSU led the nation in net punting at 43.88 yards per attempt.

#40 P Brendon Kilpatrick, YSU, 6-2, 220, Jr., Cortland, Ohio (Lakeview HS)
Punted 40 times for an average of 46 yards per kick…would rank in the top 10 nationally, but does not have enough attempts per game…had 14 kicks of 50-plus yards…placed 19 inside the oppositions' 20-yard line…in the MVFC, had 28 punts for an average of 45.6 per kick…had eight of 50-or-more yards…placed 13 inside the 20-yard line…boomed longs of 65 vs. Villanova and South Dakota State…had a rush for eight yards and a first down at Illinois State…also had a standout year as the holder on placement kicks.

Honorable-Mention Selections

#3 CB Jaylen Castleberry, YSU, 6-0, 190, Jr., Lakewood, Ohio (St. Edward's HS)
Started all 12 games at corner…has started 19 straight at the position…credited with 50 total tackles, including a team-best 42 solos…had two sacks and two pass breakups…in MVFC play, had 41 total tackles, including 36 solo stops…had a high of 10 tackles at Illinois State, including eight solos…had nine solo tackles at Missouri State…credited with seven solo stops vs. North Dakota…had six tackles vs. UNI and South Dakota State…had a sack for a safety at Illinois State.

#78 OL Desmeal Leigh, YSU, 6-7, 325, So., Kent, Ohio (Kent Roosevelt HS)
Started all 12 games at left tackle…Yearly average grade 89%  (2 Sacks Allowed)…98% Pass Pro Efficiency – PFF…played every snap in nine games…has started all 25 contests the past two seasons.

#10 TB Tyshon King, YSU, 5-11,220, Sr., Kankakee, Ill. (Bishop McNamara HS/Northern Michigan)
Played in all 12 games, starting five contests…rushed for 541 yards on 138 carries and scored seven touchdowns…in MVFC games, rushed for 405 yards on 93 attempts and scored four TDs…had overtime touchdowns against North Dakota and UNI…had two rushing scores vs. Duquesne…rushed for at least 47 yards in eight contests…had 13 catches for 108 yards and a score…caught first career TD pass vs. SIU…added eight kickoff returns for 119 yards with a long of 35.