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Heldman, Kwiatkowski Earn HeroSports G5 All-America Honors
12/12/2025 12:00:00 PM | Football
Defensive lineman Michael Heldman (Second Team) and linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski (Third Team) are named to the Hero Sports G5 All-America Team.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.—Seniors Michael Heldman and Jordan Kwiatkowski have been named to the HeroSports Group of 5 All-America team, the website announced on Friday. A defensive lineman, Heldman earned Second Team honors, while linebacker Kwiatkowski was a Third Team selection.
Central Michigan also received votes in the website's final top-25 media poll. The All-America teams can be viewed at this link.
Last week, both Heldman and Kwiatkowski were honored as First Team All-MAC honorees. The duo became the first defensive lineman-linebacker duo to earn First Team All-MAC honors at Central Michigan since Troy Hairston (DL) and Troy Brown (LB) in 2021.
A team leader and captain from his defensive end position, Heldman's 2025 season has been his most dominant yet as he has totaled 47 tackles (23 solo), a team-high 16.0 tackles for loss for 62 yards, a team-high 10.5 sacks for 48 yards, four pass breakups and a team-high nine quarterback hurries with two forced fumbles. Currently in national statistics, he ranked No. 8 in sacks (0.88 per game) and No. 10 in tackles for loss (1.33 per game), and in the MAC, he is ranked No. 4 in tackles for loss and No. 3 in sacks. His top performances came vs. Buffalo (four tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2.0 TFL, two QB hurries and two pass breakups), vs. UMass (four QB hurries, two breakups, one tackle), vs. Toledo (three tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sack), at Kent State (five tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks, one QB hurry), and vs. Wagner (five tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2.0 TFL, forced fumble). He is a one-time MAC Defensive Player of the Week honoree.
In his five-year, 52-game career, Heldman has made 119 tackles (64 solo), 34.0 tackles for loss for 135 yards, 19.5 sacks for 99 yards, five pass breakups, four forced fumbles, and 28 quarterback hurries. He is the school record holder for quarterback hurries in a career (28), season (10 in 2023), and game (4 vs. UMass, Oct. 25, 2025). In career records, he ranks No. 16 in games played (52), No. 6 in sacks (19.5), No. 10 in tackles for loss (34), No. 10 in forced fumbles (4), No. 14 in yards from tackles for loss (135), and No. 11 in yards from sacks (99). In season records, he ranks No. 4 in sacks (10.5 in 2025), No. 14 in tackles for loss (16.0 in 2025), and No. 2 in quarterback hurries (9 in 2025).
The Romeo, Mich. native entered the year as an AFCA Good Works Team, Wuerffel Trophy, and NFF William V. Campbell Trophy watch list member. Heldman is a Communications major.
A preseason HeroSports All-America pick, Jordan Kwiatkowski earned All-MAC honors for the second consecutive year (First Team All-MAC in 2025, Second Team All-MAC in 2024). A team leader and team captain from his middle linebacker position, the two-time MAC Defensive Player of the Week honoree (Oct. 20, Nov. 24) finished the 2025 season with a team-high 109 total tackles (49 solo), 12.5 tackles for loss for 54 yards, three sacks for 31 yards, a team-high three interceptions for 92 yards and a touchdown, a team-best three forced fumbles, five pass breakups and three quarterback hurries. Currently in national statistics, he ranks No. 19 in total tackles (9.1 per game), No. 19 in forced fumbles (3), No. 49 in total interceptions (3), and No. 60 in interceptions per game (0.25). In the MAC, he is ranked No. 5 in tackles, No. 8 in tackles for loss, No. 17 in passes defended, No. 5 in interceptions, and No. 4 in forced fumbles. In 2025, he became the first player at CMU to total over 100 tackles in a season since Malik Fountain in 2018 and registered six games of 10 tackles or more. His most productive performances came vs. Toledo (12 tackles, 2.0 TFL, forced fumble, and breakup), at Kent State (15 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble), vs. Buffalo (nine tackles, 1.0 TFL, forced fumble, 48-yard interception return), at Bowling Green (14 tackles, 2.5 TFL, one interception for 28 yard return, breakup).
In his four-year, 46-game career, he has made 247 total tackles (118 solo), 27.0 tackles for loss for 85 yards, 3.0 sacks for 31 yards, four interceptions (one INT return for TD), nine pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and a blocked kick. In Central Michigan career records, he currently ranks No. 34 in tackles (247), No. 21 in tackles for loss (27.0), and No. 20 in forced fumbles (3). In season records, he ranks No. 39 in tackles for loss (12.5 in 2025) and No. 6 in forced fumbles (3 in 2025). In CMU game records, he ranks No. 11 in tackles for loss (4.5, at Kent State, Nov. 19, 2025). He has totaled 11 10-plus tackle games in his career.
The Sterling Heights, Mich. native entered the year as a Butkus Award and Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List player, Second Team All-America pick by HeroSports, and consensus All-MAC player. He is a Sport Management major.
Central Michigan has accepted a berth to the GameAbove Sports Bowl where it will face Northwestern (6-6, 4-5 Big Ten) at Ford Field in Detroit on Friday, Dec. 26 (1 p.m. kickoff on ESPN). Central Michigan finished with a 7-5 overall record and in fifth place in the MAC with a 5-3 record. The Chippewas have earned bowl eligibility for the first time since the 2021 season.
Central Michigan also received votes in the website's final top-25 media poll. The All-America teams can be viewed at this link.
Last week, both Heldman and Kwiatkowski were honored as First Team All-MAC honorees. The duo became the first defensive lineman-linebacker duo to earn First Team All-MAC honors at Central Michigan since Troy Hairston (DL) and Troy Brown (LB) in 2021.
A team leader and captain from his defensive end position, Heldman's 2025 season has been his most dominant yet as he has totaled 47 tackles (23 solo), a team-high 16.0 tackles for loss for 62 yards, a team-high 10.5 sacks for 48 yards, four pass breakups and a team-high nine quarterback hurries with two forced fumbles. Currently in national statistics, he ranked No. 8 in sacks (0.88 per game) and No. 10 in tackles for loss (1.33 per game), and in the MAC, he is ranked No. 4 in tackles for loss and No. 3 in sacks. His top performances came vs. Buffalo (four tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2.0 TFL, two QB hurries and two pass breakups), vs. UMass (four QB hurries, two breakups, one tackle), vs. Toledo (three tackles, 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sack), at Kent State (five tackles, 2.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks, one QB hurry), and vs. Wagner (five tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2.0 TFL, forced fumble). He is a one-time MAC Defensive Player of the Week honoree.
In his five-year, 52-game career, Heldman has made 119 tackles (64 solo), 34.0 tackles for loss for 135 yards, 19.5 sacks for 99 yards, five pass breakups, four forced fumbles, and 28 quarterback hurries. He is the school record holder for quarterback hurries in a career (28), season (10 in 2023), and game (4 vs. UMass, Oct. 25, 2025). In career records, he ranks No. 16 in games played (52), No. 6 in sacks (19.5), No. 10 in tackles for loss (34), No. 10 in forced fumbles (4), No. 14 in yards from tackles for loss (135), and No. 11 in yards from sacks (99). In season records, he ranks No. 4 in sacks (10.5 in 2025), No. 14 in tackles for loss (16.0 in 2025), and No. 2 in quarterback hurries (9 in 2025).
The Romeo, Mich. native entered the year as an AFCA Good Works Team, Wuerffel Trophy, and NFF William V. Campbell Trophy watch list member. Heldman is a Communications major.
A preseason HeroSports All-America pick, Jordan Kwiatkowski earned All-MAC honors for the second consecutive year (First Team All-MAC in 2025, Second Team All-MAC in 2024). A team leader and team captain from his middle linebacker position, the two-time MAC Defensive Player of the Week honoree (Oct. 20, Nov. 24) finished the 2025 season with a team-high 109 total tackles (49 solo), 12.5 tackles for loss for 54 yards, three sacks for 31 yards, a team-high three interceptions for 92 yards and a touchdown, a team-best three forced fumbles, five pass breakups and three quarterback hurries. Currently in national statistics, he ranks No. 19 in total tackles (9.1 per game), No. 19 in forced fumbles (3), No. 49 in total interceptions (3), and No. 60 in interceptions per game (0.25). In the MAC, he is ranked No. 5 in tackles, No. 8 in tackles for loss, No. 17 in passes defended, No. 5 in interceptions, and No. 4 in forced fumbles. In 2025, he became the first player at CMU to total over 100 tackles in a season since Malik Fountain in 2018 and registered six games of 10 tackles or more. His most productive performances came vs. Toledo (12 tackles, 2.0 TFL, forced fumble, and breakup), at Kent State (15 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble), vs. Buffalo (nine tackles, 1.0 TFL, forced fumble, 48-yard interception return), at Bowling Green (14 tackles, 2.5 TFL, one interception for 28 yard return, breakup).
In his four-year, 46-game career, he has made 247 total tackles (118 solo), 27.0 tackles for loss for 85 yards, 3.0 sacks for 31 yards, four interceptions (one INT return for TD), nine pass breakups, three forced fumbles, and a blocked kick. In Central Michigan career records, he currently ranks No. 34 in tackles (247), No. 21 in tackles for loss (27.0), and No. 20 in forced fumbles (3). In season records, he ranks No. 39 in tackles for loss (12.5 in 2025) and No. 6 in forced fumbles (3 in 2025). In CMU game records, he ranks No. 11 in tackles for loss (4.5, at Kent State, Nov. 19, 2025). He has totaled 11 10-plus tackle games in his career.
The Sterling Heights, Mich. native entered the year as a Butkus Award and Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List player, Second Team All-America pick by HeroSports, and consensus All-MAC player. He is a Sport Management major.
Central Michigan has accepted a berth to the GameAbove Sports Bowl where it will face Northwestern (6-6, 4-5 Big Ten) at Ford Field in Detroit on Friday, Dec. 26 (1 p.m. kickoff on ESPN). Central Michigan finished with a 7-5 overall record and in fifth place in the MAC with a 5-3 record. The Chippewas have earned bowl eligibility for the first time since the 2021 season.
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