Tackling Football and Engineering

Zach Riley, of Lebanon, Kentucky, is a football tight end as well as an engineering student. Balancing his athletic and academic commitments hasn’t been easy, but it’s worth it.

“From day one as a Dordt football player, you are told that you are a student-athlete, emphasizing that student comes first. On that same note, professors are also very understanding: whether it’s giving us an excused absence for an event or an extension on an assignment, my professors care about my success as an athlete, too.”

Defender Athletics’ commitment to success on the field and in the classroom is lived out through the Defender Way, which includes the second pillar of “we are committed to equipping student-athletes to be servant leaders.”

And that commitment has paid off: 18 varsity athletic teams achieved at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) during the 2023-24 academic year, according to the NAIA’s Scholar-Teams list. This announcement came on the heels of Dordt being named to Niche’s 2025 Best Colleges for Student Athletes in Iowa, which highlights “top-ranked colleges [that] have both elite academic programs and competitive sports programs that support student athletes on and off the field.”

“We strive for excellence in athletics, but not at the expense of academic growth, leadership development, or our focus on faith,” says Athletic Director Dr. Darin Keizer ('10). “The success of our athletics programs in the academic arena highlights the distinct, intentional way we approach both sports and academics at Dordt.”

Regarding NAIA scholar-team statistics, Defender football ranked first among 93 total NAIA football teams, with a team GPA of 3.35; only 25 NAIA football teams had a cumulative team GPA of 3.0 or higher. Other Dordt teams—including women’s cross-country, men’s basketball, and women’s volleyball—placed well, demonstrating Dordt’s commitment to developing well-rounded student athletes.

There are plenty of football players who pick challenging majors. Also, Riley isn’t the only one studying engineering. Nick Wellen, a running back from Brush, Colorado; Gabe Ramirez, a running back from Elizabethtown, Kentucky; and Ty Clemens, a wide receiver from Liberty, Missouri, along with others, picked up the major.

“The football coaches and professors at Dordt work hard to make sure schedules align,” says Wellen. “For example, our football practice schedule occurs at different times daily, limiting the conflict between classes and practices. Engineering can be extremely time-consuming, but it is still possible to play a sport and have social time if you use time management skills well.”

Clemens, when considering if he should attend Dordt, was struck by how “both the engineering curriculum and the football team’s goals are developed on the foundation of Christ. You could tell that faith comes first in everything the engineering professors and football coaches do.”

Ramirez appreciates how his professors and coaches are so personable. “They ask me questions about my life outside of football and engineering. To know I am surrounded by people that truly care gives me extra drive to keep going.”

At Dordt, academics and athletics matter—but so does servant leadership.

“To embody a servant leader, you have to be able to put yourself and your needs aside to help others,” says Clemens. “My Dordt education has helped shape me into a good servant leader by shifting my view from being a ‘room full of mirrors’—that is, only focusing on myself—to being a ‘room full of windows,’ allowing me to look to others’ needs first.”

Being a servant leader goes beyond the classroom or the field, adds Ramirez. “I’ve been taught that servant leaders see their walk with God as taking place at all times, so they let the light of God shine as they lead in every part of their lives, glorifying Him first and foremost.”

As a tight end who rarely touches the ball but blocks for others, Riley knows what it’s like to put others first.

“The biggest thing I enjoy about football is the teamwork,” says Riley. “In other sports, one player can have a great game and possibly win the game for their team. With football, however, it takes all 11 guys on each play to do their job correctly for the play to be successful.”

For Riley, the drive to serve on and off the field comes from a deep love for God, his teammates, and coaches. “It helps us compete at a level that is unmatched when compared to any other motivator.”