Football | 11/21/2025 7:30:00 PM
CANTON, Ohio (Nov. 21, 2025) – The CKA SAVE Project, Inc., the national leader in holistic student-athlete development, announced a strategic partnership with the Opendorse Bowl Series. This collaboration will amplify the core values of Division III athletics across its four partnering conferences: the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC), the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), and the Presidents Athletic Conference (PAC).
The Opendorse Bowl Series, featuring the ForeverLawn Bowl and the Extra Points Bowl, will take place on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at the historic Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
The central element of this partnership is the introduction of the CKA SAVE Project Balanced Student-Athlete Award(s). This prestigious honor will be presented to one player from each of the four participating teams in the Opendorse Bowl Series, recognizing individuals who demonstrate exceptional commitment and success in both academics and athletics.
The recipients of this award will be recognized at a banquet Friday night at the Pro Football Hall of Fame and again during the ForeverLawn Bowl and Extra Points Bowl Saturday.
Dr. Keith Adams, Ed.D, CMAA, President and Founder of the CKA SAVE Project, stated, "Our mission is to move the conversation 'Beyond the Scholarship' and ensure every student-athlete is fully prepared for a meaningful life after sports. This partnership is the perfect platform to celebrate that commitment. The Balanced Student-Athlete Award recognizes those who truly embody the DIII spirit—excelling in the classroom and on the field. We are excited to collaborate with these premier conferences to reinforce that 'Experience Matters' when their future is on the line."
Hear more from Dr. Adams about the CKA SAVE Project Balanced Student-Athlete Award Here.
Keri Alexander Luchowski, Executive Director North Coast Athletic Conference; Organizing Committee, Opendorse Bowl Series, added, "We are thrilled to partner with Dr. Adams and the CKA Save Project. We share the goals of empowering students through rigorous academics and outstanding athletics. Developing the whole student to become a productive and successful citizen is also the Division III goal and we're proud to partner with an organization that has been highlighting the same power of sport. The CKA Save Project Balanced Student-Athlete Award is a fantastic way to shine a light on deserving student-athletes from our four conferences, and also to elevate their experience at the Opendorse Bowl Series. And knowing that research opportunities exist with the CKA Save Project is an added bonus opportunity for our students. This is a fantastic partnership!"
Meet the 2025 Balanced Student-Athlete Award Winners
Dylan Sleva, Senior Linebacker, Westminster College (McDonald, Pa./Moon)
Sleva earned PAC Defensive Player of the Year for 2025 after he finished with 98 tackles this season while helping lead the Titans to a 7-3 overall record and the program’s second consecutive appearance in the Opendorse Bowl Series’ Extra Points Bowl. Sleva also posted 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions for a Westminster defense which allowed a PAC-low 12.1 points per game.
In addition to his work on the field, Sleva was a nominee for the 2025 Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team® and was a semifinalist for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy®. He has served as a volunteer with the College's Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) program and Special Olympics Lawrence County. Sleva has also volunteered at Wilmington Field Day, Wilmington Area Elementary School's annual visit to campus, where Westminster student-athletes run multiple activities that keep the visiting students and College student-athletes engaged.
In addition, Sleva has helped lead the football program's participation in the annual Toys for Tots campaign while assisting the United States Marine Corps with its annual toy drive and distribution and worked with other members of the football program to clean up local parks around the New Wilmington community.
A biology major, Sleva is also pursuing a minor in secondary education and currently owns a 3.26 cumulative GPA. After completing his undergraduate degree and certifications related to the secondary education minor, he plans on pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Jordan Bassler, Senior Guard, Ohio Northern University (Monroe, Mich./Monroe)
A reliable presence along Ohio Northern's offensive line and in his ONU classrooms, Jordan Bassler has been named as Polar Bears' winner of the 2025 Balanced Student-Athlete Award. He is one of four this season to receive the honor, issued to Opendorse Bowl Series student-athletes who get it done on the field and in the classroom. A double major, the right guard studies both sport management and accounting at Ohio Northern.
Bassler has been named to the Academic All-OAC Honor Roll in each of the past two seasons, and the senior is on track to earn the maximum three career Academic All-OAC awards with another this season. Last year, Bassler was named to the CSC Academic All-District Team following a junior campaign that saw him start all 10 games for the Polar Bears. With another 10 starts this season, Bassler has bolstered the right side of an offensive line that has helped ONU post the third-best rushing offense in the Ohio Athletic Conference. The Polar Bears are ranked fourth in passing offense in the OAC, and the offensive line has helped pave the way for a league-leading 33 rushing touchdowns this year.
Miles Harding, Senior Safety, Mount St. Joseph University (Newark, Del./Delaware Military Acad.)
On the field, Harding is a two-year starter at safety for the Lions after shifting from quarterback prior to his junior season. In 2024, he made 44 tackles, including 25 solo, with six passes defended and a pair of interceptions. As a senior, he made 32 tackles, forced two fumbles, broke up two more passes and snared another INT.
Also a standout in the classroom, Harding, a Communications major, was chosen for the Tom Bohlsen Academic All-HCAC list for the fall of 2024, which is given to varsity athletes who have at least a cumulative 3.5 GPA through the end of the semester preceding the end of the fall season.
Harding earned the opportunity to intern with the Philadelphia Union MLS organization in video production after also doing video production for the MSJ men’s basketball team during his time on campus. A native of Delaware, he is one of the few players to make their way to Mount from The First State.
Jerry McBee, Senior Defensive End, Wabash College (Freedom, Ind./Owen Valley)
McBee earned Third Team All-NCAC honors in 2025 after helping guide a Wabash defense that ranked third in the NCAC, limiting opponents to just 293.9 total yards per game. The senior totaled 23 tackles on the year, including 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, while adding four quarterback hurries, a blocked kick, and a fumble recovery. Jerry delivered steady production throughout the season with multi-tackle efforts against St. Norbert, Case Western Reserve, Wooster, Denison, and Kenyon.
A psychology major with business and classics minors, McBee is a four-time Dean’s List honoree, a CSC Academic All-District selection, and an active member of FIJI. In 2024, he interned with enFocus in South Bend, supporting public engagement efforts for the City of Elkhart’s Unified Development Ordinance.
His impact extends well beyond campus, leading a fundraiser for the Nicholas Casad Memorial Scholarship, supporting community outreach for the City of Elkhart Planning Department, volunteering with Redemption City Church’s Vacation Bible School, assisting with voter registration efforts, contributing to a Habitat for Humanity project and invasive plant removal initiatives in Montgomery County, and participating in a Blood Cancer Awareness community event. McBee plans to attend graduate school to continue his studies in psychology or business.
About the CKA SAVE Project
The CKA SAVE Project is a financially stable, independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to empowering student-athletes across the nation. Positioned as the National Leader in Holistic Student-Athlete Development, the organization moves the conversation "Beyond the Scholarship" to ensure student-athletes are prepared for enduring post-graduate success.
Contact: Dr. Keith Adams, President, CKA SAVE Project, ckasave@ckasaveproject.org
Follow Dr. Adams on Facebook: CKA SAVE Project | Silver Spring MD | Facebook
Follow The Odd Coaches Podcast on X: @oddcoaches