Medina High QB to play at Pace U.

Photo by Mike Wertman – Medina High senior quarterback Jason Hellwig accepted a football scholarship to Pace University this morning on National Signing Day. Seated with Jason are his parents Eric and Sandy Hellwig. In back, from left, are Medina High Principal and Athletic Director Mark Kruzynski, Jason’s brothers Jalin Cooper and Adam Hellwig and Medina varsity football Coach Eric Valley.

National Signing Day is a special one for Medina High senior quarterback Jason Hellwig who signed his National Letter of Intent this morning to attend and play football for Pace University which is located in White Plains, N.Y.

Hellwig becomes the first Mustangs football player to receive an athletic aid offer from a collegiate football program since Jim Snyder, who signed with the University of Minnesota in 1989.

“I’m very excited about this opportunity and can’t wait to get there and get started,” said Hellwig, who will have the opportunity to compete for the starting job as a freshman.

The Pace University Setters, a member of the NCAA Division 2’s Northeast-10 Conference, are coached by Andrew Rondeau, who just completed his first season with the university. Prior to being named Head Coach in January 2014, Coach Rondeau was the defensive coordinator at FCS Holy Cross for two years and, before that, defensive coordinator at Old Dominion University for five years, where he helped build a brand new football program.

Also instrumental in Hellwig’s recruitment were Pace Offensive Coordinator Chad Walker and Recruiting Coach Timothy Marmol.

The Setters went 1-10 last year with an entirely new coaching staff and are looking to make the football program an integral part of the school community. Pace Athletic Director Mark Brown, who worked with Coach Rondeau at Old Dominion, said the school has doubled the annual football budget and that a new on-campus stadium, field house, and weight room facilities will all be ready to open for the Fall 2015 season.

“The school has made a huge commitment to the football program and the football program has made a huge commitment to me, so I’m looking forward to helping the team become competitive,” Hellwig said. “Coach Rondeau has put together a young, energetic staff that will help me become the best quarterback I can be. I was really impressed by all the coaches and players I met with on my visits to the school. They stressed the type of culture they’re trying to build and that suits me personally. I’m excited about being able to help build a program.”

Hellwig, who chose Pace from among four other offers, led the Mustangs for the past three years, winning a Class B Bowl Championship as a sophomore, and making the Class B playoffs in both his junior and senior seasons. Hellwig now holds school records for pass completions in a game (20), season (106) and career (272), passing yards in a game (402) and career (3969), and touchdown passes in a career (45).

He was named 1st Team All-Division as a junior and senior, All-WNY Honorable Mention all three years, and All-State Honorable Mention as a senior.

Hellwig also received numerous awards from National Underclassmen and recently played in their All-American game in Myrtle Beach, SC, scoring the game’s only touchdown.