Saint Joseph’s James Criniti Named NIC Football MVP; Penn’s Pete Riordan Earns Coach of the Year
The Northern Indiana Conference (NIC) has announced its All-Conference football team. Saint Joseph senior James Criniti was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP), and Penn coach Pete Riordan received Coach of the Year honors for leading his team to…
South Bend Elkhart, IN, November 11, 2026 — The Northern Indiana Conference (NIC) has officially announced its All-Conference football team for the recent season, recognizing outstanding player and coaching achievements within the league.
Saint Joseph senior James Criniti has been named the conference’s Most Valuable Player (MVP). Criniti’s selection highlights his significant contributions and performance throughout the season for Saint Joseph.
In the coaching ranks, Penn’s head coach Pete Riordan was honored as the Coach of the Year. Riordan guided the Penn team to an impressive perfect 9-0 record during the regular season, culminating in a conference title. This achievement underscores the team’s success under his leadership in the competitive South Bend-Elkhart region.
The announcement marks the culmination of the conference season, celebrating the top talent and coaching efforts in Northern Indiana football. Further details regarding the full All-Conference team roster were not provided in the initial announcement.
Story summarized from the original created by Pete Byrne, WSBT 22 Sports Director on wsbt.com, see more information here.
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