Rochelle senior Austin Greifenkamp said he didn’t know much about Benedictine University, at least until he received a text message from head football coach Jim Schroeder inviting him out to tour the campus and learn more about the program.

Greifenkamp admitted he was leaning toward not playing football, but that thought has since changed, as he has committed to continuing his academics and athletics at Benedictine next year. The two-way student-athlete said he plans to study business administration and finance.

“Coach Schroeder shot me a text one day because he had somehow seen my film and he liked the way I played,” Greifenkamp said. “He said I should come out for a visit, and when I got there… Football is one thing, but academics are more important to me, and their facilities are all brand new… When coach Schroeder and I had a one-on-one talk, it was more than just wanting me to play football, and I could tell that he believed in me.”

Greifenkamp worked his way into Rochelle’s defensive rotation his junior season, earning reps at outside linebacker before becoming a starter his senior season. He played both ways as a senior, stepping in at multiple running back positions after injuries depleted the backfield.

Greifenkamp finished his senior season with five total touchdowns and nearly 300 yards on offense while adding 16 tackles and one interception on defense. He received Academic All-Conference honors from both the Northern Illinois Big 12 and the Interstate 8. Greifenkamp’s final game included two rushing touchdowns in a 40-34 double-overtime win at Ottawa.

“Austin has certainly earned every opportunity he’s received,” Rochelle head coach Kyle Kissack said. “He’s a great example of how we strive to get a little bit better every year… He’s done every single thing possible to put himself in a position to play collegiately. Not only is he a student-athlete of high character, but he has the fortitude to see his goals through.”

Greifenkamp said he plans to study business administration and finance with the goal of pursuing a career in the business field. He said playing football at Rochelle has helped him develop the leadership skills necessary to excel at the collegiate level.

“Coach Kissack has definitely mentored me to be the leader and the player I am today,” Greifenkamp said. “I feel that I can make a big impact on the football program by taking the lessons I learned from him and applying them over there. I’m ready to take on a leadership role, even though I’ll be a freshman, and I’m ready to help those guys do everything we can to win.”