By any measure, Andrew Willemsen’s sophomore season was special.
The Grand Haven running back emerged as one of the most electric playmakers in Michigan, earning All-State honors and racking up impressive numbers despite entering the season as a relative unknown. But while his production, accolades, and jaw-dropping speed suggest he’s ready for the next level, top Division I programs have yet to come calling. That needs to change — fast.
Willemsen, a member of the 2027 class, turned heads across the state last fall when he exploded onto the scene after teammate Dean Matson went down with an early-season injury. Thrust into a lead role, Willemsen didn’t flinch. He ran through and around defenses all year long, finishing the season with over 1,300 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on just 142 carries — good for 7.6 yards per touch.
And he did it while playing through an ankle injury.
“I didn’t think I would have as big of a season going in,” Willemsen said. “I thought I would split reps with Dean, but obviously, he goes down, the load’s on me, and I wouldn’t be able to do what I did without my linemen. Without them, nobody would know my name.”
The humility is genuine — but so is the talent. At 5-foot-10, 200 pounds, Willemsen is clocked at a blistering 4.35 in the 40-yard dash, making him the fastest verified sophomore in the state. The football and track star also wrestles in the winter. In the weight room, Willemsen is benching 350 lbs, doing 10 reps of 295, and squatting 455.
DEVELOPING well in the weight room hitting a 350 pound bench pr and close to 365 as a sophomore RB @coachbieds@CoachDSage@CoachWiesehan@Coach_Creighton@M__Piatkowski@CoachKlaus68@SeanLevyMSU@AllenTrieu@TheD_Zone@alex_pallonepic.twitter.com/RHG75SwWMx
— Andrew Willemsen⭐️⭐️⭐️ (@AndrewWill33) April 3, 2025
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