Colorado Mesa University Athletics

2015: Earned All-Colorado First Team Academic Honors from the National Football Foundation...Played in nine games, starting seven at tight end...Finished with 258 yards receiving, tied for second most on the team...Made 17 catches and scored two touchdowns...Caught three passes for a season-high 68 yards against Black Hills State...Made four tackles. 

2014: Started in all 12 games as the starting tight end. Had 17 catches for 159 yards, and one touchdown. Starting long snapper for the 3^rd year in a row.

2013: Played in 6 of 12 games while starting 4 of them before suffering a season ending head injury… Caught 12 passes for 131 yards with a season-long reception of 31 yards against Colorado State-Pueblo on Sept.7... Scored one touchdown with 7 receptions for 76 yards coming at Wyoming on Sept. 14. Starting 2^nd season as starting long snapper.

2012: Transitioned from wide receiver to tight end during spring drills... Played in all 9 games on special teams, recording three tackles... Handled the long snapping duties for his first year.

2011: Redshirted.

High School: In his senior campaign was a first-team all-state and first-team all-Colorado selection as well as a first-team all-conference pick at wide receiver and a second-team all-conference pick at outside linebacker... Was nominated for the Old Spice Player of the Year in Colorado... Also a forward on the basketball team, earning all state honors in 5a; first-team all-conference honors as a junior/senior and holds the season/career rebounding record at the school... In football, had 58 receptions for 1,091 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior, as well as 22 catches for 683 yards and 4 touchdowns in his junior year.

Personal: Was the third of the Vander Velde children to play/graduate from Northern Colorado before transferring with Rubalcaba for Vander Velde’s Redshirt senior year. Older sister Sydney was a standout on the soccer team and his brother Brian was on the baseball team. Born Nov. 9 in Highlands Ranch to Roberta and Michael Vander Velde... Earned a degree after graduating from Northern Colorado in May of 2015. Has a Career in line for liquor distribution in Denver.