2025: One of nine players from the MVFC named to the FCS Football Central Freshman All-American Team ... MVFC All-Newcomer Team selection ... played in all 17 games at outside linebacker and ranked second on the team with 4.0 sacks on the year ...  finished the year with 50 total tackles, including 19 solo stops, and was credited with 6.0 tackles-for-loss, an interception and two forced fumbles ... had five tackles and a half tackle-for-loss in his collegiate debut against Oklahoma ... recorded a career day in a win at South Dakota State with five tackles, two sacks and an interception against the Jackrabbits ... in the opening round playoff game at Southeastern Louisiana, he had six tackles in the win for the Redbirds ... in the upset win over top-seeded North Dakota State in the second round of the playoffs, he tallied a tackle and a forced fumble that led to a takeaway for the Redbirds ... posted a sack and two stops in the FCS semifinal playoff win at Villanova.

2024: Redshirted.

Normal Community HS: Played three varsity seasons for head coach Jason Drengwitz … as a senior, helped lead the Ironmen to a conference championship and to the IHSA state playoff semifinals as a team captain … earned IHSA all-state honors at linebacker … named Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year and the WEEK 25 Sports Prep Rally Big School Football Player of the Year … also earned all-area and academic all-state honors … as a junior, earned all-conference and all-area honors … also played basketball and baseball at NCHS.

Personal: Son of Travis and Tracy Niekamp … one of three children … his brother, Tye, is a linebacker for the Redbirds and his father, Travis, is ISU’s defensive coordinator … Travis played at Illinois State before beginning coaching career.