UMD football’s Aiden Williams earns invite to 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl
The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) announced on Wednesday that sixth year center Aiden Williams has been invited to the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl.
“It’s going to be a fun experience. I was just talking with Brent Laing and he said it was really good, it’s a really good competition coming from a Division II school versus like a Division I. It really puts you out there, and it shows everyone what you can do. I’m super excited for it. And that was a total surprise, I had no idea that was coming, ” Williams said.
His team set up a surprise video from Laing telling Williams he was invited to the Bowl after practice at Malosky Stadium Wednesday. Then Williams’ girlfriend was brought onto the field to present him a box from the East-West Shrine Bowl.
“A guy that came to Division II has stuck it out, has decided to stay with UMD for six years, was a tight end for us three years ago and continued to develop as a player, as a captain, as a leader. Very deserving of this honor,” head coach Curt Wiese said about Williams.
The East-West Shrine Bowl is the nation’s longest running college football all-star game. It gives top college talents the opportunity to showcase their skills to NFL scouts, with a national television audience. Starting in 1925, the 100-year-old East-West Shrine Bowl also helps benefit Shriners Children’s and its mission to provide specialty health care for children.
Williams becomes just the third-ever Bulldog to earn an invite to the game, and second in three seasons (Brent Laing 2023, Garth Heikkinen 2012). The Anchorage, Alaska native was also named to the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist and D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List in August.
This season, Williams has helped UMD’s rushing offense post 193.8 yards a game to sit second in the Northern Intercollegiate Sun Conference (NSIC). He also provides coverage for the league’s highest scoring offense, as UMD currently averages 33.8 points a game. On September 28 he scored his first career collegiate touchdown off an 11-yard rushing score against Southwest Minnesota State University.
The 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl is scheduled to take place at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 7:00 p.m. Fans can watch live on NFL Network.
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