University of South Dakota Athletics

2021
Team captain … completed a brilliant career in which he totaled the fifth-most catches (126) and 10^th-most receiving yards (1,448) in program history … competed in and started all but one game during the season … team’s second-leading receiver with 33 catches for 312 yards and two touchdowns … second-team MVFC all-Academic Team honoree … made high 100^th catch as a Coyote during the Dakota Days win against Indiana State (10/2) … came back with eight catches for a season-high 92 yards and a score in a 20-13 upset of 13^th-ranked North Dakota the week after (10/9) … blocked a punt that helped stake USD to a 7-0 lead in an eventual win at 16^th-ranked UNI (10/16) … caught an 18-yard touchdown and had five catches for 59 yards in the 23-20 win against fourth-ranked South Dakota State on senior day (11/13) … MVFC honor roll member ... named to the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society

2020-21
Team Captain … Second Team all-MVFC honoree … First Team Academic All-MVFC selection … season was reduced to four games in the spring due to COVID-19 ... was one of 15 Coyotes who started all four games, he at wide receiver … led the team and ranked fourth in the Valley in both catches (23) and receiving yards per game (68.2 ypg) … had 273 yards in all including a 23-yard touchdown catch in the season-opening win at No. 7 Illinois State (2/27) … tied his career-high with nine catches and had 102 yards receiving in week four at Youngstown State (3/20) … was not charged a year of eligibility due to NCAA rules related to the pandemic ... MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award ... MVFC Honor Roll member ... named to the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society

2019
Second-team all-MVFC honoree … ranked fourth in the Valley in receiving yards (651) and touchdown catches (6) and had the sixth-most receptions (45) … one of 30 Coyotes who competed in all 12 games and started the final 10 at wide receiver … was the Coyotes’ leading receiver in six consecutive games and in seven games overall … led the team with 14.5 yards per catch … four of his six touchdowns were more than 20 yards … had seven catches for a season-high 103 yards and a score at home against Houston Baptist (9/14) … had touchdown grabs of 56 yards and 29 yards as part of a 4-catch, 96-yard effort in the win at Missouri St (10/12) … had a season-high nine catches for 85 yards and an 18-yard touchdown against Southern Illinois (10/26) ... MVFC President's Council Academic Award honoree ... MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award ... MVFC Honor Roll member

2018
Competed in 10 of 11 games at wide receiver … earned his first collegiate start in the game at #13 Weber State (9/15) … caught 25 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown … finished fourth on the team in catches and sixth for yards … had season highs of seven catches for 58 yards at Indiana State (11/3) … had six catches for 58 yards in the season finale at #5 South Dakota State (11/17) … caught a 2-yard touchdown pass in the Coyotes’ senior day win against Western Illinois (11/10) ... MVFC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award ... MVFC Honor Roll member
 

?? TOUCHDOWN COYOTES ??
Caleb Vander Esch with the 2-yard touchdown catch for his first-career TD catch. ?? #WeAreSouthDakota #GoYotes pic.twitter.com/UfZTjQCkHQ

— South Dakota Football (@SDCoyotesFB) November 10, 2018

2017
Did not compete in any games ... MVFC Honor Roll member

2016
Redshirted … MVFC Conference Honor Roll member

Prep
Vander Esch was named Willow Glen’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player his senior season ... is a two-time all-league honoree who caught 40 passes for 509 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Rams ... is also a California Club varsity lacrosse state champion

Personal
Parents are Doug and Elizabeth ... Doug is a USD Hall of Famer ... studying communications at USD