2001 WIAC Football
Athletes of the Week

Week of Nov. 5 - 11
Offense
Steve Tenhagen, Senior (Burlington), Wide Receiver of UW-Whitewater
Tenhagen caught seven passes for 87 yards in Whitewater’s 42-0 win over Oshkosh. He had an 11-yard touchdown reception to get the scoring started in the first quarter and added a three-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. Tenhagen broke the school record for receptions in a season with 65, eclipsing Richard Newton’s mark from the 1995 season. Tenhagen also established a new Warhawk record for touchdown receptions this season with 16.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Darrell Souhrada, Senior, Tailback, Riceville, Iowa
UW-La Crosse, Chester Janke, Sophomore, Tight End, Black River Falls
UW-River Falls, Taylor Hall, Senior, Halfback, Shell Lake
UW-Stevens Point, Jason VanderVelden, Sophomore, Running Back, Winneconne
UW-Stout, Brian Johnson, Senior, Tight End, Hudson

Defense
Dillon Maney, Junior (Three Lakes), Defensive Back of UW-Stevens Point
Maney turned in one of the biggest games of his career in a 30-27 double overtime win against Eau Claire. Maney had three interceptions and forced one fumble to help hold the Blugolds scoreless in the second half. Maney had seven tackles, five of which were solo efforts.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Jeremy Unertl, Senior, Safety, Theresa (Lomira)
UW-Oshkosh, Nick Carlson, Junior, Strong Safety, Menasha
UW-River Falls, Matt Palas, Senior, Linebacker, Phillips
UW-Stout, Jamie Spielman, Junior, Linebacker, Menomonie
UW-Whitewater, Mike Saddy, Junior, Defensive Lineman, Muskego

Special Teams
Ricardo Vega, Senior (Palm Springs, Calif./Pinoce Valley), Kicker of UW-Stevens Point
A 21-yard field goal in double overtime by the senior kicker gave the Pointers a 30-27 victory over Eau Claire. More importantly, the win clinched a share of the WIAC title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs. It was Vega’s first career game-winning field goal. Vega also kicked field goals of 27 and 22 yards on the day.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Matt Brink, Sophomore, Punter, Madison (Memorial)
UW-La Crosse, Bryan Morris, Junior, Punter, Onalaska
UW-Oshkosh, Keith Kamps, Senior, Free Safety, Crivitz
UW-River Falls, Dan Toninato, Senior, Kicker, Green Bay (Ashwaubenon)
UW-Stout, Chris Parent, Freshman, Punter, Racine (Brownsburg, Ind.)
UW-Whitewater, Tom Karthhausser, Sophomore, Defensive Back, Franklin

Week of Oct. 29 - Nov. 4
Offense
Darrell Souhrada, Senior (Riceville, Iowa), Tailback of UW-Eau Claire
Souhrada became the Blugolds' all-time leading rusher with a season-high 178 yards against second-place La Crosse in a showdown at Carson Park Saturday. Held in check with just 53 yards through the first three quarters, he exploded for 125 yards in the final quarter to eclipse Lee Weigel's career rushing mark of 4,105 yards and finish with 4,211 yards. On the drive that led to the Blugolds' game-winning field goal, he carried seven times for 36 yards. On the Blugolds' next possession, which started on their own 11 with 4:07 to go, Souhrada carried seven consecutive times, going a season-best 50 yards on the first run. Souhrada toted the ball 40 times against the Eagles and also caught one pass for 13 yards.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Matt Rizzo, Junior, Wide Receiver, Kenosha (Tremper)
UW-Oshkosh, Steve Wagner, Junior, Split End, Lomira
UW-River Falls, Rob Ohman, Junior, Fullback, Glenwood City
UW-Stevens Point, Ross Adamczak, Sophomore, Wide Receiver, Plover (SPASH)
UW-Stout, Luke Bundgaard, Sophomore, Running Back, Weyerhauser (Bruce)
UW-Whitewater, Eric Stauss, Freshman, Wide Receiver, Marinette

Defense
Paul Schmitt, Senior (Stratford), Defensive Tackle of UW-Stevens Point
Schmitt dominated the front line in the Pointers' 28-14 win over Platteville. He had seven solo tackles and eight total tackles. Schmitt notched two sacks for a total of 19 yards in losses, and finished with four tackles-for-losses in the game. The Pointer defense limited the high-powered Pioneer offense to 243 yards. The Pioneers had been averaging 427 yards in total offense entering the game.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Austin Crow, Sophomore, Defensive End, Woodbury, Minn.
UW-La Crosse, John Pietenpol, Junior, Defensive Back, Manitowoc (Lincoln)
UW-Oshkosh, Lucas Jachthuber, Senior, Linebacker, Princeton
UW-Platteville, Mitch Repka, Sophomore, Linebacker, Holcombe (Lake Holcombe)
UW-River Falls, Jeremy Larson, Senior, Defensive Tackle, Ashland
UW-Stout, Chuck Vander Linder, Linebacker, Sophomore, Golden Valley, Minn. (Armstrong)
UW-Whitewater, Dustin Thorin, Sophomore, Defensive Line, Orangeville, Ill.

Special Teams
Nick Diciaula, Sophomore (Brookfield/Central), Placekicker of UW-Eau Claire
Diciaula provided the Blugolds with the winning points in their showdown with La Crosse that gave the Blugolds at least a share of the conference title. His 22-yard field goal with 6:13 remaining in the game was the difference in a 10-7 triumph.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Mike Kraemer, Senior, Long Snapper, Pulaski
UW-Oshkosh, David Gaulke, Senior, Placekicker, New Berlin (Eisenhower)
UW-River Falls, Matt Farmer, Freshman, Linebacker, Tomahawk
UW-Stevens Point, Cory Kahl, Sophomore, Punter, Mosinee (D.C. Everest)
UW-Stout, Eric Moe, Junior, Defensive Back, Hixton (Whitehall)
UW-Whitewater, Justin Warren, Senior, Running Back, Palmyra (Eagle)

Week of Oct. 22 - 28
Offense
Tom Stetzer, Sophomore (Black River Falls), Quarterback of UW-Platteville
Stetzer broke the WIAC record for total offense, accumulating 534 yards in a 47-24 victory over UW-Oshkosh. The previous mark of 494 was set by La Crosse’s Jason Gonnion against Eau Claire in 1993. Stetzer’s total included a school-record 496 passing yards, as he was 31-53 (58 percent) with five touchdowns and just two interceptions, one which was a hail mary on the last play of the first half.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Brian Rasmussen, Senior, Quarterback, Apple Valley, Minn.
UW-La Crosse, Matt Rizzo, Junior, Wide Receiver, Kenosha (Tremper)
UW-Oshkosh, Shannon King, Senior, Split End, Waukegan, Ill. (West)
UW-River Falls, Scott Kusilek, Junior, Wide Receiver, River Falls
UW-Stevens Point, Lance Gast, Senior, Running Back, Weston (D.C. Everest)
UW-Stout, Nick Ohman, Freshman, Quarterback, Glenwood City
UW-Whitewater, Chad Wurth, Sophomore, Running Back, Monona (Monona Grove)

Defense
Thaddeus Rego, Junior (Reedsburg), Defensive Tackle of UW-La Crosse
Rego had two fumble recoveries and three tackles in the Eagles’ 31-9 win at River Falls. The Eagle defense held the potent Falcon rushing attack to 122 rushing yards.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Mike LaBarbera, Sophomore, Cornerback, Eau Claire (Memorial)
UW-Oshkosh, Justin Schneider, Junior, Linebacker, West Bend (East)
UW-Platteville, Mitch Repka, Sophomore, Linebacker, Eau Claire (Lake Holcombe)
UW-River Falls, Ben Gray, Senior, Linebacker, Fond du Lac (St. Mary’s Springs)
UW-Stevens Point, Josh Plisch, Freshman, Defensive Tackle, Rothschild (D.C. Everest)
UW-Stout, Joe Kersten, Sophomore, Defensive End, Menasha (Fox Valley Lutheran)
UW-Whitewater, Josh Sternquist, Sophomore, Defensive Back, Belvidere, Ill.

Special Teams
Phil Brietchaft, Senior (Racine/St. Catherine’s), Running Back of UW-Platteville
Brietchaft returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown during the Poineers’ 47-24 win over Oshkosh. His score came after the Titans had taken what turned out to be their only lead of the game, 7-0, in the first quarter. Brietchaft also had a 24-yard return in the second quarter.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Nick Diciaula, Sophomore, Placekicker, Brookfield (Central)
UW-La Crosse, Jason Ott, Senior, Linebacker, Elroy (Royall)
UW-Oshkosh, David Gaulke, Senior, Placekicker, New Berlin (Eisenhower)
UW-River Falls, Aaron Greisen, Freshman, Defensive Back, Greenwood
UW-Stevens Point, Ian Zertler, Junior, Running Back/Tight End, Abbotsford
UW-Stout, Chris Parent, Freshman, Punter, Racine (Brownsburg)
UW-Whitewater, Dustin Hausher, Freshman, Defensive Back, Addison, Ill. (Addison Trail)

Week of Oct. 15 - 21
Offense
Alan Beversdorf, Senior (Wittenberg/Wittenberg-Birnamwood), Quarterback of UW-Oshkosh
Beversdorf completed 25-of-33 passes for 300 yards and four touchdowns as Oshkosh defeated Stevens Point by the identical 38-31 score for the second consecutive year. Beversdorf, who reached the 300-yard plateau for the fourth time in his career and tied a career best with his touchdown passes, completed 15-of-19 passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns in the first half and eight-of-14 passes for 152 yards and two scores in the second half. His touchdown passes of 14 and 48 yards in the fourth quarter broke a 24-24 tie. The victory marked the first time that Oshkosh had defeated Stevens Point, the 30th ranked team in the NCAA Division III, in back-to-back years since 1975-76.

Also nominated
UW-Eau Claire, Darrell Souhrada, Senior, Tailback, Riceville, Iowa
UW-La Crosse, Andrew Mocadlo, Sophomore, Tailback, Wisconsin Rapids (Lincoln)
UW-River Falls, Rob Ohman, Junior, Fullback, Glenwood City
UW-Stevens Point, Jason Wagner, Senior, Center, Lancaster
UW-Stout, Nick Ohman, Freshman, Quarterback, Glenwood City
UW-Whitewater, Eric Stauss, Freshman, Wide Receiver, Marinette

Defense
Nate Lancaster, Senior (Monroe), Cornerback of UW-La Crosse
Lancaster had his team-leading fifth interception of the season in the Eagles’ 21-0 win over Whitewater. He also had two tackles and one pass break-up against the Warhawks. La Crosse held Whitewater to 186 yards of total offense and recorded its first shutout of the Warhawks since 1994.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Nick Goeser, Junior, Defensive End, Scandinavia (Iola-Scandinavia)
UW-Oshkosh, Nick Carlson, Junior, Strong Safety, Menasha
UW-River Falls, Nick Basham, Senior, Defensive End, Osceola
UW-Stevens Point, Heath Novitzke, Senior, Linebacker, Ringle (D.C. Everest)
UW-Stout, Steve Anderson, Sophomore, Free Safety, Stanley (Stanley-Boyd)
UW-Whitewater, Dan Flanagan, Junior, Defensive Lineman, Wisconsin Heights

Special Teams
Justin Zmyewski, Freshman (Houston, Minn./Rushford-Peterson), Kicker of UW-Stout
Zmyewski made his first collegiate field goals, a 46-yarder to break a 20-20 deadlock, then the game-winning 35-yarder with eight minutes remaining to give Stout a 26-23 win over River Falls.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Matt Brink, Sophomore, Punter, Madison (Memorial)
UW-La Crosse, Mike Kraemer, Senior, Defensive End, Pulaski
UW-Oshkosh, Nick Carlson, Junior, Strong Safety, Menasha
UW-River Falls, Matt Palas, Senior, Defensive Back, Phillips
UW-Stevens Point, Ricardo Vega, Senior, Kicker, Palm Springs, Calif. (Pinoce Valley)
UW-Whitewater, Kyle Haug, Sophomore, Punter, Waukesha (Memorial)

Week of Oct. 8 - 14
Offense
Darrell Souhrada, Senior (Riceville, Iowa), Tailback of UW-Eau Claire
Souhrada scored three touchdowns on runs of 4, 7 and 5 yards as the Blugolds beat defending WIAC champion Stout, 33-0, to end a three-year losing streak against the Blue Devils. Despite extremely slippery conditions on a rain-soaked and muddy field, Souhrada picked up 75 yards on 22 attempts and also caught one pass for 11 yards.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Matt Rizzo, Junior, Wide Receiver, Kenosha (Tremper)
UW-Oshkosh, Shannon King, Senior, Split End, Waukegan, Ill. (West)
UW-Platteville, Tom Stetzer, Sophomore, Quarterback, Black River Falls
UW-River Falls, Dan Booth, Sophomore, Wide Receiver, Hayward
UW-Stevens Point, Lance Gast, Senior, Running Back, Weston (D.C. Everest)
UW-Stout, Brian Johnson, Senior, Tight End, Hudson
UW-Whitewater, Steve Tenhagen, Senior, Wide Receiver, Burlington

Defense
Nick Haffele, Sophomore (Monroe), Linebacker of UW-Stevens Point
Haffele turned in on the biggest games of his career in Saturday’s win over River Falls. He had ten solo tackles and 13 total tackles against the powerful Falcon rushing attack. Five times he stopped ball carriers in the backfield for a total of nine yards in losses. The Pointers held River Falls to 143 rushing yards, less than half of their season average.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Brad Gawronski, Junior, Linebacker, Reedsburg (Webb)
UW-La Crosse, Jeremy Duerr, Sophomore, Defensive Tackle, Pittsville
UW-Oshkosh, Rick Lewandowski, Senior, Defensive Tackle, Milwaukee (Madison)
UW-Platteville, Brian Huiting, Sophomore, Defensive End, Little Chute
UW-River Falls, Neil Mantor, Sophomore, Cornerback, Wausau (West)
UW-Stout, Tony Beckham, Senior, Defensive Back, Ocala, Fla. (Forest)
UW-Whitewater, Pete Katz, Senior, Defensive Lineman, Manitowoc (Roncalli)

Special Teams
Nic Sydorowicz, Sophomore (Neillsville), Split End of UW-Oshkosh
In one of the wildest plays of the weekend, Sydorowicz scored his first collegiate touchdown on a seven-yard punt return to help Oshkosh pull within 30-21 of UW-La Crosse at the 9:04 mark of the third quarter. With La Crosse in punt formation from its own 37-yard line, an errant center snap due to the poor weather conditions forced a kick from the one-yard line. The punt traveled only six yards and Sydorowicz caught the football in flight and scampered seven yards through the mud for a score.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Matt Brink, Sophomore, Punter, Madison (Memorial)
UW-La Crosse, Jeremy Unertl, Senior, Safety, Theresa (Lomira)
UW-Oshkosh, Nic Sydorowicz, Sophomore, Split End, Neillsville
UW-River Falls, Brad Malpert, Freshman, Long Snapper, Ringle (D.C. Everest)
UW-Stevens Point, Tim Rabas, Senior, Linebacker, Denmark
UW-Stout, Chris Parent, Freshman, Punter, Racine (Brownsburg, Ind.)
UW-Whitewater, Kevin Garvoille, Sophomore, Offensive Lineman, Oregon

Week of Oct. 1 - 7
Offense
Tom Stetzer, Sophomore (Black River Falls), Quarterback of UW-Platteville
Stetzer broke the WIAC single-game completion record by hitting on 41 of 63 passes for 428 yards in a 36-29 victory over UW-La Crosse. His 41 completions topped the old mark of 40, set by Stevens Point’s Dave Geissler against Eau Claire in 1983. Stetzer led the Pioneers on six scoring drives of 57 yards or more, including an 80-yard drive that culminated in a 54-yard scoring pass with 6:05 remaining for the winning score. Stetzer also ran for a 5-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Chad Crutchley, Junior, Split End, Black River Falls
UW-La Crosse, Chester Janke, Sophomore, Tight End, Black River Falls
UW-Oshkosh, Matt Kimmler, Freshman, Running Back, Sheboygan Falls
UW-River Falls, Taylor Hall, Senior, Halfback, Shell Lake
UW-Stevens Point, Steve Jones, Senior, Wide Receiver, Stevens Point (SPASH)
UW-Stout, Jarrod George, Junior, Offensive Lineman, What Cheer, Iowa (Tri-County)
UW-Whitewater, Steve Tenhagen, Senior, Wide Receiver, Burlington

Defense
Derick Bielmeier, Sophomore (Wautoma), Linebacker of UW-Oshkosh
Bielmeier had five assisted tackles, including two quarterback sacks as Oshkosh defeated eighth-ranked and defending WIAC champion Stout, 19-7, on October 6. Bielmeier also forced a fumble and was instrumental in the Titans holding 11 of Stout’s 16 offensive drives under 12 yards or less. Bielmeier and his defensive partners limited Stout to just 11 first downs and 275 yards in offense as the Titans defeated a nationally-ranked opponent for the first time since the 1987 season.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Adrian Wilson, Senior, Noseguard, Milwaukee (Juneau)
UW-La Crosse, Mike Kraemer, Senior, Defensive End, Pulaski
UW-Platteville, Justin Dalhberg, Sophomore, Cornerback, Delavan (Delavan-Darien)
UW-River Falls, Mike Hayward, Senior, Linebacker, Rochester, Minn. (Mayo)
UW-Stevens Point, Ryan Bentley, Freshman, Defensive Back, Waunakee
UW-Stout, Matt Mueller, Sophomore, Defensive Lineman, Chaska, Minn.
UW-Whitewater, Mike Saddy, Junior, Defensive Lineman, Muskego

Special Teams
Matt Palas, Senior (Phillips), Linebacker of UW-River Falls
Palas came up with two of the biggest plays in the game in the Falcons’ 24-23 double overtime win over Eau Claire on Saturday. With the Falcons leading 14-7 in the third quarter, Palas blocked a 20-yard Eau Claire field goal attempt. He also recovered the ball and returned it to the River Falls 15-yardline. After the Falcons scored to take a lead in the second overtime, Eau Claire scored a touchdown to pull within a point. On the extra point try, Palas blocked the kick to help earn the win. He also had one tackle on special teams.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Mike Eubanks, Junior, Free Safety, Cedarburg
UW-La Crosse, Jeremy Unertl, Senior, Defensive Back, Theresa (Lomira)
UW-Oshkosh, Kris Johnson, Junior, Punter, Florence
UW-Stevens Point, Cory Kahl, Sophomore, Punter, Mosinee (D.C. Everest)
UW-Stout, Matt Kren, Freshman, Defensive Back, Neillsville
UW-Whitewater, Eric Salopek, Junior, Defensive Back, Madison (La Follette)

Week of Sept. 24 - 30
Offense
Taylor Hall, Senior (Shell Lake), Halfback of UW-River Falls
Hall rushed for 219 on 20 carries in the Falcons’ 34-31 conference-opening victory over previously undefeated Whitewater. Included in his 219 yards was a season-long 71-yard run. The Falcons rushed for 490 yards in the game, the highest total by a WIAC team this season.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Brian Rasmussen, Senior, Quarterback, Apple Valley, Minn.
UW-La Crosse, Scott Burnoski, Freshman, Wide Receiver, Rochester, Minn. (Century)
UW-Oshkosh, Matt Kimmler, Freshman, Running Back, Sheboygan Falls
UW-Platteville, Greg Siebers, Sophomore, Running Back, Appleton (Kimberly)
UW-Stevens Point, Scott Krause, Sophomore, Quarterback, Waunakee
UW-Stout, Brian Johnson, Senior, Tight End, Hudson
UW-Whitewater, Steve Tenhagen, Senior, Wide Receiver, Burlington

Defense
Kevin Dewey, Sophomore (Burnsville, Minn.), Defensive Back of UW-Stout
Dewey had two interceptions in Stout’s 28-14 win over Platteville and both of the picks were rally stoppers. Dewey’s first interception came late in the second quarter when Platteville was looking to take a 14-0 lead. He dived in front of a Pioneer receiver in the end zone, making the grab parallel to the astroturf surface of Williams Stadium. Stout took advantage of the situation and drove 80 yards for the tying score. Dewey’s second interception came early in the fourth quarter with the score tied at 14-14 when he snagged a pass at the Platteville 48. Dewey also led the team in tackles, getting nine solo tackles and one assisted tackle. He also had one tackle for loss and three passes defended.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Jay Hoyord, Senior, Rover, Scandinavia (Iola-Scandinavia)
UW-La Crosse, Jason Ott, Senior, Linebacker, Elroy (Royall)
UW-Oshkosh, Brendan Burns, Senior, Defensive Tackle, Monroe
UW-River Falls, Jed Kennedy, Senior, Linebacker, Alma
UW-Stevens Point, Heath Novitzke, Senior, Linebacker, Ringle (D.C. Everest)
UW-Whitewater, Pete Katz, Senior, Defensive Tackle, Manitowoc (Roncalli)

Special Teams
Jeremy Bergeron, Senior (Chippewa Falls/McDonell), Split End of UW-Eau Claire
Bergeron’s 79-yard punt return with 11:46 left in the fourth quarter provided the clinching score as the Blugolds opened a 40-19 lead en route to a 40-26 conference road triumph at Oshkosh. For the game, he returned four punts for 93 yards. Bergeron also caught a 62-yard touchdown pass from Brian Rasmussen to put the Blugolds up 14-0.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Bryan Morris, Junior, Punter, Onalaska
UW-Oshkosh, David Gaulke, Senior, Kicker, New Berlin (Eisenhower)
UW-River Falls, Matt Farmer, Freshman, Linebacker, Tomahawk
UW-Stevens Point, Ricardo Vega, Senior, Kicker, Palm Spring, Calif. (Pinoce Valley)
UW-Stout, Chris Parent, Freshman, Punter, Racine (Brownsburg, Ind.)
UW-Whitewater, Andy Lobdell, Sophomore, Linebacker, Lena, Ill.

Week of Sept. 17 - 23
Offense
Jason Leonard, Sophomore (Hollandale/Pecatonica), Wide Receiver of UW-Platteville
Leonard caught 17 passes against Stevens Point, surpassing the school record of 15 by Russ Jacques. Leonard, whose 187 yards were the third most in Pioneer history, caught a 33-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

Also nominated:
UW-Stevens Point, Nick Van Cyuk, Senior, Left Tackle, Kimberly

Defense
Paul Schmitt, Senior (Stratford), Defensive Lineman of UW-Stevens Point
Schmitt had another solid performance against Platteville on Saturday. He had two sacks for a total loss of 21 yards, among his six total tackles. Schmitt kept outstanding pressure on Platteville’s passing attack the entire game.

Also nominated:
No other athletes were nominated.

Special Teams
Jonah Roth, Senior (Boscobel), Kick Returner of UW-Stevens Point
Roth had five returns for a total of 49 yards in the Pointers’ 51-13 win over Platteville. He also made four tackles, including three solos, in the game.

Also nominated:
No other athletes were nominated.

Week of Sept. 10 - 16
Offense
Steve Tenhagen, Senior (Burlington), Wide Receiver of UW-Whitewater
Tenhagen caught seven passes for 101 yards in the Warhawks’ wild 56-50 triple overtime win at Lambuth (Tenn.). UW-Whitewater overcame a 21-0 deficit late in the second quarter. The win helped the Warhawks remain undefeated on the season at 3-0, their best start since the 1997 season.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Jason Foemmel, Junior, Flanker, Marshfield
UW-La Crosse, Ross Moline, Junior, Running Back, La Crosse (Aquinas)

Defense
Austin Crow, Sophomore (Woodbury, Minn.), Stud Position of UW-Eau Claire
Despite being kept on the field for 35 minutes due to five first half turnovers by the Blugold offense, Crow keyed a Blugold defense that kept Valparaiso (Ind.) out of the end zone until the final seven seconds of the contest. Valpo was forced to punt nine times in the contest and lost one fumble. Crow was credited with seven solo and four assisted tackles, one of which was a sack and two tackles for loss.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Jeremy Duerr, Sophomore, Defensive Tackle, Pittsville
UW-Whitewater, Peter Katz, Senior, Defensive Line, Manitowoc (Roncalli)

Special Teams
Nick Diciaula, Sophomore (Brookfield/Central), Kicker of UW-Eau Claire
Diciaula was perfect kicking as he scored seven points, all in the second half in the Blugolds’ 31-9 win over NCAA I-AA Valparaiso (Ind.). He hit all four of his extra points and a 29-yard field goal that at the time put the Blugolds up 10-3 with 3:28 in the third quarter.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Joe Wegner, Junior, Cornerback, Grafton
UW-Whitewater, Andy Barribeau, Junior, Kicker, Pulaski

Week of Sept. 3 - 9
Offense
Chad Wurth, Sophomore (Monona/Monona Grove), Running Back of UW-Whitewater
Wurth helped the Warhawks to a 44-14 victory over Eastern Oregon, rushing for 151 yards on 23 carries (6.6 yards per carry). He had touchdown runs of ten and 20 yards in the first quarter to give the Warhawks a 14-0 lead.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Bob Schmidt, Senior, Offensive Tackle, Eau Claire (Memorial)
UW-La Crosse, Matt Rizzo, Junior, Wide Receiver, Kenosha (Tremper)
UW-Oshkosh, Matt Kimmler, Freshman, Running Back, Sheboygan Falls
UW-River Falls, Derek Hanson, Senior, Offensive Guard, Minneapolis, Minn. (Washburn)
UW-Stevens Point, Kurt Kielblock, Freshman, Running Back, Scandinavia (Iola-Scandinavia)
UW-Stout, Nick Ohman, Freshman, Quarterback, Glenwood City

Defense
Kurt Schmidt, Senior (Cresco, Iowa/Crestwood), Linebacker of UW-La Crosse
Schmidt recorded 25 tackles at Winona State (MN), ten solo and 15 assisted. The 25 tackles in a game are the third-most in school history. He also had one tackle for loss, on e forced fumble and one fumble recovery against the Warriors. Schmidt has a team-leading 29 tackles this season and has recorded 105 in his career.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Nick Draeger, Junior, Linebacker, Waterloo
UW-Oshkosh, Nick Carlson, Freshman, Defensive Back, Menasha
UW-Platteville, Adam Lewis, Sophomore, Defensive Back, Brodhead
UW-River Falls, Jeremy Larson, Senior, Defensive Tackle, Ashland
UW-Stevens Point, Paul Schmitt, Senior, Defensive End, Stratford
UW-Stout, Chuck Vander Linden, Sophomore, Linebacker, Golden Valley (Armstrong)
UW-Whitewater, Derek Bergum, Sophomore, Linebacker, Evansville

Special Teams
Chad Crutchley, Junior (Black River Falls), Return Specialist of UW-Eau Claire
With just 25 seconds left in the first half, Crutchley returned a punt, virtually untouched, for 66 yards and a touchdown as the Blugolds opened a 22-0 lead at halftime and defeated Augsburg (MN) 37-14. For the game, Crutchley returned three punts for 71 yards and one kickoff for 26 yards.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Chester Janke, Sophomore, Tight End, Black River Falls
UW-Oshkosh, Shannon King, Senior, Split End, Waukegan, Ill. (West)
UW-River Falls, Nate Hendrickson, Sophomore, Defensive End, Prescott
UW-Stevens Point, Chad Cartier, Freshman, Long Snapper, Waunakee
UW-Stout, Chris Ryder, Freshman, Long Snapper, Menomonie
UW-Whitewater, Tom Karthausser, Sophomore, Defensive Back, Franklin

Week of Aug. 27 - Sept. 2
Offense
Brian Rasmussen, Senior (Apple Valley, Minn.), Quarterback of UW-Eau Claire
Rasmussen led the Blugolds to a stunning 25-10 victory over St. John’s (Minn.), last year’s NCAA Division III runner-up and ranked in six preseason polls, five in the top 10. He completed 20-of-33 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns, a 42-yarder and a 20-yarder. He had the Blugolds on the scoreboard less than four minutes into the contest and had them up 12-0 at the end of the first quarter. Rasmussen made it 25-3 with a touchdown pass on the first play of the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. The success of the offense fell on his shoulders when All-American running back candidate Darrell Souhrada was unable to play in the game due to a hamstring pull.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Josh Boraas, Senior, Quarterback, Zumbrota, Minn. (Zumbrota-Mazeppa)
UW-Oshkosh, Steve Wagner, Junior, Split End, Lomira
UW-River Falls, Taylor Hall, Senior, Halfback, Shell Lake
UW-Stout, Matt Longergan, Junior, Quarterback, Hartford
UW-Whitewater, Reggie Stauss, Sophomore, Quarterback, Marinette

Defense
Jeremy Unertl, Senior (Theresa/Lomira), Safety of UW-La Crosse
Unertl led the Eagles with seven tackles and tied for the team lead with two interceptions in La Crosse’s 37-18 win over Washburn (Kan.). He now has 13 career interceptions, tying him for eighth on the school’s all-time list. Unertl helped the Eagles force ten Washburn turnovers. The Eagles record their first-ever victory over Washburn and also won their season opener for the first time in four years.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Austin Crow, Sophomore, Defensive End, Woodbury, Minn.
UW-Oshkosh, Nick Carlson, Freshman, Defensive Back, Menasha
UW-River Falls, Luke Miska, Junior, Free Safety, Silver Lake, Minn. (Glencoe-Silver Lake)
UW-Stout, Rob Weinstein, Sophomore, Defensive Back, Racine (Horlick)
UW-Whitewater, Nate Schkeryantz, Senior, Linebacker, Waukesha (Memorial)

Special Teams
Tony Beckham, Senior (Ocala, Fla./Forest), Returner/Defensive Back/Wide Receiver, of UW-Stout
Beckham helped the Blue Devils to a 48-24 season-opening victory over Lakeland. He returned three kickoffs for 129 yards (43.0 y/return), taking one return 89 yards down the middle of the field for a touchdown in the third quarter to give UW-Stout a 17-point cushion. Earlier in the game, Beckham lined up at wide receiver and hauled in 30-yard and 56-yard touchdown passes. He completed the day with 18 points and 215 all-purpose yards.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Matt Brink, Sophomore, Punter, Madison (Memorial)
UW-La Crosse, Jedediah Jensen, Sophomore, Kicker, Madison (La Follette)
UW-Oshkosh, Kris Johnson, Sophomore, Punter, Florence
UW-River Falls, Dan Toninato, Senior, Kicker, Green Bay (Ashwaubenon)
UW-Whitewater, Jim Baker, Freshman, Defensive Lineman, West Bend (East)

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