2007 WIAC Football Athletes of the Week

2007 WIAC Football
Athletes of the Week

Week of Nov. 5 - 11
Offense
Tony Hull, Senior (Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park), Wide Receiver of UW-Eau Claire
Hull had 12 receptions for 213 yards and one touchdown in UW-Eau Claire’s 17-14 triumph over UW-Stout on Nov. 10. He caught a 40-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter to give the Blugolds a 6-0 advantage. In the Blugolds’ second drive of the third quarter, he caught give passes to set up a field goal that trimmed the deficit to 14-10. Hull’s 213 yards rank as the second-highest single-game total in school history, just shy of the top mark of 217 yards.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Reid Oldenburg, Sophomore, Tailback, Burlington
UW-Oshkosh, Joe Patek, Senior, Quarterback, Cedarburg
UW-River Falls, Nathan Anderson, Senior, Running Back, Marinette
UW-Stout, Shawn Korth, Senior, Wide Receiver, Marshall

Defense
Adam Neitzel, Senior (Waukesha/Wisconsin Lutheran), Linebacker of UW-La Crosse
Neitzel had four tackles and two interceptions in UW-La Crosse’s 24-21 victory over UW-Stevens Point in the final game played at Roger Harring Stadium at Veterans Memorial Field. He picked off Jake Swank in the first quarter setting up a UW-La Crosse touchdown and 17-7 lead. Neitzel recorded his second interception of the game on the Pointers’ final possession of the contest with 35 seconds left at UW-La Crosse’s 30-yard line.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Sam Cummings, Senior, Linebacker, Rochester, Minn.
UW-Oshkosh, Josh Wara, Senior, Free Safety, Oshkosh (North)
UW-Platteville, Nolan Krajco, Senior, Linebacker, Richland Center
UW-River Falls, Sean Wolf, Senior, Defensive Tackle, Jordan, Minn.
UW-Stout, Kyle Seiler, Junior, Linebacker, Rockford, Minn.

Special Teams
Eric Stoller, Freshman (Algoma), Punter of UW-River Falls
Stoller punted five times and averaged a season-high 45.2 yards per punt in UW-River Falls’ game at UW-Oshkosh on Nov. 10. He had a long punt of 51 yards and had one downed inside the UW-Oshkosh 20-yard line.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Brett Nagan, Sophomore, Punter, Kaukauna
UW-Oshkosh, Jeremy Roach, Freshman, Running Back, Deerfield

Week of Oct. 29 - Nov. 4
Offense
Michael Zweifel, Freshman (Whitewater), Wide Receiver of UW-River Falls
Zweifel set a WIAC single-game record with 18 receptions against UW-La Crosse on Nov. 3. His 18 receptions totaled 149 receiving yards and broke the previous league mark of 17 held by four different individuals. Zweifel scored on a three-yard pass play in the second quarter to tie the game at 21-21. In nine games this season, Zweifel has 85 catches for 945 yards and seven touchdowns. The 85 catches and 945 yards are school records.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Tony Hull, Senior, Wide Receiver, Blaine, Minn. (Spring Lake Park)
UW-La Crosse, Dan Hall, Senior, Tailback, Valders
UW-Oshkosh, Andy Moriarty, Senior, Running Back, Mequon (Homestead)
UW-Stevens Point, Jack Marx, Junior, Running Back, Scandinavia (Iola-Scandinavia)
UW-Stout, Shawn Korth, Senior, Wide Receiver, Marshall
UW-Whitewater, Justin Beaver, Senior, Running Back, Palmyra (Palmyra-Eagle)

Defense
Tom Dohr, Junior (Neenah), Outside Linebacker of UW-Eau Claire
Dohr had a team-high 14 tackles (2 solo) in UW-Eau Claire’s 28-7 victory over UW-Stevens Point on Nov. 3. He was also credited with one quarterback sack and one forced fumble in the contest as the Blugold defense held the Pointers to their lowest point total of the season. Dohr also had a crucial 31-yard touchdown return of a blocked punt that gave UW-Eau Claire a 21-7 lead in the third quarter.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Drew Kiefer, Junior, Linebacker, Abbotsford
UW-Oshkosh, James Taraboi, Sophomore, Linebacker, Grafton (Cedarburg)
UW-River Falls, Gregg Neumann, Senior, Defensive End, Lakeville, Minn.
UW-Stevens Point, Brad Vickroy, Senior, Defensive Lineman, Wisconsin Rapids (Lincoln)
UW-Stout, Stephen Schils, Senior, Linebacker, Green Bay (Ashwaubenon)
UW-Whitewater, Ryan Ogrizovich, Senior, Defensive Lineman, Burlington

Special Teams
Eric Donoval, Junior (Sheboygan/South), Tailback of UW-La Crosse
Donoval had two kickoff returns for 157 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown return in the first quarter in UW-La Crosse’s 49-34 victory at UW-River Falls on Nov. 3. His 77-yard return to open the second half set up an Eagle touchdown on the very next play to give the Eagles a 28-21 advantage. Donoval also had one punt return for 12 yards in the contest. The kickoff return for a touchdown was the first for UW-La Crosse since 1999.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Nate Jahn, Senior, Outside Linebacker, Alma Center (Lincoln)
UW-Oshkosh, Jeremy Roach, Freshman, Running Back, Deerfield
UW-Platteville, Tony Smidl, Sophomore, Kicker, Oshkosh (West)
UW-River Falls, Eric Stoller, Freshman, Punter, Algoma
UW-Stevens Point, Jason Barber, Senior, Defensive Back, Port Washington
UW-Stout, Kyle Martin, Sophomore, Placekicker/Punter, Hubertus (Kettle Moraine)
UW-Whitewater, Jeff Schebler, Sophomore, Placekicker, Davenport, Iowa (Assumption)

Week of Oct. 22 - 28
Offense
Andy Moriarty, Senior (Mequon/Homestead), Running Back of UW-Oshkosh
Moriarty surpassed 200 yards rushing for the fifth time in his career during UW-Oshkosh’s 27-10 upset victory over 22nd-ranked UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 27. He rushed 50 times for 288 yards against the Pointers, including touchdowns of three and seven yards. His rushing total, which featured just two attempts for negative yardage, was the second-highest in UW-Oshkosh history. Moriarty also caught one pass for seven yards in the victory. Moriarty, UW-Oshkosh’s all-time leading rusher with 3,968 career yards, gained 68 yards in the first quarter against the Pointers, 91 in the second, 36 in the fourth and 93 in the fourth. He gave UW-Oshkosh a 7-3 lead with a three-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and a 27-10 advantage with a seven-yard touchdown jaunt with 52 seconds to play in the fourth.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Jason Wagner, Senior, Wide Receiver, Menomonie
UW-Platteville, Mike Genslinger, Junior, Running Back, Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)
UW-River Falls, Nathan Anderson, Senior, Running Back, Marinette
UW-Stevens Point, Jesse Dickert, Senior, Offensive Line, Kohler (Oconto)
UW-Stout, Tanner Kattre, Senior, Quarterback, Abbotsford
UW-Whitewater, Danny Jones, Senior, Quarterback, Pleasanton, Calif. (Amador Valley)

Defense
A.J. Raebel, Senior (Cary Grove, Ill.), Linebacker of UW-Whitewater
Raebel and the Warhawk defense stymied one of the best offenses in the NCAA Division III in UW-Whitewater’s 41-14 victory over University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) on Oct. 27, holding the Crusaders to 275 yards of total offense, 162 rushing yards and 14 points. Raebel was credited with 14 tackles (11 solo), 0.5 tackle for loss and one fumble recovery in the contest. The Crusaders entered the game averaging 532.4 yards of total offense (No. 3 nationally), 57.2 points (No. 1) and 379.9 rushing yards (No. 1).

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Aaron Johnson, Sophomore, Linebacker, Wisconsin Dells
UW-Oshkosh, David Consiglio, Senior, Linebacker, Hubertus (Germantown)
UW-Platteville, Quincy Hudson, Sophomore, Defensive Back, Milwaukee (Bay View Hudson)
UW-River Falls, Joe Simonson, Senior, Safety, Ogilvie, Minn.
UW-Stevens Point, Brett Hirsch, Senior, Defensive Back, Menomonee Falls
UW-Stout, Jake Pomputis, Junior, Defensive Back, Owen (Owen-Withee)

Special Teams
Lucas Raschke, Senior (Clintonville), Placekicker of UW-Oshkosh
Raschke moved into 10th place on the WIAC’s all-time scoring list by totaling nine points in UW-Oshkosh’s 27-10 upset of 22nd-ranked UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 27. He kicked two field goals and three extra points against the Pointers. Raschke kicked a 41-yard field goal in the third quarter to give the Titans a 10-3 lead. He also booted a 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to extend UW-Oshkosh’s lead to 20-3. Raschke, UW-Oshkosh’s all-time leading scorer, has counted 241 career points. His 46 career field goals are the most in WIAC history and the third-most in NCAA Division III annals.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Kyle Wojcik, Freshman, Kicker, Germantown
UW-Oshkosh, Lucas Raschke, Senior, Placekicker, Clintonville
UW-River Falls, Bruce Baillargeon, Senior, Linebacker, Somerset
UW-Stevens Point, Luke Frisch, Junior, Punter, Nekoosa
UW-Stout, Kyle Martin, Sophomore, Placekicker/Punter, Hubertus (Kettle Moraine Lutheran)

Week of Oct. 15 - 21
Offense
Andy Reese, Senior (Lodi), Running Back of UW-Stout
Reese scored three touchdowns in UW-Stout’s 28-27 win over UW-River Falls on Oct. 20. He had touchdown runs of 20-, 3- and 2-yards. Reese had a game-high 100 rushing yards on 26 carries with a long of 20 yards on the touchdown run in the first quarter that gave the Blue Devils a 6-0 advantage.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Brian Edmiston, Senior, Tight End, Houston, Minn.
UW-Oshkosh, Andy Moriarty, Senior, Running Back, Mequon (Homestead)
UW-River Falls, Michael Zweifel, Freshman, Whitewater
UW-Stevens Point, Brad Kalsow, Junior, Wide Receiver, Huntley, Ill.
UW-Whitewater, Justin Beaver, Senior, Running Back, Palmyra (Palmyra-Eagle) & Danny Jones, Senior, Quarterback, Pleasanton, Calif. (Amador Valley)

Defense
Joe Troia, Junior (Omaha, Neb./Westside), Defensive End of UW-La Crosse
Troia led UW-La Crosse’s defense with nine tackles, including seven solo stops, in the Eagles’ 24-0 win over UW-Oshkosh on Oct. 20. He also had three tackles for loss and a two quarterback sacks. Troia and the Eagles’ defense held UW-Oshkosh to zero first downs and minus one yard of total offense in the second half.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Craig Polifka, Junior, Cornerback, Kewaunee
UW-Oshkosh, Dave Dejewski, Senior, Linebacker, Hartland (Catholic Memorial)
UW-Platteville, Justin Athey, Senior, Linebacker, Dodgeville
UW-River Falls, Mike Larson, Sophomore, Defensive Tackle, Ashland
UW-Stevens Point, Brian Bailey, Sophomore, Linebacker, New Lisbon
UW-Stout, Jake Pomputis, Junior, Defensive Back, Owen (Owen-Withee)
UW-Whitewater, Andy Murray, Senior, Defensive Back, Mount Horeb

Special Teams
Brandon Raciborski, Junior (Eau Claire/Memorial), Placekicker of UW-Stout
Raciborski kicked a 52-yard field goal with 45 seconds remaining to lift UW-Stout to a 28-27 win over UW-River Falls on Oct. 20. His kick hit the left upright and fell between the goalposts. It was Raciborski’s first field goal of the year and the third-longest kick in WIAC history and second-longest in Blue Devil archives.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Craig Polifka, Junior, Returner, Kewaunee
UW-La Crosse, Kyle Wojcik, Freshman, Kicker, Germantown
UW-Oshkosh, Jeremy Roach, Freshman, Running Back, Deerfield
UW-River Falls, Eric Stoller, Freshman, Punter, Algoma
UW-Stevens Point, Luke Frisch, Junior, Punter, Nekoosa

Week of Oct. 8 - 14
Offense
Joe Burkeland, Freshman (Hollandale/Pecatonica), Quarterback of UW-Platteville
Burkeland, UW-Platteville's third-string quarterback, came off the bench to run for 151 yards and score three touchdowns while leading the Pioneers to a 37-34 victory over No. 18-ranked UW-La Crosse. He scored on touchdown runs of 6, 7, and 3 yards in the first half. He directed the Pioneers on a 78-yard drive that covered 2:49 and ended with a 17-yard game-winning field goal with three seconds left. Burkeland ran for 57 of those 78 yards, including a big 20-yard scramble on a third-and-11 from the Pioneer 20. Burkeland finished with 151 rushing yards on 19 attempts and caught a 24-yard pass from halfback Mike Genslinger.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Cory Sartorelli, Sophomore, Tailback, Appleton (North)
UW-La Crosse, Ted Everson, Senior, Wide Receiver, Rib Lake
UW-Oshkosh, Steve Stoltz, Senior, Wide Receiver, Greendale
UW-River Falls, Nathan Anderson, Senior, Running Back, Marinette
UW-Stevens Point, J.T. Mathy, Senior, Offensive Lineman, Cudahy
UW-Stout, Andy Reese, Senior, Running Back, Lodi
UW-Whitewater, Justin Beaver, Senior, Running Back, Palmyra (Palmyra-Eagle)

Defense
Stephen Schils, Senior (Green Bay/Ashwaubenon), Linebacker of UW-Stout
Schils had two interceptions in UW-Stout's 26-23 last-minute loss at UW-Stevens Point. His first pick came on the Pointers' second play from scrimmage and he returned the ball 10 yards to the Stevens Point four. The Blue Devils scored on the next play. Schils got his second interception two plays after UW-Stout fumbled the kickoff away deep in their own territory in the second quarter, returning the ball to the Stout 14. He finished the day with nine tackles, seven solo and one tackle for a loss.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Sam Cummings, Senior, Inside Linebacker, Rochester, Minn. (John Marshall)
UW-La Crosse, Derek Dreher, Freshman, Cornerback, Verona
UW-Oshkosh, James Taraboi, Sophomore, Linebacker, Grafton (Cedarburg)
UW-River Falls, Jamie Bisch, Senior, Cornerback, Roberts (St. Croix Central)
UW-Stevens Point, Dustin Robinson, Senior, Linebacker, Florence
UW-Whitewater, Ben Farley, Senior, Defensive Back, Brookfield (East)

Special Teams
Ryan Graboski, Junior (Woodbury, Minn.), Kicker of UW-Stevens Point
Graboski tied a school record by kicking four field goals, including the game-winning 30-yard effort with 22 seconds left in UW-Stevens Point’s 26-23 victory over UW-Stout on Oct. 13. He tied the record held by Kim Drake against UW-Oshkosh in 1984. Graboski also connected on attempts from 33, 26 and 34-yards in the contest and set a school single-game record with 14 kicking points.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Mitch Schaeuble, Senior, Punter, Wrightstown
UW-La Crosse, Brett Nagan, Sophomore, Kicker/Punter, Kaukauna
UW-Oshkosh, Jeremy Roach, Freshman, Running Back, Deerfield
UW-Platteville, Tony Smidl, Sophomore, Kicker, Oshkosh (West)
UW-River Falls, Nate Tenut, Senior, Offensive Line, Phillips
UW-Stout, Shawn Korth, Senior, Wide Receiver, Marshall
UW-Whitewater, Jeff Schebler, Sophomore, Kicker, Davenport, Iowa

Week of Oct. 1 - 7
Offense
Justin Beaver, Senior (Palmyra/Palmyra-Eagle), Running Back of UW-Whitewater
Beaver had 25 carries for 233 yards and two touchdowns in UW-Whitewater’s 38-12 victory over UW-River Falls on Oct. 6. His touchdown runs of 15 and 16-yards in the first quarter sparked the Warhawks to a 21-0 advantage. It was the school-record seventh 200-yard rushing game of Beaver’s career. The 233 rushing yards are the most in the conference this year.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Spencer Kehoe, Sophomore, Tailback, Clear Lake
UW-La Crosse, Alex Seguin, Freshman, Quarterback, Black River Falls
UW-Oshkosh, Joe Patek, Senior, Quarterback, Cedarburg
UW-River Falls, Nathan Anderson, Senior, Running Back, Marinette
UW-Stevens Point, Brad Kalsow, Junior, Wide Receiver, Huntley, Ill.
UW-Stout, Tanner Kattre, Senior, Quarterback, Abbotsford

Defense
Bruce Baillargeon, Senior (Linebacker), Somerset of UW-River Falls
Baillargeon was credited with 22 tackles, including 17 solo efforts, in UW-River Falls’ loss at No. 3-ranked UW-Whitewater. He also had one tackle for loss of five yards in the contest. The 22 tackles are the most in the WIAC this season. Baillargeon has reached double-digits in tackles in four of the team’s five games this year. He ranks second in the league with 64 total tackles and leads the team with 42 solo stops.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Dave Wicklund, Junior, Safety, Kewaskum
UW-La Crosse, Drew Kiefer, Junior, Linebacker, Abbotsbord
UW-Oshkosh, Bryan Kent, Senior, Cornerback, Pewaukee (Homestead)
UW-Stevens Point, Tyler Florczak, Senior, Defensive Back, Chetek
UW-Stout, Marshall Lehman, Junior, Defensive Back, Edgar
UW-Whitewater, Tristan Borzick, Senior, Linebacker, Kenosha (Tremper)

Special Teams
Craig Kolb, Sophomore (Marshfield), Kicker of UW-Eau Claire
In this weekend’s homecoming game against No. 6-ranked UW-La Crosse, Kolb nailed a game-winning field goal with 24 seconds remaining in the game to give the Blugolds a 31-29 victory. After the Blugolds led the entire game, they found themselves down by one point after an Eagle touchdown with 1:17 remaining in the contest. The Blugolds drove the ball 36 yards on the ensuing drive, setting up the winning 46-yard field goal. It is tied for fifth longest in school history and is the longest of his career. Kolb was also perfect on all four of his extra point attempts against the Eagles.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Eric Donoval, Junior, Tailback, Sheboygan (South)
UW-Oshkosh, Lucas Raschke, Senior, Placekicker/Punter, Clintonville
UW-River Falls, Andy Marx, Senior, Long Snapper, Ringle (D.C. Everest)
UW-Stevens Point, Mike Krueger, Sophomore, Defensive Back, Wauwatosa (East)
UW-Stout, Shawn Korth, Senior, Wide Receiver, Marshall

Week of Sept. 24 - 30
Offense
Mitch Schaeuble, Senior (Wrightstown), Quarterback of UW-Eau Claire
Making his first collegiate appearance at quarterback, Schaeuble completed 17-of-27 passes (63.0 percent) for 348 yards and two touchdowns in the Blugolds’ 21-20 victory at UW-Oshkosh. His touchdown passes covered 74 yards and 55 yards. The 348 passing yards are the most in the conference this season and only six players in school history have throw for more yards in a single game. Schaeuble also accounted for almost half of the Blugolds’ rushing yardage in the contest with 18 yards on six carries.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Ted Everson, Senior, Wide Receiver, Rib Lake
UW-Oshkosh, Andy Moriarty, Senior, Running Back, Mequon (Homestead)
UW-Platteville, Mike Genslinger, Junior, Running Back, Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)
UW-River Falls, Michael Zweifel, Freshman, Wide Receiver, Whitewater
UW-Stevens Point, Mike Ferron, Sophomore, Running Back, Racine (Horlick)
UW-Stout, Andy Reese, Senior, Running Back, Lodi
UW-Whitewater, Matt Gifford, Sophomore, Wide Receiver, Waukesha (West)

Defense
Jace Rindahl, Junior (Cambridge), Linebacker of UW-Whitewater
Rindahl was credited with eight tackles (six solo), one tackle for loss of eight yards, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in UW-Whitewater’s come-from-behind 35-28 victory at No. 4-ranked UW-La Crosse. His interception led to a field goal early in the fourth quarter and a forced fumble led to a touchdown that tied the game with 5:40 remaining. His fumble recovery with 33 seconds left in the contest ended the Eagles’ final drive.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Andy Smisek, Junior, Nose Guard, Northfield, Minn.
UW-La Crosse, Nick Ihde, Junior, Strong Safety, Reedsburg
UW-Oshkosh, Mike Mayer, Senior, Linebacker, Chilton
UW-Platteville, Nolan Kracjo, Senior, Linebacker, Richland Center
UW-River Falls, Gregg Neumann, Senior, Defensive End, Lakeville, Minn.
UW-Stevens Point, Lincoln Berg, Senior, Defensive Back, Edgar
UW-Stout, Kyle Seiler, Junior, Linebacker, Rockford, Minn.

Special Teams
Kasey Morgan, Senior (Iola/Iola-Scandinavia), Returner of UW-Stevens Point
Morgan had an 83-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 in the first quarter in UW-Stevens Point’s wild 45-42 triumph over UW-River Falls. It was the Pointers’ first kickoff return for a touchdown since 2002. Morgan had 142 kick return yards on four attempts and two punt returns for eight yards against the Falcons.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Dan Sellers, Sophomore, Free Safety, Brown Deer
UW-Oshkosh, Lucas Raschke, Senior, Placekicker/Punter, Clintonville
UW-River Falls, Dan Keller, Junior, Kicker, St. Paul, Minn. (Cretin-Derham Hall)
UW-Stout, Jordan Schumacher, Freshman, Defensive Back, Weyauwega (Weyauwega-Fremont)

Week of Sept. 17 - 23
Offense
Danny Jones, Senior (Pleasanton, Calif.), Quarterback of UW-Whitewater
In a 27-0 victory over UW-Eau Claire, Jones completed 19-of-26 passes (73.1 percent) for 204 yards and three touchdowns. His touchdown passes covered 30, 5 and 29-yards as the Warhawks won their 15th consecutive WIAC contest.

Also nominated:
UW-Platteville, Craig Patterson, Senior, Wide Receiver, Manhattan, Ill. (Lincoln-Way Central)
UW-Stevens Point, Jake Swank, Freshman, Quarterback, Oregon
UW-Stout, Shawn Korth, Senior, Wide Receiver, Marshall

Defense
Ryan Ogrizovich, Senior (Burlington), Defensive End of UW-Whitewater
Ogrizovich helped the UW-Whitewater defense shutout UW-Eau Claire for the second straight season in a 27-0 triumph. The Warhawks limited the Blugolds to 130 yards of total offense, including 71 rushing yards on 41 attempts. Ogrizovich was credited with five tackles (three solo), 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 quarterback sacks and one fumble recovery.

Also nominated:
UW-Stevens Point, Brad Vikroy, Junior, Nose Guard, Wisconsin Rapids (Lincoln)
UW-Stout, Stephen Schils, Senior, Linebacker, Green Bay (Ashwaubenon)

Special Teams
Ryan Graboski, Junior (Woodbury, Minn.), Placekicker of UW-Stevens Point
Graboski tied a school single-game record for most points by a kicker in UW-Stevens Point’s 55-0 victory over Waldorf College (Iowa). He hit 19 and 36-yard field goals and added seven extra points for 13 points in the contest. The school record had been achieved twice previously with the most recent by Fred Galecke against UW-Eau Claire on Sept. 28, 1996.

Also nominated:
UW-Platteville, Tom Christiansen, Senior, Punter, Wheaton, Ill. (Warrenville South)
UW-Stout, Kyle Martin, Sophomore, Kicker/Punter, Hubertus (Kettle Moraine Lutheran)

Week of Sept. 10 - 16
Offense
Cory Sartorelli, Sophomore (Appleton/North), Tailback of UW-Eau Claire
Sartorelli led UW-Eau Claire to a 30-14 victory over Alma College (Mich.) in the Blugolds’ home opener on Sept. 15. He totaled 209 rushing yards on 40 carries and three touchdowns in the contest. Sartorelli had touchdown runs of 18 and two yards in the third quarter and added another two-yard plunge in the fourth. Only 11 other times in Blugold history has there been another 209+ yard performance in a game.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Dan Hall, Senior, Tailback, Valders
UW-Oshkosh, Andy Moriarty, Senior, Running Back, Mequon (Homestead)
UW-Platteville, Mike Genslinger, Junior, Running Back, Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)
UW-River Falls, Nathan Anderson, Senior, Running Back, Marinette
UW-Stevens Point, Mike Kovatch, Senior, Offensive Line, Stevens Point (SPASH)
UW-Whitewater, Justin Beaver, Senior, Running Back, Palmyra (Palmyra-Eagle)

Defense
Joe Troia, Junior (Omaha, Neb./Westside), Defensive End of UW-La Crosse
Troia tied for the team lead with eight tackles in the Eagles’ 27-20 overtime victory over Azusa Pacific (Calif.) on Sept. 15. He had five solo tackles. Troia also had a team-high three tackles for losses of four yards and forced one fumble, which led to UW-La Crosse’s first touchdown.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Zach Paul, Senior, Safety, Edgar
UW-Oshkosh, Nate Heard, Freshman, Cornerback, Milwaukee (Lutheran)
UW-Platteville, David Pietrowiak, Senior, Defensive Back, Germantown
UW-River Falls, Sean Wolf, Senior, Defensive Tackle, Jordan, Minn.
UW-Stevens Point, Dustin Robinson, Senior, Linebacker, Florence
UW-Whitewater, Andy Murray, Senior, Defensive Back, Mt. Horeb

Special Teams
Lucas Raschke, Senior (Clintonville), Placekicker/Punter of UW-Oshkosh
Raschke scored 14 points and averaged 52.5 yards on two punts as UW-Oshkosh defeated Lakeland College, 62-7, on Sept. 15. He booted field goals of 28 and 24 yards and made all eight of his extra points to increase his career scoring total to 217 points, the second-highest mark in UW-Oshkosh history. He now has 41 career field goals, a total that ranks first in WIAC history and fifth in NCAA Division III archives.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Craig Polifka, Junior, Cornerback, Kewaunee
UW-La Crosse, Jon Gartzke, Senior, Linebacker, Luxemburg (Luxemburg-Casco)
UW-Stevens Point, Aaron Leonhardt, Freshman, Running Back, Baraboo

Week of Sept. 3 - 9
Offense
Jeremy Roach, Freshman (Deerfield), Running Back of UW-Oshkosh
Roach carried nine times for 139 yards, including 95 in the fourth quarter, as UW-Oshkosh defeated Huntingdon College (Ala.) on Sept. 8. He averaged 15.4 yards per carry, with a 28-yard run in the second quarter and a 47-yard scamper in the fourth quarter going for touchdowns. Roach also caught one pass for nine yards against the Hawks.

Also nominated:
UW-Platteville, Mike Genslinger, Junior, Running Back, Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)
UW-River Falls, Connor Graves, Junior, Tight End, Grantsburg
UW-Stout, Shawn Korth, Senior, Wide Receiver, Marshall

Defense
Sam Cummings, Senior (Rochester, Minn./John Marshall), Linebacker of UW-Eau Claire
Cummings led the Blugolds defensively in a 14-3 victory over Black Hills State University (S.D.) on Sept. 8. He had 14 tackles (four solo), including one for a loss of six yards. Cummings recovered a blocked punt on BHSU’s first drive and took it back nine yards to set up the Blugolds’ first touchdown. He also pounced on a loose ball late in the first quarter to set up the second Blugold touchdown.

Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Dave Dejewski, Senior, Linebacker, Hartland (Waukesha Catholic Memorial)
UW-Platteville, David Akey, Junior, Linebacker, Merrill
UW-River Falls, Gregg Neumann, Senior, Defensive End, Lakeville, Minn.
UW-Stout, Stephen Schils, Senior, Linebacker, Green Bay (Ashwaubenon)

Special Teams
Tom Christiansen, Senior (Wheaton, Ill./Warrenville South), Punter of UW-Platteville
Christiansen dropped three punts inside the 20-yard line, making St. Ambrose University (Iowa) start at the 8, 1 and 13 on three consecutive third quarter drives in a 16-6 UW-Platteville victory. The average starting position for the Fighting Bees was the 16-yard line in the second half. Christiansen punted six times for a 36.3 average and a long of 44 as the Pioneers won their season opener for the ninth straight season.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Nils Dillon, Sophomore, Wide Receiver, Iola (Iola-Scandinavia)
UW-Oshkosh, Lucas Raschke, Senior, Placekicker/Punter, Clintonville
UW-River Falls, Jonathan Burns, Sophomore, Punter, Stillwater, Minn.
UW-Stout, Wendell Eskridge, Senior, Cornerback, Milwaukee (Custer)

Week of Aug. 27 - Sept. 2
Offense
Griffin Moe, Junior (Waupaca), Quarterback of UW-La Crosse
Moe, making his first career start for UW-La Crosse, completed 17-of-20 passes (85.0%) for 324 yards and four touchdowns in the Eagles’ 47-21 win at 11th-ranked Hardin-Simmons University (Texas). He completed his first 14 passes of the game and threw all four of his touchdowns in the first half. Moe’s 324 yards is 20th in single-game school history and his four touchdown passes is tied for sixth. He also rushed for 25 yards on six attempts in the contest.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Cory Sartorelli, Sophomore, Tailback, Appleton (North)
UW-Oshkosh, Matt Meronk, Senior, Wide Receiver, Wittenberg (Wittenberg-Birnamwood)
UW-River Falls, Storm Harmon, Junior, Quarterback, Altoona
UW-Stevens Point, Mike Ferron, Sophomore, Running Back, Racine (Horlick)
UW-Stout, Tanner Kattre, Senior, Quarterback, Abbotsford
UW-Whitewater, Neil Mrkvicka, Senior, Wide Receiver, Greendale

Defense
Zach Paul, Senior (Edgar), Safety of UW-Eau Claire
Paul helped the Blugolds in a number of ways in a 42-13 victory over Southwest Minnesota State University on Aug. 30. He scored the Blugolds’ first touchdown of the season off a 20-yard interception return just 2 minutes, 30 seconds into the game. Paul also broke up a pass and recovered a fumble early in the fourth quarter and was credited with seven tackles in the game. The Blugolds limited the Mustangs to four rushing yards on 26 attempts.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Drew Kiefer, Junior, Linebacker, Abbotsford
UW-Oshkosh, Eric Stenbroten, Senior, Linebacker, Monticello
UW-River Falls, Bruce Baillargeon, Senior, Linebacker, Somerset
UW-Stout, Wendell Eskridge, Senior, Cornerback, Milwaukee (Custer)
UW-Whitewater, Anthony White, Sophomore, Defensive End, Milwaukee (Bay View)

Special Teams
Dustin Robinson, Senior (Florence), Linebacker of UW-Stevens Point
Robinson blocked a punt that teammate Lincoln Berg recovered in the end zone with 38 seconds remaining in the game as the Pointers pulled out a 13-7 win at Webber International University on Sept. 1. UW-Stevens Point won its season-opening game for the sixth time in the last eight years.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Craig Polifka, Junior, Cornerback, Kewaunee
UW-La Crosse, Jonathan Flancher, Sophomore, Defensive End/Long Snapper, Racine (St. Catherine’s)
UW-Oshkosh, Andy Heiman, Senior, Wide Receiver, Clintonville
UW-River Falls, Dan Keller, Junior, Kicker, St. Paul, Minn. (Cretin-Derham Hall)
UW-Stout, Kyle Martin, Sophomore, Kicker/Punter, Hubertus (Kettle Moraine Lutheran)
UW-Whitewater, Nick Croak, Senior, Punter, Muskego

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