RELEASED:  Wednesday, November 19, 2008

UW-Stevens Point’s Vickroy Named Player of the Year,
Miech Claims Coach of the Year Honor

MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s Brad Vickroy was voted the Player of the Year to headline the individuals selected to the 2008 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Football Team by the league coaches, while Pointer head coach John Miech was picked as the George Chryst Coach of the Year.

Vickroy, a senior defensive lineman, claimed first team recognition for the second straight season.  He is second in the WIAC with 13.5 tackles for loss and fifth with 5.5 quarterback sacks.   Vickroy has registered 49 tackles, including 28 solo, and forced a pair of fumbles, while recovering two fumbles.  He has recorded at least one sack in five games, at least two tackles for loss in three contests and a season-high 11 tackles against UW-Eau Claire on Nov. 8.

UW-Stevens Point has had eight individuals combine to win 10 player of the year trophies with Vickroy being the third defensive player to secure the honor, joining Clint Kriewaldt in 1998 and Paul Schmitt in 2001.

Repeat selections on the first team offense included UW-River Falls’ Michael Zweifel and UW-Whitewater’s Jeff Schebler.

Zweifel, a sophomore wide receiver, captured first team laurels for the second consecutive year after topping the conference with 79 receptions and 974 receiving yards.  He reached double-figures in receptions in four games, including a season-high 16 against UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 4.  Zweifel eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark in five contests with a season-best 162 against Northwestern College (Minn.) on Sept. 20.  He holds the UW-River Falls career records with 176 receptions and 2,030 receiving yards.

A junior kicker, Schebler is a three-time first team selection and leads all WIAC kickers with 82 points scored, while converting 14-of-16 field goals and 40-of-45 extra-point attempts.  He holds the three longest field goals in the conference this year at 47-, 46- and 45-yards.  Schebler is the NCAA Division III all-time leader with 53 field goals and tops the WIAC all-time listing with 144 extra-point conversions.

UW-Platteville’s David Akey was the second individual on the first team defense to receive first team accolades multiple times in his career.  A senior defensive lineman, he secured first team recognition for the second straight season after ranking third in the conference with 6.5 quarterback sacks and fourth with 12 tackles for loss.  Akey also recorded 65 total tackles, including 36 solo stops.  He is the first Pioneer since receiver Matt Kent in 2001-02 to earn back-to-back All-WIAC first team honors and the first defender to do so since linebacker Dan Fox in 1994-95.

Joining Zweifel and Schebler on the first team offense were:  UW-Eau Claire’s Cory Sartorelli (Jr., RB), Dan Puls (Sr., OL) and Brent Schreiner (Jr., TE), UW-La Crosse’s Eric Donoval (Sr., Return Specialist) and Jason Olejniczak (Sr., OL), UW-River Falls’ Scott Witte (Sr., C), UW-Stevens Point’s Jared Beckwith (Jr., QB), Luke Frisch (Sr., Punter),  Jared Jenkins (So., WR) and Brad Kalsow (Sr., All-Purpose), UW-Stout’s Dusty Tervelt (Sr., OL) and Craig Warminski (Fr., RB) and UW-Whitewater’s Levell Coppage (Fr., RB) and Mike Sherman (Sr., OL).

Individuals combining with Vickroy and Akey on first team defense included:  UW-Eau Claire’s Tom Dohr (Sr., LB) and Craig Polifka (Sr., DB), UW-La Crosse’s Drew Kiefer (Sr., LB), UW-Stevens Point’s Bryan Blum (Jr., DB), Matt Lunder (So., DL) and Brandon Stremkowski (Jr., LB), UW-Stout’s Marcus Ball (Jr., DL) and Jake Pomputis (Sr., DB) and UW-Whitewater’s Jace Rindahl (Sr., LB), Troney Shumpert (Jr., DB) and Anthony White (Jr., DL).

Miech claimed the George Chryst Coach of the Year honor for the third time in his career after directing the Pointers to a share of their first WIAC championship since 2001.  He also won the coaching prize following the 1998 and 2001 seasons.  Miech is in his 21st year at UW-Stevens Point and owns a career record of 138-71-2.  His 138 victories rank fourth on the WIAC all-time list.

An All-Sportsmanship Team was chosen for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season.  It included one member from each school as selected by that school.

2008 All-WIAC Football Team
First Team Offense
Name, School, Year, Position, Height, Weight, Hometown (High School)
Brett Schreiner, Eau Claire, Junior, Tight End, 6-4, 239, Somerset
Jared Beckwith, Stevens Point, Junior, Quarterback, 6-0, 205, Baraboo
Levell Coppage, Whitewater, Freshman, Running Back, 5-8, 180, Oak Park, Ill.
*Cory Sartorelli, Eau Claire, Junior, Running Back, 6-1, 197, Appleton (North)
Craig Warminski, Stout, Freshman, Running Back, 5-10, 200, Stanley (Stanley-Boyd)
Jared Jenkins, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Wide Receiver, 6-3, 194, Milwaukee (Rufus King)
Michael Zweifel, River Falls, Sophomore, Wide Receiver, 6-1, 185, Whitewater
Brad Kalsow, Stevens Point, Senior, All-Purpose Back, 6-4, 205, Huntley, Ill.
Jason Olejniczak, La Crosse, Senior, Offensive Line, 5-10, 275, Germantown
Dan Puls, Eau Claire, Senior, Offensive Line, 6-2, 281, Onalaska
*Mike Sherman, Whitewater, Senior, Offensive Line, 6-0, 264, Oconomowoc (Kettle Moraine)
Dusty Tervelt, Stout, Senior, Offensive Line, 6-5, 290, Boyd (Stanley-Boyd)
*Scott Witte, River Falls, Senior, Center, 6-6, 333, Cedarburg
*Luke Frisch, Stevens Point, Senior, Punter, 5-11, 189, Nekoosa
*Jeff Schebler, Whitewater, Junior, Kicker, 6-0, 182, Davenport, Iowa (Assumption)
Eric Donoval, La Crosse, Senior, Return Specialist, 6-0, 195, Sheboygan (South)
*Unanimous selection

Second Team Offense
Nick Slupski, Whitewater, Senior, Tight End, 6-3, 240, Greenfield
Jeff Donovan, Whitewater, Junior, Quarterback, 6-5, 187, Wauwatosa (East)
Mike Genslinger, Platteville, Senior, Running Back, 5-11, 195, Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)
Nick Grosso, Platteville, Senior, Wide Receiver, 5-9, 175, Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)
Aaron Rusch, Whitewater, Sophomore, Wide Receiver, 6-3, 168, Hartford
Chris Johnson, La Crosse, Senior, All-Purpose Back, 5-10, 225, Amery
Andrew Gebel, La Crosse, Junior, Offensive Line, 5-11, 275, Oshkosh (West)
Robert Gilbreath, Whitewater, Senior, Offensive Line, 6-2, 290, St. Francis
Nate Newholm, Stout, Junior, Offensive Line, 6-5, 255, Burlington
Tyler VandenWyngaard, Stevens Point, Junior, Offensive Line, 6-3, 225, Kaukauna
Ben Hermus, Platteville, Senior, Center, 6-0, 245, Little Chute
Craig Kolb, Eau Claire, Junior, Punter, 6-1, 215, Marshfield
Ryan Graboski, Stevens Point, Senior, Kicker, 6-0, 172, Woodbury, Minn.
Jeremy Roach, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Return Specialist, 6-1, 200, Deerfield

Honorable Mention Offense
Pat Mengelkoch, Stout, Sophomore, Tight End, 6-4, 225, Champlin, Minn. (Champlin Park)
Storm Harmon, River Falls, Senior, Quarterback, 6-2, 200, Altoona
Kyle Paulson, Eau Claire, Junior, Quarterback, 6-5, 219, Amery
Eric Donoval, La Crosse, Senior, Running Back, 6-0, 195, Sheboygan (South)
Aunton Terry, Platteville, Junior, Wide Receiver, 6-1, 216, Waukesha (North)
Tyson Droessler, Platteville, Senior, All-Purpose, 5-10, 187, Cuba City
Garth Coats, Whitewater, Junior, Center, 6-2, 282, Evansville
Cody Weltzin, Stout, Junior, Center, 6-2, 275, Cadott
Kyle Calhoun, Oshkosh, Freshman, Punter, 6-2, 230, Waukesha (Kettle Moraine)
Paul Pridemore, Platteville, Sophomore, Return Specialist, 6-0, 180, Hartford (Hartford Union)

First Team Defense
*David Akey, Platteville, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-3, 235, Merrill
*Marcus Ball, Stout, Junior, Defensive Line, 6-1, 220, Austin, Minn.
Matt Lunder, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Defensive Line, 6-1, 225, Waunakee
*Brad Vickroy, Stevens Point, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-0, 254, Wisconsin Rapids (Lincoln)
Anthony White, Whitewater, Junior, Defensive Line, 6-0, 215, Milwaukee (Bay View)
Tom Dohr, Eau Claire, Senior, Linebacker, 6-4, 233, Neenah
Drew Kiefer, La Crosse, Senior, Linebacker, 6-0, 215, Abbotsford
Jace Rindahl, Whitewater, Senior, Linebacker, 6-3, 230, Cambridge
Brandon Stremkowski, Stevens Point, Junior, Linebacker, 6-0, 200, Stevens Point (SPASH)
Bryan Blum, Stevens Point, Junior, Defensive Back, 6-1, 190, Baraboo
Craig Polifka, Eau Claire, Senior, Defensive Back, 5-10, 179, Kewaunee
Jake Pomputis, Stout, Senior, Defensive Back, 5-10, 195, Owen (Owen-Withee)
Troney Shumpert, Whitewater, Junior, Defensive Back, 5-8, 165, Milwaukee (Bay View)
*Unanimous selection

Second Team Defense
Jon Baldwin, Whitewater, Sophomore, Defensive Line, 6-3, 247, Spring Grove, Ill. (Richmond Burton)
Charlie Dercks, Stevens Point, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-3, 252, Little Chute
Mitch Dougherty, La Crosse, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-4, 230, West Bend (East)
Matt Ebner, Eau Claire, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-2, 261, Mindoro (Melrose-Mindoro)
Scott Riha, Stout, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-3, 295, Green Bay (Bay Port)
Tim Stephenson, Platteville, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-3, 234, Lanark, Ill. (Eastland)
Kyle Supianoski, Whitewater, Junior, Linebacker, 6-0, 225, Tama, Iowa (South)
James Taraboi, Oshkosh, Junior, Linebacker, 6-2, 215, Grafton (Cedarburg)
Joe Tinucci, Platteville, Senior, Linebacker, 5-11, 243, Willowbrook, Ill. (Hinsdale Central)
Andy Towner, Stout, Senior, Linebacker, 6-1, 230, Onalaska
Ben Arata, River Falls, Junior, Defensive Back, 5-9, 176, Menomonee Falls
Derek Dreher, La Crosse, Sophomore, Defensive Back, 6-2, 190, Verona
Quincy Hudson, Platteville, Junior, Defensive Back, 5-9, 152, Milwaukee (Bay View)
Dave Wicklund, Eau Claire, Senior, Defensive Back, 6-1, 206, Kewaskum

Honorable Mention Defense
Ryan Marty, La Crosse, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-3, 270, Madison (Memorial)
Brad Novacheck, River Falls, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-1, 245, Hillsboro
Aaron Johnson, La Crosse, Junior, Linebacker, 6-0, 240, Wisconsin Dells
John Jones, Stevens Point, Junior, Linebacker, 6-1, 235, Oregon
Ryan Leis, Eau Claire, Junior, Linebacker, 6-3, 232, Alma Center (Lincoln)
Tyler Florczak, Stevens Point, Senior, Defensive Back, 5-11, 195, Chetek
Nate Heard, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Defensive Back, 6-0, 175, Milwaukee (Lutheran)
Brock Stimson, Stout, Senior, Defensive Back, 6-0, 205, Lakeville, Minn.
Paul Wick, Whitewater, Junior, Defensive Back, 5-10, 185, Franklin
Matt Winney, La Crosse, Junior, Defensive Back, 6-2, 190, Green Bay (Preble)

All-Sportsmanship Team
Matt Day, Eau Claire, Senior, Offensive Line, 6-2, 295, Austin, Minn.
Matt Winney, La Crosse, Junior, Defensive Back, 6-2, 190, Green Bay (Preble)
Matt Haass, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Tight End, 6-2, 240, Brownsville (Mayville)
Dustin Moor, Platteville, Senior, Linebacker, 6-1, 234, Cuba City
Jamie Bisch, River Falls, Senior, Defensive Back, 5-11, 180, Roberts (St. Croix Central)
Brian Bailey, Stevens Point, Senior, Linebacker, 5-11, 219, New Lisbon
Dan Lytle, Stout, Senior, Wide Receiver, 6-1, 200, Darien (Delevan-Darien)
Mike Dufrane, Whitewater, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-4, 300, Hortonville

Player of the Year:  Brad Vickroy of Stevens Point
George Chryst Coach of the Year:  John Miech of Stevens Point
Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete:  Jake Pomputis of Stout