WIAC Football Athletes of the Week

Football
Athletes of the Week

Week of Nov. 10 - 16
Offense
Brad Kalsow, Senior (Huntley, Ill.), Tight End of UW-Stevens Point
Kalsow had 12 receptions for 129 yards and three touchdowns in UW-Stevens Point’s 21-7 victory over UW-La Crosse. It was his second three-touchdown game of the season. In the first quarter Kalsow’s 12-yard touchdown reception opened the scoring for the game. In the second quarter, he was on the receiving end of a 19-yard touchdown pass and in the third, Kalsow ended the scoring for the day with a nine-yard touchdown reception.

Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Garrie Fox, Freshman, Wide Receiver, Madison (Edgewood)
UW-River Falls, Greg Klingelhutz, Freshman, Halfback, Chanhassen, Minn. (Holy Family)
UW-Stout, Craig Warminski, Freshman, Running Back, Stanley (Stanley-Boyd)
UW-Whitewater, Jeff Donovan, Junior, Quarterback, Wauwatosa (East)

Defense
Luke Frisch, Senior (Nekoosa), Defensive Back of UW-Stevens Point
Frisch led a Pointer defense that held UW-La Crosse to 120 yards of total offense (127 passing yards, -7 rushing yards) in a 21-7 victory that gave UW-Stevens Point a share of the conference title. He totaled five tackles, including one tackle for loss and one interception. He also broke-up three passes.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Aaron Johnson, Junior, Linebacker, Wisconsin Dells
UW-Oshkosh, Kevin Bahl, Junior, Linebacker, Muskego (West Allis Hale)
UW-River Falls, Ben Arata, Junior, Safety, Menomonee Falls
UW-Stout, Andy Towner, Senior, Linebacker, Onalaska
UW-Whitewater, Jared Kiesow, Freshman, Defensive Back, Horicon

Special Teams
Andy Lindsay, Freshman (Howard/Bay Port), Placekicker of UW-Oshkosh
Serving as UW-Oshkosh’s placekicker for the first time this season, Lindsay kicked two field goals and booted the game-winning extra point to help the Titans to a 13-12 victory over UW-River Falls. Lindsay gave UW-Oshkosh a 3-0 lead when he kicked a 20-yard field goal with 6:22 left in the first quarter. He then put the Titans ahead 9-6 with a 25-yard field goal at the 7:09 mark of the second period. Trailing 12-6, UW-Oshkosh tied the game on a two-yard touchdown pass as time expired in the fourth quarter. Following a UW-River Falls timeout, Lindsay kicked the extra point to give UW-Oshkosh the 13-12 victory and its third straight win over the Falcons.

Also nominated:
UW-River Falls, Nick Vignalo, Freshman, Running Back, Roseville, Minn.
UW-Stevens Point, Bryan Blum, Junior, Defensive Back, Baraboo
UW-Whitewater, Jeff Schebler, Junior, Kicker, Davenport, Iowa (Assumption)

Week of Nov. 3 - 9
Offense
Jared Jenkins, Sophomore (Milwaukee/Rufus King), Tight End of UW-Stevens Point
Jenkins recorded season-highs with 12 receptions and three touchdowns, while finishing with a game-high 156 receiving yards in a thrilling 21-20 victory at UW-Eau Claire that kept UW-Stevens Point in a tie for first place in the WIAC standings. He caught two passes on the last drive of the game, culminating with a 28-yard touchdown reception with six seconds on the clock to tie the game at 20-20. Jenkins also hauled in touchdown grabs of 15 yards and seven yards in the contest. On the season, Jenkins leads the team with 66 receptions, 784 receiving yards and eight touchdown receptions.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Eric Donoval, Senior, Tailback, Sheboygan (South)
UW-Oshkosh, Jeremy Roach, Sophomore, Running Back, Deerfield
UW-Platteville, Joe Burkeland, Sophomore, Quarterback, Hollandale (Pecatonica)
UW-River Falls, Michael Zweifel, Sophomore, Wide Receiver, Whitewater
UW-Stout, John Sherman, Sophomore, Tight End, Cokato, Minn. (Dassel-Cokato)
UW-Whitewater, Aaron Rusch, Sophomore, Wide Receiver, Hartford

Defense
Tim Stephenson, Senior (Lankark, Ill./Eastland), Defensive Line of UW-Platteville
Stephenson recorded 3.5 sacks resulting in 41 yards of lost yardage, helping UW-Platteville record its second straight shutout, 28-0 over UW-Oshkosh. He finished the game with four total tackles and spearheaded a defense that yielded 140 total yards. The Titans penetrated the red zone just once, with a 65-yard punt return that brought the ball to the 6-yardline, but Stephenson's 11-yard sack on fourth down helped the Pioneers record back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 1972. UW-Platteville blanked league opponents in consecutive weeks for the first time since 1950.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Ryan Marty, Senior, Defensive Tackle, Madison (Memorial)
UW-Oshkosh, James Taraboi, Junior, Linebacker, Grafton (Cedarburg)
UW-Stevens Point, Brad Vickroy, Senior, Defensive Line, Wisconsin Rapids (Lincoln)
UW-Stout, Marcus Ball, Junior, Defensive Line, Austin, Minn.
UW-Whitewater, Jace Rindahl, Senior, Linebacker, Cambridge

Special Teams
George Katze, Junior (Friesland/Cambria-Friesland), Defensive Back of UW-Platteville
Katze made three special teams tackles, including a touchdown-saving stop on a punt return, in UW-Platteville's 28-0 win over UW-Oshkosh. He was also credited with the key block that sprung kick returner Terry Belville on a 38-yard return to open the second half. The return, to the Pioneer 48-yardline, set up UW-Platteville for a 52-yard touchdown drive and a 14-0 lead.

Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Charlie Weissman, Freshman, Running Back, Colgate (Hartford Union)
UW-River Falls, Ben Arata, Junior, Returner, Menomonee Falls
UW-Stevens Point, Joe Mlezia, Sophomore, Defensive Back, Casco
UW-Stout, Andy Towner, Senior, Linebacker, Onalaska
UW-Whitewater, Aaron Samplawski, Freshman, Defensive Back, Horicon

Week of Oct. 27 - Nov. 2
Offense
Jared Beckwith, Junior (Baraboo), Quarterback of UW-Stevens Point
Beckwith had a huge day in UW-Stevens Point’s thrilling 34-33 overtime win against UW-Oshkosh Nov. 1. He completed 32-of-59 passes for 470 yards (all career highs and WIAC single-game highs this season). Beckwith had a 61-yard touchdown toss on the second play of the game and added a five yard toss late in the fourth quarter to send the game into overtime.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Chris Johnson, Senior, Fullback, Amery
UW-Oshkosh, Matt Haas, Sophomore, Tight End, Brownsville (Mayville)
UW-Platteville, Joe Burkeland, Sophomore, Quarterback, Hollandale (Pecatonica)
UW-River Falls, Joel Yogerst, Freshman, Fullback, Richfield (Slinger)
UW-Stout, Craig Warminski, Freshman, Running Back, Stanley (Stanley-Boyd)
UW-Whitewater, Levell Coppage, Freshman, Running Back, Oak Park, Ill.

Defense
Marcus Ball, Junior (Austin, Minn.), Defensive Line of UW-Stout
For the second week in a row, Ball recorded at least three sacks and three tackles for a loss in a 26-14 win over UW-La Crosse. The conference leader in sacks, now with 11, worked his way through double teams to record three sacks and six tackles for loss with eight total tackles, all solo. His three sacks (5-, 6-, 7-yards) totaled 18 yards and his six tackles for loss total 25 yards. Ball also had one fumble recovery. Ball is three sacks short of the school record of 14 sacks in a season and he currently has 21 tackles for loss.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Drew Kiefer, Senior, Linebacker, Abbotsford
UW-Oshkosh, Jon DeVillers, Senior, Free Safety, Menomonee Falls
UW-Platteville, Quincy Hudson, Junior, Defensive Back, Milwaukee (Bay View)
UW-River Falls, Ben Arata, Junior, Free Safety, Menomonee Falls
UW-Stevens Point, Bryan Blum, Junior, Defensive Back, Baraboo
UW-Whitewater, Jace Rindahl, Senior, Linebacker, Cambridge

Special Teams
Jeremy Roach, Sophomore (Deerfield), Running Back of UW-Oshkosh
Roach returned the second half kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown during UW-Oshkosh’s 34-33 overtime loss to UW-Stevens Point Nov. 1. The return is the second-longest in UW-Oshkosh history. He brought back four kickoffs for 139 yards against the Pointers, with his touchdown return giving the Titans a 13-10 lead.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Brett Nagan, Senior, Punter, Kaukauna
UW-Platteville, Zak Brinkman, Freshman, Punter, Cassville
UW-River Falls, Michael Zweifel, Sophomore, Wide Receiver, Whitewater
UW-Stout, Kyle Martin, Junior, Kicker/Punter, Hubertus (Kettle Moraine Lutheran)
UW-Whitewater, Troney Shumpert, Junior, Defensive Back, Milwaukee (Bay View)

Week of Oct. 20 - 26
Offense
Craig Warminski, Freshman (Stanley/Stanley-Boyd), Running Back of UW-Stout
Warminski carried the ball 28 times for 250 yards and tied a school record with four touchdowns in a 29-19 win at UW-River Falls Oct. 25. He had touchdown runs of 9-, 4-, 49- and 26-yards. Warminski ran wild in the third quarter, accumulating 104 yards and two touchdowns that pushed UW-Stout ahead, 22-6. His total was the first 200-yard rushing game for a Blue Devil runner since the 2003 season. Warminski out-gained the entire UW-Stout offense from the week before when they gained 207 total yards in a loss to UW-Stevens Point.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Cory Sartorelli, Junior, Tailback, Appleton (North)
UW-La Crosse, Eric Donoval, Senior, Tailback, Sheboygan (South)
UW-Oshkosh, Steve Levonowich, Junior, Running Back, Kenosha (Tremper)
UW-River Falls, Michael Woodward, Freshman, Wide Receiver, Burnsville, Minn.
UW-Stevens Point, Jared Jenkins, Sophomore, Tight End, Milwaukee (Rufus King)
UW-Whitewater, Aaron Rusch, Sophomore, Wide Receiver, Hartford

Defense
Marcus Ball, Junior (Austin, Minn.), Defensive Line of UW-Stout
Ball recorded 3.5 sacks in a 29-19 triumph at UW-River Falls Oct. 25. He had three solo sacks, and forced two fumbles with the sacks. His sack yardage totaled 31 yards with sacks of 11-, 7-, 12-, and 7-yards. Three sacks came in the fourth quarter and two came in the same series after the Falcons pulled to within 29-19 with about five minutes left in the game. Ball has a conference-high 8.0 sacks on the season.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Dave Wicklund, Senior, Safety, Kewaskum
UW-La Crosse, Aaron Johnson, Junior, Linebacker, Wisconsin Dells
UW-Oshkosh, James Taraboi, Junior, Linebacker, Grafton (Cedarburg)
UW-Stevens Point, Matt Lunder, Sophomore, Defensive End, Waunakee
UW-Whitewater, Paul Wick, Junior, Defensive Back, Franklin

Special Teams
Ryan Graboski, Senior (Woodbury, Minn.), Kicker of UW-Stevens Point
Despite a steady wind of 15 mph throughout the day, Graboski converted all three of his field goal attempts in UW-Stevens Point’s 17-16 victory at No. 2-ranked UW-Whitewater Oct. 25. The win snapped the Warhawks’ record-tying 25-game WIAC winning streak and conference-best 28-game home winning streak. His field goals covered 20-, 22- and a season-long 43-yards to help keep the Pointers within striking distance until the game-winning touchdown drive in the final seconds. Graboski is two-for-two on field goals between 40-49 yards this season.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Ryan Petersen, Freshman, Punter/Kicker, Wausau (East)
UW-La Crosse, Ryan Filo, Senior, Fullback, Richfield (Hartford Union)
UW-Oshkosh, Charlie Weissman, Freshman, Running Back, Colgate (Hartford Union)
UW-River Falls, Kyle Stelter, Junior, Long Snapper, Osceola

Week of Oct. 13 - 19
Offense
Jeff Donovan, Junior (Wauwatosa/East), Quarterback of UW-Whitewater
Donovan completed 16-of-25 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns as UW-Whitewater earned a 44-3 victory over UW-Oshkosh Oct. 18. He threw touchdown strikes of 26 yards and 54 yards to Aaron Rusch as the Warhawks cruised to a 27-3 halftime advantage. Donovan’s 315 passing yards established a conference single-game high this season.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Nick Anker, Sophomore, Quarterback, Wausau (West)
UW-River Falls, Matt Pollock, Sophomore, Running Back, Waupun
UW-Stevens Point, Brad Kalsow, Senior, Tight End, Huntley, Ill.

Defense
Cole Lowell, Junior (White Bear Lake, Minn.), Linebacker of UW-River Falls
Lowell came up with several big plays in UW-River Falls’ 27-19 win at No. 7-ranked UW-Eau Claire Oct. 18. The biggest play for Lowell was an interception with just 38 seconds to play. The Blugolds had driven to the Falcon 26- yard line before Lowell was able to pick off the pass at the 12-yard line and stop the drive. Lowell finished with five solo tackles in the game.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Matt McGilliard, Freshman, Free Safety, Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)
UW-Stevens Point, Brad Vickroy, Senior, Defensive Lineman, Wisconsin Rapids
UW-Stout, Andy Towner, Senior, Linebacker, Onalaska
UW-Whitewater, Jace Rindahl, Senior, Linebacker, Cambridge

Special Teams
Eric Donoval, Senior (Sheboygan/South), Tailback of UW-La Crosse
Donoval returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown in UW-La Crosse’s 37-6 victory over UW-Platteville. The touchdown gave the Eagles a 23-6 lead in the third quarter. He had four punt returns for 103 yards in the contest. The 84-yard punt return for a touchdown is the longest in the league since UW-Platteville’s Richie House also had an 84-yarder against UW-Eau Claire Nov. 9, 1974.

Also nominated:
UW-River Falls, Ben Kron, Sophomore, Defensive Back, Onalaska
UW-Stout, Trevor Fiege, Freshman, Running Back, Menomonie
UW-Whitewater, Jeff Schebler, Junior, Kicker, Davenport, Iowa

Week of Oct. 6 - 12
Offense
Brett Schreiner, Junior (Somerset), Tight End of UW-Eau Claire
Schreiner led the Blugolds in receiving in a 35-21 triumph over UW-La Crosse Oct. 11. He pulled down 10 catches for a career-high 129 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown reception to put UW-Eau Claire up 13-0 in the first quarter. Schreiner also hauled in an 11-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Travis Bordeau, Sophomore, Wide Receiver, Menasha
UW-Oshkosh, Craig McClelland, Sophomore, Quarterback, Union Grove
UW-River Falls, Michael Zweifel, Sophomore, Wide Receiver, Whitewater
UW-Whitewater, Nick Slupski, Senior, Tight End, Greenfield

Defense
Kevin Bahl, Junior (Muskego/West Allis Hale), Linebacker of UW-Oshkosh
Bahl totaled a game-high 11 tackles, including eight solo, and recovered a fumble to help UW-Oshkosh post a 9-7 victory over UW-Stout on Oct. 11. Bahl had four solo tackles in the fourth quarter, including three on UW-Stout’s last offensive drive of the game. He also tallied three solo tackles in the first period and a tackle for a loss and a fumble recovery in the third. UW-Oshkosh held UW-Stout to 237 yards of offense. The Blue Devils entered the game averaging 364 yards and 30 points per contest.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Joe Troia, Senior, Defensive End, Omaha, Neb. (Westside)
UW-Platteville, Quincy Hudson, Junior, Defensive Back, Milwaukee (Bay View)
UW-Stevens Point, Tyler Florczak, Senior, Defensive Back, Chetek
UW-Stout, Marcus Ball, Junior, Defensive End, Austin, Minn.
UW-Whitewater, Kyle Supianoski, Junior, Linebacker, Tama, Iowa

Special Teams
Luke Frisch, Senior (Nekoosa), Punter of UW-Stevens Point
In a game decided by field position, Frisch kept UW-Platteville in their own territory all day with all of the Pioneers’ possessions starting inside their own 45-yard line and seven starting inside their 35-yard line. Frisch punted six times for a total of 237 yards (39.5 yards per kick) with a long of 50 yards and two punts downed inside the UW-Platteville 20-yard line. UW-Stevens Point used a late field goal to emerge with a 3-0 triumph in the lowest scoring game in the WIAC since UW-Whitewater’s 3-0 win over UW-Stevens Point Oct. 4, 1997.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Nils Dilon, Junior, Wide Receiver, Iola (Iola-Scandinavia)
UW-La Crosse, Eric Donoval, Senior, Tailback, Sheboygan (South)
UW-Oshkosh, Kyle Calhoun, Freshman, Punter, Waukesha (Kettle Moraine)
UW-River Falls, Jesse Finer, Senior, Kicker, Green Bay (East)
UW-Stout, Kyle Martin, Junior, Kicker/Punter, Hubertus (Kettle Moraine)
UW-Whitewater, Derek Underwood, Junior, Defensive Back, Milton

Week of Sept. 29 - Oct. 5
Offense
Michael Zweifel, Sophomore (Whitewater), Wide Receiver of UW-River Falls
Zweifel helped the Falcons to a 36-30 win over previously undefeated UW-Stevens Point Oct. 4, after catching 16 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. He caught a 17-yard touchdown pass with 5:10 to play in the first half to give UW-River Falls a 20-13 lead at the time. With 7:42 left in the contest, Zweifel hauled in an 18-yard touchdown catch that gave the Falcons a 34-23 lead and proved to be the difference in the game. Nine of his receptions went for first downs and two receptions gave UW-River Falls a first down in third down situations.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Kyle Paulson, Junior, Quarterback, Amery
UW-Oshkosh, Steve Levonowich, Junior, Running Back, Kenosha (Tremper)
UW-Platteville, Aunton Terry, Junior, Wide Receiver, Waukesha (North)
UW-Stevens Point, Tyler VanWayngard, Junior, Offensive Tackle, Kaukauna
UW-Stout, Kyle Provos, Junior, Quarterback, Brooklyn Park, Minn. (Champlin Park)
UW-Whitewater, Levell Coppage, Freshman, Running Back, Oak Park, Ill.

Defense
Matt Ebner, Senior (Mindoro/Melrose-Mindoro), Defensive Line of UW-Eau Claire
Ebner spearheaded a UW-Eau Claire defense that recorded shutout in a 34-0 victory over previously unbeaten UW-Oshkosh. He was credited with four tackles (three solo), including 1.5 sacks and another tackle for loss in the contest. The Blugolds limited the Titans to 165 total yards of offense on 50 plays and snapped the Titans’ five-game winning streak dating back to last season. It was the first shutout for UW-Eau Claire since a 20-0 victory over Black Hills State (SD) Sept. 9, 2006.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Dustin Drath, Sophomore, Strong Safety, Manawa (Little Wolf)
UW-Oshkosh, Nate Heard, Sophomore, Cornerback, Milwaukee (Lutheran)
UW-Platteville, David Akey, Senior, Defensive Line, Merrill
UW-River Falls, Jamie Bisch, Senior, Cornerback, Roberts (St. Croix Central)
UW-Stevens Point, John Jones, Junior, Linebacker, Oregon
UW-Stout, Scott Riha, Senior, Defensive Line, Green Bay (Bay Port)
UW-Whitewater, Max Ford, Sophomore, Linebacker, Oak Park, Ill.

Special Teams
Greg Klingelhutz, Freshman (Chanhassen, Minn./Holy Family), Returner of UW-River Falls
Klingelhutz played a key role in the team’s 36-30 win over previously undefeated UW-Stevens Point Oct. 4. He returned a kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown with 3:46 to play in the first quarter. The touchdown came just after UW-Stevens Point closed to within 6-3 and gave the Falcons a 12-3 lead at the time. Klingelhutz returned five kickoffs for 158 yards in the contest (31.6 yards per return). His 158 kickoff return yards are the most in the conference this season.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Craig Kolb, Junior, Kicker/Punter, Marshfield
UW-Oshkosh, Kyle Calhoun, Freshman, Punter, Waukesha (Kettle Moraine)
UW-Platteville, Tony Smidl, Junior, Kicker, Oshkosh (West)
UW-Stevens Point, Ryan Grabowski, Senior, Kicker, Woodbury, Minn.
UW-Stout, Craig Warminski, Freshman, Running Back, Stanley (Stanley-Boyd)
UW-Whitewater, Lane Olson, Junior, Defensive Back, Racine (Horlick)

Week of Sept. 22 - 28
Offense
Storm Harmon, Senior (Altoona), Quarterback of UW-River Falls
Harmon led the Falcon offense to a productive day in a 25-20 win at Alma College (Mich.) on September 27. He had a career-high rushing performance, finishing with 97 yards on 20 attempts, including a three-yard touchdown run with 10 seconds left in the first half to give UW-River Falls a 16-13 advantage. Harmon also completed 18-of-28 passes for 163 yards in the contest.

Also nominated:
UW-Stevens Point, Jared Beckwith, Junior, Quarterback, Baraboo
UW-Whitewater, Matt Gifford, Junior, Wide Receiver, Waukesha (West)

Defense
Kyle Supianoski, Junior (Tama, Iowa/South), Linebacker of UW-Whitewater
Supianoski spearheaded a Warhawk defense that held a Puget Sound (Wash.) offense to just seven points after the previously unbeaten Loggers entered the game averaging 35.5 points per contest. He recorded eight tackles (seven solo) and had 1.5 tackles for loss (six yards) as UW-Whitewater cruised to a 60-7 road victory. The Loggers had just 167 yards of total offense on 61 plays in the contest.

Also nominated:
UW-Platteville, Joe Tinucci, Senior, Linebacker, Willowbrook, Ill. (Hinsdale Central)
UW-River Falls, Jesse Goebel, Senior, Defensive Tackle, Blaine, Minn. (Centennial)
UW-Stevens Point, Brian Bailey, Senior, Linebacker, New Lisbon

Special Teams
Tony Smidl, Junior (Oshkosh/West), Kicker of UW-Platteville
Smidl booted a career-long 39-yard field goal as well as a 31-yarder, helping UW-Platteville to a 13-9 victory over Augustana College (Ill.) on September 27. He was 2-for-2 on field goal attempts and converted his extra point. Smidl also averaged 58.3 yards on his first four kickoffs, then squibbed a 32-yarder to the Viking 48 after the Pioneers took a deliberate safety with eight seconds to play.

Also nominated:
UW-River Falls, Derek Nette, Junior, Defensive End, Sheldon (Flambeau)
UW-Stevens Point, Brandon Stroik, Sophomore, Long Snapper, Marshfield
UW-Whitewater, Jay Hancock, Sophomore, Linebacker, Madison (Memorial)

Week of Sept. 15 - 21
Offense
Cory Sartorelli, Junior (Appleton/North), Tailback of UW-Eau Claire
Sartorelli had a career day against Hope College (Mich.) as the Blugolds emerged with a 28-6 victory at Carson Park on Sept. 20. On 33 carries, Sartorelli accumulated 285 yards and four touchdowns, including a school-record touchdown scamper of 91 yards late in the fourth quarter. He also had touchdown runs of one, two and 34-yards in the contest. The 285 yards are the third-highest single-game total in school history.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Kyle Steffen, Sophomore, Wide Receiver, Burlington
UW-Oshkosh, Craig McClelland, Sophomore, Quarterback, Union Grove
UW-River Falls, Michael Zweifel, Sophomore, Wide Receiver, Whitewater
UW-Stout, Trevor Fiege, Freshman, Running Back, Menomonie

Defense
Kyle Meulemans, Senior (Wrightstown), Cornerback of UW-Eau Claire
Meulemans recorded a game-high 12 tackles (11 solo) in UW-Eau Claire’s 28-6 victory over Hope College (Mich.) on Sept. 20. He was also credited with two pass pass break-ups in the contest as the Blugolds held the Flying Dutchmen to a season-low six points and 40 rushing yards. The Flying Dutchmen entered the contest averaging 35.5 points per game.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Drew Kiefer, Senior, Linebacker, Abbotsford
UW-Oshkosh, Kevin Bahl, Junior, Linebacker, Muskego (West Allis Hale)
UW-River Falls, Steve Marich, Sophomore, Defensive End, Cottage Grove, Minn. (Park)
UW-Stout, Kyle Seiler, Senior, Linebacker, Rockford, Minn.

Special Teams
James Taraboi, Junior (Grafton/Cedarburg), Placekicker of UW-Oshkosh
Taraboi got a second chance and took advantage of it, hitting a 26-yard field goal with no time remaining to give UW-Oshkosh a 17-16 victory over nationally-ranked Ohio Dominican University on Sept. 20 in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio Dominican University, which entered the contest ranked fifth in the NAIA, blocked UW-Oshkosh’s potential game-winning, 35-yard attempt with four seconds remaining. But, before the play ended, an Ohio Dominican University player came onto the field from the sideline to draw an illegal participation penalty. Taraboi lined up to kick again on the game’s final play and he delivered by making the boot to send the Titans to their fifth straight victory and end the Panthers’ 16-game regular season win streak. Taraboi also made both of his extra point kicks. His game-winning field goal came on his first collegiate attempt.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Craig Kolb, Junior, Punter/Kicker, Marshfield
UW-River Falls, Jesse Finer, Senior, Kicker, Green Bay (East)
UW-Stout, Antawan Walker, Junior, Wide Receiver, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (Wm. T. Dwyer)

Week of Sept. 8 - 14
Offense
Levell Coppage, Freshman (Oak Park, Ill.), Running Back of UW-Whitewater
Making his first collegiate start, Coppage rushed 42 times for 220 yards and one touchdown in UW-Whitewater’s 16-14 victory at No. 12-ranked UW-Eau Claire. His two-yard touchdown plunge with 1:39 left in the third quarter gave the Warhawks a 13-7 advantage after the Blugolds took a 7-6 lead early in the third quarter.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Cory Sartorelli, Junior, Tailback, Appleton (North)
UW-River Falls, Ryan Hansen, Senior, Tight End, Grantsburg
UW-Stevens Point, Brad Kalsow, Senior, Tight End, Huntley, Ill.
UW-Stout, Kyle Provos, Junior, Quarterback, Brooklyn Park, Minn. (Champlin Park)

Defense
Marcus Ball, Junior (Austin, Minn.), Defensive End of UW-Stout
Ball kept the pressure on Jamestown College (N.D.) quarterback Josh Kittel, the NAIA player of the week the previous week, and kept the high-octane Jimmie offense off balance. Ball finished the game with seven total tackles (four solo), 2.5 sacks for 16 yards, 3.5 tackles for losses of 18 yards and had one pass breakup in the 37-13 victory. The Blue Devils limited the Jimmies to 31 rushing yards on 21 attempts in the contest.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Dave Wicklund, Senior, Safety, Kewaskum
UW-La Crosse, Drew Kiefer, Senior, Linebacker, Abbotsford
UW-Platteville, David Akey, Senior, Defensive Line, Merrill
UW-River Falls, Justin Eloranta, Senior, Owen (Owen-Withee)
UW-Stevens Point, Brandon Stremkowski, Junior, Linebacker, Stevens Point (SPASH)
UW-Whitewater, Jace Rindahl, Senior, Linebacker, Cambridge

Special Teams
Jeff Schebler, Junior (Davenport, Iowa/Assumption), Kicker of UW-Whitewater
Schebler accounted for 10 of UW-Whitewater’s 16 points in a 16-14 triumph at No. 12-ranked UW-Eau Claire on Sept. 13. He had field goals of 35 and 30-yards in the first half to give the Warhawks a 6-0 halftime advantage and his 47-yard blast with 7:16 remaining in the game proved to be the winning points. Schebler also converted his only extra-point attempt in the contest.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Paul Bielmeier, Senior, Long Snapper, Edgar
UW-River Falls, Kyle Stelter, Junior, Long Snapper, Osceola
UW-Stevens Point, Brandon Stroik, Junior, Long Snapper, Marshfield
UW-Stout, Kyle Martin, Junior, Kicker/Punter, Hubertus (Kettle Moraine Lutheran)

Week of Sept. 1 - 7
Offense
Aunton Terry, Junior (Waukesha/North), Wide Receiver of UW-Platteville
Terry caught three fourth-quarter touchdown passes, rallying UW-Platteville to a 21-14 victory over Buena Vista University (Iowa) on Sept. 6 in Storm Lake, Iowa. He caught a 70-yard scoring pass with 1:48 remaining for the winning score. On a third-and-eight play, Terry caught the ball just past the first down marker, broke a tackle and raced to the end zone. He also caught scoring passes of 19 yards with 12:52 remaining and 25 yards with 3:55 remaining. With 213 yards on 11 catches, Terry became the first Pioneer receiver since Matt Kent (288 yards) against UW-Whitewater in 2002 to surpass 200 yards on a game.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Cory Sartorelli, Junior, Tailback, Appleton (North)
UW-La Crosse, Eric Donoval, Senior, Tailback, Sheboygan (South)
UW-Oshkosh, Steve Levonowich, Junior, Running Back, Kenosha (Tremper)
UW-Stevens Point, Shane Winterfeldt, Sophomore, Offensive Line, Hortonville
UW-Stout, Craig Warminski, Freshman, Running Back, Stanley (Stanley-Boyd)
UW-Whitewater, Jordan Wells, Junior, Wide Receiver, Elgin, Ill.

Defense
Jon DeVillers, Senior (Menomonee Falls), Free Safety of UW-Oshkosh
DeVillers totaled a game-high 13 tackles, including 10 solo, and one pass interception as UW-Oshkosh edged Ripon College, 14-13, in its season opener on Sept. 6 in Oshkosh. DeVillers, who was making his first career start, had five solo tackles in the second quarter and two in both the second and fourth. His first-quarter pass interception came at the UW-Oshkosh 28-yard line and helped set up game’s first score. The Titans allowed just 44 yards passing and the Red Hawks scored all of their points in the final nine minutes of the game.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Brad Nierenhausen, Junior, Inside Linebacker, Cottage Grove, Minn. (Park)
UW-La Crosse, Drew Kiefer, Senior, Linebacker, Abbotsford
UW-Platteville, David Akey, Senior, Defensive Line, Merrill
UW-Stevens Point, Bryan Blum, Junior, Defensive Back, Baraboo
UW-Stout, Jake Pomputis, Senior, Defensive Back, Owen (Owen-Withee)
UW-Whitewater, Troney Shumpert, Junior, Defensive Back, Milwaukee (Bay View)

Special Teams
Luke Frisch, Senior (Nekoosa), Punter of UW-Stevens Point
Frisch punted seven times for an average of 44.3 yards and a long kick of 55 yards in UW-Stevens Point’s season-opening 23-21 victory over Webber International University (Fla.) on Sept. 6. In a game that was a battle of field position for the first three quarters, Frisch landed three punts inside the 20-yard line.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Craig Polifka, Senior, Returner, Kewaunee
UW-La Crosse, Derek Dreher, Sophomore, Cornerback, Verona
UW-Oshkosh, Kyle Calhoun, Freshman, Punter, Waukesha (Kettle Moraine)
UW-Stout, Antawan Walker, Junior, Wide Receiver, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (Wm T. Dwyer)
UW-Whitewater, Kris Rosholt, Sophomore, Punter, Reedsburg

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