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From the WIAC --

University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Brandt Stare was tabbed the Kwik Trip Offensive Player of the Year, while UW-Whitewater’s Matt Burba claimed Kwik Trip Defensive Player of the Year honors. UW-Stout’s Luke Cool and UW-Whitewater’s Tyler Vasey were named Kwik Trip Special Teams Co-Players of the Year, and UW-Eau Claire’s Brady Puls received Kwik Trip Newcomer of the Year distinction. UW-Platteville’s Ryan Munz secured Kwik Trip George Chryst Coach of the Year recognition.

Stare is the second player in program history to receive the award on offense, joining Dan Arnold (2016). Stare claimed first team honors for the second straight year and is leading the WIAC with 13 receiving touchdowns, while ranking second with 86 points, and fourth with 53 receptions and 748 receiving yards. He has eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark in three games, including a career-high 189 yards against UW-La Crosse on Oct. 5.

Burba is the fourth Warhawk to secure the conference’s top defensive award, joining Brandon Tamsett (2016), Harry Henschler (2018) and Mackenzie Balanganayi (2021 and 2022). He claimed first team honors for the second consecutive season and is second in the WIAC with 4.5 sacks and tied for third with 10.5 tackles for loss. Burba recorded 28 tackles and is one of six players in the conference to have forced two fumbles.

Cool is the third individual in program archives to receive the special teams honor, joining Drew Pearson (2016) and Arthur Cox (2022). Cool has an NCAA Division III-leading 20 field goals and is just the third player in WIAC history to make 20 field goals in a season. He has converted 38-of-39 extra-point attempts to add to his conference-leading 98 points.

Vasey is the first Warhawk to secure the special teams award. He leads the WIAC with 448 kick return yards and returned three kickoffs for a touchdown (on just 11 attempts) this season. Vasey added 74 punt return yards on 12 attempts. He received conference Newcomer of the Year distinction last year.

Puls is the first Blugold to secure the Newcomer of the Year honor. He led the team with 3.5 tackles for loss and tied for sixth with 34 tackles. A newcomer is defined as a student-athlete who used his first season of participation in football this season. Transfers are not eligible unless they didn’t participate in football at their previous institution.

Repeat selections on the first team from a season ago included: UW-La Crosse’s Jack Studer; UW-Oshkosh’s Clayton Schwalbe and Trae Tetzlaff; UW-Stout’s Patrick Corcoran-Evans; and UW-Whitewater’s John Pekar. Tetzlaff also claimed first team recognition in 2022.

Munz has directed the Pioneers to a 9-1 record and the WIAC title - the third outright championship in program history and first since 1970. UW-Platteville also earned a NCAA bid - its third trip to the championships in program history and first since 2016.

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

2024 All-WIAC Football Team

First Team - Offense

Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)

Clayton Schwalbe, Oshkosh, Junior, Tight End, Waukesha, Wis. (North)
Levi Liedke, La Crosse, Senior, Offensive Line, Fond du Lac, Wis. (Fond du Lac)
Luke Parzyck, Stout, Senior, Offensive Line, White Bear Lake, Minn. (White Bear Lake)
John Schirger, Oshkosh, Senior, Offensive Line, Grafton, Wis. (Living Word Christian)
Ethan Sigler, River Falls, Senior, Offensive Line, Cottage Grove, Minn. (Cretin-Derham Hall)
John Pekar, Whitewater, Senior, Center, Franklin, Wis. (Franklin)
Michael Priami, Platteville, Senior, Quarterback, St. Charles, Ill. (North)
Gabe Lynch, La Crosse, Junior, Running Back, Indian Creek, Ill. (Carmel Catholic)
Isaac Garside, Eau Claire, Senior, Wide Receiver, Bonduel, Wis. (Bonduel)
Brandt Stare, Platteville, Senior, Wide Receiver, Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)
Jack Studer, La Crosse, Senior, Wide Receiver, Eyota, Minn. (Dover-Eyota)
Trae Tetzlaff, Oshkosh, Senior, Wide Receiver, Waukesha, Wis. (West)
Patrick Corcoran-Evans, Stout, Senior, All-Purpose Back, Mindoro, Wis. (Melrose-Mindoro)

First Team - Defense

Aidan Sproule, Platteville, Senior, Defensive Line, Algonquin, Ill. (Harry D. Jacobs)
Carson Steen, River Falls, Senior, Defensive Line, Big Lake, Minn. (Big Lake)
Matt Burba, Whitewater, Senior, Defensive Line, Lake in the Hills, Ill. (Huntley)
Nehemiah Lomax, Whitewater, Senior, Defensive Line, Park Forest, Ill. (Crete-Monee)
Ryan Daines, La Crosse, Senior, Linebacker, Westby, Wis. (Westby)
Kyle Dietzen, Oshkosh, Junior, Linebacker, Omro, Wis. (Omro)
Ethan Gallagher, Whitewater, Junior, Linebacker, Homer Glen, Ill. (Lockport Township)
Will Straka, Platteville, Junior, Linebacker, Mineral Point, Wis. (Mineral Point)
Aaron Borgerding, River Falls, Senior, Defensive Back, Spring Valley, Wis. (Spring Valley)
Dylan Brown, River Falls, Senior, Defensive Back, Mequon, Wis. (Homestead)
Kyle Koelblinger, Whitewater, Senior, Defensive Back, Crystal Lake, Ill. (Prairie Ridge)
Trent Mullen, La Crosse, Sophomore, Defensive Back, Appleton, Wis. (North)

First Team - Special Teams

Luke Cool, Stout, Senior, Place Kicker, Franklin, Wis. (Franklin)
Ben Younker, Platteville, Sophomore, Punter, Genoa, Ill. (Genoa-Kingston)
Tyler Vasey, Whitewater, Sophomore, Return Specialist, Crystal Lake, Ill. (Prairie Ridge)
Gage Timm, River Falls, Junior, Special Teams Player, Shawano, Wis. (Shawano)

Second Team - Offense

Drake Martin, Whitewater, Senior, Tight End, Rhinelander, Wis. (Rhinelander)
Luke Mertens, Stout, Senior, Offensive Line, Easton, Minn. (Blue Earth)
Evan Oberg, Whitewater, Junior, Offensive Line, DeForest, Wis. (DeForest)
Alex Pethan, Whitewater, Junior, Offensive Line, Oak Creek, Wis. (Oak Creek)
Dain Walter, La Crosse, Junior, Offensive Line, New Glarus, Wis. (New Glarus)
Josh Zizter, Platteville, Junior, Offensive Line, Sheboygan Falls, Wis. (Sheboygan Falls)
Brendan Harder, La Crosse, Senior, Center, Ringle, Wis. (D.C. Everest)
Adam Moen, Stout, Junior, Quarterback, Lake Mills, Wis. (Lake Mills)
Justice Lovelace, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Running Back, Kenosha, Wis. (Indian Trail)
Patrick Corcoran-Evans, Stout, Senior, Wide Receiver, Mindoro, Wis. (Melrose-Mindoro)
Ryan Doherty, Platteville, Senior, Wide Receiver, South Elgin, Ill. (St. Charles North)
Miles Gallagher, Stevens Point, Junior, Wide Receiver, Racine, Wis. (William Horlick)
Ben Wesolowski, River Falls, Sophomore, All-Purpose Back, Wittenberg, Wis. (Wittenberg-Birnamwood)

Second Team - Defense

Walker Beyerl, Stout, Sophomore, Defensive Line, Mosinee, Wis. (Mosinee)
Marik Dickson, La Crosse, Senior, Defensive Line, Dubuque, Iowa (Wahlert)
Ian Gould, River Falls, Senior, Defensive Line, Browerville, Minn. (Browerville)
Avery Martell, Oshkosh, Senior, Defensive Line, Oshkosh, Wis. (West)
Rece Shelton, Platteville, Senior, Defensive Line, South Wayne, Wis. (Black Hawk)
Kamrin Hutt, Whitewater, Senior, Linebacker, Schaumburg, Ill. (Maine West)
Tanner Newlin, La Crosse, Senior, Linebacker, Savage, Minn. (Prior Lake)
Gage Timm, River Falls, Junior, Linebacker, Shawano, Wis. (Shawano)
Nicholas Alberico, Platteville, Senior, Defensive Back, Collinsville, Ill. (Althoff Catholic)
Brooks Brewer, Stout, Sophomore, Defensive Back, Colfax, Wis. (Menomonie)
Harrison Meyer, Platteville, Sophomore, Defensive Back, Orland Park, Ill. (Carl Sandburg)
Richie Murphy, Stout, Senior, Defensive Back, Cameron, Wis. (Cameron)

Second Team - Special Teams

Justin Scheberl, River Falls, Junior, Place Kicker, Fond du Lac, Wis. (Fond du Lac)
Walleye Ratliff, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Punter, Cincinnati, Ohio (Archbishop Moeller)
Londyn Little, Oshkosh, Junior, Return Specialist, Columbia, Ill. (Columbia)
William Hammen, Stout, Senior, Special Teams Player, Combined Locks, Wis. (Kimberly)

Honorable Mention - Offense

Raith Bauer, Stout, Senior, Tight End, Mondovi, Wis. (Mondovi)
Gunnar Hurlburt, Eau Claire, Junior, Offensive Line, Durand, Wis. (Durand)
JoJo Nathaniel, Oshkosh, Junior, Offensive Line, Milwaukee, Wis. (Waukesha Catholic Memorial)
Jacob Scott, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Offensive Line, Freedom, Wis. (Freedom)
Austin Fox, River Falls, Senior, Center, Prescott, Wis. (Prescott)
Harry Roubidoux, Eau Claire, Senior, Quarterback, Winneconne, Wis. (Winneconne)
Zackary Bothun, Platteville, Sophomore, Running Back, Janesville, Wis. (Milton)
Michael Krueger, River Falls, Senior, Running Back, River Falls, Wis. (River Falls)
Dan Fynaardt, Oshkosh, Senior, Wide Receiver, Waukesha, Wis. (Catholic Memorial)
Tucker Haakonson, Stout, Senior, Wide Receiver, St. Cloud, Minn. (Rocori)
Wyatt LeMoine, La Crosse, Senior, Wide Receiver, Marshfield, Wis. (Marshfield)
Garrett Stare, Platteville, Junior, Wide Receiver, Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)
Brandt Stare, Platteville, Senior, All-Purpose Back, Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)

Honorable Mention - Defense

Ross Gengler, La Crosse, Senior, Defensive Line, Delavan, Wis. (Delavan-Darien)
Noah Moris, Whitewater, Sophomore, Defensive Line, Union Grove, Wis. (Union Grove)
Paul Kim, Whitewater, Freshman, Defensive Back, Janesville, Wis. (Parker)
Bryce Hinn, Oshkosh, Senior, Linebacker, Oshkosh, Wis. (West)
Brady Hoffner, Eau Claire, Junior, Linebacker, Mankato, Minn. (East)
Andrew Schumacher, River Falls, Senior, Defensive Back, Andover, Minn. (Andover)
Sawyer Stuczynski, Stevens Point, Junior, Defensive Line, Amherst, Wis. (Amherst)
Caden Tonsager, Eau Claire, Sophomore, Defensive Back, Eagan, Minn. (Eagan)

Honorable Mention - Special Teams

Caleb Smith, Oshkosh, Senior, Special Teams Player, Kankakee, Ill. (Bishop McNamara Catholic)
Beau Kopp, Platteville, Junior, Special Teams Player, Cuba City, Wis. (Cuba City)
Karsten Libby, Whitewater, Sophomore, Special Teams Player, Wheaton, Ill. (North)

All-Sportsmanship Team

Michael Brown, River Falls, Senior, Defensive Back, Chaska, Minn. (Chaska)
Jason Ceniti, Whitewater, Senior, Quarterback, Madison, Wis. (Memorial)
Caleb DeJong, Stevens Point, Senior, Linebacker, Merrill, Wis. (Merrill)
Connor Fahnrich, La Crosse, Senior, Linebacker, Kenosha, Wis. (Indian Trail)
Trey Fitzgerald, Eau Claire, Senior, Tight End, Mosinee, Wis. (Mosinee)
John Goomey, Platteville, Senior, Tight End, Platteville, Wis. (Platteville)
Jose Munoz-Dominguez, Oshkosh, Senior, Defensive Back, Ripon, Wis. (Ripon)
Nate Rewald, Stout, Senior, Linebacker, Lino Lakes, Minn. (Mounds View)

Kwik Trip Offensive Player of the Year:  Brandt Stare - Platteville
Kwik Trip Defensive Player of the Year:  Matt Burba - Whitewater
Kwik Trip Special Teams Co-Players of the Year:  Luke Cool - Stout and Tyler Vasey - Whitewater 
Kwik Trip Newcomer of the Year:  Brady Puls - Eau Claire
Kwik Trip George Chryst Coach of the Year:  Ryan Munz - Platteville
Max Sparger Scholar Athlete: Aaron Borgerding - River Falls

University of Wisconsin-River Falls’ Aaron Borgerding has been named the recipient of the 2024 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Football Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award.

A senior from Spring Valley, Wis. (Spring Valley), Borgerding maintains a 3.742 grade point average and is majoring in health and physical education with a minor in adapted physical education. A semifinalist for the 2024 National Football Foundation Campbell Trophy, he secured a spot on the 2023 NCAA Division III Academic All-District® Football Team, as selected by the College Sports Communicators. Borgerding is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and been recognized on UW-River Falls’ Dean’s List numerous semesters. He is a member of the National College Athlete Honor Society.

Borgerding secured All-WIAC first team honors this season after claiming second team status in 2022, and honorable mention in 2023. He was a member of the UW-River Falls teams that won the Isthmus Bowl in 2021 and 2022. During the 2022 season, Borgerding led the conference with 57 solo tackles and was the team leader with 94 total tackles. A two-year team captain, he was named Team Defensive MVP in 2023.

He is an officer with UW-River Falls’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. In addition, he has volunteered with Trick or Treat for Canned Goods, Run with the Cops, Youth Football Night, Kids Club, Minnesconsin Mega Camps and a festival set-up. Borgerding has worked as a driving instructor.

Also nominated for this year’s scholar-athlete award were: UW-La Crosse’s Aaron Schmitz (Sr., Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago); UW-Oshkosh’s John Schirger (Sr., Grafton, Wis./Living Word Lutheran); UW-Platteville’s Rece Shelton (Sr., South Wayne, Wis./Black Hawk); UW-Stout’s Luke Parzyck (Sr., White Bear Lake, Minn./White Bear Lake); and UW-Whitewater’s Jason Ceniti (Sr., Madison, Wis./Memorial).

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Max Sparger, who served as commissioner of the Wisconsin State University Conference for 22 years from 1971-93. He oversaw the transition of the conference from NAIA to full NCAA membership. Sparger arrived at UW-Stout in 1959 and served the institution in a variety of capacities, including as an assistant football and basketball coach, head wrestling coach and head football coach. He served as UW-Stout's athletics director from 1969-71.

In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average. In addition, he must be in his last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years. The award is based on academic achievements, athletics accomplishments and involvement in other campus activities, organizations and community service projects.