UW-Whitewater picked to reclaim WIAC football title

From the WIAC --

Winner of six of the last nine NCAA Division III championships, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is the preseason choice to win the 2016 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) football title, based on a poll conducted by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.

The Warhawks boast 34 league championships and have advanced to the national semifinals of the NCAA Division III Championship 10 of the last 11 seasons. UW-Whitewater enters the 2016 season ranked second nationally in Lindy’s Sports NCAA Division III Preseason Top 25 and third in both the D3football.com Preseason Poll and The Sporting News Preseason Top 25. The Warhawks landed four student-athletes on the D3football.com Preseason All-America squad, including first team selections Marcus Hudson and Tony Koepnick, along with second team honorees Spencer Shier and Brandon Tamsett. Eight starters are back on offense, while six return on defense.

UW-Whitewater is followed in the WIAC projections by: UW-Oshkosh; UW-Platteville; UW-Stevens Point; UW-River Falls; UW-La Crosse; UW-Stout; and UW-Eau Claire.

UW-Oshkosh collected the ninth conference crown in program history a season ago and advanced to the national quarterfinals for the second time in the last four years. The Titans return six starters on offense, including junior quarterback Brett Kasper - the 2015 WIAC Offensive Player of the Year. UW-Oshkosh is ranked sixth by D3football.com and seventh by Lindy’s Sports and The Sporting News.

UW-Platteville also appears in the preseason national rankings - No. 12 by D3football.com and No. 22 by The Sporting News.

The 2016 campaign welcomes a pair of first-year head coaches at UW-Eau Claire and UW-La Crosse with Dan Larson assuming the role for the Blugolds and Mike Schmidt for the Eagles. Larson was most recently the offensive coordinator at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and played at UW-Eau Claire from 1999-2002. Schmidt served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at UW-Platteville and played at UW-La Crosse from 2003-07.

2016 Preseason Predictions
Voted on by WIAC Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors
2015 Record
1. UW-Whitewater 12-2 overall, 6-1 WIAC
2. UW-Oshkosh 11-2, 7-0
3. UW-Platteville 8-2, 5-2
4. UW-Stevens Point 5-5, 3-4
5. UW-River Falls 4-6, 3-4
6. UW-La Crosse 3-7, 2-5
7. UW-Stout 3-7, 2-5
8. UW-Eau Claire 0-10, 0-7

Team Tidbits

UW-Eau Claire
Head Coach: Dan Larson; 1st season at UWEC; 0-0
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Offense: 12/11
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Defense: 11/9
Letterwinners Returning/Lost at Kicker: 2/1
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense: 4/7
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense: 4/7
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker: 2/1

Returning All-WIAC: Kaeleb Stangler, Jr., LB (2015-Honorable)

Notable Returning Offensive Players: Gerald Childs, Jr., RB; JT Denhartog, So., QB; Matt Knapp, Sr., WR;

Notable Returning Defensive Players: Bo Casper, Sr., DB; Dillon Kempen, Jr., DB; Carl Lightfoot, Jr., LB

Notable Returning Special Teams Players: None

UW-La Crosse
Head Coach: Mike Schmidt; 1st season at UWL; 0-0
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Offense: 21/6
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Defense: 25/7
Letterwinners Returning/Lost at Kicker: 1/3
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense: 10/1
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense: 9/2
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker: 0/2

Returning All-WIAC: Tyler Jenkins, Sr., RB (2015-Second); Ellis Johnson, Sr., OL (2014-Honorable, 2015-Honorable); Joel Oxton, Sr., WR (2015-Second); Noah Risch, Jr., LB (2015-Second); Mike Santucci, Jr., RB (2015-Honorable); Ryan Weber, Jr., DB (2015-First)

Notable Returning Offensive Players: Drew David, So., QB; Austin Mancosky, Jr., RB; John Tackett, Jr., QB; Samuel Zwieg, Sr., WR

Notable Returning Defensive Players: Brock Hertrampf, Sr., DL; Peter Krien, Sr., DB; Nicholas Peters, Jr., LB; Trent Napp, Jr., DB

Notable Returning Special Teams Players: Joshua Fischer, Sr., K

UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach: Pat Cerroni; 10th season at UWO; 64-32
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Offense: 30/8
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Defense: 29/7
Letterwinners Returning/Lost at Kicker: 3/0
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense: 6/5
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense: 8/3
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker: 2/0

Returning All-WIAC: Vincent Basile, Sr., OL (2015-Second); CJ Blackburn, Sr., Special Teams Player (2014-First); Cameron Brown, Sr., DB (2015-Second); Reese Dziedzic, Sr., LB (2013-Honorable, 2014-Second, 2015-First); Johnny Eagan, Sr., DB (2015-First); Turner Geisthardt, So., P (2015-Second); Austin Haase, Sr., OL (2014-Honorable); Dylan Hecker, Jr., RB (2014-Honorable, 2015-First); Brett Kasper, Jr., QB (2015-First/Offensive Player of the Year); Devon Linzenmeyer, Sr., RB (2015-Honorable); Branden Lloyd, Sr., LB (2015-First); Sam Mentkowski, Jr., WR (2015-Honorable); Greg Rand, Jr., K (2015-Second); Marcus Senn, Sr., DL (2015-Second); Ty Summers, Jr., OL (2015-Honorable); Dom Todarello, So., Special Teams Player (2015-Second)

Notable Returning Offensive Players: Beau Ash, Jr., RB; Cody Moon, So., TE; Chad Redmer, Jr., WR; Connor Senger, So., QB

Notable Returning Defensive Players: Steve Forner, Sr., LB; AJ Plewa, So., DB; Dallis Ramos-Deleon, Sr., LB; Cole Yoder, So., DB

Notable Returning Special Teams Players: Eli Wettstein, So., K

UW-Platteville
Head Coach: Mike Emendorfer; 18th season at UWP; 82-89
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Offense: 24/4
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Defense: 24/10
Letterwinners Returning/Lost at Kicker: 4/1
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense: 9/2
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense: 5/6
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker: 3/1

Returning All-WIAC: Dan Arnold, Sr., WR (2015-First); Quinn Buschbacher, Sr., WR (2015-Second); Connor Foley, So., P (2015-Honorable); Brett Jerdee, Sr., OL (2015-First); Tom Kelly, Sr., QB (2015-Second); Donnie Rydzewski, Jr., OL (2015-Honorable); Austin Young, Sr., DL (2015-Honorable)

Notable Returning Offensive Players: Ryan Gaul, Jr., OL; Patrick Sheehan, Sr., WR; Kyle Whitman, Sr., RB

Notable Returning Defensive Players: Colin Griffin, Sr., LB; Brandon Johnson, Sr., DB; Marty McGrail, Jr., LB

Notable Returning Special Teams Players: Kelsey DeBoer, Sr., LS; Mike Pratl, So., K; Dillon Villhauer, Sr., WR/PR

UW-River Falls
Head Coach: Matt Walker; 9th season (6th at UWRF); 32-48 (overall) / 10-40 (UWRF)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Offense: 15/5
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Defense: 16/4
Letterwinners Returning/Lost at Kicker: 1/1
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense: 7/4
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense: 7/4
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker: 1/1

Returning All-WIAC: Rance Ashley, Sr., RB (2014-Second, 2015-Second); Isaac Bowe, Jr., OL (2015-Honorable); Geno DeMike, Jr., LB (2015-Honorable); Michael Diggins, Jr., RB (2015-Honorable); Nick Jacobsen, Jr., DL (2014-Honorable, 2015-Second); Reggie Larson, Sr., C (2014-Honorable, 2015-Second); Kyle Narges, Jr., DB (2015-First)

Notable Returning Offensive Players: Sawyer Moon, Jr., QB; Henry Rogotzke, Jr., OL; Nick Studer, So., WR; Evan Verhota, So., TE

Notable Returning Defensive Players: Kyle Hunter, Sr., DL; Albert Itula, Sr., LB; Tyler Ledbeter, Sr., S; Jay Robinson, Jr., LB

Notable Returning Special Teams Players: Kyle Semann, Sr., LB; Owen Schommer, So., P

UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach: Tom Journell; 9th season (5th at UWSP); 41-39 (overall) / 19-21 (UWSP)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Offense: 54/7
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Defense: 37/5
Letterwinners Returning/Lost at Kicker: 1/1
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense: 7/4
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense: 7/4
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker: 0/1

Returning All-WIAC: Christian Almonte, Jr., Return Specialist (2015-First); Deion Jones, Sr., DB (2014-Second, 2015-First); John Kontowicz, Sr., LB (2015-Second); Kyle Larson, Sr., QB (2015-Honorable); Jared Pankow, Sr., WR (2015-Honorable); Adam Wachowiak, Sr., DL (2015-Honorable)

Notable Returning Offensive Players: Logan Taylor, Sr., WR; Britton Vernon, Sr., RB

Notable Returning Defensive Players: Tanner Beaman, Jr., DL; Blake Lehman, Jr., DB

Notable Returning Special Teams Players: Alex Malueg, Jr., P

UW-Stout
Head Coach: Clayt Birmingham; 7th season at UWST; 23-37
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Offense: 18/7
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Defense: 18/8
Letterwinners Returning/Lost at Kicker: 3/0
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense: 7/4
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense: 8/3
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker: 3/0

Returning All-WIAC: Kane’ala Atchison-Keolanui, Sr., OL (2014-Second, 2015-First); Adolfo Pacheco, Sr., RB (2013-Second); Clark Riedel, Jr., P (2015-Honorable)

Notable Returning Offensive Players: Chris Pica-Anderson, Sr., WR; Logan Stoa, Sr., OL; Travis Urlaub, Sr., RB

Notable Returning Defensive Players: Tony Blair, Jr., DB; Isaiah Hardy, Jr., DL; Josh Robinson, Sr., LB; LaRon Thompson, Sr., DB

Notable Returning Special Teams Players: Taylor Pahl, Jr., K; Drew Pearson, So., K

UW-Whitewater
Head Coach: Kevin Bullis; 2nd season at UWW; 12-2
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Offense: 43/10
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Defense: 41/8
Letterwinners Returning/Lost at Kicker: 2/1
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense: 8/3
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense: 6/5
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker: 0/2

Returning All-WIAC: Paul Foster, Sr., LB (2014-Second); Marcus Hudson, Sr., WR (2015-First); Austin Jones, Sr., OL (2015-Second); Tony Koepnick, Sr., OL (2014-Second, 2015-First); Vince Mason, Sr., DB (2015-Honorable); Will Meyer, Jr., K/P (2014-Second); Matt Seitz, Jr., LB (2015-Second); Spencer Shier, Sr., OL (2014-Second, 2015-First); Brandon Tamsett, Sr., DL (2015-First)

Notable Returning Offensive Players: Tony Gumina, Jr., TE; Jordan Mueller, Jr., OL; Chris Nelson, Sr., QB; Mitchell Schauer, Jr., OL

Notable Returning Defensive Players: Colin Buck, Sr., DB; John Flood, Sr., DL; Tim Regan, Sr., DL; Kyle Schiedemeyer, Sr., LB

Notable Returning Special Teams Players: Ben Franzen, So., K