Today is Friday, November 29, 2024
From wiacsports.com:
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn.—University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Joey Stutzman and UW-Whitewater’s Evan Lewandowski have been named two of the 15 semifinalists for the 2022 Gagliardi Trophy, an accolade presented by Jostens, Inc. and the J-Club of Saint John’s University to the most outstanding football player in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III.
Thirteen seniors, one junior and one graduate student make up the semifinalists for the 2022 Gagliardi Trophy.
The Gagliardi Trophy, given annually since 1993, recognizes excellence in athletics, academics and community service. The award is named after John Gagliardi, Saint John’s legendary Hall of Fame head football coach who retired in 2012 with 489 career victories, the most in college football history. He passed away in October 2018 at the age of 91.
Additional semifinalists include: graduate student quarterback Will Bowers of Wheaton College (Ill.); running back Ethan Greenfield of North Central College (Ill.); senior quarterback Kyle King of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas); sophomore running back Jon Lewis of Birmingham-Southern College (Ala.); senior wide receiver Phil Lutz of Tufts University (Mass.); junior running back Jon Murray of Baldwin Wallace College (Ohio); senior defensive end Michael Nobile of Delaware Valley College (Pa.); senior wide receiver Nate Palmer of Utica College (N.Y.), senior quarterback Braxton Plunk of the University of Mount Union (Ohio); senior quarterback Jaran Roste of Bethel University (Minn.); senior offensive lineman Boomer Warren of Hardin-Simmons University (Texas); senior quarterback AJ Wingfield of Ithaca College (N.Y.); and senior defensive lineman Michael Wozniak of Saint John’s University (Minn.).
Stutzman is the third player for UW-La Crosse in the last six years to be named a semifinalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, joining wide receivers Nick Holcomb (2017) and Cole Spieker (2019). Running back John Janke (1993), quarterback Craig Kusick (1995) and wide receivers Scott Burnoski (2004) and Holcomb (2017) have been named finalists for the award.
Named the 2022 WIAC Kwik Trip Offensive Player of the Year, Stutzman helped UW-La Crosse to a share of the WIAC title this season – the 34th in program archives. The Eagles also earned a spot in the NCAA Division III playoffs. He led the team in rushing attempts (236) and yards (1,189), while finishing second in rushing touchdowns (5) to earn All-WIAC First Team accolades. Starting all 11 games in 2022, Stutzman averaged 5.0 yards per attempt and 108.1 yards per game. He led the WIAC in rushing attempts and yards. Stutzman also had 18 catches for 212 yards and one touchdown this season.
Stutzman had 24 carries for a career-high 180 yards (7.5 average) with one touchdown in UW-La Crosse’s 30-3 win at the University of Dubuque (Iowa) on Sept. 10. He was named the WIAC Kwik Trip Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 108 yards on 21 carries and catching three passes for 67 yards and a touchdown in UW-La Crosse’s 38-35 win at No. 24-ranked UW-Oshkosh on Oct. 29.
Stutzman finished his career second in school history in career rushing yards with 3,277. He recorded at least 100-yards rushing in six games this season to give him 16 in his career, second-most in school history.
Stutzman is majoring in physical education and maintains a 3.17 grade point average.
Lewandowski joins a list of former Warhawks that have been semifinalists for the Gagliardi Trophy including: Derrick LeVake (1997); Justin Beaver (2005 and 2007); Ryan Kleppe (2006); Jeff Schebler (2009); Aaron Rusch (2010); Matt Blanchard (2011); Cole Klotz (2013); Brady Grayvold (2014); John Flood (2016); and Harry Henschler (2018). Beaver won the award in 2007.
A senior transfer, Lewandowski wrapped up his second year as a Warhawk this season. He secured All-WIAC honorable mention recognition after helping UW-Whitewater to its 39th conference title and a spot in the NCAA Division III playoffs.
In 2022, Lewandowski completed 200 of his 318 pass attempts (63.0 percent) and threw for 2,356 yards with 18 touchdowns in 11 games. He added a pair of rushing touchdowns.
His four passing touchdowns in UW-Whitewater’s win at UW-La Crosse on Oct. 1 tied the program’s single-game record. He also helped the Warhawks break the record for points in a game (79), rushing touchdowns in a game (10) and touchdowns in a game (11) in the team’s victory over UW-Stevens Point on Nov. 12.
Lewandowski, a team captain for the 2022 campaign, is a human performance major with a minor in sport management and carries a grade point average of 3.725.
The 40-member Gagliardi Trophy national selection committee reviews the credentials, ranks the candidates 1-15 and casts their votes. Fan balloting, which is available on D3football.com, accounts for the 41st ballot, and is being conducted on D3football.com for the 12th consecutive season. Fans will be permitted to cast one ballot per device, through 12 p.m. Central on Dec. 3.
The Gagliardi Trophy finalists will be announced during a live show on Dec. 7, on D3football.com. Hosts Pat Coleman and Frank Rossi will profile the finalists during the program. The 2022 Gagliardi Trophy winner will be revealed on D3football.com during the week of the NCAA Division III football national championship on Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. CT. In the lead up to the announcement of the 2022 Gagliardi Trophy winner, D3football.com and the J-Club Twitter account (@JClubSJU) will provide updates on specific dates and times of the announcement.
Nominations were submitted by colleges across the country, and the semifinalists were selected by the J-Club Board of Directors. The Gagliardi Trophy national selection committee is comprised of 18 Division III coaches (three from each NCAA Region), six Division III administrators (one from each region), 12 regional notable voters (two from each region), and eight national voters with Division III backgrounds.
No J-Club members vote as part of the national selection committee.
By Angela Kelm
Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater head football coach Kevin Bullis has announced his retirement after fifteen seasons with the Warhawks including the last eight at the helm. Assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Jace Rindahl has been named the interim head coach.
“It has been an honor and pleasure coaching and teaching in the Warhawk football program and UW-Whitewater,” said Coach Bullis. “I will greatly miss the students and staff. Kathy and I have lived truly amazing coaching lives and it is time for us to live life.”
Coach Bullis joined the Warhawk football staff in 2008 as an assistant before taking over as head coach in January of 2015. He is just the fourth head coach in the last 60 years and 21st head coach in program history.
Bullis led the program through the cancellation of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the return to action in 2021.
In seven competition seasons as the head coach, Bullis has compiled an overall record of 78-13 (.857) including a 45-4 (.918) mark in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. His overall win percentage is second only to his predecessor, Lance Leipold, in the history of head coaches in the WIAC that have led programs for more than two seasons. Bullis ranks third among active coaches with at least five seasons in the NCAA, any division, for win percentage.
UW-Whitewater participated in the NCAA Division III playoff six of seven seasons under Bullis and claimed at least a share of the WIAC title five times including the program’s 39th conference championship this season. Bullis led the Warhawks to a national runner-up finish in 2019 and semifinal appearances in 2015, 2018 and 2021. In total, since Bullis joined the staff, UW-Whitewater reached the Stagg Bowl, the NCAA Division III championship game, seven times and has won eleven league titles.
He has coached UW-Whitewater players to more than 35 All-America honors, six WIAC Player of the Year accolades and nearly 120 all-conference honors. Bullis was selected the WIAC Coach of the Year in 2016, 2018 and 2021. He added d3football.com Region 6 Coach of the Year honors in 2021.
Adopting the Division III philosophy of valuing the balance of academics and athletics, Bullis coached players to six Academic All-America honors including the 2019 College Sports Information Directors of America All-American of the Year in 2019, numerous Academic All-District accolades and a multitude of conference scholar-athletes. Additionally, the Warhawk football team has logged more than 1,000 hours of community service working on initiatives with Special Olympics of Wisconsin, Fairhaven Senior Community and the Whitewater Food Pantry under Bullis’ leadership.
“Kevin is a great coach and an even better person,” said Athletic Director Ryan Callahan. “The life lessons he taught his student-athletes, coaches and colleagues will continue to be felt for years to come. I’m forever grateful for my time with Coach Bullis and excited for him and his family on his retirement.”
A national search for the next Warhawk football head coach will begin early in 2023.
Editor’s note: The photos are from the UW-Whitewater Warhawk Football Facebook page.
Editor’s note: The following announcement is on the WIAC website.
LANSING, Mich.–University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Christian Patzka and UW-La Crosse’s Ethan Gregg each posted top-four finishes at the NCAA Division III Men’s Cross Country Championship that was held at Forest Akers East Golf Course on the campus of Michigan State University on Nov. 19.
Patzka placed second on the 8,000-meter course with a time of 24:40.0, while Gregg was fourth in 24:52.8. UW-La Crosse’s Isaac Wegner finished 12th in 25:16.2, UW-Whitewater’s Gunner Schlender 30th in 25:30.8 and UW-Stout’s Spencer Schultz 37th in 25:35.6. All five runners received All-America accolades from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Alex Phillip of John Carroll University (Ohio) secured the individual national title with a time of 24:37.6. A total of 292 runners completed the race.
In the team standings, UW-La Crosse took eighth with 276 points, while UW-Whitewater was 10th with 365, and UW-Stout 23rd with 562. Massachusetts Institute of Technology secured the first national title in program history with 82 points. Wartburg College (Iowa) placed second with 129, State University of New York Geneseo third with 168, John Carroll fourth with 186 and Pomona-Pitzer Colleges (Calif.) fifth with 193. A total of 32 teams participated in the championship that was hosted by Olivet College (Mich.) and the Greater Lansing Sports Authority.
By Angela Kelm
Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
Warhawk Football Falls to Aurora in First Round of NCAA Playoffs
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team fell to Aurora University 33-28 in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs Saturday.
The Warhawks have historically been nearly unbeatable in the first round — this loss is just the second for the Warhawks in the first round of playoff action and first since 1997. However, Aurora is one of the best first round opponents UWW has faced with one of the top scoring offenses and stifling defenses in the nation.
Aurora won the toss and elected to receive the opening kick. They marched down the field and took an early 7-0 lead following a six-play, 66-yard scoring drive that took under three minutes.
Later in the quarter, the Warhawks responded with Evan Lewandowski capping a 91-yard drive with a punch in up the gut from three-yards out.
The teams traded touchdowns in the second with the Spartans reclaiming the lead on a 71-yard drive before UWW came back to tie it on a Lewandowski-Drake Martin connection.
Aurora added another score before the half, capitalizing on a 16-play, 91-yard drive to take a 21-14 lead. They held the lead the rest of the way.
The Spartans opened up a 33-21 lead in the fourth but the Warhawks put the pressure on. Lewandowski drove UWW 73-yards on six plays with a 28-yard strike to Tyler Holte hitting paydirt to pull the Warhawks within six, 33-28 with 4:10 remaining.
On the third play of Aurora’s next drive, Kyle Koelblinger jumped a passing lane for an interception at the Spartans’ 32-yard line. The momentum seemed to be in favor of UWW. On the Warhawks’ second play of the drive, Lewandowski had an open receiver near the endzone but his pass was a bit short in the windy conditions and an Aurora defensive back jumped the passing lane for the interception.
With 3:37 left to play, Aurora picked up a first down and was able to run out the clock for the final.
Tamir Thomas led UWW’s rushing attack with 81 yards on 10 carries. Lewandowski was 21-36 for 262 yards with three passing and one rushing touchdown in the contest. Steven Hein was the favorite target on the day hauling in seven catches for 119 yards.
Defensively, Ryan Liszka posted a game-high 12 tackles including five solo and a tackle for a loss. Luke Nelson registered a sack for the Warhawks.
UW-Whitewater ends the season with an 8-3 mark after securing a share of the program’s 39th Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title and claiming the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Division III playoffs.
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From the La Crosse Tribune:
WAVERLY, Iowa — The wind blew punts, kicks, passes and more at Walston-Hoover Stadium on Saturday, but none blew into the sails of the UW-La Crosse football with their season on the line.
The seventh-ranked Eagles fell in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs to the 12th-ranked Wartburg Knights 14-6, ending one of the most successful seasons in recent memory for this season’s co-WIAC champions.
Six points is the fewest the Eagles (9-2) have scored in a game since Oct. 31, 2015 — scoring only three points against UW-Stevens Point — as the Knights (11-0) defense helped them advance to the second round.
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