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Issued: November 14, 2007

ALL-WIAC HONORS BESTOWED ON FOOTBALL TEAM

MADISON, Wis. – Twelve UW-Eau Claire football players were honored by the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), and head coach Todd Glaser was named the conference’s coach of the year, conference sports information director Matt Stanek announced today.

Receiving first team accolades on offense were punter Mitch Schaeuble (Sr.-Wrightstown, Wis.), lineman Marc Moonen (Sr.-Caledonia, Wis./Martin Luther) and wide receiver Tony Hull (Sr.-Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park).

Schaeuble received conference honors during his freshman and junior seasons as well, being named an All-WIAC second team punter and honorable mention kicker in 2005 and an honorable mention selection in 2004. Schaeuble led the team in punting this season, handling all but one punt the entire season, averaging 40.8 yards per punt with 2,039 total yards. He is second in the conference in average yards per punt, while Stevens Point’s Luke Frisch is first and averages 41.3. Schaeuble had a long of 63 and 16 punts were inside the 20. Opponents also averaged only 4.4 yards per return. Schaeuble also started at quarterback in the final five games of the season and was third in the conference in pass efficiency.

This is the first season Moonen received conference honors in his career. He helped anchor an offensive line that allowed only 22 sacks the entire season, which is tied for second in the conference, and allowed the Blugolds to average more than 125 yards rushing per game.

Tony Hull, who received first team honors as an all-purpose player, racked up 731 all-purpose yards with 118 kick return yards and 576 receiving yards. Tony Hull currently ranks fifth on Eau Claire’s all-time receiving yards list with 2,014 yards, fourth on the all-time receptions list with 143 and second on the single-game receiving list with 213 yards against Stout this season.

Earning first team defense honors were Sam Cummings (Sr.-Rochester, Minn./John Marshall), Dave Wicklund (Jr.-Kewaskum, Wis.) and Nate Rucker (Sr.-Allouez, Wis./Green Bay Southwest).

Cummings led the Blugolds with 95 tackles this season (43 solos and 52 assists), which is third in the conference. He also finished the regular season with nine tackles for loss, a half sack and two fumble recoveries. Cummings also received conference recognition for his efforts last season as an honorable mention selection and in 2005 he made it to the second team list.

Wicklund is second on the team and fourth in the conference with 91 tackles (64 solos and 27 assists). He has two tackles for loss, three interceptions and one forced fumble. This is the first time Wicklund has received All-WIAC honors.

Rucker rounds out the All-WIAC first team defense selections. This is the first time Rucker received conference honors, after finishing the regular season with 14 solo tackles and 14 assists (28 total). He had a team-leading seven sacks, which is also tied for fourth in the conference, one interception, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

This is only the third time in program history the Blugolds have received six or more first team All-WIAC selections. The last time six were selected was in 1998 when the Blugolds made it to the NCAA Division III playoffs for the first time in program history. The Blugolds received seven first team All-WIAC selections in 2001.

Honored as second team offensive selections were wide receiver Chris Hull (Sr.-Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park) and Craig Polifka (Jr.-Kewaunee, Wis.), who was selected as a return specialist. Chris Hull was second on the team in receptions with 21 for 435 yards and third on the team in scoring with seven touchdowns. Polifka led the team with 604 kick return yards on 26 returns, an average of 23.2 yards per return. He led the conference in both punt and kick return averages.

Second team defensive honors went to Tom Dohr (Jr.-Neenah, Wis.). Dohr finished the regular season with 71 tackles (31 solos and 40 assists), which is fourth on the team and tied for 14th in the conference. He was also second on the team and sixth in the WIAC with six sacks. Dohr also had one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Two others were honorable mention selections. Cory Sartorelli (So.-Appleton, Wis./North) received honorable mention honors for offense, while Zach Paul (Sr.-Edgar, Wis.) was named on the defensive side. Sartorelli led the Blugolds in rushing this season with 963 yards, seventh in the conference, and in scoring with nine touchdowns. He was also fifth on the team in receiving with 103 yards. Paul was third on the team with 83 tackles (34 solos and 49 assists), which is seventh in the conference. He also had two interceptions, three fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.

Marc Davis (Sr.-Duluth, Minn./Marshall) was also named to the conference’s inaugural All-Sportsmanship Team. The team was selected for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each school as selected by that school.

Receiving coach of the year honors in the WIAC was Blugold head coach Todd Glaser. Glaser is in his second year as head coach, and after a 3-7 record his first season, he led his team to an 8-2 record and a second place finish in the conference this season.

- KM -

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