Issued: December 11, 2003

FOOTBALL ANNOUNCES YEARLY AWARD WINNERS

EAU CLAIRE - The UW-Eau Claire football team and head coach Todd Hoffner announced its award winners for the 2003 season Sunday at the teams annual banquet.

The Blugolds finished the 2003 season with a record of 5-5 and finished 4-3 in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.

Austin Crow (Sr.-Woodbury) took home top defensive honors, earning both Defensive Most Valuable Player and Outside Linebacker of the Year accolades. Crow finished third in the conference in tackles with 94 and quarterback sacks with six, while placing eighth in tackles for loss with 11. He earned All-Conference first team honors and was also named to the 2003 Don Hansen's Football Gazette NCAA Division III All-West Region team. Erik Ferguson (Sr.-Rochester/Dover-Eyota) earned Offensive MVP honors as well as the award for top wide receiver. Ferguson also earned All-Region honors after a record setting season. The senior wide-out broke school records for receptions in a season (60) and receiving yards in a season (1,157). He became the first Blugold ever to record 1,000 receiving yards in a season and posted the eighth highest single season receiving yardage in WIAC history. Matt Brink (Sr.-Madison/Memorial) earned the Special Teams MVP award. Brink finished third in the WIAC with a punting average of 37.3 yards per kick. He finished the season with 49 punts for 1,828 yards.

Kodak Player awards were also handed out on Sunday with Shaggy Murphy (Fr.-Eleva/Eau Claire Regis) earning defensive honors, Tony Hull (Fr.-Blaine, MN/Spring Lake Park) earning offensive honors, and Ryan Darley (Fr.-Chippewa Falls/Chi-Hi) earning the award for special teams.

Position player awards went to Mike LaBarbera (Sr.-Eau Claire/Memorial) for Defensive Back of the Year honors as he compiled 53 tackles with eight passes broken up, one interception and one tackle for loss in 2003. He joined Crow on the All-WIAC defensive first team.

Mike Lansing (Jr.-Janesville/Craig) won the award for Inside Linebacker of the Year as he finished second in the conference in tackles with 97 and tackles per game with 10.8 while also totaling three interceptions, three passes broken up and four tackles for loss. He was named to the All-Conference second team in 2003.

All-WIAC defensive second team member Dave Maas (Jr.-Waunakee) took home the Defensive Lineman award, as he tied for 16th in the conference with 67 tackles and 6.7 tackles per game. He also totaled two sacks, one pass broken up, and one tackle for loss.

Nels Fredrickson (Jr.-Burnsville, MN) won the award for top quarterback, finishing the season with 2,364 yards and 18 touchdowns. Don Kahl (Jr.-Brookfield/East) earned the Tight End/Fullback of the Year award as he totaled 41 receptions for 501 yards and four touchdowns while Brett Etzel (Sr.-Oconomowoc) earned honors for top offensive lineman.

Top Newcomer awards were also handed out with Brent Weber (Fr.-Rice Lake) earning Defensive Newcomer honors as he finished third on the team with 81 tackles as a defensive back. Brandon Basken (So.-Manitowoc/Lincoln) earned Offensive Newcomer honors as a member of the offensive line while Johnny Klicka (So.-Wild Rose) won the award for special teams.

The A.C.E. Award was given to Justin Greenwood (Jr.-Park Falls). Greenwood, despite a serious injury early in the season, displayed phenomenal attitude, character, and enthusiasm throughout the season.

Team captains for 2004 were also announced at the banquet where Maas, Fredrickson, Kahl, and Lansing were named the captains for next season.