UW-Oshkosh’s Wara Leads All-WIAC Football Team; Cerroni Selected Coach of the Year
Printable version of the 2012 All-WIAC Football Team
MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh’s Nate Wara was selected the Player of the Year to lead the individuals chosen to the 2012 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Football Team by the league coaches. In addition, Pat Cerroni secured the George Chryst Coach of the Year award.
Wara, who was a second team selection the past two seasons, leads the WIAC with 2,389 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns, and 2,950 yards of total offense. He has thrown just one interception in 252 attempts on the season, and is on a streak of 190 passes without an interception. During this span, he also has thrown for 18 touchdowns. Wara currently ranks first in NCAA Division III with a 0.40 interception percentage and is seventh with a 173.5 passing efficiency. He also owns 559 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns.
Wara becomes the third player in program archives to earn the league’s top honor, joining Jim Wild in 1983 and Rob Neta in 1990. He started all 40 games in his career and amassed 10,138 yards of total offense - a figure that ranks third on the conference’s all-time list.
Repeat selections on the first team from a year ago include: UW-La Crosse’s Christian Hallingstad; UW-Oshkosh’s Taylor Goodman; UW-Platteville’s Corey Marks, Ryan McWethy and Nick Snyder; and UW-Whitewater’s Eric Kindler. Marks also captured first team accolades in 2010.
Cerroni claimed the coaching honor after directing the Titans to a 10-0 record and the program’s first outright WIAC championship since 1972. UW-Oshkosh will also appear in the NCAA Division III Championship for the first time in program history. Cerroni is in his sixth season in charge of the program and owns a 36-23 record.
UW-River Falls’ John Schimenz received the Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award.
An All-Sportsmanship Team was chosen for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each school.
2012 All-WIAC Football Team
First Team - Offense
Name, School, Year, Position, Height, Weight, Hometown (High School)
Austin Goetsch, Eau Claire, Senior, Tight End, 6-1, 227, Waunakee, Wis.
Jake Holterman, Eau Claire, Senior, Offensive Line, 6-3, 292, Muskego, Wis.
Tyler Miller, Platteville, Senior, Offensive Line, 6-5, 286, Eau Claire, Wis. (North)
Jimmy Norris, Whitewater, Senior, Offensive Line, 6-2, 283, Hoffman Estates, Ill. (William Fremd)
Brandon Peter, Oshkosh, Senior, Offensive Line, 6-2, 280, Allenton, Wis. (Kewaskum)
Ben Strehlow, Oshkosh, Senior, Center, 6-1, 270, Brandon, Wis. (Laconia)
Nate Wara, Oshkosh, Senior, Quarterback, 6-1, 220, Oshkosh, Wis. (North)
Cole Myhra, Oshkosh, Junior, Running Back, 5-11, 210, Menomonee Falls, Wis.
Joel Sweeney, Eau Claire, Junior, Running Back, 6-1, 249, Tomah, Wis.
Ryley Bailey, Platteville, Junior, Wide Receiver, 6-1, 200, Elburn, Ill. (Kaneland)
Theo Maglio, Stevens Point, Senior, Wide Receiver, 6-1, 190, Wautoma, Wis.
Caleb Voss, Oshkosh, Junior, Wide Receiver, 6-2, 195, Van Dyne, Wis. (Winnebago Lutheran)
Christian Hallingstad, La Crosse, Senior, Punter, 5-11, 185, Cumberland, Wis. (Rice Lake)
Eric Kindler, Whitewater, Junior, Kicker, 6-1, 181, Germantown, Wis.
Robbie Flom, River Falls, Freshman, Return Specialist, 5-11, 161, Somerset, Wis.
Zach Kasuboski, Oshkosh, Sophomore, All-Purpose Back, 6-1, 195, Wautoma, Wis.
First Team - Defense
Jake Hohlstein, Whitewater, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-1, 280, Portage, Wis.
Corey Marks, Platteville, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-3, 236, New Lenox, Ill. (Lincoln-Way Central)
Loussaint Minett, Whitewater, Junior, Defensive Line, 6-0, 238, Whitewater, Wis.
Nathan Smith, Oshkosh, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-0, 255, Oakfield, Wis.
Andrew Thompson, Oshkosh, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-3, 245, Greendale, Wis.
Taylor Goodman, Oshkosh, Senior, Linebacker, 6-0, 220, South Wayne, Wis. (Black Hawk)
Nate Smits, River Falls, Senior, Linebacker, 6-5, 225, Hudson, Wis.
Nick Snyder, Platteville, Senior, Linebacker, 5-11, 213, Mt. Morris, Ill. (Oregon)
Kyle Wismer, Whitewater, Junior, Linebacker, 6-3, 228, Spring Grove, Ill. (Richmond-Burton)
Tim Filter, Oshkosh, Senior, Defensive Back, 5-9, 180, New Berlin, Wis. (Wisconsin Lutheran)
Ryan McWethy, Platteville, Senior, Defensive Back, 6-2, 220, Oregon, Ill.
Jake Meckstroth, La Crosse, Senior, Defensive Back, 6-1, 215, Cuba City, Wis.
Ryan Wenkman, Whitewater, Senior, Defensive Back, 5-10, 183, Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
Second Team - Offense
Josh Peterson, Stout, Senior, Tight End, 6-4, 230, Cedar Grove, Wis. (Cedar Grove-Belgium)
Tony Berry, Platteville, Sophomore, Offensive Line, 6-4, 250, Arlington, Iowa (Starmont)
Andy Coenen, Stevens Point, Junior, Offensive Line, 6-4, 280, Seymour, Wis.
Matt Krier, La Crosse, Sophomore, Offensive Line, 6-2, 300, Hudson, Wis.
David Reyes, Stout, Junior, Offensive Line, 6-1, 260, Riverside, Calif. (Poly)
Paul Santi, Eau Claire, Junior, Center, 6-1, 282, Kingsford, Mich.
Bryce Corrigan, Platteville, Sophomore, Quarterback, 6-0, 202, Plainfield, Ill. (North)
Eric Brown, Stout, Senior, Running Back, 5-10, 195, St. Paul, Minn. (Arlington)
Desmin Ward, Whitewater, Senior, Running Back, 6-0, 252, Milwaukee, Wis. (Hamilton)
Nate Brandt, River Falls, Senior, Wide Receiver, 6-2, 196, Lakefield, Minn. (Jackson County Central)
Jake Welch, La Crosse, Senior, Wide Receiver, 6-0, 200, West Salem, Wis.
Trevor Whitehead, Platteville, Sophomore, Wide Receiver, 5-11, 165, Elgin, Ill. (Larkin)
Austin Neu, Eau Claire, Senior, Punter, 6-1, 202, Iron Ridge, Wis. (Hustisford)
Nate Ray, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Kicker, 6-1, 180, Verona, Wis.
Tanner Kuehn, Stout, Sophomore, Return Specialist, 5-8, 170, Fairchild, Wis. (Osseo-Fairchild)
Bernie Tamsett, Whitewater, Senior, All-Purpose Back, 6-0, 235, Waterford, Wis.
Second Team - Defense
Nick Berg, La Crosse, Junior, Defensive Line, 6-2, 215, Oregon, Wis.
Pat Hendricks, Eau Claire, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-1, 306, Clintonville, Wis.
Bronzun Kyles, Platteville, Junior, Defensive Line, 6-1, 224, Chicago, Ill. (Brother Rice)
Alex Schaefer, Platteville, Junior, Defensive Line, 6-3, 240, Naperville, Ill. (Central)
Alex Smith, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Defensive Line, 6-0, 250, Oakfield, Wis.
Dave Daino, Platteville, Senior, Linebacker, 5-11, 205, Langhorne, Pa. (Neshaminy)
Sean Graham, Eau Claire, Junior, Linebacker, 6-0, 211, Hales Corners, Wis. (Whitnall)
Cole Klotz, Whitewater, Junior, Linebacker, 6-4, 244, Elm Grove, Wis. (New Berlin Eisenhower)
Ryan Stefaniak, Oshkosh, Junior, Linebacker, 6-0, 195, Milwaukee, Wis. (Catholic Memorial)
Tyler Janus, Eau Claire, Senior, Defensive Back, 5-11, 190, Sussex, Wis. (Hamilton)
Tommy Magna, Platteville, Senior, Defensive Back, 6-3, 190, Round Lake, Ill. (Carmel)
Frank Martin, Oshkosh, Senior, Defensive Back, 6-1, 205, Greenleaf, Wis. (Wrightstown)
Colton Zimmerman, Stevens Point, Senior, Defensive Back, 5-10, 185, Iola, Wis. (Iola-Scandinavia)
Honorable Mention - Offense
Garrett Porter, Oshkosh, Junior, Offensive Line, 6-3, 290, Princeton, Wis.
Brian Lurquin, Platteville, Sophomore, Center, 5-11, 276, Chicago, Ill. (St. Rita)
Hank McIvor, Platteville, Senior, Running Back, 5-9, 165, Milton, Wis.
Brandon Matznick, Stevens Point, Senior, Punter, 6-2, 205, Kiel, Wis.
Eric Kindler, Whitewater, Junior, Punter, 6-1, 181, Germantown, Wis.
Colton Zimmerman, Stevens Point, Senior, Return Specialist, 5-10, 185, Iola, Wis. (Iola-Scandinavia)
David Goebel, Stout, Junior, All-Purpose Back, 6-2, 240, Minnetonka, Minn.
Honorable Mention - Defense
Jimmy Hall, Eau Claire, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-4, 268, Howards Grove, Wis.
Nate Johnson, Eau Claire, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-3, 289, Madison, Wis. (La Follette)
Jon Pahl, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Defensive Line, 6-2, 235, Darboy, Wis. (Kimberly)
Lincoln Bjorklund, River Falls, Senior, Linebacker, 6-1, 228, New Sweden, Minn. (Sibley East)
Jake Mandoza, River Falls, Senior, Linebacker, 6-0, 220, New Brighton, Minn. (Irondale)
Ryan Cortez, Whitewater, Junior, Linebacker, 6-0, 218, Palatine, Ill.
Josh Williams, Whitewater, Junior, Linebacker, 6-0, 227, Milwaukee, Wis. (Mukwonago)
Collin Laursen, Stout, Sophomore, Linebacker, 6-0, 180, Mondovi, Wis.
Nick Jolin, Oshkosh, Senior, Linebacker, 6-1, 200, Three Lakes, Wis.
Jake Zilbar, Platteville, Sophomore, Linebacker, 5-11, 210, Tampa, Fla. (Armwood)
Alex Adams, River Falls, Junior, Defensive Back, 6-1, 172, Brooklyn Park, Minn. (Park Center)
Marcus McLin, Whitewater, Sophomore, Defensive Back, 5-7, 188, Delavan, Wis.
Tyler Naatz, Stout, Sophomore, Defensive Back, 5-11, 160, Menomonie, Wis.
All-Sportsmanship Team
Nathan Bollinger, Eau Claire, Senior, Tight End, 6-2, 229, Eau Claire, Wis. (North)
Tony Golden, River Falls, Senior, Defensive Line, 6-2, 271, Shoreview, Minn. (Irondale)
Jack Leahy, La Crosse, Senior, Linebacker, 6-2, 220, Hartland, Wis. (Arrowhead)
Steve McCollom, Whitewater, Senior, Defensive Back, 6-1, 217, Farmington, Wis. (Shrine Catholic)
Paul Reit, Platteville, Junior, Wide Receiver, 6-5, 210, Stanley, Wis. (Stanley-Boyd)
Austin Schwartz, Stout, Senior, Tight End, 6-0, 220, Waconia, Minn.
Skylar Stecker, Stevens Point, Senior, Defensive Back, 6-2, 215, Hilbert, Wis.
Zach Wettengel, Oshkosh, Senior, Defensive Back, 6-0, 195, Appleton, Wis. (West)
Player of the Year: Nate Wara of Oshkosh
George Chryst Coach of the Year: Pat Cerroni of Oshkosh
Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete: John Schimenz of River Falls
# # # # #