General

Kwik Trip Athletes of the Week - October 30

MADISON, Wis.--Following are the WIAC Kwik Trip Athletes of the Week for the week of October 23 - 29.

FOOTBALL
Offense
Kaleb Blaha, Junior (Coon Rapids, Minn./Fridley), Quarterback of UW-River Falls
Blaha led the No. 7-ranked Falcons to a 49-35 road win at UW-Stout on Oct. 28, breaking a school record, while tying a WIAC record with six rushing touchdowns. He rushed for a career-high 301 rushing yards, while accounting for all seven of UW-River Falls’ touchdowns with 535 yards of total offense. Outside of his school record scoring total, he added a 28-yard touchdown pass and had 40-yard and 65-yard touchdown runs.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Isaac Garside, Junior, Wide Receiver, Bonduel, Wis. (Bonduel)
UW-La Crosse, Keyser Helterbrand, Senior, Quarterback, Hudson, Wis. (Hudson)
UW-Oshkosh, Kobe Berghammer, Senior, Quarterback, Clayton, Wis. (Cumberland)
UW-Platteville, Brandt Stare, Junior, Wide Receiver, Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)
UW-River Falls, Kaleb Blaha, Junior, Quarterback, Coon Rapids, Minn. (Fridley)
UW-Stout, Arthur Cox, Senior, Wide Receiver, Dixon, Ill. (Dixon)
UW-Whitewater, Alex Ogden, Senior, Quarterback, Marshall, Wis. (Monona Grove)
 
Defense
Dyson Klubertanz, Junior (Franklin, Wis./Franklin), Defensive Back of UW-Whitewater
Klubertanz recorded a pair of interceptions in the Warhawks’ 45-23 win over UW-Platteville on Oct. 28. He set the tone early, jumping a passing lane on the Pioneers’ first offensive play of the game and returning the interception nine yards to set up the first UW-Whitewater score of the contest. Early in the fourth quarter, Klubertanz hauled in an over-the-shoulder interception adding a 25-yard return. He was the media’s selection for the UW-Whitewater Defensive Player of the Game in the annual George Chryst Memorial Bowl.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Ryan Kuechle, Senior, Safety, Mankato, Minn. (East)
UW-La Crosse, Jack Kelly, Senior, Defensive Line, Plover, Wis. (SPASH)
UW-Oshkosh, Kyle Dietzen, Sophomore, Linebacker, Omro, Wis. (Omro)
UW-Platteville, Justin Blazek, Senior, Defensive Line, Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)
UW-River Falls, Aaron Borgerding, Junior, Defensive Back, Spring Valley, Wis. (Spring Valley)

Special Teams
Tyler Vasey, Freshman (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge), Kick Returner of UW-Whitewater
Vasey helped the Warhawks to a 45-23 win over UW-Platteville on Oct. 28. He registered his first collegiate touchdown on a 93-yard kickoff return – the first kick return for touchdown for UW-Whitewater since 2013. For the game, Vasey posted 157 yards on four kickoff returns – an average of nearly 40 yards per return. In addition to the return game, Vasey hauled in five catches for 64 yards in the annual George Chryst Memorial Bowl.
 
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Michael Stack, Sophomore, Kicker, Oshkosh, Wis. (West)
UW-Oshkosh, Nolan Mobley, Sophomore, Kicker, Oak Creek, Wis. (Oak Creek)
UW-Stout, Hunter Scafe, Freshman, Linebacker, Muskego, Wis. (Muskego)


MEN’S ICE HOCKEY
Dysen Skinner, Senior (Billings, Mont.), Goalie of UW-River Falls
Skinner earned his seventh career shutout to lead the Falcons to a 2-0 victory in the 2023-24 season opener at Saint John’s University (Minn.) on Oct. 28. He made 33 saves in the contest.
 
Also nominated:
Northland College, Viktor Wennberg, Senior, Goalie, Stockholm, Sweden
UW-Eau Claire, Tyler Love, Senior, Defense, Pittsburg, Pa. (Moon Area)
UW-Superior, Dusty Bergstrom, Sophomore, Defense, Pine City, Minn. (Pine City)
 
 
WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY
Sophie Rausch, Graduate Student (Fergus Falls, Minn./Fergus Falls), Forward of UW-Eau Claire
Rausch tallied six points in a two-game sweep of the College of Saint Benedict (Minn.) Oct. 27-28. She scored four goals and contributed two assists as the Blugolds won 4-3 and 7-1. In the team’s season opener, Rausch scored a go-ahead goal in the third period to break a 2-2 tie and added another goal two minutes later. In the 7-1 win, Rausch had two assists within the first 11:33 of the game and added a goal apiece in the second and third periods. She registered a plus-minus of +3 in the series.
 
Also nominated:
Northland College, Audrey Ellerington, Freshman, Forward, Ontario, Canada
UW-River Falls, Alex Hantge, Senior, Forward, Hutchinson, Minn. (Hutchinson)
UW-Superior, Brynn MacLean, Junior, Forward, Wilcox, Saskatchewan (Athol Murray College of Notre Dame)
 
 
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Offense
Natalie Schisel, Senior (Mankato, Minn./East), Forward of UW-La Crosse
Schisel scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner, in UW-La Crosse's 5-0 victory at UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 28. She scored at 30:46 for the game's first goal and made it 2-0 at 69:16. Schisel had three shots with two on goal. UW-La Crosse improved to 7-0 in the WIAC, securing its fourth undefeated league record in school history, including second straight. 
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Sydney Spencer, Senior, Forward, Hudson, Wis. (Hudson)
UW-Oshkosh, Rylie Kaufmann, Senior, Forward, St. Charles, Ill. (North)
UW-Stout, Hailey Kane, Junior, Defender, Green Bay, Wis. (Bay Port)

Defense
Jenna Nichols, Junior (Batavia, Ill./Batavia), Defender of UW-La Crosse
Nichols helped lead UW-La Crosse to a 5-0 victory at UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 28. She had one shot in the game. The Eagles held the Pointers to five shots on goal in recording their 12th shutout of the season. The 12 shutouts rank third in single-season school history. UW-La Crosse improved to 7-0 in the WIAC, securing its fourth undefeated league record in school history, including second straight. 
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Katlyn Byhre, Junior, Defender, St. Michael, Minn. (Rogers)
UW-Oshkosh, Emma Sauriol, Junior, Goalkeeper, New Lenox, Ill. (Lincoln-Way Central)

 
MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING
Swimming
Gus Grimstad, Junior (Decorah, Iowa/Decorah), of UW-Stevens Point
Grimstad led the way for UW-Stevens Point at the St. Norbert College (Wis.) dual on Oct. 27, with victories in the 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard butterfly and 200-yard individual medley with times of 51.36, 1:56.79 and 1:59.76, respectively. He also contributed to a first-place finish in the 400-yard medley relay with a time of 3:30.70. Grimstad also had two first-place finishes at the UW-Eau Claire dual on Oct. 28, in the 100-yard backstroke (52.76) and 100-yard butterfly (52.19). He tacked on a second-place finish in the 200-yard individual medley, clocking a time of 1:59.25 and propelled the 200-yard medley relay team to a first-place finish with a time of 1:35.39.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Zhander Rowley, Sophomore, Janesville, Wis. (Parker)
UW-La Crosse, Will Quackenbush, Senior, North Oaks, Minn. (North Oaks)
UW-Oshkosh, Leo Ramirez-Gutierrez, Freshman, Schaumburg, Ill. (Hoffman Estates)
 
Diving
Declan Trent, Freshman (Downers Grove, Ill./South), of UW-Stevens Point
Trant logged two wins at the St. Norbert College (Wis.) dual on Oct. 27. He won the one-meter dive (280.80) and three-meter dive (259.60). Trant posted another first-place finish at the UW-Eau Claire dual on Oct. 28, winning the one-meter dive (271.75).
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Blake Wallen, Freshman, Prior Lake, Minn. (Prior Lake)
UW-La Crosse, Tyler Herder, Sophomore, Fridley, Minn. (Fridley)
UW-Oshkosh, Dylan Edelstein, Freshman, Manhattan, Ill. (Lincoln-Way West)


WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING
Swimming
Ella Weaver, Senior (McFarland, Wis./McFarland), of UW-Eau Claire
Weaver won three events in the team’s dual 207-93 meet victory against UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 28. She was a member of the winning 200-yard medley relay team with a time of 1:51.30. Weaver also won the 100-yard breaststroke (1:07.52) and 200-yard breaststroke (2:29.04) for the top two times in the conference.
 
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Paige Rundahl, Sophomore, Sun Prairie, Wis. (Sun Prairie)
UW-Oshkosh, Sienna Della-Peruta, Freshman, Grayslake, Ill.
UW-Stevens Point, Kasey Fris, Junior, New Lenox, Ill. (Lincoln-Way West)
 
Diving
Abby Hopfensperger, Senior (Appleton, Wis./West), of UW-Stevens Point
Hopfensperger led the Pointers dive team at the St. Norbert College (Wis.) dual, logging two decisive wins in the one-meter dive (249.75) and three-meter dive (258.80). At the UW-Eau Claire dual, she added another first-place finish in the one-meter dive with a score of 209.05.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Ella Josephs, Freshman, Plymouth, Wis. (Plymouth)
UW-La Crosse, Madeline Weber, Sophomore, Eau Claire, Wis. (Memorial)
UW-Oshkosh, Abbi Priestley, Sophomore, Neenah, Wis. (Neenah)
 
 
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Offense
Ashley Kopp, Junior (Muskego, Wis./Muskego), Outside Hitter of UW-Stevens Point
Kopp racked up two double-doubles and led all players in kills in all three of UW-Stevens Point’s matches during the week. On Oct. 25, she posted a match-high 26 kills and led the Pointers with 21 digs against UW-Whitewater. In that match, she became just the third player in school history to reach 1,500 career kills. On Oct. 28, Kopp racked up another double-double with 25 kills and 14 digs in a four-set win over Wheaton College (Ill.). She finished the week with 19 kills in a sweep of Elmhurst University (Ill.). For the week, Kopp totaled 70 kills, 41 digs, four blocks, two assists and two aces.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Charlie Nelson, Senior, Setter, Lakeville, Minn. (Farmington)
UW-La Crosse, Brianne Korducki, Senior, Outside Hitter, Watertown, Wis. (Watertown)
UW-Oshkosh, Robyn Kirsch, Junior, Outside Hitter, Wausau, Wis. (West)
UW-Platteville, Madelyn Cooley, Junior, Opposite Hitter, Platteville, Wis. (Platteville)
UW-River Falls, Lauren North, Freshman, Outside Hitter, Warrens, Wis. (Tomah)
UW-Stout, Kennedy Barrett, Junior, Setter, Hermantown, Minn. (Hermantown)
UW-Whitewater, Jenna Weinfurt, Senior, Outside Hitter, Waukesha, Wis. (Catholic Memorial)
 
Defense
Sheridan Dettmann, Senior (Watertown, Wis./Watertown), Defensive Specialist of UW-Eau Claire
Dettmann made 85 digs across four matches during the week for the Blugolds, including a 28-dig performance against Millikin University (Ill.) on Oct. 28. The 28 digs set a season high for Dettmann. She led UW-Eau Claire in digs in all four contests.
 
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Anna Rossner, Senior, Middle Blocker, Wauwatosa, Wis. (East)
UW-Oshkosh, Abby Fregien, Junior, Libero, Waukesha, Wis. (West)
UW-Platteville, Shea Lauria, Senior, Libero, Colgate, Wis. (Brookfield East)
UW-Stout, Terrah Moshier, Senior, Libero, Oakdale, Minn. (Tartan)
UW-Whitewater, Morgan Jensen, Graduate Student, Libero, Sun Prairie, Wis. (Sun Prairie)
 
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