Football

Kwik Trip Athletes of the Week - September 18

MADISON, Wis.--Following are the WIAC Kwik Trip Athletes of the Week for the week of September 11 - 17.

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
Justin Krause, Senior (Ixonia, Wis./Pewaukee), of UW-Whitewater
Krause helped the Warhawks to a first-place finish at the UW-Whitewater Tom Hoffman Invitational on Sept. 16. He led a nine-Warhawk contingent to finish among the top 10 at the meet, crossing the line in 26:14.3 to lead the 104 runners that completed the 8,000-meter course.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Ian Barnes, Sophomore, Cary, Ill. (Cary Grove)
UW-La Crosse, Elias Ritzke, Junior, Poynette, Wis. (Poynette)
 
 
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Carolyn Shult, Senior (Augusta, Wis./Augusta), of UW-Eau Claire
Shult won the St. Olaf College (Minn.) Invitational on Sept. 16, with a 6,000-meter time of 22:22 in a field of 124 runners. She led the Blugolds to a second-place finish out of nine teams. Shult won by 23 seconds and bettered her time from last year’s St. Olaf Invitational by over 40 seconds.
 
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Maddie Hannan, Senior, Minneapolis, Minn. (Southwest)
UW-Whitewater, Abbey Wedwick, Junior, Westby, Wis. (Westby)
 
 
FOOTBALL
Offense
Tamir Thomas, Junior (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls), Running Back of UW-Whitewater
Thomas led No. 4-ranked UW-Whitewater to a 17-14 win at No. 19-ranked University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) on Sept. 16. He found his way into the endzone twice at Crusader Stadium. Thomas got UW-Whitewater on the board punching it in from two-yards out on the team’s opening drive for the early lead. Midway through the second quarter, he found the endzone on a four-yard scamper to give UW-Whitewater a 14-7 advantage. For the game, Thomas posted 111 yards on 23 carries with a pair of rushing touchdowns.
 
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Ryan Bartol, Senior, Wide Receiver, Berlin, Wis. (Berlin)
UW-Oshkosh, Kobe Berghammer, Senior, Quarterback, Clayton, Wis. (Clayton)
UW-River Falls, Kaleb Blaha, Junior, Quarterback, Coon Rapids, Minn. (Fridley)
UW-Stout, Mitch Waechter, Junior, Quarterback, Campbellsport, Wis. (St. Mary’s Springs)
 
Defense
Andrew Schumacher, Junior (Andover, Minn./Andover), Defensive Back of UW-River Falls
Schumacher paced the Falcon defense that allowed -11 rushing yards in a 75-3 win at University of Northwestern (Minn.) on Sept. 16. He had two tackles along with a 33-yard interception return for a touchdown, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. The margin of victory was the largest in program history.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Caden Tonsager, Freshman, Cornerback, Eagan, Minn. (Eagan)
UW-La Crosse, Ryan Daines, Senior, Linebacker, Westby, Wis. (Westby)
UW-Oshkosh, Tijs Santiago, Senior, Defensive Back, Monona, Wis. (Monona Grove)
UW-Platteville, Aidan Tyk, Senior, Defensive Back, Manhattan, Ill. (Lincoln Way West)
UW-Stout, Blaine Seidl, Sophomore, Linebacker, Medford, Wis. (Medford)
UW-Whitewater, Kaden Sleets, Sophomore, Defensive Back, Oak Park, Ill. (Oak Park and River Forest)
 
Special Teams
Michael Stack, Sophomore (Oshkosh, Wis./West), Kicker/Punter of UW-La Crosse
Stack converted a pair of field goals in UW-La Crosse's 34-3 win at NCAA Division II Northern Michigan University on Sept. 16. He connected on a 36-yard field goal in the second quarter to give UW-La Crosse a 17-0 lead. Stack later hit a 28-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to extend the advantage to 27-3. He was also four-of-four in extra-point attempts. 
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Dan Zeuli, Junior, Punter, Hudson, Wis. (Hudson)
UW-Oshkosh, Nolan Mobley, Sophomore, Kicker, Oak Creek, Wis. (Oak Creek)
UW-River Falls, Crede Timm, Senior, Punter, Shawano, Wis. (Shawano)
UW-Stout, Carter Johnson, Sophomore, Safety, Mondovi, Wis. (Mondovi)
UW-Whitewater, Mason Stepanski, Sophomore, Linebacker, Appleton, Wis. (Kimberly)
 
 
WOMEN’S GOLF
Ellie Johnson, Junior (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg), of UW-Whitewater
Johnson set a program record to lead the Warhawks to a sixth-place finish at the Illinois Wesleyan University Fall Classic held Sept. 16-17. Johnson carded a 69 on Sept. 16, the best 18-hole score in UW-Whitewater history. She added a 73 on Sept. 17, for a two-day total of 142 to tie for second at the event.
 
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Grace Ellison, Senior, Wheaton, Ill. (Wheaton Warrenville South)
 
 
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Offense
Elise Pinewski, Junior (Anoka, Minn./Anoka), Forward/Midfielder of UW-Eau Claire
Pinewski scored the lone goal to send UW-Eau Claire to its first-ever victory over No. 20-ranked Wartburg College (Iowa) on Sept. 16. She collected a pass in the center of the field and fired off a curling, long-range shot from 30 yards out that swerved past the Knights’ keeper and just under the crossbar. It put the Blugolds ahead 1-0 early in the second half, which held up as the final score.
 
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Claire Cater, Junior, Midfielder, Woodbury, Minn. (Hill-Murray)
UW-Oshkosh, Molly Jackson, Junior, Forward, Appleton, Wis. (East)
UW-Platteville, Lexi Ward, Freshman, Defender, Eldridge, Iowa (North Scott)
UW-Stout, Emma Balsley, Freshman, Midfielder, Brainerd, Minn. (Brainerd)
UW-Whitewater, Maya Rebic, Junior, Forward, Elmhurst, Ill. (York Community)
 
Defense
Kristen Silenzi, Freshman (Carpentersville, Ill./Jacobs), Goalkeeper of UW-Stout
Silenzi faced 16 shots, five on target, and made all five saves to earn her second shutout of the year with a 1-0 win at Luther College (Iowa) on Sept. 16. She played the first half against Viterbo University (Wis.) on Sept. 13, making three saves on four shots, as the Blue Devils and V-Hawks played to a 2-2 tie.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Ava Glenn, Sophomore, Midfielder, Montgomery, Ill. (Yorkville)
UW-La Crosse, Jenna Nichols, Junior, Defender, Batavia, Ill. (Batavia)
UW-Whitewater, Liz Prigge, Junior, Defender, Palatine, Ill. (Fremd)
 
 
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Singles
Cassie Lee, Junior (Downers Grove, Ill./Timothy Christian), of UW-Whitewater
Lee led the Warhawks to a 9-0 sweep over UW-La Crosse and a 6-3 win over UW-Eau Claire during the week. She defeated Tasha Bailey of UW-La Crosse 6-1, 6-1 and UW-Eau Claire’s Clare Palen 6-0, 6-2 at No. 1 singles. Lee also added a pair of wins at No. 1 doubles to go 4-0 on the week.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Liv Herzog, Sophomore, Owatonna, Minn. (Owatonna)
UW-La Crosse, Shelby Roth, Freshman, Neenah, Wis. (Neenah)
UW-Stevens Point, Jordan Scharf, Senior, Wauwatosa, Wis. (West)
UW-Stout, Ella Lamppa, Sophomore, Virginia, Minn. (Virginia)
 
Doubles
Cassie Lee, Junior (Downers Grove, Ill./Timothy Christian) & Gracie Ha, Sophomore (Palatine, Ill./Fremd), of UW-Whitewater
Lee and Ha teamed up for a pair of wins at No. 1 doubles to help lead the Warhawks to a 9-0 sweep at UW-La Crosse and a 6-3 win at UW-Eau Claire. In the match against the Eagles, Lee and Ha fought off four match points to defeat UW-La Crosse’s top doubles duo of Shelby Roth and Hannah Cady in a tiebreak, 8-7 (10-8). The Warhawk pair added an 8-5 win over UW-Eau Claire’s Clare Palen and Samantha Fuchs, who were regionally ranked last season, to wrap up the week.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Morgan Dekan, Junior, Altoona, Wis. (Altoona) & Anna Lee, Sophomore, Buffalo, Minn. (Buffalo)
UW-La Crosse, Hannah Cady, Freshman, Delafield, Wis. (Hartland Arrowhead) & Shelby Roth, Freshman, Neenah, Wis. (Neenah)
UW-Stevens Point, Tristin Jantz, Sophomore, Salem, Wis. (Westosha Central) & Jordan Scharf, Senior, Wauwatosa, Wis. (West)
UW-Stout, Ellie Becker, Junior, St. James, Minn. (St. James) & Halle Bruggeman, Freshman, Crookston, Minn. (Crookston)
 
 
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Offense
Kirsten Anderson, Senior (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie), Middle Hitter of UW-Whitewater
Anderson led the No. 10-ranked Warhawks to a 3-0 record at their home invitational held Sept. 15-16. She registered 13 kills, while committing a single error in the team’s 3-1 win over College of Saint Benedict (Minn.) to open the invitational. Anderson followed with a 10 kill, 8 block performance to lead UW-Whitewater to a 3-1 victory over No. 16-ranked Transylvania University (Ky.). She added 10 more kills (without a single attack error) and 7 blocks, including 3 solos, in a 3-1 triumph over No. 7-ranked Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.). For the week, Anderson hit .453 averaging, 2.75 kills per set. After adding 17 blocks to her season total, Anderson now ranks third in NCAA Division III in blocks per set.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Bailey Leeke, Sophomore, Pin Hitter, Lakeville, Minn. (North)
UW-La Crosse, Grace Nommensen, Freshman, Setter, New Glarus, Wis. (New Glarus)
UW-Oshkosh, Riley Kindt, Senior, Middle Blocker, Brookfield, Wis. (East)
UW-Platteville, Emma Carlson, Junior, Outside Hitter, Dixon, Ill. (Dixon)
UW-River Falls, Sami Hilley, Senior, Middle Blocker, Brooklyn Park, Minn. (Champlin Park)
UW-Stevens Point, Ashley Kopp, Junior, Outside Hitter, Muskego, Wis. (Muskego)
UW-Stout, Sidney Hoverman, Senior, Outside Hitter, St. Croix Falls, Wis. (St. Croix Falls)
 
Defense
Morgan Jensen, Graduate Student (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie), Libero of UW-Whitewater
Jensen help lead the No. 10-ranked Warhawks to three wins at the UW-Whitewater Invitational held Sept. 15-16. She opened the tournament with 23 digs against College of Saint Benedict (Minn.) before posting a season-high 30 digs in the team’s 3-1 win over No. 16-ranked Transylvania University (Ky.). Jensen capped the weekend with 19 more digs in UW-Whitewater’s 3-1 triumph over No. 7-ranked Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.). For the week, Jensen averaged 6.0 digs per set.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, MacKenzie Houser, Senior, Defensive Specialist, Pleasant Plains, Ill. (Pleasant Plains)
UW-La Crosse, Ella Luoma, Sophomore, Defensive Specialist/Libero, Franklin, Wis. (Franklin)
UW-Oshkosh, Abby Fregien, Junior, Libero, Waukesha, Wis. (West)
UW-Platteville, Bri Gartner, Sophomore, Libero, Bettendorf, Iowa (Assumption)
UW-River Falls, Katelyn Nichols, Junior, Windom, Minn. (Windom)
UW-Stevens Point, Tessa Erlandson, Freshman, Defensive Specialist/Libero, Kenyon, Minn. (Kenyon Wanamingo)
UW-Stout, Terrah Moshier, Senior, Defensive Specialist, Oakdale, Minn. (Tartan)