UW-La Crosse's Rego Tops All-WIAC Football Team

NEWS RELEASE
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Matt Stanek * Sports Information Director * 780 Regent Street * Madison, WI 53715 * Phone: (608) 265-6406 * www.uwsa.edu/wiac/

RELEASED: Wednesday, November 20, 2002

UW-La Crosse's Rego Tops All-WIAC Football Team

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Thaddeus Rego was named the 2002 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Player of the Year, headlining the All-WIAC Football Team, which was recently selected by the league coaches.

Rego, a senior defensive lineman, helped the Eagles to their 31st league title in school history and a spot in the NCAA playoffs. He was a unanimous selection after leading the Eagles with 11 tackles for loss during the 2002 regular season. He also tied for the team lead with five quarterback sacks and finished third with 61 tackles.

A first-time All-WIAC selection in 2002, Rego has 122 career tackles, including 29 tackles for loss and nine quarterback sacks. His 29 career tackles for loss is tied for 11th in school history.

Rego becomes the eighth player in UW-La Crosse football history to win the conference player of the year honor, joining Jared Arn (1999), Mike Maslowski (1996), Jason Gonnion (1993), Jason Janke (1992), Dave Draxler (1978), Greg Gerber (1974) and Jim Shattuck (1973).

Matt Makaryk, Matt Rizzo, Mike Smith, Chris Ahrens, Adam Schneider and Josh Moon also received first team honors, while helping the Eagles to their first playoff spot since 1999.

Makaryk, a senior quarterback, started for the first time in his collegiate career this season and has completed 161 passes for 2,397 yards and a league-leading 19 touchdowns. His 2,397 passing yards rank him second in the conference this season and is the second highest total in school history. Makaryk also ranks second in the league with 250.2 yards per game of total offense and the mark is the second highest total in school history.

Rizzo, a senior wide receiver, earned first team honors for the second straight season. He became UW-La Crosse's career leader with 136 receptions this year and set a school single season record with 77 receptions in 2001. Rizzo has 53 catches for 556 yards and four touchdowns this season.

Smith, a senior fullback, has 171 rushing yards on 43 carries this year with four touchdowns.

Ahrens, a junior offensive lineman, has helped UW-La Crosse average 28.2 points per game, the Eagles' highest scoring average since 1997 (35.3).

Schneider, a sophomore linebacker, leads the league with 91 tackles. He has six tackles for loss with four pass break-ups and one interception to his credit this year.

Moon, a senior defensive back, has recorded 43 tackles this year, including three for loss. He is tied for the team lead with three interceptions, while breaking up five passes.

UW-Stevens Point's Cory Flisakowski, Scott Krause, Jason VanderVelden, Dillon Maney and Nick Haffele all earned first team honors as the Pointers posted their 14th winning mark (6-4 overall) in the last 15 seasons.

Flisakowski, a sophomore all-purpose back, ranked third in the league with 142.9 all-purpose yards per contest. He had a conference record-tying 99-yard kickoff return this season against UW-La Crosse. Flisakowski also tied a school record this year when he scored four touchdowns against UW-River Falls.

Krause, a junior quarterback, led the league in passing efficiency (130.6) and totaled 2,001 yards passing (200.1 per game) with 17 touchdown throws. He also rushed for seven touchdowns on the season. Krause was a honorable mention pick a year ago.

VanderVelden, a junior fullback, was the team's leading rusher with 456 yards on 124 carries and had five touchdown runs. He earned second team honors last season.

Maney, a senior defensive back, was a unanimous selection as he earned first team honors for the third straight season. He had 73 tackles this season, including two for loss. Maney intercepted three passes and returned a fumble 95 yards. He also was recognized as a honorable mention pick at a punter this year.

Haffele, a junior linebacker, led the conference with 98 tackles this season. He also had 15 tackles for loss and four quarterback sacks. Haffele was a second team pick last year.

UW-Stout's Luke Bundgaard, Ben Knepper, Jamie Spielman, Joe Kersten and Tyrone Rhone helped the Blue Devils to a 7-3 overall mark during the 2002 campaign.

Bundgaard, a junior running back, was a unanimous selection after rushing for 879 yards on 184 carries with 10 touchdowns. He is the school's all-time leading rusher with 2,966 yards. Bundgaard was a second team selection last year, after earning first team honors in 2000.

Knepper, a junior offensive lineman, was also a unanimous pick for a Blue Devil offense that led the league with 28.5 points per game and ranked second with 224.8 rushing yards per contest.

Spielman spearheaded a Blue Devil defense that led the league in total defense (239.6), scoring defense (15.4) and rushing defense (50.0). He was a unanimous pick at linebacker after leading the league with 21 tackles for loss. He amassed 86 tackles this season, including seven quarterback sacks. Spielman was a first team pick last year, after earning second team accolades the previous two seasons.

Kersten, a junior defensive lineman, totaled 22 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss and five quarterback sacks. He was a second team pick last season.

Rhone, a senior defensive back, had 41 tackles, six pass break-ups and four interceptions this season.

UW-Eau Claire's Brad Newton, Mike Bestul, Brad Gawronski and Nick Goeser helped the team to its second straight 8-2 overall mark.

Newton was a unanimous selection at tight end after compiling 457 yards on 39 receptions and four touchdowns. He earned first team honors for the second straight season.

Bestul, a senior offensive lineman, was a unanimous selection for a squad that ranked third in the league with 207.2 passing yards per game and fourth with 26.7 points per contest. He was a second team honoree a year ago.

Gawronski, a senior linebacker, was a unanimous selection after totaling 62 tackles this season, including seven tackles for loss. He also added two interceptions. Gawronski was a first team pick a year ago, after earning second team honors in 2000 and honorable mention accolades in 1999.

Goeser, a senior defensive lineman, had 47 tackles, including seven tackles for loss and two sacks this season. He was a honorable mention selection in 2000.

UW-Whitewater's Chad Wurth, Kyle Haug, Chad Nimm and Dan Flanagan earned first team honors, helping the Warhawks to their third straight 5-5 overall record.

Wurth, a junior, earned unanimous first team accolades as a running back and was also selected as a kicker. He was a second team selection at running back the last two seasons. Wurth totaled 1,093 yards (109.3 per game) on a league-high 259 carries this year and also leads the league with 9.5 points per contest. Wurth is the second player in UW-Whitewater history to surpass the 1,000-yard mark in each of his first three seasons. As a kicker, Wurth was 24-for-25 on extra points this season and 11-for-17 on field goals with a long kick of 47 yards, the longest in the league this year.

Haug, a junior punter, ranks second in the league with 36.9 yards per punt. He had a long punt of 63 yards this season and placed 15 kicks inside the 20-yard line. Haug was a honorable mention pick last season.

Nimm, a junior center, helped the Warhawks rank third in the league in with 161.3 rushing yards per game during the 2002 campaign.

Flanagan, a senior defensive lineman, led the team with nine tackles for loss and five quarterback sacks. He totaled 58 tackles on the season and blocked two kicks. Flanagan was a first team pick in 2000.

UW-Oshkosh had a pair of individuals named to the first team. Justin Schneider, a senior defensive lineman, led the Titans with 12 tackles for loss, six quarterback sacks and three forced fumbles. He was third on the squad with 58 tackles.

Nick Carlson, a senior defensive back, had a team-leading four interceptions and 85 tackles this season, including five tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks. He earned honorable mention honors last year.

UW-River Falls' John Peterlik and Shaun Izdepski both earned first team honors. Peterlik, a sophomore running back, leads the conference with 1,114 rushing yards (111.4 per game) and 1,454 all-purpose yards (145.4 per game), while ranking third with 7.2 points per game.

Izdepski, a senior offensive lineman, helped the Falcons lead the league with 234.3 rushing yards per contest.

UW-Platteville's Matt Kent, a junior wide receiver, earned first team honors for the second consecutive season. He leads the league with 65 receptions (7.22 per game), 1,139 receiving yards (126.6 per game) and 13 touchdown catches, while ranking second with 145.3 all-purpose yards per game and 9.1 points per contest. Kent is the first player in UW-Platteville history to surpass 1,000 receiving yards. He established a school record with 288 receiving yards against UW-Whitewater this season.

Named to the second team offense were: UW-Eau Claire's Nick Diciaula (Jr., K), Jason Foemmel (Sr., WR) and Mike LaBarbera (Jr., All-Purp.), UW-La Crosse's Ross Moline (Sr., RB) and Bryan Morris (Sr., Punter), UW-Oshkosh's Chad Lindsley (Jr., TE) and Steve Wagner (Sr., WR), UW-Platteville's Stu Herbst (Sr., OL), Andy Paulsen (Sr., OL) and Tom Stetzer (Jr., QB), UW-Stevens Point's Kurt Kielblock (So., RB), UW-Stout's Ryan Englebert (Fr., RB), Clint Greenebaum (Jr., OL), Matt Schaeuble (So., FB) and Josh Towner (Jr., C) and UW-Whitewater's Randy Borgardt (Sr., QB) and Matt Buenning (Jr., OL).

Named to the second team defense were: UW-Eau Claire's Austin Crow (Jr., DL), Mike LaBarbera (Jr., DB) and Justin Miller (Sr., DB), UW-La Crosse's Jeremy Duerr (Jr., DL) and Dustin Powell (Jr., LB), UW-Oshkosh's Craig Korth (So., LB), UW-River Falls' Jeff Horton (Jr., DL), UW-Stevens Point's Clint Bakken (So., DL), UW-Stout's Eric Moe (Sr., DB), Matt Mueller (Jr., DL) and Mark Ralph (Sr., LB) and UW-Whitewater's Andy Lobdell (Jr., LB) and Fulton Bell III (So., DB).

UW-La Crosse head coach Larry Terry was named the George Chryst Coach of the Year by the league coaches. He led the Eagles to their 31st conference title in school history and first playoff appearance since 1999. Terry has compiled an 18-12 overall and 15-6 league record in his three seasons at the helm of the Eagles.

2002 All-WIAC Football Team

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Name, School, Position, Height, Weight, Year, Hometown (High School)
**Brad Newton, Eau Claire, Tight End, 6-5, 245, Senior, Baldwin (Baldwin-Woodville)
Chris Ahrens, La Crosse, Offensive Line, 6-1, 270, Junior, Clear Lake
**Mike Bestul, Eau Claire, Offensive Line, 5-11, 275, Senior, Chippewa Falls (Chi-Hi)
Shaun Izdepski, River Falls, Offensive Line, 6-0, 265, Senior, Conrath (Flambeau)
**Ben Knepper, Stout, Offensive Line, 6-4, 305, Junior, Rice Lake
Chad Nimm, Whitewater, Center, 6-1, 295, Junior, Johnson Creek
Scott Krause, Stevens Point, Quarterback, 6-3, 208, Junior, Waunakee
Matt Makaryk, La Crosse, Quarterback, 6-2, 195, Senior, Plainfield (Tri-County)
**Luke Bundgaard, Stout, Running Back, 6-3, 215, Junior, Weyerhaeuser (Bruce)
John Peterlik, River Falls, Running Back, 5-8, 164, Sophomore, Cadott
**Chad Wurth, Whitewater, Running Back, 5-9, 185, Junior, Monona (Monona Grove)
Mike Smith, La Crosse, Fullback, 6-1, 225, Senior, Portage
Jason VanderVelden, Stevens Point, Fullback, 6-1, 205, Junior, Winneconne
Matt Kent, Platteville, Wide Receiver, 5-11, 188, Junior, Gratiot (Black Hawk)
Matt Rizzo, La Crosse, Wide Receiver, 6-0, 210, Senior, Kenosha (Tremper)
Kyle Haug, Whitewater, Punter, 6-0, 205, Junior, Waukesha (Memorial)
Chad Wurth, Whitewater, Kicker, 5-9, 185, Junior, Monona (Monona Grove)
Cory Flisakowski, Stevens Point, All-Purpose, 6-1, 209, Sophomore, Stevens Point (SPASH)
**Unanimous Selection

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Chad Lindsley, Oshkosh, Tight End, 6-3, 250, Junior, Oconomowoc
Matt Buenning, Whitewater, Offensive Line, 6-7, 300, Junior, Green Bay (Bay Port)
Clint Greenebaum, Stout, Offensive Line, 6-2, 280, Junior, Hartland (Arrowhead)
Stu Herbst, Platteville, Offensive Line, 6-1, 275, Senior, Appleton (West)
Andy Paulsen, Platteville, Offensive Line, 6-3, 295, Senior, Blue River (Riverdale)
Josh Towner, Stout, Center, 6-2, 285, Junior, La Crosse (Onalaska)
Randy Borgardt, Whitewater, Quarterback, 6-0, 220, Senior, Racine (Park)
Tom Stetzer, Platteville, Quarterback, 6-2, 205, Junior, Black River Falls
Ryan Englebert, Stout, Running Back, 6-0, 235, Freshman, Sturgeon Bay (Southern Door)
Kurt Kielblock, Stevens Point, Running Back, 5-10, 182, Sophomore, Scandinavia (Iola-Scandinavia)
Ross Moline, La Crosse, Running Back, 6-0, 225, Senior, La Crosse (Aquinas)
Matt Schaeuble, Stout, Fullback, 6-2, 230, Sophomore, Wrightstown
Jason Foemmel, Eau Claire, Wide Receiver, 6-0, 200, Senior, Marshfield
Steve Wagner, Oshkosh, Wide Receiver, 6-4, 200, Senior, Lomira
Bryan Morris, La Crosse, Punter, 6-1, 180, Senior, Onalaska
Nick Diciaula, Eau Claire, Kicker, 5-10, 170, Junior, Brookfield (Central)
Mike LaBarbera, Eau Claire, All-Purpose, 5-10, 175, Junior, Eau Claire (Memorial)

HONORABLE MENTION OFFENSE
Chester Janke, La Crosse, Tight End, 6-3, 265, Junior, Black River Falls
Adam Whittaker, Whitewater, Tight End, 6-3, 245, Junior, Muskego
Brad Roy, River Falls, Offensive Line, 6-3, 240, Senior, Elk River, Minn.
Andy Jepsen, Eau Claire, Center, 6-1, 270, Senior, Centuria (Unity)
Nels Fredrickson, Eau Claire, Quarterback, 6-1, 195, Sophomore, Burnsville, Minn.
Nick Ohman, Stout, Quarterback, 6-2, 210, Sophomore, Glenwood City
Nick Wara, Oshkosh, Quarterback, 6-3, 215, Sophomore, Oshkosh (North)
Scott Burnoski, La Crosse, Wide Receiver, 6-1, 185, Sophomore, Rochester, Minn. (Century)
Eric Stauss, Whitewater, Wide Receiver, 5-9, 165, Sophomore, Marinette
Dillon Maney, Stevens Point, Punter, 6-3, 226, Senior, Three Lakes
Jason Borchardt, Platteville, Kicker, 5-10, 219, Sophomore, West Allis (Nathan Hale)
Bryan Morris, La Crosse, Kicker, 6-1, 180, Senior, Onalaska
Roman Johnson, River Falls, All-Purpose, 5-10, 170, Sophomore, Clearwater, Fla.
Nick Kilton, Oshkosh, All-Purpose, 6-2, 210, Freshman, Waukesha (North)

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Name, School, Position, Height, Weight, Year, Hometown (High School)
Dan Flanagan, Whitewater, Defensive Line, 6-2, 255, Senior, Mazomanie (Wisconsin Heights)
Nick Goeser, Eau Claire, Defensive Line, 6-3, 255, Senior, Scandinavia (Iola-Scandinavia)
Joe Kersten, Stout, Defensive Line, 6-5, 290, Junior, Menasha (Fox Valley Lutheran)
**Thaddeus Rego, La Crosse, Defensive Line, 6-2, 285, Senior, Reedsburg
Justin Schneider, Oshkosh, Defensive Line, 6-0, 240, Senior, West Bend (East)
**Brad Gawronski, Eau Claire, Linebacker, 6-1, 215, Senior, Reedsburg (Webb)
Nick Haffele, Stevens Point, Linebacker, 5-11, 233, Junior, Monroe
Adam Schneider, La Crosse, Linebacker, 6-1, 235, Sophomore, Waterloo
**Jamie Spielman, Stout, Linebacker, 6-2, 230, Senior, Menomonie
Nick Carlson, Oshkosh, Defensive Back, 6-1, 185, Senior, Menasha
**Dillon Maney, Stevens Point, Defensive Back, 6-3, 226, Senior, Three Lakes
Josh Moon, La Crosse, Defensive Back, 6-0, 195, Senior, Wautoma
Tyrone Rhone, Stout, Defensive Back, 5-10, 180, Senior, Milwaukee (Vincent)
**Unanimous Selection

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Clint Bakken, Stevens Point, Defensive Line, 6-3, 284, Sophomore, Boulder Junction (Lakeland)
Austin Crow, Eau Claire, Defensive Line, 6-3, 225, Junior, Woodbury, Minn.
Jeremy Duerr, La Crosse, Defensive Line, 6-1, 295, Junior, Pittsville
Jeff Horton, River Falls, Defensive Line, 6-4, 215, Junior, Oakdale, Minn. (Tartan)
Matt Mueller, Stout, Defensive Line, 6-3, 260, Junior, Chaska, Minn.
Craig Korth, Oshkosh, Linebacker, 6-0, 220, Sophomore, Menasha
Andy Lobdell, Whitewater, Linebacker, 6-4, 245, Junior, Lena, Ill.
Dustin Powell, La Crosse, Linebacker, 6-1, 230, Junior, Norwalk (Tomah)
Mark Ralph, Stout, Linebacker, 6-2, 230, Senior, Colfax
Fulton Bell III, Whitewater, Defensive Back, 5-11, 180, Sophomore, Racine (Case)
Mike LaBarbera, Eau Claire, Defensive Back, 5-10, 175, Junior, Eau Claire (Memorial)
Justin Miller, Eau Claire, Defensive Back, 6-1, 210, Senior, Woodbury, Minn.
Eric Moe, Stout, Defensive Back, 6-0, 190, Senior, Hixton (Whitehall)

HONORABLE MENTION DEFENSE
Derick Bielmeier, Oshkosh, Defensive Line, 6-4, 255, Junior, Wautoma
Dustin Drexel, Oshkosh, Defensive Line, 6-1, 250, Sophomore, Campbellsport
Jarrid Gohs, Stout, Defensive Line, 6-4, 260, Senior, Franklin (Oak Creek)
Craig Johnson, Stevens Point, Defensive Line, 6-4, 230, Sophomore, Green Bay (Preble)
Dan Larson, Eau Claire, Defensive Line, 6-2, 245, Senior, Baldwin (Baldwin-Woodville)
Doug Mittelstaedt, Stevens Point, Defensive Line, 6-2, 301, Junior, Reedsburg
Mike Saddy, Whitewater, Defensive Line, 6-1, 250, Senior, Muskego
Mitch Repka, Platteville, Linebacker, 6-0, 205, Junior, Holcombe (Lake Holcombe)
Rob Beauchaine, La Crosse, Defensive Back, 5-9, 180, Junior, Circle Pines, Minn. (Centennial)
Luke Miska, River Falls, Defensive Back, 5-9, 193, Senior, Silver Lake, Minn. (Glencoe-Silver Lake)

Player of the Year: Thaddeus Rego of La Crosse
Max Sparger Co-Scholar-Athletes: Mike Bestul of Eau Claire and Mark Ralph of Stout
George Chryst Coach of the Year: Larry Terry of La Crosse

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