(WIAC) – The WIAC has announce its Kwik Trip Athletes of the Week and area players are getting attention.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Gunner Schlender, Senior (Brillion, Wis./Brillion), of UW-Whitewater
Schlender won the championship race at the Pre-National Meet hosted by Rose-Hulman (Ind.) on Oct. 4. The race featured more than 400 runners from 46 institutions including eight ranked among the top 30 nationally. Schlender captured a new personal best time, crossing the line in 24:08.97. The Warhawks finished second in the championship race behind the 2023 national champions.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Mason Shea, Senior, River Falls, Wis. (River Falls)
UW-La Crosse, Aidan Matthai, Junior, Wauwatosa, Wis. (East)
UW-Platteville, Caden Schneider, Junior, Reedsburg, Wis. (Reedsburg)
UW-River Falls, Logan Munson, Junior, Woodbury, Minn. (Woodbury)
UW-Stevens Point, Logan Murphy, Sophomore, Sheboygan Falls, Wis. (Sheboygan Falls)
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Keeley Behr, Junior (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley), of UW-Eau Claire
Behr placed fourth of 193 runners to lead the Blugolds to a first-of-13-team finish at their home invitational on Oct. 4. She covered the 6K course in 22:28, which was a 61-second improvement over her time at last year’s at Blugold Invitational.
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Gwen Hinz, Junior, Freedom, Wis. (Freedom)
UW-Platteville, Hannah Fliss, Senior, Mosinee, Wis. (Mosinee)
UW-River Falls, Laina Viere, Sophomore, Richmond, Minn. (Rocori)
UW-Stevens Point, Rachel Krouse, Senior, Milwaukee, Wis. (Wauwatosa West)
UW-Whitewater, Katie Erb, Junior, Winnebago, Ill. (Winnebago)
FOOTBALL
Offense
Brandt Stare, Senior (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley), Wide Receiver of UW-Platteville
Stare finished with 189 receiving yards and two touchdowns on seven receptions, while adding the game-winning touchdown pass in the Pioneers 30-27 overtime win over UW-La Crosse on Oct. 5. He scored UW-Platteville’s first touchdown of the game on a 78-yard strike late in the third quarter to cut the deficit down to five points. Stare then played a big part in the team’s late comeback in regulation, as his 42-yard touchdown catch got the Pioneers back within eight in the closing minutes. His biggest play of the game came on the Pioneers first offensive snap in overtime when he took a backward pass and found Ryan Doherty for a 25-yard touchdown pass and the upset win.
Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Cole Warren, Freshman, Quarterback, Roscoe, Ill. (Hononegah)
UW-River Falls, Kaleb Blaha, Senior, Quarterback, Coon Rapids, Minn. (Fridley)
UW-Whitewater, Tamir Thomas, Senior, Running Back, Menomonee Falls, Wis. (Menomonee Falls)
Defense
Paul Kim, Freshman (Janesville, Wis./Parker), Defensive Back of UW-Whitewater
In his first collegiate start, Kim led the UW-Whitewater defense with seven tackles, including two for a loss of 13 yards, a sack for a loss of nine and a forced fumble. Midway through the fourth, Kim came off the edge to sack the Titan quarterback and cause a fumble. Although UW-Oshkosh recovered, it pushed the Titans back to a 3rd-and-19 and led to a punt on their final drive of the game. The Warhawks went on to beat UW-Oshkosh 21-14 in the WIAC opener.
Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Jose Munoz-Dominguez, Senior, Defensive Back, Ripon, Wis. (Ripon)
UW-Platteville, Ollie Hughes, Sophomore, Defensive Back, Long Grove, Iowa (North Scott)
UW-River Falls, Andre Hall, Junior, Defensive Back, Cambridge, Minn. (Cambridge-Isanti)
UW-Stevens Point, Carson Van Ess, Senior, Defensive Back, Two Rivers, Wis. (Two Rivers)
UW-Stout, Nick Mohs, Senior, Defensive Line, Rochester, Minn. (Stewartville)
Special Teams
Luke Cool, Senior (Franklin, Wis./Franklin), Kicker of UW-Stout
Cool tied his own school record with five made field goals against UW-Stevens Point. He was good from 30, 31, 21, 36, and 23, and made his only PAT for a total of 16 points. Cool averaged 57.2 yards on his six kickoffs with two touchbacks.
Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Walleye Ratliff, Sophomore, Punter, Cincinnati, Ohio (Archbishop Moeller)
UW-Platteville, Benjamin Younker, Sophomore, Punter, Genoa, Ill. (Genoa-Kingston)
UW-River Falls, Justin Scheberl, Junior, Fond du Lac, Wis. (Fond du Lac)
UW-Stout, Luke Cool, Senior, Kicker, Franklin, Wis. (Franklin)
MEN’S SOCCER
Offense
Nathan Donovan, Senior (Hazel Green, Wis./Wahlert Catholic), Forward of UW-Eau Claire
Against University of Dubuque (Iowa) on Oct. 1, Donovan showcased his scoring ability with a powerful header goal right under the crossbar, followed by a quick assist on another goal. Against UW-Platteville on Oct. 4, Donovan scored both goals to secure a 2-0 win and mark UW-Eau Claire’s first WIAC victory of the season. Against Simpson College (Iowa) on Oct. 6, he scored a penalty kick in the 28th minute, bringing his season total to 16 goals and 5 goals from the penalty spot.
Also nominated:
UW-Platteville, Danny Gutzwiller, Junior, Midfielder, Peoria, Ill. (Notre Dame)
UW-River Falls, Landon Christiansen, Freshman, Forward, Somerset, Wis. (Somerset)
UW-Stevens Point, Devin Wilkerson, Freshman, Forward, La Crosse, Wis. (Central)
Defense
Alvaro Boned, Freshman (Madrid, Spain/E.M.F.O Boadilla), Goalkeeper of UW-River Falls
Boned played a pivotal role in UW-River Falls going 2-0 during the week. He recorded a total of 17 saves, as the Falcons won both their matches 3-1 against Lawrence University (Wis.) and UW-Whitewater. In UW-River Falls’ first-ever WIAC match against UW-Whitewater, Boned recorded a career-high 10 saves to help the Falcons to victory.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Spencer Banks, Senior, Goalkeeper, Stevens Point, Wis. (SPASH)
UW-Stevens Point, Jacob Havlik, Freshman, Goalkeeper, Onalaska, Wis. (Onalaska)
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Offense
Ellie Arndt, Senior (Appleton, Wis./St. Francis Xavier), Midfielder of UW-La Crosse
Arndt had a goal in UW-La Crosse’s 3-0 win over UW-Oshkosh on Oct. 5, securing the Eagles’ 16th straight WIAC win. She finished with three shots, including two on goal. Her goal at 59:11 gave UW-La Crosse a 2-0 lead.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Molly Henderson, Senior, Forward, Duluth, Minn. (East)
UW-Platteville, Lydia Smith, Senior, Forward, Troy, Ill. (Triad)
UW-River Falls, Lilly Leitner, Freshman, Midfielder, St. Paul, Minn. (Two Rivers)
UW-Stevens Point, Gabby Dunn, Senior, Forward, Dallas, Texas (Bishop Lynch)
Defense
Alexis McMahon, Senior (San Jose, Calif./Valley Christian), Defender of UW-La Crosse
McMahon had the game-winning goal in UW-La Crosse’s 3-0 victory over UW-Oshkosh on Oct. 5, securing the Eagles’ 16th straight WIAC win. She helped UW-La Crosse’s defense hold UW-Oshkosh to two shots (one on goal) and one corner kick as it earned its fourth shutout of the season.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Savannah Swopes, Junior, Defender, Janesville, Wis. (Milton)
UW-Platteville, Jorie Carr, Freshman, Defender, Schaumburg, Ill. (Schaumburg)
UW-River Falls, Madelyn Johnson, Sophomore, Defender, Oak Grove, Minn. (Saint Francis)
UW-Stevens Point, Mara Gustafson, Senior, Defender, Green Bay, Wis. (Bay Port)
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