Thursday, June 30, 2011

The Warhawks have 14 football recruits on this year's WFCA All-Star game rosters


July is here and the annual kick-off to football season is the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-Star games on July 16th at Titan Stadium on the campus of UW-Oshkosh.

UW-Whitewater has 14 players tentatively scheduled to report to the pre-All-Star game training camps on Sunday, July 10th. Once again this year the South squads will train at UW-Whitewater with the North squads training at UW-Oshkosh.

UW-Whitewater recruits selected to play in the one of the two WFCA High School Football All-Star games include:

South Division 1-3 squad

Thailor Bauer (6-4, 270) Kenosha Bradford - OL
2010 AP All-State (1st Team) / 2010 WFCA All-State
Journal-Sentinel 1st Team All-Milwaukee Area


Jake Borgardt (6’4” 290) Cedarburg High School - OL
2010 AP All-State (1st Team) / 2010 WFCA All-State
Journal-Sentinel 1st Team All-Milwaukee Area


Jason Zobel (6’3” 265) Verona High School - OL
2010 WFCA Honorable Mention All State
2010 Wisconsin State Journal All-Madison Area


Matt Gust (6-5 230) Verona High School – TE/DL
Two-time, first-team All-Big Eight; Big Eight TE of Year
2010 Wisconsin State Journal All-Madison Area 2nd Team


Derek Patton (6’4” 250) McFarland High School - OL2010 Rock Valley North Conference Lineman of the Year

Brett Oesterle (6’2” 220) Middleton High School – DL
2010 AP All-State (Honorable Mention) / 2010 WFCA All-State
2010 Wisconsin State Journal All-Madison Area 1st Team


Matt Helman (6’0” 260) Hartford Union High School – DL
2010 2nd Team All-Wisconsin Little Ten selection

North Division 1-3 squad

Cody Vande Hei (6’0” 200) West DePere High School - LB
2010 AP All-State (Honorable Mention)
2010 Bay Conference Defensive Player of the Year


Randy Hill (6’0” 162) West DePere High School - K
2010 AP All-State (2nd Team) / 2010 WFCA Honorable Mention

Zach Nellis (5’11” 182) Waupaca High School – DB
2010 WFCA Honorable Mention
Eastern Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year


South Division 4-7 squad

Bob Braam (6-5, 265) St. Francis High School - OL
First Team All-Woodland Blue Division

Dean Smith (6-2 295) Walworth Big Foot High School - OL
2010 AP All-State (2nd Team) / 2010 WFCA All-State

Mykall Bratchett (6-2, 235) Hope School HS – Milwaukee, WI - DE
Midwest Classic Conference Defensive Player of the Year
Journal Sentinel All-Area Honorable Mention


North Division 4-7 squad

Ryan Winske (6’1” 215) Omro High School QB/DB
2010 WFCA All-State Honorable Mention
2010 Wisconsin Flyway Conference Offensive Player of Year

Wednesday, June 29, 2011


• Even though my trip down to Crawfordsville, Indiana this week was a flop when I learned the Lane Olson had “decided to excuse himself from Team USA’s roster as he is pursuing a roster spot with a UFL team, it wasn’t a total loss.

• Gas in Crawfordsville (45 miles west of Indianapolis on I-74) was $3.21.9 per gallon. Getting gas at that price was worth the trip!

• So I was filling up my gas tank Monday night and a couple of guys gassing up started to chat with me asking about my Warhawk football T-Shirt. They asked where I was from and when I said Whitewater they said I might know his brother? It was former UW-Whitewater basketball player Dodd Davey who is currently the head coach at Elkhorn. Man, it is a small world isn’t it?

• Good luck to Lane Kimble on his new job at WJFW TV-12 in Rhinelander, WI. Lane has spent the past couple of years at WFAW/WSJY in Fort Atkinson following his graduation from UW-Whitewater. Lane’s face became well known as the TV Voice of UW-Whitewater Warhawk football telecasts on UWW TV.

• Good luck to UW-Whitewater baseball coach Dave Perchinsky and family who are in the process of moving to my old stomping grounds in Eau Claire. Perch has been a major cog in UW-Whitewater’s success on the baseball field since 2004.

• I’ve been “neck high” in football preparation over the past three weeks. Each year web the South All-Star team arrives at UW-Whitewater for “training camp” the football bug really bites.

• 14 UW-Whitewater football recruits are scheduled to play in this year’s Wisconsin Football Coach’s Association High School All-Star games set for Saturday, July 16th at Titan Stadium in Oshkosh. The South All-Stars will once again train at UW-Whitewater beginning July 10th.

• I’ll release the names of the UWW recruits next week.

• A big happy birthday to grandson’s Dallas Folberg and Jovan Smith who’s birthday parties are coming up. I asked Dallas what he wanted from Grandpa Tom for a birthday present? He said cash would be nice!!!

• Even though its going to be “stinkin’ hot” I hope you all enjoy your 4th of July weekend. Have a great time but be safe!!!!!!!!!

• I’ll have more random thoughts on the blog next week.

- Voice

Will Russell Wilson be a "Danny Jones" for the Wisconsin Badgers?

The big news in college football this week is that former NC State quarterback Russell Wilson signed with Wisconsin over Auburn and will be eligible to play this season for the Badgers.

The first thing I thought when I heard the news was remembering back a few years with a quarterback named Danny Jones transferred from California Lutheran to UW-Whitewater and helped lead the Warhawks to the 2007 NCAA Division III national championship.

Maybe the Danny Jones story at nearby UW-Whitewater contributed to Bret Bielema’s decision to welcome Wilson to Madison.

Jones, a two-time all-conference selection in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and was one of the top quarterbacks on the West coast prior to making the decision to transfer to Whitewater.

Will Russell Wilson be able to lead the Wisconsin Badgers on a serious run for another Big Ten title and “in the mix” for a possible BCS National Championship.
Wilson brings great credentials to Madison. In his three seasons with the Wolfpack, He threw for 8,545 yards and 76 touchdowns with 26 interceptions.

In 13 games last season, Wilson completed 58.4 percent of his passes for 3,563 yards with 28 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Wilson also rushed for 435 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

The 5-foot-11, 201-pound Wilson is a native of Richmond, Virginia, and was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the fourth round of the Major League Draft last year. This season, Wlson was hitting .228 with three home runs and 15 RBIs as a second baseman for the Rockies’ Class A affiliate in Asheville, N.C.

The Rockies released Wilson earlier this month so that he could attend Graduate School at Wisconsin and a final year of football eligibility for the Badgers.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Cure 54 - Art Guteriez Fundraiser in Jefferson on July 9th


All poceeds raised from this summer's Cure 54 Foundation events go to Warhawk football alum Art Gutierrez who is battling colo-rectal cancer. This is Art's second battle within a year with this very aggressive cancer.

A Cure 54 Golf Outing will be taking place on Saturday, July 9, at the Jefferson Golf Club. The 13 hole "best ball" event will get underway with a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m. If you are wondering why it is a 13 HOLE event is because the Jefferson Golf Course is a 13 hole course!!

The cost is $65 - including golf, cart, prizes and reception. Please register AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

Non-golfers are invited to attend the post-golf reception at the Jefferson Golf Club for a donation of $54 per person.

For more information on the Cure 54 Foundation and for a registation form for the Art Gutierrez-Cure 54 Golf Outing CLICK HERE

A reminder

The C.U.R.E. 54 Foundation is currently seeking donations for a charitable fundraising event that will be held at the New Berlin Ale House on Friday August 12rh. The event will include a silent auction and a raffle. All proceeds from the C.U.R.E. 54 Foundation will be given to Warhawk alum Art Gutierrez who is battling colo-rectal cancer. This is Art's second battle within a year with this very aggressive cancer.

All funds raised for Art will be used to seek treatment at either the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York or at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston. Both of these institutions are regarded as the two best cancer treatment centers in the United States.

If you have any sports memorabilia or other items you can donate to such a cause, please reach out to any of the organizers of the C.U.R.E. 54 fundraising event, including:

Brad Kligora (414) 587-4298
Jeremy Bergum (608) 289-4877
Ty Redmond (908) 591-0714
Pete Kishline (262) 370-9810

Once a Warhawk - Always a Warhawk

Monday, June 27, 2011

Lane Olson a late scratch from Team USA football roster


I got a big suprise when I arrived in Crawfordsville, Indiana Monday evening. I made the six hour drive for the purpose of conducting an interview with form Warhawk linebacker Lane Olson who was selected to the Team USA roster in advance of next month's IAAF Senior World Football Championship to be held in Austria.

When I checked into my hotel room I had the following email from Team USA media representative Steve Alic.

"Lane has decided to excuse himself from Team USA’s roster as he is pursuing a roster spot with a UFL team, Alic tells voiceseyeonfootball.blogspot.com. "Unfortunately, this precludes Lane from making the necessary time commitment that playing for Team USA would command."

I am told that Lane has been "worked out" for at least one team in the UFL this summer. Lane is not listed on any of the five UFL rosters.

I'll be keeping everyone updated.

- Voice

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Warhawk Youth Football Camp takes place June 27-29


(In the above photo - camp instuctors run youth campers through an instructional period in last year's Warhawk Football Youth Camp - Tom Pattison photo)

It is football camp time on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater – home of the two-time defending NCAA Division III national champions.

Now in its 36th year, hundreds of young players, and future players, attend the Warhawk football camps each summer to learn football the Whitewater Way.

The instructional camps feature not only UW-Whitewater football coaches, but a number of coaches around the country that provide instruction to southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois youth.

The second of three UW-Whitewater Football Instructional Camps will be taking place this week.

A big turnout is expected for the Warhawk Youth Football Camp for those in grades 4 through 8 taking place June 27th through June 29th.

The Warhawk Youth Football Camp has been a very productive camp for young men just learning the skills needed to participate in football. It is basically for learning techniques and focuses on instruction for all positions. Each camper gets equal offensive and defensive practice sessions to give them equal exposure to both sides. The emphasis will be on basic fundamentals.

This summer’s camp schedule will conclude July 6-8 with the Warhawk Lineman Camp.

The Lineman Camp is designed to develop skills and techniques of players who work in the trenches for their teams. Intensive individual coaching, as well as group work, will assist in helping players to develop not only the techniques necessary to play, but also the development on each player’s confidence. This camp is padded and will be open to offensive linemen (including the center, guards, tackles, and tight ends) and defensive linemen (including the nose guards, tackles, ends, and stand up linebackers that play on the line). Campers will be grouped by grade, age and experience.

For more information on the 2011 Warhawk Football Summer Camps you may contact the UW-Whitewater Office of Continuing Education at (262) 472-3165.

For complete football camp information CLICK HERE

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Pressure on the opposing QB was key for 2010 Warhawk defense


Brian Borland’s UW-Whitewater defense was outstanding again on its way to the NCAA Division III football championship in 2010. One of the keys to its success was the ability to pressure the opposing quarterback on a regular basis.

The Hawks ranked No. 1 in the WIAC and No. 6 in Division III in quarterback sacks last year.

Leading the way on the path to the quarterback for Whitewater was Lou Minett and Greg Arnold.

Minett, a former Whitewater High School stalwart, exploded on the scene at neighboring UW-Whitewater by recording 8.5 sacks and 10 tackles for a loss his freshman season. The young defensive end’s sack total ranked second in the WIAC.

Arnold, a linebacker from Mukwonago High School, ranked third in the WIAC with 7.0 sacks. His 10.5 tackles for a loss ranked fifth in the conference.

Arnold, who missed much of his sophomore season with a leg injury, was a “tackle machine” in 2010, finish second in tackles behind only Lane Olson who is currently preparing with Team USA to play in July’s IAAF World Football Championship Tournament in Austria.

Minett and Arnold weren’t the only pass rush stars for the Hawk defense last season. Luke Hibner (5th - 6.0 sacks), Lane Olson (T-7th – 6.5 sacks) and Jon Baldwin (T-7th – 6.5 sacks) gave Whitewater five of the Top-10 in QB sacks last year.

The Warhawks’ ability to put pressure on the opposing quarterback also took some pressure off a very young secondary.

Matt McCulloch, a first-team All-WIAC cornerback, was the only senior on the secondary’s Stagg Bowl two-deep roster.

The 2010 UW-Whitewater defense ranked No. 1 in the WIAC and ranked No. 5 in the nation in scoring defense.

More 2010 revisited Warhawk football stories will be coming soon here on voiceseyeonfootball.blogspot.com.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Warhawk rushing game: 6 yards and a cloud of FieldTurf pellets


For most UW-Whitewater football fans, the term “pound the rock” is the rallying cry for one of the top running games in all of NCAA Division III football.

Justin Beaver (2004-2007) holds the WIAC career rushing record of 6,584 yards (1,188 attempts) despite missing much of his freshman season due to injury.

When Beaver and his teammates captured the school’s first NCAA Division III national title as seniors in 2007, many thought that his career rushing mark would stand for many years.

Enter Levell Coppage as a freshman in 2008. The Oak Park, Illinois native enters his senior season closing in on Beaver’s career rushing record.

Coppage enters 2011 with 5675 yards rushing (944 attempts) and needs 910 yards to eclipse Beaver’s school and WIAC career rushing record.

What is most amazing about Coppage’s career has been propensity to get into the end zone with the football. The preseason Division III Player of the Year candidate enters his senior season with 81 rushing touchdowns – 30 more than Greg Corning (UWRF) who is in second place in the conference record book with 51 career touchdowns.

The Warhawk rushing game was “top headline” good long before Beaver and Coppage arrived on the UW-Whitewater campus.

How good has the Warhawk rushing game been? Since the year 2000, UW-Whitewater has had just one season where a running back has not gained at least one-thousand yards on the ground.

Chad Wurth, who is currently in third-place all-time in UW-Whitewater career rushing, was “held” to 982 yards rushing as a senior in 2003. Wurth rushed for 1207 yards as a freshman in 2000. The Monona Grove product lead the WIAC as a sophomore in 2001 with 1019 yards and finished second in the conference in 2002 with 1093 yards.

The following is a year-by-year look at UW-Whitewater rushing leaders (2000-2010)

2010: Levell Coppage – 2,107 yards - 25 TDs (14 games)
2009: Levell Coppage – 2,107 yards - 35 TDs (15 games)
2008: Levell Coppage - 1,461 yards – 21 TDs (13 games)
2008: Antwan Anderson- 1,213 yards – 13 TDs (14 games)
2007: Justin Beaver – 2,430 yards – 15 TDs (15 games)
2006: Justin Beaver – 1,369 yards – 4 TDs (10 games)
2005: Justin Beaver – 2,420 yards – 24 TDs (14 games)
2004: Colin Burns – 1,422 yards – 5 TDs (10 games)
2003: Chad Wurth – 982 yards – 9 TDs (10 games)
2002: Chad Wurth – 1,093 yards 6 TDs (10 games)
2001: Chad Wurth – 1,019 yards – 9 TDs (10 games)
2000: Chad Wurth – 1,207 yards – 13 TDs (10 games)

Lane Olson and Team USA teammates open training camp Tuesday in Crawfordsville, Indiana


The U.S. Men’s National Football Team is set to open training camp Tuesday (6/28) at Wabash College (Indiana) in advance of the fourth International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Senior World Championship. The eight-nation tournament takes place July 8-16 in Austria.

Former UW-Whitewater linebacker, Lane Olson, is the only player from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) on the 39-man roster.

The squad has two-a-day practice sessions schedule June 28 to July 3, with a morning session only set for July 4 on the Crawfordsville, Indiana campus.

The two-a-day sessions will be held 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (June 28 to July 3) with a morning session only on July 4 followed for the team departing for Innsbruck, Austria.

Team USA opens competition July 8 vs. Australia in Innsbruck.

Practice sessions are open to the public at no charge. Parking is free in the adjacent stadium lots. Crawfordsville is located just 30 miles west of Indianapolis on I-74.

I’m making the trip to Crawfordsville next week for taking photos at Team USA practice. I also will be doing an interview with Lane, not only on the impending IAAF Senior World Football Championship, but also on his hopes of signing an undrafted free agent contract with an NFL team following the current League lockout.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Did you know Tony Romo nearly became a Warhawk?


(Above photo courtesy of Mark Hertzberg mhertzberg@journaltimes.com)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was back in his hometown of Burlington this week conducting has annual Tony Romo fundamental’s football camp for 7th through 12 graders. About 330 youngsters, including more than a dozen girls, took part in the two-day camp held Wednesday and Thursday.

Despite his “jet-set” lifestyle, the former Burlington High School star athlete is still a small-town boy at heart.

Married on May 28th, wife Candice accompanied Tony to Burlington for the two-day youth football camp.

Did you know that Tony seemed destined to attend UW-Whitewater after graduating from Burlington High School in the spring of 1997.

Former high school teammate Steve Tenhagen (a year ahead of Romo at Burlington H.S.) a grade ahead of Romo, had a huge impact on Romo’s high school sports career.

As a junior, Romo completed 126 of 193 passes (65.2 percent) for 1,863 yards, with 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Tenhagen was Romo's favorite receive during the 1996 season. The 6-foot-5 Tenhagen earned first-team All-State honors after catching 56 passes for 934 yards and 14 of Romo's 22 touchdown passes.

Romo was originally going to attend college at nearby UW-Whitewater to join Tenhagen as a member of the UW-Whitewater football team.

According to Green Bay Press Gazette sports writer Pete Dougherty in a November/2007 article: “Tony Romo probably would have attended the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater as a football and basketball player had not Division I-AA Eastern Illinois stepped in late and offered him a football scholarship.

Tenhagen finished his Warhawk football career as one of the top receivers in school history. Meanwhile, as a senior at Eastern Illinois University, Romo earned the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the Nation's top player at the NCAA Division I-AA level.

He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dallas Cowboys following the 2003 NFL Draft.

Despite his success Tony remains a hometown boy even in the limelight as an NFL quarterback.

On of the mom’s of a participant in this week’s Romo camp tells the Racine Journal-Times, “Tony continues to give back to his community. That shows the man still has values... something only a small town and great parents can install! His wife seems to be a lovely woman who shares the same interest as he! They make an amazing couple!”

In a day of questionable values by professional athletes, Tony Romo’s small town attitude is very refreshing!

To view the Racine Journal-Times video story on Romo's trip back home to conduct his annual youth football camp CLICK HERE

18th Annual Raffle-Auction will be held November 12th at James R. Connor University Center


We might be just two days into summer of 2011 but there is a date I’d like you to mark down on the calendar.

The 18th Annual Wally & Rod's UW-Whitewater Quarterback Club, Tip-Off & Dugout Club Raffle-Auction will be held Saturday evening, November 12th in the Hamilton Room of the James R. Connor University Center on the UW-Whitewater campus.

The event will be held following the UW-La Crosse vs. UW-Whitewater football game at Perkins Stadium.

All three athletic programs are annually ranked among the nation’s elite.

The Warhawk football program enters the upcoming season following back-to-back NCAA Division III national championships and has met Mount Union in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl for the past six consecutive seasons.

As we all know, operating an NCAA Division III football program with a 100 student-athletes is a difficult task with increasing operational costs and technology needs. Your participation in the annual Raffle-Auction has been a huge factor in allowing the UW-Whitewater football program to achieve national elite status on an annual basis.

Throughout the summer a member of one of the three booster clubs will likely be contacting you in reference to possibly donating items for the 2011 auction. You will also be asked to purchase tickets to the November 12th event.

For more information – or to inquire about a potential donation to the raffle you may contract Lance Leipold (262-472-1453), Pat Miller (262-472-1146) or John Vodenlich (262-472-1420).

Mark November 12th on your social calendar!

I look forward to seeing you at the 18th Annual UW-Whitewater Quarterback Club, Tip-Off Club & Dugout Club Raffle-Auction on the evening of November 12th in the Hamilton Room of the James R. Connor University Center on the UW-Whitewater campus.

We’ll see you on November 12th – GO WARHAWKS!

Beaver, Kleppe, Schebler, Raeble, Sakallaris named to the D3football.com Team of the Decade (2000-2010)


The UW-Whitewater football team is no stranger to putting some of the very best football players on the field each season.

Five of those players were recognized earlier the year by being named to the D3football.com Team of the Decade (2000-2010).

Justin Beaver (2004-2007), Ryan Kleppe (2003-2006) and Jeff Schebler (2006-2009) have been named to the “Team of the 2000s” 1st team.

Justin Beaver ended his career with 6,584 rushing yards (NCAA 11th all-time). In 2007, Beaver rushed for 2,455 yards which at the time was a Division III single season rushing record. The Palmyra native was recipient of the 2007 Gagliardi Trophy symbolic of the top Division III football player (student-athlete) in the nation.

Justin's final game as a Warhawk ended with the UW-Whitewater earning the school’s first NCAA Division III football championship. Beaver rushed for 249 yards and one touchdown and was named the 2007 Stagg Bowl Most Outstanding Player. Justin earned 1st Team All-American recognition in 2005, 2006, and 2007.

Ryan Kleppe earned first-team, all-decade recognition at a defensive tackle. Kleppe was a third team all-american selection as a junior. In his senior season, the Mount Horeb native registered a WIAC single-season record 14.5 quarterback sack and also led the league with 24 tackles for loss.

Ryan had numerous memorable outings. His 3 ½ sack playoff performance against perennial Division III powerhouse St. Johns (Minn), Kleppe received the “blessing” from the Johnnies’ iconic head coach John Gagliardi.

”We couldn’t stop that guy,” Gagliardi said in the postgame press conference following his team’s 17-14 loss to the Warhawks at Perkins Stadium. “Is he a senior? After being told Kleppe was in the final year of his college career Gagliardi quickly responded “thank God!”

Kleppe was one of four finalists for the 2006 Gagliardi Trophy that annually is awarded to the outstanding Division III college football player of the year

As a senior, Kleppe put together one of the most dominating seasons in UW-Whitewater football history. Ryan was named the D3football.com Defensive Player of the Yearand also was named to the AP Little All-American third team Kleppe broke the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference record for quarterback sacks as a senior. His 30 career total sacks which ranks third in WIAC history. Kleppe’s 64 total tackles for loss ranks second in WIAC history.

The Mount Horeb native ended his football career by being selected as a member of the 2007 U.S. football team that played in the IAAF World Championship of American Football in the summer of 2007 in Japan.

Also a named as a 1st Team selection on the D3football.com Team of the Decade (2000s) is place-kicker, Jeff Schebler.

Jeff Schelber concluded his Warhawk football career with 462 points - the most of any place-kicker in NCAA history at any level earning the Davenport, Iowa native the 2009 Fred Mitchell Award. Schebler was chosen from nearly 400 eligible place-kickers in Division II and III for excellence on the football field and in the community.

”Scheb’s 462 points surpassed the all-time NCAA mark of 433 by Art Carmody of the University of Louisville (2004-2007). Schebler holds nine UW-Whitewater records and six Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference marks in addition to the NCAA Division III and overall records.

Schebler earned unanimous First Team All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors each of his four years. He has added All-American honors after each season. He was a finalist for the 2009 Gagliardi Trophy, given to the outstanding player in Division III.

Earning spots on the 3rd Team D3football.com All-Decade (2000s) Squad are A.J. Raebel (2004-2007) and Max Sakellaris (2003-2006).

AJ Raebel, a native of Cary, Illinois, was an all-American pick in 2006 and 2007. He is still number one in the UW-W record book in career tackles (359) and solo tackles (193). is also seventh in career assisted tackles (166), and tenth in career sacks (15.5). His 2007 totals of 77 solo tackles and 111 total tackles rank fourth and ninth, respectively, in the school record book. Raebel's totals for career tackles and career tackles for a loss rank fourth and sixth, respectively, all-time in the WIAC.

Offensive tackle Max Sakellaris put together a career synonymous of the Warhawk football’s pound the rock attitude.

A four-year starter under the tutelage UWW offensive line coach Steve Dinkel, Sakellaris earned 1st Team All-WIAC honors as a sophomore, junior and senior. He was a unanimous 1st Team All-Conference Selection in 2005 and 2006.

Sakellaris earned All-American recognition in both 2005 and 2006. He played a key role in blocking for Beaver, and his 2006 unit helped the Warhawks average 4.6 yards per rush, 403.2 yards per game, and 36.1 points per game in 2006. That group also gave up just 11 sacks in fifteen games. The 2005 offensive line generated 41.1 points per game, 5.0 yards per rush, and 491.1 yards per game, while limiting sacks to 13 over the 15 game schedule.

As a senior, Max was named Division III National Offensive Lineman of the Year by the Don Hansen Football Gazette.

To view D3football.com's All-Decade team CLICK HERE

To be eligible for inclusion onto the All-Decade Team, an athlete must have completed his eligibility no later than 2010. A player such as Levell Coppage won’t be eligible until the next All-Decade Team is selected.

The five previously mentioned Warhawks are just the “tip of the “iceberg” when talking about success as a student athlete in the UW-Whitewater football program. 40 Warhawks earned All-American honors in the decade of the 2000’s. Many of those were honored a multiple teams – multiple years.

It is just another reason that the motto UW-Whitewater Warhawk football, Powered by Tradition is much more than “just a motto.

Who were the Warhawks that drew strong consideration for inclusion on the All-Decade team? A story will be coming up answering that question later this week here on voiceseyeonfootball.blogspot.com.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Lane Olson heading to Germany with Team USA

Former University of Wisconsin-Whitewater linebacker Lane Olson has been selected to play for the 2011 U.S. Men’s National Team in football in the fourth International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Senior World Championship to be held July 8-16 in Austria.

Olson is one of 39 players named to Team USA.

The “Lane Train” isn’t the first former Warhawk football player that has participated as a member of Team USA.

Ryan Kleppe played a major role in Team USA’s 2007 gold medal win. The U.S. defeated Japan, 23-20, in double overtime in Tokyo, Japan. UWW’s Bob Berezowitz was an assistant coach for the 2007 squad.

The IFAF Senior World Championship is an eight-nation football tournament held every four years since 1999. Games will be played in Graz, Innsbruck and Vienna.

Voiceseyeonfootball.blogspot.com will keep you updated on a daily basis during Team USA’s drive for the gold medal at next months’ IFAF World Championship next month.

Recruiting high school football players in Wisconsin is a unique process

The UW-Whitewater football team has all but wrapped up its 2011 recruiting process. In the wake of the Warhawks playing in six consecutive NCAA Division III national championship games – capturing the Division III championship in 2007, 2009 and 2010 – each year’s recruits play a major role in maintaining the program at an elite level.

Football recruiting at the NCAA Division III level is unique in the state of Wisconsin. Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference programs are not only battling on the recruiting trail against the other seven conference football programs – but also among a number of Division 2 programs in Minnesota and other schools in neighboring states (Iowa and Illinois.)

Division II schools are able to offer partial scholarships something that is not allowed at the Division III level.

A spot check of the 2011 recruiting classes of four state of Minnesota NCAA Division II football programs reflects the amount of time the schools spend “raiding” high school student-athletes out of the Badger state.

An article on the Wisconsin Sports Network (http://www.wissports.net) discusses recruiting in Wisconsin by the Winona State, Minnesota football program.

Last year, Winona State finished 6-4 in the highly-competitive NSIC (league champion Minnesota-Duluth won the Division II National Title) and 7-4 overall. Head coach Tom Sawyer has been at the helm since 1996, with 13 straight winning seasons and is the school's all-time winningest coach.

A.J. Blazek is in his third year as an assistant coach and recruiter with the Warriors and was interviewed recently on WSU’s recruiting process.

Blazek admitted the Wisconsin is a primary recruiting are for not only WSU, but a number of other Division II schools in Minnesota.

“You have some of the best high school football in the Midwest right here in our own backyard,” Coach Blazek told WSN.. “Second, you have quality student-athletes that are taking care of business in the classroom.”

Each year a number of D II players end up transferring back to schools in the WIAC – including Whitewater – where facilities are equal and often better than the facilities they experienced at the scholarship institution.

The recruiting battle between the WIAC and the neighboring state Division II schools will continue to be an annual battle.

Despite the “recruiting war” Division III schools will continue to be among the best in the country.

UW-Whitewater will open the 2011 season with a nation’s best 30-game winning streak and back-to-back Division III national titles. UWW will also be in search of a record seventh consecutive WIAC championship.

UW-Whitewater head coach Lance Leipold elects not to release a list of his recruits until the start of preseason practice in mid-August.

With no “letters of intent” in connection with scholarships at the Division III level, ask any coach at the D III level and they quickly tell you that the only REAL recruit list is the one that is typed up the day the student-athletes report to campus and the start of training camp.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Sugar Lips Event set for Saturday in Madison


(This story is for my many female readers of Voiceseyeonfootball.blogspot.com. My daughter Kimberlee is one of the supervising producers of a very classy and trendy event that will take place on Saturay, June 25th in Madison. Kim is a feature writer for the Sugar Lips publication.

The Sugar Lips Fashion and Beauty Expo and Summer Runway Show will be held from 4pm-10pm at Tempo Ballroom and Latin Dance Studio located at the corner of High Point Road and Old Sauk Trail just off the Beltline on the far west side of Madison.

I urge all my female readers to make the short trek to Madison on Sarurday and thoroughly enjoy the event - Voice)


Madison, WI – Sugar Lips Lifestyle Tips in conjunction with Hesperidian Productions presents a Beauty and Fashion Expo and Summer Runway Show taking place at Tempo Ballroom and Latin Dance Studio on Saturday, June 25th from 4-10pm.

Tempo Ballroom and Latin Dance Studio is conveniently located at the corner of High Point Road and Old Sauk Trail on the far west side of Madison off the Beltline.

Tickets for this ert classy and trendy event are $15.00 in advance, or $25.00 at the door. Tickets are non-refundable.

Fashionable attire required. Children under the age of 16 will not be admitted.

Advance Tickets may be purchased through Zahava Designs. To purchase tickets, or for more informtion CLICK HERE

• Socialize and Network with independent designers, stylists, models, retailers and more.
• Ballroom Dance Performance and Beginner Instruction sponsored by Tempo Ballroom & Latin Dance Studio
• Complimentary Beauty Bar
• Fashionable Trunk Shows and Exclusive Shopping Opportunities
$5 of each ticket and all additional sales for entry to the summer makeover prize drawing will be donated to Gio’s Garden.

Entry the prize drawing for Head to Toe Summer Makeover Giveaways sponsored by: Zahava Designs Sugar Sugar Shoes Effie’s Heart Heliotrope Zansus Purses Avant Garde Salon Hello Gorgeous Salon Dustin Maher Fitness Tempo Ballroom & Latin Dance Studio

For more information on Saturday's Sugar Lips Lifestyle Tips CLICK HERE

Installation of new lights at Perkins Stadium is delayed


Installation of the new lights at Perkins Stadium will be delayed. Originally scheduled to be installed during the summer break, the state-of-the-art lights are now scheduled to be installed in September or early October.

UW-Whitewater athletic director Paul Plinske indicated Tuesday that he has been assured that the lights will be installed in time for UW-Whitewater’s October 14th, Friday night game vs. UW-Stout at Perkins Stadium.

The reason for a rare Friday night game in the WIAC is the result of the annual Wisconsin State High School marching band competition schedule for Saturday, October 15th at the “Perk.”

The Perkins Stadium lights project was necessitated when the light tower on the northeast corner of Perkins Stadium collapsed during stormy conditions the night the Warhawk football team returned from Salem, Virginia following the team’s 38-28 NCAA Division III national championship victory over Mount Union.

Portable lights (see adjacent photo) were installed earlier this month as a temporary solution of the current lack of lights.

The portable lighting system allowed the already scheduled Wisconsin Lacrosse Federation 2011 Boys' State State Championships to be held at Perkins Stadium the weekend of June 10th.

The Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps is hosting of “The Whitewater Classic” on Thursday, June 30th at UW-Whitewater’s Perkins Stadium, site of the first DCI World Championships in 1972.

USA Today Division III preseason poll is out


I was grocery shopping at Daniels' Sentry in Whitewater yesterday and picked up the just released, 2011 USA Today Special Edition College Football Preview Magazine. It is good to have a writer, in Pat Coleman, who actually is fully knowledgeable about Division III football.

The Division III story headline reads: Part 7? Wisconsin-Whitewater, Mount Union could vie for title again. Here is Top 5 in the USA Today preseason Division III poll: (1) UW-Whitewater, (2) Mount Union, (3) Wesley (DE), (4) St. Thomas (MN), (5) Mary Hardin-Baylor (TX).


The magazine is a great read and is now available on newstands through July.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Sportng News and Lindy's have Hawks No. 1 in preseason polls

The first of the 2011 preseason college football publications have hit newsstands around the country.

UW-Whitewater, the two-time defending National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III national champions, top both the Sporting News and Lindy's Sports Division III Top 25 preseason polls.

The Sporting News Top 5:
1: UW-Whitewater
2: Mount Union (Ohio)
3: Wesley (Delaware)
4: St. Thomas (Minnesota)
5: Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas)

Lindy’s Top 5:
1: UW-Whitewater
2: Mount Union (Ohio)
3: Wesley (Delaware)
4. Bethel (Minnesota)
5: Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas)

While preseason rankings are great for marketing one’s football program, Warhawk fans learned long ago that the only ranking that REALLY counts is the ranking AT THE END OF THE SEASON.

UW-Whitewater and Mount Union have met in the last six Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl national championship games in Salem, Virginia.

The Hawks are the two-time defending NCAA Division III national champions with UWW and UMU each winning three times in the six consecutive Stagg Bowl meetings.

2011 UW-Whitewater Football Schedule

9/3 @ UW-La Crosse – 6 p.m.

9/10 @ Franklin College (Indiana) 1 p.m. (ET)

9/17 Campbellsville University (12-Noon)
Back to Whitewater Day Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization Concert

9/24 BYE WEEK

10/1 UW-Platteville (2 p.m.)
Famly Day

10/8 @ UW-River Falls (1 p.m.)

10/14 UW-Stout (Friday - 7 p.m.)
Friday Night Lights/Fireworks

10/22 @ UW-Oshkosh (1:30 p.m.)

10/29 UW-Stevens Point (1 p.m.)
Homcoming,Hall of Fame Day

11/5 @ UW-Eau Claire (3 .p.m.)

11/12 UW-La Crosse (1 p.m.) < Senior Day,Shriner’s Day

Warhawk 1000 yard single season rushing facts & figures

1000 YARD SEASONS (RUSHING)

1. Justin Beaver (2007) 2,455 yards
2. Justin Beaver (2005) 2,420 yards
3. Levell Coppage (2010) 2,107 yards
Levell Coppage (2009) 2,107 yards
5. Spencer Johnson (1994) 1,697 yards
6. Travis Talton (1988) 1,599 yards
7. George Rainey (1987) 1,567 yards
8. John Damato (1997) 1,474 yards
9. Levell Coppage (2008) 1, 461 yards
10. Colin Burns (2004) 1,422 yards
11. Chad Wurth (2000) 1,207 yards
12. Eddie McKennie (1996) 1,129 yards
13. George Rainey (1987) 1,110 yards
14. Antwan Anderson (2008) 1,092 yards
15. Mike R. Miller (1984) 1,076 yards
16. Vilnis Ezerins (1965) 1,073 yards
17. Chad Wurth (2001) 1,019 yards

Justin Beaver and Levell Coppage are the only two UW-Whitewater running backs to eclipse 2000 yards rushing in a single season.

Despite the gawdy statistics, Coppage and Beaver do not hold the record for the quickest to 1000 yards in a single season.

• John Damato holds the record to “quickest to 1000” by going over the 1000 yard mark in 137 carries in game 8 in 1997 vs. UW-La Crosse.

• Eddie McKennie ranks second at 138 carries in game 9 in 1996 vs. uw-oshkosh.

• Antwan Anderson is 3rd on the list at 144 carries in game 12 vs. Wartburg in the third round of the 2008 NCAA Division III playoffs

** Levell Coppage enters 2011 just 909 yards shy of Justin Beavers’ career rushing record of 6,584 yards

Who is the No. 1 recieving tandem in UWW football history?

The UW-Whitewater football program has been blessed with a number of great wide receivers over the years.

Statistically speaking, the group of receivers during the current run of championships, has been a major factor in the program’s seven consecutive WIAC Championships and seven straight meetings with Mount Union at the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl in Salem, Virginia.

Early in the run it was Derek Stanley and Jim Leszczynski. Over the past four years it has been Aaron Rusch and Adam Brandes. Add to those four players, Neil Mrkvicka and Jordan Wells and you have six of the top ten receivers statistically in UW-Whitewater football history.

The top tandem (statistically) is Rusch and Brandes who finished their Warhawk football careers with 6,175 yards receiving. The tandem of Stanley and Leszczynski rank second at 5,168 yards.

If you are talking about career receiving touchdowns – Stanley and Leszczynski are No. 1 with 60 touchdowns. Rusch and Brandes rank second with 54 career touchdowns.


CAREER RECEIVING YARDS

1. Aaron Rusch (2007-2010) - 3,746
2. Derek Stanley (2003-06) - 2,621
3. Jim Leszczynski (2002-05) - 2,547
4. Adam Brandes (2007-2010) - 2,429
5. Joe Gerlach (1979-82) - 2,250
6. Neil Mrkvicka (2004-07) - 2,099
7. Steve Tenhagen (1998-01) - 2,056
8. Mike Dressler (1968-71) - 2,002
9. Anthony Talton (1989-91) - 1,943
10. Jordan Wells (2006-09) - 1,888

CAREER RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS
1. Derek Stanley (2003-06) - 35
2. Aaron Rusch (2007-2010) - 33
3. Jim Leszczynski (2002-05) - 25
4. Adam Brandes (2007-2010) - 21
5. Anthony Talton (1989-91) - 20
6. Mike Dressler (1968-71) - 19
Jim Ganoung (1962-65) - 19
Joe Gerlach (1979-82) - 19
Jim Knoblauch (1963-66) - 19
Steve Tenhagen (1998-01) -19