La Crosse, Wis. - University of Wisconsin-La Crosse head football coach Mike Schmidt has been named the 2017 La Crosse Tribune Sportsperson of the Year, the Tribune has announced.

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Schmidt completed his second season as the Eagles' head coach in 2017, leading UWL to an 8-2 overall and 5-2 record in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). UWL's eight overall and five conference wins were the most since finishing 9-2 overall and 6-1 in the WIAC in 2006.

A total of 14 players were named to the 2017 WIAC Team, including senior wide receiver Nick Holcomb, senior defensive back Steve Law and senior linebacker Noah Risch earning first team honors.

Holcomb earned three first team All-America honors in 2017 for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III, being named to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Associated Press (AP) Little All-America and D3football.com First Teams.

UWL was ranked in the last two national polls of the 2017 season, finishing 24th on D3football.com and 25th in the AFCA.

Schmidt is 13-7 overall and 7-7 in the WIAC in his two seasons at UWL with 24 players earning all-conference honors.

A native of Menomonie, Wisconsin, Schmidt served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at UW-Platteville in 2015. Prior to arriving at UW-Platteville, Schmidt was the defensive coordinator and coached the linebackers and defensive backs at the University of Dubuque (Iowa) from 2011-14.  He also served as the recruiting coordinator from 2009-14.

Named the 2013 AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year for NCAA Division III, Schmidt coached running backs (2009-10), defensive backs (2009) and offensive line (2010) at Dubuque (Iowa).  He served as a graduate assistant coach at Minnesota State University Mankato in 2008, coaching the defensive line.  Schmidt is a member of the AFCA and the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA).  

A 2008 graduate of UWL, Schmidt was a four-year football and baseball letter winner for the Eagles.  He served as a two-sport team captain in 2007-08 while earning his bachelor's degree in marketing.  Named to the 2007 WIAC Honorable Mention Football Team as an all-purpose back, Schmidt recorded two rushing touchdowns one receiving touchdown.  He was a 2008 all-conference honorable mention selection in baseball after hitting .340 and leading the Eagles in home runs (6) and RBI (38).  Schmidt was also named to the 2008 All-WIAC All-Sportsmanship Baseball Team. 

Schmidt was a member of Menomonie (Wis.) High School state football championship team his senior season in 2002 under Joe LaBuda while earning first team all-state honors.  He graduated from Menomonie (Wis.) in 2003.