Madison, Wis. - Fifteen members of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse football team have been named to the 2022 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Team, in a vote by the league coaches. Eight players were voted to the All-WIAC First Team, including junior offensive lineman Mike Bertoia of Lake Zurich, Ill. (H.S.), senior offensive lineman Ben Hildebrand of Highland Ranch, Colo. (Mountain Vista), senior running back Joey Stutzman of Lake Zurich, Ill. (H.S.) and sophomore quarterback Keyser Helterbrand of Hudson (H.S.) to the All-WIAC First Team Offense. 

Junior defensive lineman Jack Kelly of Plover (SPASH), senior linebacker AJ Spychala of Muskego (H.S.) and senior defensive back Elijah Alt of Lone Rock (River Valley) were voted to the All-WIAC First Team Defense while senior kicker Ryan Beirne of West Salem (H.S.) was named to the All-WIAC First Team Special Teams.  

Senior center Alex Bongers of Nerstrand, Minn. (Bethlehem Academy) was voted to the 2022 All-WIAC Second Team Offense with junior linebacker Ryan Daines of Westby (H.S.) and senior defensive back Cade Osborn of Eau Claire (Regis) named to the All-WIAC Second Team Defense. Senior Sawyer Schick of Racine (Horlick) was selected to the 2022 All-WIAC Second Team Special Teams. 

Sophomore offensive lineman Noah Coleman of Wilmot (H.S.) and senior offensive lineman Cole Greco of Greenfield (Whitnall) earned 2022 All-WIAC Honorable Mention accolades on offense with senior defensive lineman Josh Dorschner of Neenah (H.S.) being named to the All-WIAC Honorable Mention Defense. 

Senior offensive lineman Connor Berry of Marshfield (H.S.) was named to the 2022 All-WIAC Sportsmanship Team, chosen for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season.  It includes one member from each school.

UWL head coach Matt Janus was named the WIAC Kwik Trip George Chryst Coach of the Year. He has led the Eagles to a 9-1 overall record this season and 6-1 in the WIAC. The nine regular-season victories are the most since 2003. UWL claimed a share of its 34th WIAC title in school history with its 6-1 league record this season, the team's first conference crown since 2004. UWL, ranked seventh on D3football.com, earned one of five at-large bids to this year's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships. Making its 13th appearance (1983, 1991-93, 1995-96, 1999, 2002-04, 2006, 2021-22) in school history in the NCAA III Championships, UWL travels to Wartburg College (Iowa) in the first round Saturday, November 19 at 12 p.m.  

 

Janus is 18-4 as head coach after being named UWL's 14th head football coach on February 5, 2020.  A native of Lake Zurich, Illinois, Janus led UWL to the NCAA Division III Championships in 2021 after finishing 9-3 overall and 6-1 in the WIAC. UWL earned a 58-23 win at Albion College (Mich.) in the first round of the 2021 NCAA III Championships, its first playoff victory since 2006. The 58 points were the most for UWL in a playoff game.  The Eagles finished 11th in the final 2021 D3football.com and 12th in the American Football Coaches Association (AFC) Top-25 Polls.           

Prior to being named head coach, Janus served as UWL's defensive coordinator for three seasons. He worked as an assistant coach at UW-Platteville from 2014-16, serving as co-defensive coordinator for the 2016 season. Janus was the defensive coordinator at Sheboygan Falls (Wis.) High School from June 2011-June 2014. He was a graduate assistant coach at UW-Platteville from May 2010-June 2011. Janus earned his bachelor's (2010) degree in social science and master's (2016) in adult education from UW-Platteville.  He earned three letters for the Pioneers, serving as team captain in 2009.

He is the fourth coach in UWL history to be named the WIAC Coach of the Year, joining Roger Harring (1982, 1989, 1991-93, 1996, 1999), Roland Christensen (1992) and Larry Terry (2002-04). 

UWL offensive coordinator Michael McGuire has been selected the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) Assistant Coach of the Year. He is in third year at UWL as the Eagles lead the conference in rushing offense (224.1) while ranking second in scoring (37.2) and total offense (438.5). Prior to coming to UWL, McGuire spent two seasons as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Dickinson State University (N.D.).  He was the head football coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Big Horn (Wyo.) High School from 2012-17.  He led the Rams to four (2013-14, 2016-17) Wyoming 2A State Championship game appearances, winning two titles (2013, 2016).   

McGuire was named the Wyoming Coaches Association 2A Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2016.  He was the defensive line and tight ends coach at Sheridan (Wyo.) High School in 2010-11 and served as head football coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Riverside High School (Basin, Wyo.) from 2006-09. 

McGuire served as a graduate assistant coach at Fort Hays State University (Kan.) in 2004-05 working with the tight ends and as an assistant with the offensive line.  He earned his bachelor's degree in exercise sport science from the University of Wyoming in 2003 and his master's in health and human performance from Fort Hays State (Kan.) in 2006.  McGuire was a two-year starter at quarterback at Greybull (Wyo.) High School, serving as team captain.  He earned first team all-conference honors in football and basketball his senior season.

Stutzman was named the WIAC Kwik Trip Offensive Player of the Year while Bongers earned the Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award.

Stutzman is the second player in school history to be named the WIAC Offensive Player of the Year after the league started the award in 2014. He joins Cole Spieker who earned the honor in 2019. Starting all 10 games in 2022, Stutzman leads UWL in rushing attempts (207) and yards (1,098) while averaging 5.3 yards per attempt and 109.8 yards per game. He leads the WIAC in rushing attempts and yards. Stutzman is second for UWL with five rushing touchdowns. He also has 15 catches for 208 yards and one touchdown.  

Stutzman had 24 carries for a career-high 180 yards (7.5 average) with one touchdown in UWL's 30-3 win at the University of Dubuque (Iowa) on September 10. He has at least 100-yards rushing in six games this season. Stutzman has 16 career 100-yard rushing games, second-most in school history. Ted Pretasky (1985-88) holds the school record with 17 games over 100 yards. Stutzman ranks fifth in career rushing (3,186). He earned his third career All-WIAC honor this year after being named to the 2019 second team and 2021 first team. 

Bongers is the fifth player in school history to earn the Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award. He joins Troy Harcey (1996), Dave Gerhard (1998), Andrew Youngbauer (2000) and Steve Tennies (2005) in winning the honor. Currently enrolled in UWL's Doctor of Physical Therapy Graduate Program, Bongers earned his bachelor's degree with a biology dual degree with a 3.90 grade point average. He was named to the 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-America® Second Team and is a four-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. Bongers has also been on UWL's Dean's List six semesters.  

UWL's offensive line with Bertoia, Hildebrand, Bongers, Coleman, Greco and Berry have helped lead UWL to average 37.2 points per game, second in the WIAC. The Eagles are averaging 438.5 yards of offense, including 224.1 rushing and 214.4 passing. UWL had a season-high 632 yards with a season-high 386 rushing in a 51-21 win at UW-Eau Claire on October 15. The 632 yards ranks seventh in single-game school history while the 386 rushing yards ranks ninth. UWL had a season-high 310 passing yards in its 42-7 victory over Dakota State (S.D.) on September 3. This year's average of 438.5 yards of offense are the most since finishing with 474.8 in 2016. 

The Eagles lead the WIAC in rushing offense (224.1) and third-down conversions (57.1%) while ranking second in first downs (218) and time of possession (33:07) and third in red-zone offense (82.0%). 

It is the third career All-WIAC award for Bongers after being named to the 2019 and 2021 honorable mention teams. 

Helterbrand, playing in nine games, is 52-of-76 (68.4%) for 691 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions. He leads UWL in rushing touchdowns (9) while ranking second in rushing attempts (85) and yards (600) while averaging 7.1 yards per attempt. Helterbrand had a pair of touchdown catches in a 38-35 win at UW-Oshkosh on October 29. He finished with a career-high 182 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries in the Eagles' 42-21 win at UW-Stout on October 8. Helterbrand totaled 106 rushing yards on 15 attempts and one touchdown in a 28-21 victory at NCAA Division II Wayne State University (Mich.) on September 17. 

Starting all 10 games at defensive end, Kelly leads UWL with 15.0 tackles for loss and 10.5 quarterback sacks. Named the WIAC Kwik Trip Defensive Player of the Week the last two weeks, Kelly recorded six unassisted tackles, including 4.0 tackles for loss, and 3.0 quarterback sacks in UWL's 24-17 victory over No. 23-ranked UW-River Falls on November 5. He was the first player to record three sacks in a game for UWL since October 27, 2018. Kelly also earned the league's player of the week award after finishing with six tackles, 3.5 quarterback sacks and one forced fumble in a 31-10 win over UW-Platteville on November 12. He has 36 tackles overall.  He earned his second career All-WIAC recognition after being named to the 2021 honorable mention team. 

Spychala has also started all 10 contests, registering 44 tackles, including 1.5 for loss. He leads the team with two fumble recoveries while recording seven pass break-ups. Spychala, who also earned 2021 All-WIAC Second Team honors, had seven tackles with an interception at UW-Stout. He has a season-high eight tackles versus UW-Whitewater on October 1 and UW-Platteville on November 12. 

Alt is tied for third in tackles (49) this year while starting all 10 games. He is tied for second in interceptions (2) while ranking third in unassisted tackles (27). Alt has six pass break-ups. He recorded a season-high eight tackles against UW-Whitewater with an interception. Alt also had an interception in UWL's victory over UW-Eau Claire on October 15. It is Alt's second career (2021) All-WIAC First Team selection. 

With a 21-yard field goal in UWL's win over UW-Platteville on November 12, Beirne became the school's career leader in field goals made with 32. He is six-of-10 in field goals this season and 32-of-53 in his career. Beirne broke the school record of 31 career field goals set by Jedediah Jensen (2000-04). Beirne's 53 career attempts is tied for first in school history with Jensen and Chris Schumacher (1987-90). Beirne converted a 37-yard field goal in UWL's 24-17 win over UW-River Falls on November 5 to tie Jensen's record. He made a 51-yard field goal in UWL's 38-35 victory at UW-Oshkosh on October 29. The field goal gave the Eagles a three-point lead with :51 remaining. It also tied the single-game school record of 51 yards set by Dewey Stendhal vs. St. Norbert College (Wis.) in 1969. Beirne is 48-of-50 in extra-point attempts this season and 168-of-178 in his career, setting school records for career extra-points made and attempted.  Beirne, also playing wide receiver this season, has three passes for 47 yards and a touchdown. 

Daines leads UWL with 53 tackles this year while starting all 10 games. He is third on the team with 5.5 tackles for loss. Daines had a season-high nine tackles versus UW-River Falls while recording six tackles in three different games. He also had an interception against UW-River Falls while recording a forced fumble against UW-Platteville. Daines has seven pass break-ups.  

Tied for third on the team in tackles (49) in 2022, Osborn leads UWL in interceptions (4) and tied for team lead in forced fumbles (2). He has a season-high nine tackles versus UW-Oshkosh and UW-River Falls. Osborn recorded a pair of interceptions and a forced fumble against UW-River Falls. He also had an interception versus UW-Stout and UW-Oshkosh. Osborn has eight pass break-ups this season.

Schick has started all 10 games as UWL's long snapper this year. He also has two tackles.  Dorschner has played in nine games, currently ranking fifth on the team in tackles (45.). He has 2.5 tackles for loss. Dorschner recorded an interception at UW-Stout and his blocked field goal against UW-Whitewater was returned for a touchdown.