WIAC Release

Madison, Wis. - Twelve members of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse football team have been named to the 2024 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Team in a vote by the league coaches.
 

Five players were voted to the All-WIAC First Team, including senior offensive lineman Levi Liedke of Fond du Lac (H.S.), senior wide receiver Jack Studer of Eyota, Minn. (Dover-Eyota) and junior running back Gabe Lynch of Indian Creek, Ill. (Carmel Catholic) to the All-WIAC First Team Offense.
 
Senior linebacker Ryan Daines of Westby (H.S.) and sophomore defensive back Trent Mullen of Appleton (North) were named to the All-WIAC First Team Defense.
 
Senior center Brendan Harder of Ringle (D.C. Everest) and junior offensive line Dain Walter of New Glarus (H.S.) were voted to the 2024 All-WIAC Second Team Offense while senior defensive lineman Marik Dickson of Dubuque, Iowa (Wahlert) and senior linebacker Tanner Newlin of Savage, Minn. (Prior Lake) were selected to the All-WIAC Second Team Defense.

 

Senior wide receiver Wyatt LeMoine of Marshfield (H.S.) was named to the 2024 All-WIAC Honorable Mention Offense while senior defensive lineman Ross Gengler of Delavan (Delavan-Darien) earned All-WIAC Honorable Mention Defensive recognition.
 
Senior linebacker Connor Fahnrich of Kenosha (Indian Trail) was named to the All-WIAC Sportsmanship Team, chosen for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It includes one member from each school.   
 
Liedke has started all 10 games at right tackle this season while Walter has started all 10 contests at left tackle. Harder has started nine games at center this season. It is Liedke's second all-conference honor after being selected to the 2023 All-WIAC Second Team.
 

The offensive line has helped UWL average 31.8 points per game, fourth in the WIAC. The Eagles are averaging 422.2 yards per game this year, including 155.0 rushing and 267.2 passing.
 
UWL finished with a season-high 530 yards of offense in its 35-0 victory at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (N.Y.) on September 5, including 182 rushing and 348 passing. The Eagles had a season-high 259 yards rushing in its 28-24 win over 10th-ranked UW-River Falls on October 26 a season-high 351 yards passing in a 56-14 victory over UW-Stevens Point on November 16.
 
The Eagles led the WIAC in time of possession (33:26) this season while ranking second in fourth-down conversions (55.0%) and red-zone offense (78.7%). The team is third in the league in total offense, rushing offense, offensive efficiency (154.6) and first downs (221).
 
Earning his second straight All-WIAC First Team honor, Studer leads UWL in receptions (59), yards (1,037) and touchdowns (8) this season. He leads the WIAC in receiving yards and yards per game (103.7) while ranking third in receptions and tied for third in receiving touchdowns.

 

Studer has least four receptions in every game this season with at least six catches in six contests. He has five games with at least 100-yards receiving, including a season-high 173 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (N.Y.). Studer has a season-high eight catches for 132 yards at UW-Eau Claire. He caught two touchdowns in UWL's 24-21 win over UW-Whitewater on November 9.
 
He is UWL's career leader in touchdown receptions (34) and receiving yards (3,083) while ranking second in receptions (170).

Lynch leads UWL in rushing attempts (163), yards (906) and touchdowns (9) this season. He leads the conference in rushing yards and yards per game (90.6) while being second in touchdowns. Lynch set career-highs in rushing attempts (38) and yards (229) in UWL's 28-24 win over 10th-ranked UW-River Falls. He had one rushing touchdown in the game. The 38 attempts ranks fourth in single-game school history and 229 yards are eighth. Lynch followed with 16 attempts for 163 yards and one touchdown in a 33-31 victory at UW-Stout on November 2. He was named the WIAC Kwik Trip Offensive Player of the Week after the games versus UW-River Falls and UW-Stout. 

He has recorded a rushing touchdown in seven games this season. Lynch finished with two touchdowns in a 30-27 overtime loss to 24th-ranked UW-Platteville on October 5 and in a 56-14 victory over UW-Stevens Point on November 16.  He has rushed for 1,679 career yards.

It is Daines' second all-conference selection after earning second team accolades in 2022. He leads UWL with 59 tackles this season while starting all 10 games, including a team-leading 9.5 for loss. Daines recorded a team-high 11 tackles, including six solo, along with 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 quarterback sack and one interception in a 24-21 win over UW-Whitewater on November 9.

He finished with nine tackles, including 3.0 for loss, and an interception in UWL's 30-27 overtime loss to 24th-ranked UW-Platteville on October 5. Daines led UWL with eight tackles, including 3.0 for loss, in its 35-0 win at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (N.Y.) September 5. He is second on the team with two interceptions. Daines ranks sixth in the WIAC in tackles for loss and tied for seventh in interceptions. 

A starter in all 10 games this year at cornerback, Mullen is tied for the league lead in interceptions (4) while ranking fifth in passes defended (10). He has recorded four interceptions in the last five games. Mullen has interceptions versus UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, UW-Whitewater and UW-Stevens Point. He is tied for fourth for UWL in tackles (34), including third in unassisted tackles (25). Mullen had a season-high nine tackles at UW-Oshkosh.

Dickson has played in all 10 games with nine starts at defensive tackle. He has recorded 17 tackles, including a season-high four at Grand Valley State University (Mich.) on September 21.

Named to the 2023 All-WIAC First Team, Newlin picks up his second career all-conference recognition this season after starting all 10 games. He is second on the team with 48 tackles this season; recording 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 quarterback sacks. He had a season-high 12 tackles at second-ranked Grand Valley State University (Mich.), including four solo. Newlin also had 1.0 quarterback sack and one interception and earned WIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
 

LeMoine has started all 10 contests at wide receiver while ranking tied for second on the team in touchdown receptions (3), second in receiving yards (407) and third in receptions (27). He had two touchdown catches at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (N.Y.) September 5. It was LeMoine's only two receptions of the game, averaging 51.0 yards per catch. His 80-yard touchdown catch is a team season-high. He finished with two catches for 28 yards and one touchdown in UWL's 28-24 win over 10th-ranked UW-River Falls October 26.

Playing in all 10 games this year, Gengler has recorded 25 tackles this season with 16 unassisted. He leads UWL in quarterback sacks (3.0) and forced fumbles (2). Gengler is ninth in the WIAC in quarterback sacks and currently tied for first in force fumbles. He finished with a season-high six tackles with 1.0 quarterback sack, one forced and one recovered fumble against UW-Stevens Point on November 16. 

Fahnrich has played in six games this season.

UWL, led by head coach Matt Janus, finished 7-3 in the regular season, including 5-2 in the WIAC. The Eagles earned an at-large bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships. UWL hosts the University of Northwestern (Minn.) in the first round on Saturday, November 23.