Watch the 2024 ESSLY Awards
2024 ESSLY Award Winners

La Crosse, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Intercollegiate Athletics Department hosted its 10th Annual ESSLY Awards Monday, April 22 in Mitchell Hall Gymnasium.  ESSLY stands for "Eagle Sport, School, and Life Yearly Awards."  Student-athletes were honored in the areas of sport, school, and life.  Awards presented included recognition of captains, team community service, 4.00 students, scholar-athletes, academic All-Americas, four-year participants, All-Americas, individual national champions, and team national champions.

In addition, other awards presented included:  
 

Male Athlete of the Year - Sam Blaskowski, Track and Field, Keyser Helterbrand, Football, and Nolan Hertel, Wrestling
Blaskowski defended his 2022 outdoor National Title in the 100-meter dash with a title at the 2023 Championships. He also defended his 60-meter dash 2023 indoor championship by winning the 2024 title. He added another national title to his collection at the 2024 indoor championships as he won the 200-meter dash. Blaskowski earned four NCAA ALL-America honors at the 2023 Outdoor championships (long jump, 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and 4x100 relay) and two at the 2024 Indoor championships. For his performance at the 2023 Outdoor Championships, he was named the Most Outstanding Performer and following the 2024 Indoor Championships, Blaskowski was named the USTFCCCA National Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.

 

Helterbrand, was a 2024 D3football.com Second Team All-American while also being named a semi-finalist for the 2023 Gagliardi Trophy, an accolade given to the most outstanding football player in the NCAA Division III. The WIAC Offensive Player of the Year, Helterbrand started all 13 games for the Eagles, finished with 2,363 yards passing, 901 yards passing and 49 touchdowns (35 passing, 14 rushing). Helterbrand helped lead his team to a WIAC Championship and the NCAA National Quarterfinals.









 

Hertel is the school's only wrestler to win a NCAA National Title at 157-pounds and he has now done it twice (2023, 2024). Nolan went 4-0 at the Championships including a 4-2 decision in the championship match. An NCAA All-America, Nolan finished the season with a perfect 29-0 overall record including capturing his fourth WIAC title of his career and the NCAA III Upper Midwest Regional crown. Nolan now has three NCAA All-America honors in his career.




 

Female Athlete of the Year - Ellie Arndt, Soccer and Lauren Jarrett, Track and Field
Arndt was named an NCAA III First Team All-American and the NCAA III National Scholar Player of the Year by the United Soccer Coaches Association. Arndt started 21 games for the Eagles this season finishing with four goals and five assists. She was second on the team in total shots (60) and third in shots on goal (31). At the conference level, Arndt was named the WIAC Kwik Trip Offensive Player of the Year and first team all-conference. Arndt helped lead her team to a WIAC regular season and tournament championship and appearance in the National Tournament. Arndt and her teammates advanced to the NCAA III Quarterfinals.

Jarrett, a member of the women's track and field team, earned three NCAA All-America honors during the outdoor season by finishing second in both the 100 and 200 -meter dash as well as a member of the 4x100 relay team which finished third at the Championships.  Then during the indoor season, Lauren earned two more All-America Honors. Lauren became the first ever Eagle to win a national championship in the 60-meter dash while also finishing sixth in the 200-meter dash. At the WIAC Indoor Championships, Lauren won the 60-meter dash while finishing second in the 200-meter dash. For her accomplishments at the conference championships, Lauren was named WIAC Kwik Trip Performer of the Meet.

 

Student of the Year - Hannah Hautala, Gymnastics

Hautala is an English Writing and Rhetoric major with minors in French and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Hautalawants to travel the world teaching English as a second language after her time here at UWL.






 

Female Newcomer of the Year - Claire Robbins, Gymnastics
Robbins was named a NCGA All-American as she finished fifth on the balance beam at the National Championships in March. At the WIAC Championships, Robbins was named the Kwik Trip Newcomer of the Year. Robbins finished second on the team in season average on the beam (9.65) and the floor (9.730). She helped lead the Eagles to a third-place finish at the NCGA National Championships and the NCGA West Regional.




 

Male Newcomer of the Year - Nate Witte, Baseball
Witte has started in all 30 games so far this season and ranks second on the team in batting average with a .347. Witte's 13 stolen bases are tops for the Eagles and ranks third in the WIAC. He has scored 30 runs and driven in 24 runs so far this season. A center fielder, Witte has a .982 fielding percentage. One of Nate's best performances so far this season came in a doubleheader against UW-Oshkosh when he went 8-for-9 with two doubles, a triple, a stolen base, two RBIs and five runs scored.



 

Comeback of the Year – Kinzie Reischl, Women's Swim and Dive 
This year's comeback athlete has overcome heightened challenges to be prepared for competition this season. Heading into the current academic year, Reischl was riding her bike and was struck by a car.  The effects of her accident left several question marks for her as she was gearing up for her final season as an eagle, but she didn't let this setback get the best of her. Reischl did everything she could to recover and finish out the entirety of her senior year. In her final competition, she put up personal bests in everything that she competed in. Currently, she is training for an Ironman, which she'll be competing in this summer.


 

Eagle Award – Grace Ellison, Golf and Grace Willmott, Lacrosse
Here are a few clips of what Ellison's teammates had to say about her: 
Grace always brings such a positive and bright energy to every event she is at. Whether it is practice, a tournament, or just a meeting, she brings so much positivity and a big smile. Grace is also so welcoming to everyone and goes out of her way to make sure everyone feels included and welcomed. Grace has added so much to the golf team on and off the course.

Here are a few clips of what Willmott's teammates had to say about her: 
Grace is the type of person who will always, no matter what, give everything. On the field, Grace is an absolute beast. She is the hardest worker in the weight room and out on the field. Her ambition, humility, and dedication to our team are just a few of her best qualities. Other than being a captain of the lacrosse team, and president of SAAC, she still manages to find time to help out others, whether that be peers, friends, family, kids, or complete strangers.
  

Faculty of the Year – Charlotte Roberts, Assistant Professor Educational Studies
Professor Roberts was nominated by Mitchel Fassbender (baseball), Abi Schauske (women's swim and dive). Mack Sebert (Men's basketball). Here is a few of their comments about Professor Roberts:

Professor Roberts is an amazing professor and makes it known that she cares about her students. She is very supportive of student-athletes and has been to some of my games as well as other student-athlete's games.

She is responsive, empathetic, determined, and supportive, amongst numerous other words. Professor Roberts is not only invested in her job, but she is invested in her students. She makes relationships with her students that she fosters not only throughout the semester but throughout our time at UW-La Crosse.

Professor Roberts provided a very understanding classroom setting and I felt I could share anything I wanted to and express the way I was feeling if I wanted. As an aspiring teacher, she provides me with an example of how even the little things we do can have a large impact on our student's mental health and well-being.

Highest Team Grade Point Average - Women's Cross Country

The women's cross country team earned the award for highest team cumulative grade point average at 3.581
 
Team of the Year - Men's Track & Field
Since the ESSLY's last year, the men's track and field team competed in the NCAA DIII Outdoor Championships and finished second. The 2023 outdoor season also saw the Eagles capture their 31st WIAC title in the last 32 years including seven individual championships.
 
During the 2024 indoor season, the Eagles captured the 2024 NCAA Division III Indoor National Championship for their NCAA DIII record 20th Indoor title. The Eagles claimed their 21st out of the last 22 WIAC Indoor Championships. Blaskowski was recognized as National Track Athlete of the Year.




 

Outstanding Career Award - Maddie Hannan, Women's Cross Country and Track and Field, and Ethan Gregg, Men's Cross Country and Track and FieldMaddie Hannan was a four-year member of both the cross country and track and field teams. Maddie competed at the NCAA Cross Country Championships all four years including a 20th place finish at the 2022 Championships where she earned an All-America honor. With her four top 10 finishes at the WIAC championships, Maddie is a four-time First Team All-Conference selection.
 
A three-time NCAA All-American in track and field, Maddie qualified five times for the NCAA National Championships. She also won four WIAC Championships including the 2024 Indoor mile, 2023 outdoor 1500 meter, 2023 Indoor 800 and 2020 Indoor DMR. She holds seven school records including five indoor and two outdoor.



 

In cross country, Ethan is a three-time NCAA All-American and four-time participant at the NCAA National Championships. He helped lead his team to a second-place finish at the 2023 Championships by becoming just the second Eagle to win a national cross country championship. He was named the 2023 NCAA III Cross Country and WIAC Athlete of the Year. A four-time WIAC First Team selection, Ethan won two WIAC Championships.

On the track, Ethan is a seven-time NCAA All-American and a two-time National Champion. Ethan is the only Eagle to ever win a national title in the 3000-meter run. He also won 4 WIAC Individual Championships. Ethan holds four school records including two indoor and two outdoor.