WIAC Release

Madison, Wis. - Twelve members of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse football team have been named to the 2025 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Team in a vote by the league coaches.
 
Seven players were voted to the All-WIAC First Team, including senior running back Gabe Lynch of Indian Creek, Ill. (Carmel Catholic), senior offensive lineman Dain Walter of New Glarus (H.S.) and junior wide receiver Jack Janke of Ellsworth (H.S.) to the All-WIAC First Team Offense. 

 
Senior defensive lineman Christian Powell of Milwaukee (University School of Milwaukee) and junior defensive back Trent Mullen of Appleton (North) were named to the All-WIAC First Team Defense.
 
Senior placekicker Michael Stack of Oshkosh (West) and sophomore punter Ethan Tranel of Blue Mounds (Mount Horeb) were voted to the All-WIAC First Team Special Teams.
 

Stack was also named the 2025 WIAC Special Teams Player of the Year.
 
Senior tight end Marko Rajkovic of Franklin (H.S.) was named to the All-WIAC Second Team Offense while senior wide receiver Tyler Bowman of Spring Valley (H.S.) was selected to the All-WIAC Honorable Mention Offense.
 
Bowman was named the 2025 WIAC Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete.
 
Senior defensive lineman Bodie Schanhofer of Greenville (Hortonville) was named to the All-WIAC Honorable Mention Defense.

 

Senior Ben Walsh of Manitowoc (Lincoln) was voted to the All-WIAC Honorable Mention Special Teams.
 
Senior offensive lineman Andrew Brandmeier of Brown Deer (Kettle Moraine) 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. 
 

It marks the second all-conference honor for Lynch and Walter. Lynch was voted to the 2024 first team while Walter earned second team accolades last year.
 
Lynch leads UWL in rushing attempts (106), yards (541) and touchdowns (6) this season, averaging 5.1 yards per carry and 67.6 yards per game. He ranks fourth in the WIAC in yards per game and sixth in rushing yards and touchdowns. Lynch had a season-high 165 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 16 attempts versus UW-Eau Claire on October 11. He finished with 136 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries at UW-Stevens Point on November 15.
 
Lynch has seven career games rushing for at least 100 yards and currently ranks 10th in career rushing yards (2,370).

Walter started all nine games this season at left tackle as the offensive line has helped UWL average 32.0 points per game, fourth in the WIAC. The Eagles are averaging 402.1 yards per game this year (third in the conference), including 147.7 rushing (fourth) and 254.4 passing (third).

 

UWL had a season-high 640 yards versus UW-Eau Claire, the team's most offensive yards since totaling 632 at UW-Eau Claire on October 15, 2022. The Eagles have a season-high 370 rushing yards against UW-Eau Claire this year and a season-high 437 yards versus UW-Oshkosh. 
 
Janke earned his first career all-league honor this year after leading UWL in receptions (65), receiving yards (895) and touchdowns (10). He leads the conference in receptions, receiving yards, receiving yards per game (99.3) and receptions per game (7.2) while being tied for the lead in touchdown receptions (10).
 

Janke had at least four catches in every game this season and recorded at least 100 receiving yards in four contests. He finished with 181 yards on 13 receptions with one touchdown against UW-Oshkosh on October 25. 
 
Janke had 147 yards and two touchdowns on 13 catches versus UW-Platteville on October 18, nine receptions for 127 yards and two touchdowns against Wayne State University (Mich.) on September 20 and seven catches for 107 yards and one touchdown at Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) on September 13.
 
Powell picked up his first career All-WIAC award while Mullen earned his second honor after being named to the 2024 all-conference first team.

 

Powell has started all nine games and is currently tied for the team lead in tackles for loss (6.5) while leading in fumble recoveries (3) and quarterback hurries (6). He has 2.0 quarterback sacks on the season and is fourth for UWL in overall tackles with 30. Powell had a season-high seven tackles, with 2.0 for loss, at UW-River Falls on November 8. He recorded 2.0 quarterback sacks versus UW-Stout on November 1.
 
Mullen is tied for the team lead in interceptions (3) this year while starting all nine games. He is tied for team lead in pass break-ups (4) and recorded 18 tackles. Mullen has interceptions against Carnegie Mellon (Pa.), UW-Whitewater on October 4 and UW-Stout. He has eight career interceptions.
 

It marks Stack's second career All-WIAC First Team selection and second WIAC Special Teams Player of the Year Award. He earned both honors in 2023. Stack is the first player in league history to be named the WIAC Special Teams Player of the Year twice. He is second player in school history to earn the honor, joining Jake Simuncak (2021).
 
Stack is eight-of-11 in field goal attempts this season with a season-long 47-yards versus UW-Stout. He converted a 45-yard field goal against UW-Eau Claire and a 43-yard field goal on the final play in UWL's victory at UW-Whitewater. His eight field goals are third in the WIAC.
 
He is 35-of-35 in extra-points this year and 131-of-131 in his career. Stack ranks second in UWL history in career extra-points made and tied for second in attempts. He is also fourth in career field goals made with 28. 

Averaging 41.2 yards per punt, Tranel earned his first all-conference honor this season. He has a long of 67-yards at UW-River Falls and finished with 10 punts over 50 yards during the season. Tranel has 14 punts inside the 20-yard line.

 
He currently leads the WIAC in punting average, punts over 50 yards and punts inside the 20-yard line. 
 
Rajkovic has two career All-WIAC honors with his selection this season. He was a 2023 All-WIAC Honorable Mention choice. A starter in all nine games, Rajkovic is third for UWL in touchdown catches (3) and receiving yards (196) while being tied for third in receptions (20).

 

He finished with a season-high seven catches at UW-Platteville and had a season-high 70 yards receiving with one touchdown versus UW-Oshkosh. Rajkovic also caught touchdown passes against UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stevens Point.
 
Bowman and Schanhofer earned their first career all-conference recognition. Bowman ranks second for UWL in receptions (31), receiving yards (377) and touchdowns (4). He had a season-high six catches versus Wayne State (Mich.), UW-Eau Claire and UW-Platteville with a season-high 92 yards against UW-Stout. Bowman caught a pair of touchdown passes versus Wayne State (Mich.) and UW-Oshkosh.
 
He is the sixth player in school history to earn the WIAC Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete. Troy Harcey (1996), Dave Gerhard (1998), Andrew Youngbauer (2000), Steve Tennies (2005) and Alex Bongers (2022) also earned the league's scholar-athlete of the year award.
 
Schanhofer is fifth for UWL in tackles (29) this year while ranking fourth in tackles for loss (4.5). He is also tied for third in quarterback sacks (2.5). Schanhofer finished with a season-high five tackles versus UW-Oshkosh and UW-River Falls. He had a season-high 2.0 tackles for loss against UW-Whitewater and recorded a quarterback sack versus UW-River Falls and UW-Stevens Point. 

 
Walsh has started all nine games as UWL's long snapper in earning his first career all-conference recognition. The Eagles' rank second in the WIAC in net punting (38.2)
 

Brandmeier played in all nine games as UWL's offensive line ranks second in the WIAC in third-down (48.9%) and fourth-down (60.0%) conversions, third in first downs per game (21.7), time of possession (32:06) and offensive efficiency (141.8).
 
UWL, led by head coach Matt Janus, finished 7-2 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 travels to Hope College (Mich.) in the second round on Saturday, November 29.