Football | 8/21/2026 12:00:00 PM

WIAC Preview

Madison, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse football team is projected to place second in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Preseason Poll, released Friday, according to the league's head coaches and sports information directors. 

Michael Zweifel starts his first year as UW-La Crosse's head coach after spending the previous four seasons as an assistant coach. He served as the Eagles' defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach in 2025. Zweifel led the defense and special teams to a 36-11 record the last four years as UW-La Crosse won two WIAC championships and made four appearances in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Playoffs.

The Eagles, ranked 10th on the 2026 D3football.com Top 25 Preseason Poll, return 76 letter winners and 10 starters, including two All-WIAC selections.

UWL finished 8-3 overall and 5-2 in the WIAC a year ago, tying for second in the league standings. The Eagles advanced to the NCAA Division III Third Round, earning a 9-7 victory at 18th-ranked Hope College (Mich.) in the second round before falling 35-27 at top-ranked North Central College (Ill.) in the third round. UWL earned a first round bye last season. The Eagles were ranked eighth on the final 2025 D3football.com Top 25 Poll and 10th on the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top 25 Poll.

Zweifel is joined by assistant coaches Andrew McGlenn (offensive linemen); Mike Anderson (associate head coach/offensive linemen); Tarek Yaeggi (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks/recruiting coordinator); Jake White (defensive coordinator/linebackers); Aaron Schmitz (running backs/tight ends/strength & conditioning); Frank Tierney (wide receivers); Jon Larson (kickers/punters); Sam Zwieg (wide receivers); Jack Kelly (defensive linemen); Peyton Kleinheinz (quarterbacks) and Gavin Seefeldt (defensive linemen).

UW-Platteville is predicted to win this year's conference title followed by UWL, UW-River Falls, UW-Whitewater, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stout Polytechnic, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Eau Claire. UW-Platteville is ranked sixth on the 2026 D3football.com Top 25 Preseason Poll with UW-River Falls seventh and UW-Whitewater 12th. UW-Oshkosh and UW-Stout Polytechnic are receiving votes. UW-River Falls is the defending NCAA Division III champion.

A pair of players return for UW-La Crosse in 2026 with All-WIAC accolades, including senior defensive back Trent Mullen of Appleton (North) and senior wide receiver Jack Janke of Ellsworth (H.S.). Mullen was selected to the 2024 and 2025 All-WIAC and D3football.com All-Region 6 First Team. Janke was voted to the 2025 All-WIAC First Team and D3football.com All-Region 6 Second Team.

Mullen started all 11 games at corner back in 2025, finishing tied for the team lead with three interceptions. The three interceptions tied for eighth in the WIAC. He led UW-La Crosse in pass break-ups (5) while finishing 10th in overall tackles (27). He recorded interceptions against Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.), UW-Whitewater and UW-Stout. Mullen has eight career interceptions.

Janke led UW-La Crosse in receptions (77), yards (1,009) and touchdowns (10) a year ago, becoming the seventh player in school history to record 1,000 yards receiving in a season. His 77 catches are tied for fourth in single-season school history while the 10 touchdowns are tied for eighth. He led the WIAC in receptions while ranking second in yards and touchdown catches. Janke had four games with at least 100 yards receiving, including a career-high 181 yards with one touchdown versus UW-Oshkosh. He had a career-high 13 catches in the game, tied for 10th-most in single-game school history. Janke had at least four receptions in all 11 games. 

Senior defensive lineman Isaac Dagit of Marshfield (H.S.) recorded 14 tackles in 2025 while junior defensive lineman Thomas Laufenberg of Sparta (H.S.) returns after finishing with 15 tackles.

Senior linebacker Grant Achterkirch of Owatonna, Minn. (H.S.) was fifth in tackles (40) last season with junior linebacker Ben Ott of Glendale (Nicolet) fourth (41). Otto tied for the team lead in unassisted tackles (24). Senior linebacker Colin O'Neil of Cashton (H.S.) recorded 25 tackles.

In the secondary, senior defensive back Sam Baumgard of Barron (H.S.) tied for the UW-La Crosse lead with three interceptions.

Senior quarterback Kyle Haas of Prior Lake, Minn. (H.S.) returns after finishing 211-of-314 (67.2%) passing for 2,173 yards with 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Senior wide receiver Keaton Arendt of Franklin (H.S.) was fourth for UW-La Crosse in receptions (25) and yards (216) last season. Senior running back Braedon Ott of Glendale (Nicolet) was second on the team in rushing attempts (64) and yards (339) last year while tying for second in rushing touchdowns (2).

Four senior offensive linemen return, including Watson Allan of Lake Forest, Ill. (H.S), Preston Horihan of La Crosse (Aquinas), Alex Kulie of Middleton (H.S.) and Bryce Sharp of Woodbury, Minn. (East Ridge). UW-La Crosse averaged 29.5 points and 386.1 yards of offense per game (136.5 rushing; 249.6 passing) last season. The Eagles were second in the WIAC in fourth-down conversions (60.0%), third in total offense (386.1), passing yards (249.6), first down (230) and third-down conversions (46.7%) and fourth in scoring (29.5).

Senior Maddox Pratt of Hartford (H.S.) went one-of-two in field goal attempts and two-of-two in extra-points last season. 

UW-La Crosse opens its 2026 season Saturday, September 5 at 11th-ranked at Saint John's University (Minn.). The Eagles' home opener is scheduled for Saturday, September 12 hosting 15th-ranked Hardin-Simmons University (Texas) at Roger Harring Stadium at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex.  

UW-La Crosse opens the WIAC season Saturday, October 3 at UW-Oshkosh.  

For the complete 2026 UW-La Crosse schedule, click here.