All-WIAC Football Honors Announced

--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Keyser Helterbrand was named the Kwik Trip Offensive Player, UW-Platteville’s Justin Blazek the Kwik Trip Defensive Player of the Year and UW-Platteville’s Andrew Schweigert and UW-La Crosse’s Michael Stack the Kwik Trip Co-Special Teams Players of the Year to lead the individuals chosen to the 2023 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Football Team by the league coaches. In addition, UW-Whitewater’s Tyler Vasey received Kwik Trip Newcomer of the Year honors and UW-La Crosse’s Matt Janus was tabbed the Kwik Trip George Chryst Coach of the Year.

Helterbrand is the third player in program history to receive the award on offense, joining Cole Spieker (2019) and Joey Stutzman (2022). He leads the WIAC with a 193.2 passing efficiency, while tying for second with 24 passing touchdowns. Helterbrand ranks third with 676 rushing yards and fourth with 2,188 passing yards.

Blazek claimed the defensive honor for the second straight year, becoming the second individual in conference archives to accomplish the feat. UW-Whitewater’s Mackenzie Balanganayi was a two-time winner in 2019 and 2021. Blazek tops the league with 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. He has added 53 tackles, five pass break-ups, three forced fumbles, two interceptions and one fumble recovery.

This is the second time in WIAC history that the special teams plaque has been shared. UW-Platteville’s Quinn Buschbacher and UW-Stout’s Drew Pearson split the award in 2016. Schweigert leads the conference with 44.1 yards per punt and eight punts of over 50 yards. He had a season-best 66-yard punt against UW-Eau Claire on Oct. 21, and has made 10-of-14 field goals, as well as 33-of-34 extra-point conversions.

Stack has converted 11-of-13 field goal attempts, including a game-winning 51-yard attempt as time expired in a 37-34 victory over UW-Whitewater on Oct. 7. He has been perfect on all 43 extra-point attempts.

Vasey ranks second in the WIAC with 351 kick return yards and third with 25.1 yards per kick return. His 93-yard return for a touchdown against UW-Platteville on Oct. 28, was the first kick return for a touchdown for UW-Whitewater since 2013. A Newcomer of the Year is defined as a student-athlete who used his first season of participation in football this season. Transfers are not eligible unless they didn’t participate in football at their previous institution.

Repeat selections on the first team from a season ago included: UW-La Crosse’s Mike Bertoia and Jack Kelly; UW-Oshkosh’s Carson Raddatz and Trae Tetzlaff; UW-Platteville’s Sam Smith; UW-River Falls’ Alex Klecker; UW-Stout’s Arthur Cox (Special Teams Player of the Year) and Cannon Griner; and UW-Whitewater’s Egon Hein. Bertoia, Cox and Hein were also first team selections during the 2021 campaign.

Janus received the coaching award for the second straight season after leading UW-La Crosse to the 35th conference title in program archives. The Eagles will also make their 13th NCAA appearance this weekend and have posted nine wins for the third consecutive year.

An All-Sportsmanship Team was announced for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each school.

2023 All-WIAC Football Team
First Team - Offense
Clayton Schwalbe, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Tight End, Waukesha, Wis. (North)
Jesus Ambriz, Stout, Senior, Offensive Line, Monee, Ill. (Crete-Monee)
Mike Bertoia, La Crosse, Senior, Offensive Line, Lake Zurich, Ill. (Lake Zurich)
Alex Klecker, River Falls, Senior, Offensive Line, River Falls, Wis. (River Falls)
Alex Pethan, Whitewater, Sophomore, Offensive Line, Oak Creek, Wis. (Oak Creek)
John Pekar, Whitewater, Junior, Center, Franklin, Wis. (Franklin)
Kobe Berghammer, Oshkosh, Senior, Quarterback, Clayton, Wis. (Cumberland)
Keyser Helterbrand, La Crosse, Senior, Quarterback, Hudson, Wis. (Hudson)
Tamir Thomas, Whitewater, Junior, Running Back, Menomonee Falls, Wis. (Menomonee Falls)
Arthur Cox, Stout, Graduate Student, Wide Receiver, Dixon, Ill. (Dixon)
Brandt Stare, Platteville, Junior, Wide Receiver, Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)
Jack Studer, La Crosse, Senior, Wide Receiver, Eyota, Minn. (Dover-Eyota)
Trae Tetzlaff, Oshkosh, Junior, Wide Receiver, Waukesha, Wis. (West)
Kaleb Blaha, River Falls, Junior, All-Purpose Back, Coon Rapids, Minn. (Fridley)

First Team - Defense
Tyler Bacon, Platteville, Senior, Defensive Line, Johnston, Iowa (Johnston)
Justin Blazek, Platteville, Senior, Defensive Line, Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley)
Matt Burba, Whitewater, Junior, Defensive Line, Lake in the Hills, Ill. (Huntley)
Jack Kelly, La Crosse, Senior, Defensive Line, Plover, Wis. (SPASH)
Joey Antonietti, Whitewater, Sophomore, Linebacker, La Grange, Ill. (Lyons Township)

Tanner Newlin, La Crosse, Junior, Linebacker, Savage, Minn. (Prior Lake)
Sam Smith, Platteville, Senior, Linebacker, Pewaukee, Wis. (Anoka, Ill.)
Cannon Griner, Stout, Senior, Defensive Back, Mesa, Ariz. (Red Mountain)
Egon Hein, Whitewater, Senior, Defensive Back, St. Charles, Ill. (North)
Carson Raddatz, Oshkosh, Junior, Defensive Back, Fond du Lac, Wis. (Fond du Lac)
Aidan Tyk, Platteville, Senior, Defensive Back, Manhattan, Ill. (Lincoln Way West)

First Team - Special Teams
Michael Stack, La Crosse, Sophomore, Placekicker, Oshkosh, Wis. (West)
Andrew Schweigert, Platteville, Senior, Punter, Sussex, Wis. (Hamilton)
Patrick Corcoran, Stout, Junior, Return Specialist, Mindoro, Wis. (Melrose-Mindoro)
Isaac Runstrom, Eau Claire, Freshman, Special Teams Player, Cumberland, Wis. (Cumberland)

Second Team - Offense
Drake Martin, Whitewater, Junior, Tight End, Rhinelander, Wis. (Rhinelander)
Levi Liedke, La Crosse, Junior, Offensive Line, Fond du Lac, Wis. (Fond du Lac)
John Schirger, Oshkosh, Junior, Offensive Line, Grafton, Wis. (Living Word Lutheran)
Noah Coleman, La Crosse, Senior, Center, Wilmot, Wis. (Wilmot)
Brian White, Oshkosh, Senior, Center, Manhattan, Ill. (Lincoln-Way West)
Kaleb Blaha, River Falls, Junior, Quarterback, Coon Rapids, Minn. (Fridley)
Ivan Ruble, Eau Claire, Junior, Running Back, Clear Lake, Wis. (Clear Lake)
Steven Hein, Whitewater, Junior, Wide Receiver, St. Charles, Ill. (North)
Mason Van Zeeland, River Falls, Senior, Wide Receiver, Kaukauna, Wis. (Kaukauna)
Trey Fitzgerald, Eau Claire, Junior, All-Purpose Back, Mosinee, Wis. (Mosinee)

Second Team - Defense
Drew Hahn, River Falls, Senior, Defensive Line, Elburn, Ill. (Kaneland)
Nehemiah Lomax, Whitewater, Junior, Defensive Line, Park Forest, Ill. (Crete-Monee)
Kyle Dietzen, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Linebacker, Omro, Wis. (Omro)
Hawk Heffner, Whitewater, Senior, Linebacker, Grafton, Wis. (Grafton)
Cade Schmidt, River Falls, Junior, Linebacker, Motley, Minn. (Staples-Motley)
Gervase Thompson, Stout, Senior, Linebacker, Brule, Wis. (Northwestern)
Dylan Brown, River Falls, Junior, Defensive Back, Mequon, Wis. (Homestead)
Kyle Koelblinger, Whitewater, Junior, Defensive Back, Crystal Lake, Ill. (Prairie Ridge)
Tate Pitcher, La Crosse, Sophomore, Defensive Back, Somerset, Wis. (Somerset)
Andrew Schumacher, River Falls, Junior, Defensive Back, Andover, Minn. (Andover)
Samuel Tausz, Platteville, Senior, Defensive Back, New Berlin, Wis. (Eisenhower)

Second Team - Special Teams
Luke Cool, Stout, Junior, Placekicker, Franklin, Wis. (Franklin)
Walleye Ratliff, Oshkosh, Freshman, Punter, Cincinnati, Ohio (Archbishop Moeller)
Tyler Vasey, Whitewater, Freshman, Return Specialist, Crystal Lake, Ill. (Prairie Ridge)
William Hammen, Stout, Junior, Special Teams Player, Combined Locks, Wis. (Kimberly)
Mason Stepanski, Whitewater, Sophomore, Special Teams Player, Appleton, Wis. (Kimberly)

Honorable Mention - Offense
Matt Getgen, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Tight End, Wisconsin Dells, Wis. (Wisconsin Dells)
Brody McKnight, River Falls, Junior, Tight End, Inver Grove Heights, Minn. (Simley)
Zach Sherman, Whitewater, Senior, Tight End, Oconto, Wis. (Oconto)
Marko Rajkovic, La Crosse, Sophomore, Tight End, Franklin, Wis. (Franklin)
Addison DeShambo, Whitewater, Junior, Offensive Line, Neenah, Wis. (St. Mary Catholic)
Jacob Foss, Stout, Senior, Offensive Line, Eden Prairie, Wis. (Eden Prairie)
Ryan Pearson, Platteville, Junior, Offensive Line, Crystal Lake, Ill. (Prairie Ridge)
Eli Sergott, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Offensive Line, Green Bay, Wis. (East)
Michael Krueger, River Falls, Junior, Running Back, River Falls, Wis. (River Falls)
Ryan Bartol, La Crosse, Senior, Wide Receiver, Berlin, Wis. (Berlin)
Isaac Garside, Eau Claire, Junior, Wide Receiver, Bonduel, Wis. (Bonduel)
Arthur Cox, Stout, Graduate Student, All-Purpose Back, Dixon, Ill. (Dixon)
Keyser Helterbrand, La Crosse, Senior, All-Purpose Back, Hudson, Wis. (Hudson)

Honorable Mention - Defense
Dakota Carriveau, Stevens Point, Senior, Defensive Line, Oconto Falls, Wis. (Oconto Falls)
Jack Dietzen, Platteville, Senior, Defensive Line, Omro, Wis. (Omro)
Nate Hietpas, La Crosse, Junior, Defensive Line, Little Chute, Wis. (Little Chute)
Wyatt Beyerl, Stout, Senior, Linebacker, Mosinee, Wis. (Mosinee)
Ethan Gallagher, Whitewater, Sophomore, Linebacker, Homer Glen, Ill. (Lockport Township)
Gyanni Kanellakis, Eau Claire, Junior, Linebacker, Cary, Ill. (Cary Grove)
Gage Timm, River Falls, Sophomore, Linebacker, Shawano, Minn. (Shawano)
Aaron Borgerding, River Falls, Junior, Defensive Back, Spring Valley, Wis. (Spring Valley)
Ryan Kuechle, Eau Claire, Senior, Defensive Back, Mankato, Minn. (East)
Jared Saad, Oshkosh, Senior, Defensive Back, Naperville, Ill. (North)
Aaron Schmitz, La Crosse, Junior, Defensive Back, Mukwonago, Wis. (Mukwonago)

Honorable Mention - Special Teams
Kaio Harn, Oshkosh, Senior, Return Specialist, New London, Wis. (New London)
Ryan Krueger, La Crosse, Senior, Punter, Marshfield, Wis. (Marshfield)
Kyle Dietzen, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Special Teams Player, Omro, Wis. (Omro)
Ben Hollister, River Falls, Junior, Special Teams Player, Shoreview, Minn. (Mounds View)

All-Sportsmanship Team
Malik Johnson, Eau Claire, Senior, Defensive Line, Lomira, Wis. (Lomira)
Alec Ogden, Whitewater, Senior, Quarterback, Marshall, Wis. (Monona Grove)
Matt Patri, River Falls, Senior, Offensive Line, St. Paul, Minn. (Roseville)
Gerrit Schomaker, Platteville, Senior, Defensive Line, Freedom, Wis. (Freedom)
Tyler Stoltenburg, La Crosse, Senior, Wide Receiver, New Berlin, Wis. (West)
Justin Tenpas, Oshkosh, Junior, Defensive Back, Sheboygan Falls, Wis. (Sheboygan Falls)
Mitch Waechter, Stout, Junior, Quarterback, Campbellsport, Wis. (Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs)
Jeffery Williams, Stevens Point, Senior, Wide Receiver, Brodhead, Wis. (Brodhead)

Kwik Trip Offensive Player of the Year:  Keyser Helterbrand of La Crosse
Kwik Trip Defensive Player of the Year:  Justin Blazek of Platteville
Kwik Trip Co-Special Teams Players of the Year:  Andrew Schweigert of Platteville and Michael Stack of La Crosse
Kwik Trip Newcomer of the Year:  Tyler Vasey of Whitewater
Kwik Trip George Chryst Coach of the Year:  Matt Janus of La Crosse
Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete:  Gervase Thompson of Stout