November 11, 2013-November 17, 2013
Offense: Joel Sweeney, Running Back, 6-1, 249, Senior, Tomah, Wis.
Scoring two rushing touchdowns with 172 yards on 29 carries, Sweeney helped lead the Blugolds to a 24-21 victory in the season finale at UW-La Crosse on Saturday. He ended his career with 4,021 rushing yards, third on the Blugolds' all-time list, and 861 carries, fourth most in school history. Sweeney also finished with 45 touchdowns in his career, tied for fourth in school archives. This season Sweeney had 1,168 yards playing nine games (129.8 yards per game), tied for seventh best in a single season with Blugold Hall of Famer Roger Vann, and leading the WIAC this year.
Defense: Erik Hulman, Outside Linebacker, 6-0, 206, Sophomore, Milwaukee, Wis./Lutheran
Hulman led the Blugold defense Saturday as UW-Eau Claire defeated UW-La Crosse 24-21 in the season finale. He completed the game with 12 tackles (eight solo and four assists) while also breaking up two passes and recovering a fumble in the third quarter.
Special Teams: Billy Emanuel, Kicker, 5-8, 183, Senior, Owatonna, Minn.
Emanuel hit three extra points and had a career-long 35-yard field goal Saturday as the Blugolds defeated UW-La Crosse 24-21 to end the season. His field goal came at the end of the first half and gave the Blugolds a 17-14 lead at halftime.
October 28, 2013-November 3, 2013
Offense: Joel Sweeney, Running Back, 6-1, 249, Senior, Tomah, Wis.
Sweeney finished Saturday's game at UW-Stout with 192 yards rushing on 33 carries and three touchdowns, the second time this season Sweeney had three touchdowns in a game. He had a big play near the beginning of the fourth quarter, running 70 yards for a touchdown to get the Blugolds back within 11 points. The run tied for the 15th longest in school history and was the longest run of Sweeney's career (previous best was 65 yards against UW-River Falls on Nov. 10, 2012). He moves into third place on the Blugolds' all-time career rushing yards list with 3,726 yards.
Defense: Thurgood Dennis, Cornerback, 6-0, 178, Junior, Allouez, Wis./Green Bay Notre Dame
Starting at cornerback at UW-Stout this weekend, his 18th straight start going back to last season, Dennis finished with two solo tackles, one of which was a loss for two yards. This season he is seventh on the team with 27 tackles (22 solo, five assists).
Special Teams: Lucas Emmerich, Tight End, 6-4, 221, Sophomore, Eau Claire, Wis./Memorial
Emmerich has been a big part of the Blugolds' special teams this season, playing on all but one of the special teams. This past weekend at UW-Stout, he recorded one tackle on a Blugold punt early in the game to stop the return for five yards.
October 21, 2013-October 27, 2013
Offense: Paul Santi, Offensive Line, 6-1, 295, Kingsford, Mich.
Starting at center for the Blugolds, his 37th straight start going back to 2010, Santi helped the Blugolds to a 13-6 victory over UW-River Falls this weekend, the Blugolds’ first win of the year. The Blugolds finished with 137 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns while they threw for 176 yards to combine for 313 yards of total offense.
Defense: Luke Hoyord, Cornerback, 5-11, 183, Senior, Scandinavia, Wis./Iola-Scandinavia
Hoyord finished with five tackles while breaking up two passes Saturday as the Blugolds beat UW-River Falls 13-6 for the team's first win of the season. One of his tackles was a loss for seven yards early in the game.
Special Teams: Chris Cummings, Wide Receiver, 6-0, 165, Sophomore, Milwaukee, Wis./Riverside University
Cummings returned two kickoffs and recorded one special teams tackle Saturday as the Blugolds beat UW-River Falls 13-6 for the team's first win of the season. He returned two kicks for 39 yards, including a long of 27 yards. His tackle came on the opening kickoff of the game, stopping River Falls for a 15-yard return.
October 7, 2013-October 13, 2013
Offense: Clint Larsen, Wide Receiver, 6-0, 193, Sophomore, Eau Claire, Wis./Memorial
Larsen scored both Blugold touchdowns, rushing, and was second on the team in both rushing and receptions against UW-Stevens Point in a 23-17 overtime loss Saturday. He finished the game with eight carries for 77 yards and scored a 26-yard touchdown in the second quarter and a 16-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter which helped the Blugolds tie the game at 17. He also had three receptions for five yards.
Defense: Thurgood Dennis, Cornerback, 6-0, 178, Junior, Allouez, Wis./Green Bay Notre Dame
Dennis recorded six tackles (four solo, two assists) Saturday against UW-Stevens Point in a 23-17 overtime loss. He also broke up one pass.
Special Teams: Billy Emanuel, Kicker, 5-8, 183, Senior, Owatonna, Minn.
Emanual scored his first collegiate field goal Saturday against UW-Stevens Point, hitting a 27-yarder in the fourth quarter to get the Blugolds back to within seven (17-10). Later, he nailed an extra point at the end of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 17 and push it into overtime. Emanual also scored an extra point in the first quarter to give the Blugolds a 7-0 lead.
September 30, 2013-October 6, 2013
Offense: Cody Gerver, Wide Receiver, 6-4, 189, Junior, Mahtomedi, Minn.
Saturday at UW-Platteville, Gerver caught two passes for 19 yards, one of which was the Blugolds' first touchdown of the game 13 minutes into the contest. The 15-yard touchdown reception gave quarterback Mark Munger his first collegiate touchdown pass.
Defense: Sean Graham, Linebacker, 6-0, 213, Senior, Hales Corners, Wis./Whitnall
For the fourth time this season, Graham led the Blugolds in tackling as he finished with eight against UW-Platteville on Saturday. Graham had three solo tackles and five assists to bring his season total to 35, second most in the league.
Special Teams: Clint Larsen, Wide Receiver, 6-0, 193, Sophomore, Eau Claire, Wis./Memorial
Larsen returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the third quarter against UW-Platteville on Saturday to help put the Blugolds up 27-21. He took the kick 98 yards, the Blugolds' first kick return for a touchdown since Nov. 11, 1987, the longest in school history (previous long was 97 yards by Mike Zeihen in 1980), the third longest in NCAA Division III this season, and the sixth longest in conference history. Larsen also recorded three tackles on the special teams.
September 23, 2013-September 29, 2013
Offense: Paul Santi, Offensive Lineman, 6-1, 295, Senior, Kingsford, Mich.
Santi started the game against 10th-ranked Pacific Lutheran University (Wash.) at center Saturday. He blocked for a Blugold offense that finished with 312 total yards, 145 on the ground and 167 through the air. The Blugolds also scored three rushing touchdowns but came up just short, 21-19, to the Lutes.
Defense: Dalton Evertz, Defensive Lineman, 6-1, 280, Junior, Andover, Minn./Anoka
Starting at nose guard, Evertz and the Blugold defense held 10th-ranked Pacific Lutheran University (Wash.) to 348 yards of offense, the lowest total for the Lutes this season. Evertz finished the game with four tackles, one solo and three assists. The Blugolds held the Lutes to 21 points, their lowest total since Nov. 12, 2011.
Special Teams: Erik Hulman, Linebacker, 6-0, 206, Sophomore, Milwaukee, Wis./Lutheran
Hulman recorded two tackles on special teams this weekend as the Blugolds fell just short, 21-19, to 10th-ranked Pacific Lutheran University (Wash.). Both of his special teams tackles came on kickoffs while he finished with a total of five tackles, four solos and one assist, fourth most on the team.
September 9, 2013-September 15, 2013
Offense: Joel Sweeney, Running Back, 6-1, 249, Senior, Tomah, Wis.
At Saint John's University (Minn.) on Saturday, Sweeney scored both of the Blugolds' touchdowns in a 17-14 loss to the Johnnies. Sweeney had 266 yards on the ground on 43 carries, the second highest total he has reached in his career and the sixth largest total in school history. He now has 3,175 career yards, moving past Blugold hall of famer Roger Vann and into fifth place on the Blugolds' all-time career rushing yards list.
Defense: Jake Safstrom, Defensive Line, 6-4, 244, Junior, Grafton, Wis.
Safstrom tied for a team-high eight tackles this week as the Blugolds competed at Saint John's University (Minn.). Two of his tackles were for losses, including one which was a sack, while he also forced one fumble in the fourth quarter which eventually led to the Blugolds' final touchdown to help get them within three points (17-14).
Special Teams: Erik Hulman, Outside Linebacker, 6-0, 206, Sophomore, Milwaukee, Wis./Lutheran
Competing on special teams this week at Saint John's University (Minn.), Hulman made some key blocks throughout the game.