Football

Category: Football

The Week Ahead: September 5-11

APPLETON, Wis. — Two Lawrence University teams make their home debut this week as both men’s soccer and football play in the Banta Bowl.

MEN’S SOCCER

Opponent: Lawrence vs. MSOE, at ACM Soccer Showcase

When and Where: Wednesday, Sept. 3 vs. MSOE at the Banta Bowl, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 10, vs. Macalester at Lake Forest, Ill., 10:30 a.m.; Sunday, Sept. 11, vs. Coe at Lake Forest, Ill., 10:30 a.m.

Webcast: Match vs. MSOE ACM Tournament matches

Series: Lawrence leads the series with MSOE 10-8-4 in a rivalry that goes back to 1983. Macalester has a 1-0-0 lead in its series with the Vikings, and Lawrence has a 1-0-1 lead in the series with Coe.

Last Meeting: MSOE defeated Lawrence 4-0 in 2014. Macalester posted a 1-0 overtime win over the Vikings in the teams’ only meeting in 2008. Lawrence and Coe to played to a 0-0 overtime tie in 2015.

Fast Fact: The tournament this weekend features schools from the Associated College of the Midwest, a group of elite, private colleges.

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Opponents: Lawrence at Knox, at Monmouth, at Illinois College

When and Where: Friday, Sept. 9, at Knox, 3:30 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 10, at Monmouth, 9 a.m.; Saturday, Sept. 10, at Illinois College, 3 p.m.

Last Meeting: Lawrence swept these three opponents in Oct. 2015. The Vikings posted an 8-1 victory over Knox, edged Monmouth 5-4 and topped Illinois College 7-2.

Fast Fact: The Vikings will put in some serious mileage on Saturday as they play at Monmouth in the morning and then take the 100-mile drive to Jacksonville, Ill., to face the Lady Blues in the afternoon.

VOLLEYBALL

Opponent: Lawrence at Marian; at UW-Oshkosh Pizza Hut Classic

When and Where: Wednesday, Sept. 7, at Marian, 7 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 9, vs. Millkin at UWO, 6 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 9, vs. Martin Luther at UWO, 8 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 10, vs. Carroll at UWO, noon; Saturday, Sept. 10, vs. MSOE at UWO, 2 p.m.

Webcast: Match at Marian

Series: Lawrence leads the series with Marian 24-17 in a rivalry that goes back to 1980. Carroll holds an 11-10 lead over the Vikings. Lawrence leads MSOE 11-3 in a series that started in 1999. Martin Luther leads the series 3-0 and Millikin has a 1-0 edge over the Vikings.

Last Meeting: Lawrence played three of these teams in 2015 and fell to all three. Marian and Carroll posted 3-1 victories, and MSOE topped the Vikings 3-0. Martin Luther defeated the Vikings 3-1 back in 2012, and Millikin was a 3-0 winner in the teams’ only meeting in 2004.

Fast Fact: Lawrence rookie Rachel Barthel was named to the all-tournament team at the Captains Classic last weekend at Christopher Newport.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Opponent: Lawrence at Marian, at ACM Soccer Showcase

When and Where: Wednesday, Sept. 7, at Marian, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 10, vs. Coe at Lake Forest, Ill., 1 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 11, vs. Macalester at Lake Forest, Ill., 1 p.m.

Webcast: ACM Tournament matches

Series: Lawrence has a 7-4-1 lead over Marian in a series that started in 1990. This is Lawrence’s first meeting with Coe, and Macalester has a 1-0-0 lead in the series with the Vikings.

Last Meeting: Marian defeated the Vikings 3-1 in 2015. Macalester defeated visiting Lawrence 2-0 in the only meeting in 2008.

Fast Fact: Lawrence faced two tough opponents on its opening weekend of play, and the Vikings were outscored 13-0 in the two matches.

CROSS COUNTRY

Event: Ken Weidt Classic at Concordia University Wisconsin

When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 11 a.m.

Where: Concondia athletics fields, Mequon, Wis.

Last Season: The Lawrence women won the title at this event in 2015 and have a returning top-five finisher in Erin Schrobilgen. The Lawrence men were fifth last season and Josh Janusiak led the way for Lawrence by finishing ninth.

Fast Fact: Lawrence is coming off a good start to the season as the men took fourth and the women placed fifth at St. Norbert’s Tom Barry Invitational. Janusiak was third overall for the men, and Schrobilgen placed 12th to pace the women.

FOOTBALL

Opponent: Lawrence vs. Finlandia

When: Saturday, Sept. 10, 1 p.m.

Where: The Banta Bowl

Webcast: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/lawrence/

Series: This is the first meeting between the teams.

Last Meeting: This is the first meeting between the teams.

Fast Fact: Lawrence takes the field for its home opener against another first-time opponent. This is Finlandia’s second season of football, and the Lions went 3-7 a season ago with two wins over Maranatha Baptist and a victory over Trinity Bible.

Vikings fall in wind-blown contest at Presentation

ABERDEEN, S.D. — The Presentation College football team got a little help from Mother Nature and held off Lawrence University 17-10 on Saturday in the season opener at Clark Swisher Field.

Using a 20-plus mile per hour wind to its advantage in the first and third quarters, Presentation, an NAIA school, spoiled Lawrence’s first-ever football game in South Dakota.

Presentation quarterback Austin Eggl completed 21-of-29 passes for 136 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The Saints were held to 37 yards rushing and just 173 total yards, compared to 231 for the Vikings.

Lawrence quarterback Ryan Butterfield completed 12-of-24 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown but was hurt by five drops. Donnel Haley paced a balanced Lawrence rushing attack with 40 of the Vikings’ 122 yards on the ground. Trevor Spina caught four passes for 41 yards to lead Lawrence.

Junior Jake Gostisha paced the Lawrence defense with 10 tackles, including 3.0 tackles for loss, and Cullen Ellis picked up a sack and also finished with 3.0 TFLs.

With the wind at its back, Presentation struck first with 6:24 left in the opening quarter. After converting a third-and-14 play earlier in the drive, the Saints took advantage of a broken coverage as Eggl connected with William Moffet on a 26-yard scoring pass for a 7-0 lead.

Lawrence came back to tie it on its final possession of the first half. A punt gave the Vikings the ball at the Presentation 44, and Butterfield got things going with an 11-yard run to the Saints’ 19. He then hit Wasonu Allen for a 12-yard gain to the Presentation seven.

After a pair of incompletions, Butterfield found Cam Boerm alone in the end zone for a touchdown with 29 seconds left to tie the game at 7-7.

Presentation decided to kick off to start the second half to take advantage of a howling wind at its back. It paid off with 10 third-quarter points.

The Vikings punted into the wind on their first possession, and the ball took a backward bounce, resulting in a two-yard punt to the Lawrence 15. The Lawrence defense stiffened and Jordan Taylor connected on a 31-yard field goal to put Presentation up 10-7.

The Vikings moved the ball close to midfield on their next possession, but the stiff breeze blew Cole Erickson’s punt out of bounds after only four yards. Presentation took over at its own 48 and drove down the field on a series of short passes to the flats. Wayne Scatena capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown catch from Eggl, and Presentation led 17-7 with 6:27 left in the third.

The Vikings took the ensuing drive inside the Saints’ 30 before stalling. Pat O’Mahoney then belted a career-long 45-yard field goal to trim the margin to 17-10 in the first minute of the fourth quarter.

The teams then traded turnovers as sophomore linebacker Hunter Adams picked off Eggl at the Lawrence 39 with a leaping interception. The Vikings drove inside the Presentation 30, but Allen’s fumble was recovered by the Saints’ Jeff Branch at the 27.

A short punt into the wind gave Lawrence the ball back at the Presentation 47, but O’Mahoney missed a 45-yard field goal with 6:11 remaining. The Vikings forced another punt and took over at the Lawrence 45 for their final drive.

Lawrence kept the drive alive by converting a fourth-and-11 when Trevor Spina made a diving catch for a 13-yard gain to the Presentation 32. After two incompletions, Butterfield was injured on a scramble with less than a minute left.

Backup quarterback Philip Santiago entered the game, but the Saints recorded sacks on the next two plays as the Vikings turned the ball over on downs.

Box score

Football preview: Lawrence at Presentation

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University football team opens the 2016 season with a long trip as the Vikings head west to Aberdeen, S.D., to face NAIA foe Presentation College. This is the Vikings’ first meeting with Presentation as Lawrence embarks on its second season under the guidance of head coach Rob McCarthy.

Preview

The Week Ahead: August 29-September 4

APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University athletics gets the 2016-17 academic year rolling this week as all of the Vikings’ fall sports teams are in action.

MEN’S SOCCER

Opponent: Lawrence at Concordia (Wis.)

When: Thursday, Sept. 1, 4:30 p.m.

Where: Mequon, Wis.

Series: Concordia leads the series 6-1-0 in a rivalry going back to 1987. Lawrence won the first meeting 6-1, but the Falcons have won the last six.

Last Meeting: The Falcons won 2-1 in overtime on Sept. 29, 2015, at the Banta Bowl.

Fast Fact: Lawrence is looking for its first win a season opener since the Vikings defeated George Fox 2-0 on Aug. 30, 2013. The Vikings are currently on a trip north of the border in Canada where they are scrimmaging several club teams.

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Opponents: Lawrence vs. UW-La Crosse and St. Norbert.

When: Friday, Sept. 2. Lawrence vs. St. Norbert, 9 a.m.; Lawrence vs. UW-La Crosse, 3 p.m.

Where: Western Racquet Club, Green Bay, Wis.

Last Meeting: St. Norbert defeated Lawrence 8-1 on Sept. 20, 2015. UW-La Crosse topped the Vikings 9-0 in the season opener on Sept. 4, 2015.

Fast Fact: Lawrence has one newcomer among its eight players, rookie Alexis Shannon, who played her prep tennis just a few miles from campus at Appleton East High School.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Opponent: Lawrence at Concordia (Wis.)

When: Friday and Saturday, Sept. 2-3. Sept. 2, Lawrence vs. Carthage, 2 p.m.; Sept. 3, Lawrence vs. Redlands, 2 p.m.

Where: California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Series: In a series that started in 1995, Carthage has a 5-0-0 lead over the Vikings. Lawrence has scored just one goal in the five contests vs. Carthage. This is the first meeting with Redlands.

Last Meeting: Carthage topped the Vikings 5-1 on Sept. 23, 2012, at Whiting Field West. This is the first meeting between Lawrence and Redlands.

Fast Fact: Lawrence’s health will be a key this season as the Vikings enter the 2016 campaign with 13 players. This is the first time any Lawrence team has played Redlands since the men’s basketball squad beat the Bulldogs 120-89 back in 2002-03.

VOLLEYBALL

Opponent: Captains Classic at Christopher Newport

When: Friday and Saturday, Sept. 2-3. Sept 2, Lawrence vs. No. 11 Christopher Newport, 4 p.m., vs. UW-Platteville, 6 p.m.; Sept. 3, Lawrence vs. Stevenson, noon; vs. UMass-Boston, 2 p.m.

Where: Newport News, Va.

Series: This is the first meeting for the Vikings against all four opponents.

Fast Fact: Lawrence returns nearly all of its offense from a season ago, including All-Midwest Conference outside hitter Arianna Neumeyer. Returning setters Sydney Nelson and Lauren Ray combined for 7.51 assists per set a season ago.

CROSS COUNTRY

Event: Tom Barry Invitational

When: Saturday, Sept. 3, 11 a.m.

Where: Colburn Park, Green Bay, Wis.

Last Season: The Lawrence women finished fourth at the Tom Barry Invitational in 2015 with Erin Schrobilgen taking ninth to pace the Vikings. On the men’s side, Lawrence took seventh with Josh Janusiak placing eighth in his first collegiate race.

Fast Fact: This is the only event this season where Lawrence will not run 8,000 meters for the men and 6,000 meters for the women. This marks the eighth consecutive season Lawrence has opened its season at the Tom Barry Invitational with all of those coming during the tenure of head coach Jason Fast.

FOOTBALL

Opponent: Lawrence at Presentation

When: Saturday, Sept. 3, 1:30 p.m.

Where: Aberdeen, S.D.

Series: This is the first meeting between the teams.

Last Meeting: This is the first meeting between the teams.

Fast Fact: Presentation is a member of the NAIA and is in its fourth season of football. The Saints won four games a season ago. This is the first time Lawrence has played an NAIA opponent since it took on St. Francis back in 1987.

Six to be inducted into Lawrence Hall of Fame

The Lawrence University Intercollegiate Athletic Hall of Fame gets six new members this fall.

Basketball stars Chris Braier and Claire Getzoff and track standout Kolade Agbaje-Williams, all from the class of 2006, are joined by volleyball star Lis Pollock and soccer standout Katie Wilkin, both from the class of 2003. Rounding out the group is the late Stan Preston ’55, who was a four-time All-Midwest Conference selection in football.

The Hall of Fame induction takes place on Oct. 14 at the Warch Campus Center. To purchase a ticket for the Hall of Fame dinner, contact the office of Alumni and Constituency Engagement at 920-832-6854. The cost of the dinner is $25.

Kolade Agbaje-Williams, 2006

Kolade Agbaje-Williams stands alone in Lawrence University track and field history.

The native of Ilesa, Nigeria, is the only track athlete in school history to be an All-American indoors and outdoors in the same year. It was a feat he pulled off in the long jump in 2003.

In addition to the All-America honors, Agbaje-Williams was an eight-time Midwest Conference champion and was named an Outstanding Performer at the Midwest Conference Championships five times. Agbaje-Williams, who graduated from high school in Evergreen Park, Ill., set a pair of Lawrence records individually and ran on four record-setting relay teams.

A winner of multiple Midwest Conference Performer of the Week awards, Agbaje-Williams was the conference’s indoor champion in both the long jump and triple jump in 2003. He also set the Lawrence indoor records with a leap of 23 feet, 10.75 inches, in the long jump and 46-3.25 in the triple jump during the 2003 season.

Agbaje-Williams capped his 2003 indoor season by taking sixth in the long jump with a leap of 22-5 at the NCAA Championships. After sweeping the titles in the long jump and triple jump at the Midwest Conference’s outdoor championships in 2003, Agbaje-Williams went to the NCAA Championships and finished eighth in the long jump with a leap of 22-9 to earn All-America honors again.

Agbaje-Williams followed that season in 2004 by winning the conference’s indoor title in the triple jump at 45-9.75 and taking the outdoor title in the long jump at 22-7.25. Agbaje-Williams claimed two more conference titles over his final two seasons. He took the 2005 crown indoors in the long jump at 22-3, and then grabbed first indoors in the 2006 triple jump at 45-10.

Agbaje-Williams earned Outstanding Field Performer at the conference’s indoor championships in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 and also took the honor at the 2003 outdoor meet. Agbaje-Williams also regularly competed in running events and was a multiple placewinner at the Midwest Conference Championships in everything from the 55 meters to the 400.

Agbaje-Williams also helped set four school relay records during his career. During indoor competition, he ran on the record-setting sprint medley relay (3:36.36), 4×200 relay (1:33.78) and 4×400 relay (3:30.27). In outdoor competition, he was part of the record-setting 4×100 relay team (43.38 seconds).

Agbaje-Williams, who is a licensed certified public accountant and certified fraud examiner, works as the examination manager at the National Futures Association. He and his wife, Seun, live in Oak Lawn, Ill., and have a daughter, Tiwa.

Chris Braier, 2006

Chris Braier propelled Lawrence University men’s basketball onto the national stage and stands as the greatest player in school history.

The native of Wauwatosa, Wis., won the Jostens Trophy as the top player in NCAA Division III, was a three-time All-American and is Lawrence’s career leader in scoring and rebounding. Braier scored 1,565 points and grabbed 1,267 rebounds and is the only player in Midwest Conference history to top 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.

Braier averaged 14.9 points and 12.1 rebounds over his career and possessed a superlative all-around game. Relentless around the basket and on the glass, Braier could also step out and knock down a 3-pointer. He posted career highs of 45 points and 24 rebounds in two different games against Grinnell College. An outstanding passer, Braier ranked fourth with 266 assists when he graduated. He remains second on Lawrence’s career list with 180 steals.

Braier was a four-time first-team All-Midwest Conference selection. He played on three Midwest Conference championship teams (2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06), and those teams also won the Midwest Conference Tournament. Braier, who played in the NCAA Division III Tournament three straight years (2004-06), was chosen as the Midwest Conference Player of the Year in 2004 and 2006.

The 6-foot-4 forward won the Jostens Trophy in 2006 and picked up National Association of Basketball Coaches first-team and D3hoops.com third-team All-America honors that season. He also picked up D3hoops.com third-team All-America honors in 2004 and a fourth-team pick by D3hoops.com in 2005.

Braier led Lawrence to the nation’s best record at 25-1 record in 2005-06. That squad was the last unbeaten team in the nation and became the first Lawrence team to earn a No. 1 national ranking. Lawrence went 22-0 in the regular season and reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

Lawrence also broke new ground during the 2003-04 season after the Vikings won the league title and conference tournament. The Vikings won three games in the NCAA Tournament to reach the Elite Eight before losing a one-point game in overtime to the eventual national champions. It is the deepest tournament run in Midwest Conference history.

During Braier’s career, the Vikings posted a record of 87-18, and Lawrence’s 69-12 mark from 2003-06 was the best record for any team in the nation during that three-season stretch.

Braier, who earned a degree in biology at Lawrence, works as a physician assistant at Illinois Bone and Joint Institute in Glenview, Ill. He is currently working toward his MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He lives in Chicago.

Claire Getzoff, 2006

A prolific scorer and superlative all-around player, Claire Getzoff led the Lawrence University women’s basketball team to some of the best seasons in school history.

A native of Evanston, Ill., Getzoff is Lawrence’s career scoring leader and was a four-time first-team All-Midwest Conference selection. Getzoff shattered the school’s scoring record and finished with 1,487 points for an average of 15.8 points per game.

Getzoff is one of only three players in school history to be a four-time all-conference selection. Getzoff set the season scoring record with 408 points in 2002-03 and owns the top three scoring seasons in school history. She also set the season scoring average record of 18.1 points per game in 2003-04.

A great shooter who also could drive to the hoop, Getzoff is Lawrence’s leader in field goals made (527) and attempted (1,255). She also is the school’s top 3-point shooter with 208 treys and still ranks second in shooting from beyond the arc at 37.3 percent. Getzoff holds the school record with seven 3-pointers in a game, a feat she pulled off twice. She buried a school record 67 3-pointers in 2003-04.

Getzoff was a great scorer who poured in a career-high 30 points in back-to-back games during her senior season, and she excelled at other facets of the game. She finished her career with averages of 4.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.6 steals per game. Getzoff ranks third on Lawrence’s career list in both assists and steals.

With Getzoff leading the way, the Vikings went 61-33 during her four seasons and qualified for the Midwest Conference Tournament three times (2003, 2005 and 2006). The 2005-06 team tied the school record for victories with a 19-5 record.

Getzoff, who earned a degree in history and education at Lawrence, is a special education teacher at Evanston Township High School. Getzoff, who has a master’s degree in special education from Northeastern Illinois University, got married in 2016 to Lyndsay Gant.

Lis Pollock, 2003

Lis Pollock stands as the most dominant player in the history of Lawrence University volleyball.

A native of Urbana, Ill., Pollock was a three-time All-Midwest Conference selection and holds nearly every one of the school’s offensive records. A middle hitter, the 6-foot Pollock set eight school records and led Lawrence during the most successful era in school history.

Pollock pounded out a school-record 1,595 kills during her career and set the school record with a .336 career hitting percentage. She also holds the career mark at 3.71 kills per set.

An all-conference pick in 2000, 2001 and 2002, Pollock set the school record of 28 kills in a match (she did it twice) and had the top four match kill totals in school history when she graduated. Pollock set the match record with an .871 hitting percentage after 28 kills with just one error in 31 attempts against Edgewood College in 2002.

The 2001 season saw Pollock set school records with 553 kills and an average of 4.77 kills per set. She finished her career in 2002 with a school record .423 hitting percentage. Pollock ranked second in career blocks with 259 when she graduated.

Pollock was an offensive force that propelled Lawrence to its best season back in 2001. The Vikings posted a school record 19 wins and finished third in the Midwest Conference. During Pollock’s four seasons, Lawrence posted 56 wins.

Pollock, who also won a letter in basketball, was a three-time Academic All-Midwest Conference selection and earned degrees in history and government at Lawrence. She earned her law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law, where she has returned to serve as an adjunct professor. Pollock is an assistant federal public defender for the Central District of Illinois. Pollock and her husband, Christian Ray, have two children, Gabriel and Tristan, and live in Urbana.

Stan Preston, 1955

Stan Preston was a dominant, multi-talented player who starred in an era of Lawrence University gridiron greatness.

The native of Grinnell, Iowa, was a four-time All-Midwest Conference performer. A two-way player just as the era of ironman football was ending, the 6-foot-4 Preston was a two-time all-conference pick at linebacker and then was chosen two more times at center.

Along with Lawrence All-American end Charles “Sal” Cianciola, Preston was one of the first two players to be named to the all-conference team as a freshman. He is one of only seven players in Lawrence history to be a four-time all-league choice.

During his first two seasons, Preston, known as “Big Pres” to his teammates, was chosen as an all-conference linebacker in 1951 and 1952. The 1951 squad went unbeaten at 7-0 and claimed the Midwest Conference championship. The 1952 team won the first seven games of the season to push the Vikings’ winning streak to a school-record 14 games. The Vikings finally had its win streak snapped at Coe College but finished with a 7-1 record.

Preston made the move to center for the 1953 season and had a big adjustment. A T-formation center in high school, he was now playing in Bernie Heselton’s single-wing attack, which is triggered by a snap several yards deep to one of the backs. Now blocking for superlative backs like Ed Grosse and Carl Stumpf, Preston earned all-conference honors on offense in 1953 and 1954.

The 1953 Vikings went 6-1-1 to finish third in the league, and the 1954 squad was 6-2 and took second in the league. Preston helped the Vikings to a 26-4-1 record over his four seasons, including a 14-0-1 record in games at Whiting Field.

Preston, who passed away in 2004, earned a degree in geology at Lawrence. After serving for a number of years in the United States Air Force, Preston worked with his father as the proprietor of Preston’s, a men’s clothing store in Grinnell. He then founded Atlas Wheel Weights in Atlanta, Ga., and ran that business until he retired to Monterey, Calif. Preston is survived by his wife, Patricia, five children and three grandchildren.

Katie Wilkin (in yellow and black jersey) celebrates Lawrence's victory in the 2001 Midwest Conference Tournament Championship Game. — Katie Wilkin (in yellow and black jersey) celebrates Lawrence’s victory in the 2001 Midwest Conference Tournament Championship Game.

Katie Wilkin, 2003

Katie Wilkin made the difficult save look easy and then made the saves no one else could make. Wilkin was a stellar goalkeeper for the Lawrence University women’s soccer team and led the Vikings to the greatest achievements in the program’s history.

A native of Oregon, Wis., Wilkin was a Midwest Conference Player of the Year and a three-time All-Midwest Conference selection. Wilkin is the only goalkeeper to be chosen as the Midwest Conference Player of the Year (the league now selects an offensive and defensive player of the year). Wilkin was the 2002 conference Player of the Year and also earned first-team honors in 2001. She was a second-team pick as a sophomore in 2000.

Wilkin compiled a 1.63 goals against average for her career to go with an .861 save percentage. Wilkin, who posted a career-high 28 saves vs. UW-Oshkosh in 2002, recorded 514 saves for her career and piled up a career-best 180 saves in the 2001 season. Wilkin set a school season record with a .909 save percentage in 2001 and also had a career-best 1.03 GAA during that season.

Wilkin finished with 24-21-4 career record, and her 24 wins ranks second in school history. She posted 16 shutouts, and that also ranks second in school history. Her seven shutouts in 2001 are tied for Lawrence’s best season total.

A team captain, Wilkin led the Vikings to the 2000 Midwest Conference championship. The Vikings also won the Midwest Conference Tournament that season to earn their first berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Lawrence took the Midwest Conference Tournament title again in 2001, and that team became the first in conference history to win a NCAA Tournament game.

Wilkin, who earned a degree in studio art at Lawrence and a teaching certification from Edgewood College, teaches eighth grade in the Madison Metropolitan School District. She teaches math and works with students with a variety of disabilities at Sherman Middle School. Wilkin and her spouse, Lauren Lebwohl, live in Madison with their English Pointer.

Lawrence names Ayers as Athletic Performance Coach

APPLETON, Wis. — Tyler Ayers has been named the Athletic Performance Coach at Lawrence University, Director of Athletics Christyn Abaray announced today.

Ayers was hired after a national search to fill this position, which is new to the Department of Athletics.

“We are excited to have Tyler join our LU family as our first full-time Athletic Performance Coach,” Abaray said. “He comes from a knowledge-rich environment for the athletic performance industry so his credentials and experiences are impressive. Beyond this and even more striking was his ability to effectively communicate with all of the different people he encountered, including student-athletes. With him at the helm, I am confident that we will build upon where we are and make even more significant strides.”

Ayers was the assistant strength and conditioning coach at Webber International University in Babson Park, Fla. Ayers, a native of Daytona Beach, Fla., had served in that role since July 2015.

“I would like to thank the Lawrence University administration, search committee and Christyn for this opportunity,” Ayers said. “I believe my job is two-fold. Number one, it’s about impacting the lives of the student-athletes in a positive manner by taking what we learn in the weight room — hard work, determination, toughness, etc. — and applying it to daily life. This all translates into their life after athletics, molding them into great future employees, husbands and wives and mothers and fathers. Number two, it’s about increasing their athletic performance on and off the field while trying to keep them as healthy as possible. If I can do those two things, I will consider my time here successful at Lawrence University.”

Ayers served as the interim head strength and conditioning coach at Stetson University in 2015 before going back to Webber International. He had worked at Webber International as coaching assistant for strength and conditioning for a number of sports.

A 2014 graduate of Anderson (Ind.) University with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, Ayers also holds certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, USA Weightlifting and the American Red Cross. Ayers played football at Anderson and served as the team captain as a senior in 2013.

Lawrence opens the fall sports season on Sept. 1 when the men’s soccer team travels to Concordia University of Wisconsin. The Vikings’ first home contest is Sept. 7 when men’s soccer hosts MSOE in the Banta Bowl.

More than 150 Vikings named to Academic All-Midwest Conference team

APPLETON, Wis. — More than 150 Lawrence University student-athletes have been selected for the Academic All-Midwest Conference team.

The Vikings had 158 student-athletes meet the requirements for inclusion on the academic all-conference team. To be eligible for the team, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.33 grade point average during the 2015-16 academic year.

Six Lawrence teams hit double digits with more than 10 student-athletes being honored. The top Lawrence team was women’s swimming and diving, which had 19 student-athletes make the cut. The top men’s team was soccer, which had 16 student-athletes chosen.

The teams and student-athletes honored are:

Men’s cross country (6)

Max Edwards, Jr., Appleton, Wis./North; Mayan Essak, Fr., Milwaukee, Wis./Shorewood; Ethan Gniot, Jr., Ashwaubenon, Wis./Ashwaubenon; Josh Janusiak, Fr., South Milwaukee, Wis./South; Teddy Kortenhof, So., Portland, Ore./Lincoln; Alex Timpe, Fr., Lafayette, Colo./Dawson School.

Women’s cross country (14)

Kristen Bischel, Jr., Menomonie, Wis./Menomonie; Clare Bruning, Sr., Mondovi, Wis./Mondovi; Janey Degnan, So., Grosse Pointe, Mich./South; Molly Doruska, Fr., Ankeny, Iowa/Centennial; Margaret Huck, So., Kenosha, Wis./Tremper; Amy Hutchings, Jr., Ripon, Wis./Ripon; Kate Kilgus, Jr., Carmel, N.Y./Carmel; Hannah Kinzer, So., New Berlin, Wis./Eisenhower; Liz Landes, Sr., Westmont, Ill./Westmont; Sammi Jo Nixon, Fr., Wadsworth, Ill./Warren Township; Sierra Polzin, Sr., Denmark, Wis./Denmark; Isabella Schleisner, Sr., Hortonville, Wis./Hortonville; Erin Schrobilgen, So., Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park River Forest; Cora Williams, Sr., Brentwood, Calif./Liberty.

Football (4)

Ryan Butterfield, Fr., McDonough, Ga./Strong Rock Christian; Cole Erickson, So., Appleton, Wis./North; Jake Gostisha, So., Appleton, Wis./East; Mitch Ives, Jr., Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander.

Men’s soccer (16)

Santiago Alvarez, Sr., Lima, Peru/Franklin D. Roosevelt; Lewis Berger, So., Belchertown, Mass./Belchertown; Nathan Brase, So., Salem Ore./South Salem; Harry Broderick, Jr., St. Paul, Minn./Central; Mike Deremo, Jr., Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township; Robert Desotelle, So., Sturgeon Bay, Wis./Sturgeon Bay; Landon Edwards, So., Sturgeon Bay, Wis./Gibraltar; Nick Huth, Jr., Kimberly, Wis./Kimberly; Chris Kiehl, Jr., Sheboygan, Wis./North; Joe Krivit, Jr., St. Paul, Minn./Como Park; Ryan Leonard, Fr., Christchurch, England/St. Peter’s; Sean Salansky, Jr., Parker, Colo./Legend; Taylor Reifert, Fr., Chicago, Ill./St. Ignatius Prep; Alex Shahbazi, Jr., Marquette, Mich./Marquette; Aaron Sutton, Sr., Ona, W.V./Cabell Midland; Gabe Warshaw, Sr., New York, N.Y./Beacon School.

Women’s soccer (12)

Rebecca Bernheimer, Fr., Vancouver, Wash./Columbia River; Lucy Brown, Sr., St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall; Lara Frankson, So., Oregon, Wis./Oregon; Greta Fritz, Jr., Belle River, Ontario/L’Essor; Liza Girsova, Sr., Hong Kong/Busan (South Korea) International; Patsy Kealey, Sr., New Rochelle, N.Y./Ursuline; Anne Leung, Sr., Albuquerque, N.M./Albuquerque Academy; Casey Merkle, Jr., Tower Lakes, Ill./Barrington; Melissa Rooney, So., Racine, Wis./Prairie; Eva Tourangeau, So., Denver, Colo./George Washington; Perrin Tourangeau, Sr., Denver, Colo./George Washington; Sarah Zaccarine, Jr., Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Lake Zurich.

Women’s tennis (7)

Emma Arnesen, So., Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South; Katie Frankel, Jr., Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield; El Goblirsch, Fr., Minneapolis, Minn./Holy Angels; Annie Harincar, Fr., Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn; Lindsay Holsen, So., Oconomowoc, Wis./Oconomowoc; Shang Li, So., Tianjin, China/Elgin (Ill.) Academy; Katie Nottberg, Fr., Loveland, Colo./Loveland.

Volleyball (8)

Cyra Bammer, So., Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville; Megan Conley, Sr., Elroy, Wis./Royall; Sydney Nelson, So., Crystal Lake, Ill./Central; Lauren Ray, So., Hales Corners, Wis./Whitnall; Sara Schliesman, So., Juneau, Wis./Dodgeland; Terese Swords, Sr., Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township; Claire Vinopal, Fr., Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South; Nicole Witmer, Fr., Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic.

Men’s basketball (4)

Troy Miller, Sr., Lake In The Hills, Ill./Huntley; Jamie Nikitas, Sr., Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South; Jeremy Stephani, So., Arlington Heights, Ill./Wheeling; Connor Weas, Jr., Whitefish Bay, Wis./Whitefish Bay.

Women’s basketball (5)

Lauren Deveikis, So., Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley; Patsy Kealey, Sr., New Rochelle, N.Y./Ursuline; Leah Reeves, Fr., Lisle, Ill./Lisle; Fanita Robins, So., Chicago, Ill./Providence St. Mel; Andrea Wilkinson, Sr., Racine, Wis./Lutheran.

Men’s indoor track (7)

Women’s indoor track (15)

Clare Bruning, Sr., Mondovi, Wis./Mondovi; Janey Degnan, So., Grosse Pointe, Mich./South; Molly Doruska, Fr., Ankeny, Iowa/Centennial; Sage Greenlee, So., Fort Collins, Colo./Poudre; Margaret Huck, So., Kenosha, Wis./Tremper; Amy Hutchings, Jr., Ripon, Wis./Ripon; Hannah Kinzer, So., New Berlin, Wis./Eisenhower; Liz Landes, Sr., Westmont, Ill./Westmont; Sammi Jo Nixon, Fr., Wadsworth, Ill./Warren Township; Margaret Norby, Fr., Appleton, Wis./East; Brenna Ori, Jr., Portland, Ore./Woodrow Wilson; Sierra Polzin, Sr., Denmark, Wis./Denmark; Isabella Schleisner, Sr., Hortonville, Wis./Hortonville; Erin Schrobilgen, So., Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park River Forest; Cora Williams, Sr., Brentwood, Calif./Liberty.

Men’s swimming and diving (3)

Christian Bell, Jr., Farmington, Minn./Farmington; Kaleb Cooperman, Sr., Warrenville, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South; Jordan Spalding, Fr., Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South.

Women’s swimming and diving (19)

Rosemary Bauer, So., Elm Grove, Wis./Brookfield East; Eryn Blagg, So., Omaha, Neb./Millard West; Hayley Cardinal, Sr., Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East; Natalie Cash, So., Gilberts, Ill./Hampshire; Emily Flack, Sr., Edina, Minn./Edina; Elizabeth Garcia Creighton, Fr., St. Paul, Minn.; Rachel Gregory, Jr., Richardson, Texas/Plano East; Shelby Hader, So., Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls; Abby Kosberg, Sr., Wildwood, Ill./Warren Township; Sarah Loepfe, Sr., La Crescent, Minn./La Crescent; Tahnee Marquardt, Sr., Greven, Germany; Danielle Millin, Jr., Monona, Wis./Monona Grove; Delaney Olsen, So., Plymouth, Wis./Plymouth; Rebecca Schachtman, Jr., St. Louis, Mo./Ladue Horton Watkins; Sarah Schweickart, Fr., Loveland, Colo./Loveland; Haedyn Smith., Sr., Antioch, Ill./Antioch; Anna Vogel, So., Oak Park, Ill./ Oak Park River Forest; Paige Witter, Jr., Denver, Colo./Washington; Emmi Zheng, Fr., St. Louis Park, Minn./St. Louis Park.

Baseball (6)

Kyle Duex, So., River Falls, Wis./River Falls; Cole Erickson, So., Appleton, Wis./North; Brandon Klar, Jr., University City, Mo./Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day; Adam McDonald, Jr., Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central; Anthony Ortiz, So., Bridgeview, Ill./Illinois Math and Science; Travis Weber, So., Evanston, Ill./Loyola Academy.

Golf (1)

Nigel Schuster, Jr., Dusseldorf, Germany.

Softball (4)

Jessica Demski, Sr., Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township; Tierney Duffy, Sr., North Riverside, Ill./Riverside-Brookfield; Maddie MacLean, Fr., Arlington, Wash./Arlington; Katie Schumacher, Sr., Little Chute, Wis./Little Chute.

Men’s tennis (7)

David Brooker, Fr., Appleton, Wis./North; Adam Busch, Sr., Hales Corners, Wis./Greendale Martin Luther; Brian DeCorte, Sr., Southampton, Pa./William Tennent; David Jumes, Jr., Appleton, Wis./Xavier; Ethan Perushek, Sr., Maple Grove, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret’s; Ben Tomhave, So., Cloquet, Minn./Cloquet.

Men’s outdoor track (7)

Women’s outdoor track (13)

Eryn Blagg, So., Omaha, Neb./Millard West; Clare Bruning, Sr., Mondovi, Wis./Mondovi; Hayley Cardinal, Sr., Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East; Janey Degnan, So., Grosse Pointe, Mich./South; Molly Doruska, Fr., Ankeny, Iowa/Centennial; Margaret Huck, So., Kenosha, Wis./Tremper; Amy Hutchings, Jr., Ripon, Wis./Ripon; Hannah Kinzer, So., New Berlin, Wis./Eisenhower; Liz Landes, Sr., Westmont, Ill./Westmont; Margaret Norby, Fr., Appleton, Wis./East; Isabella Schleisner, Sr., Hortonville, Wis./Hortonville; Erin Schrobilgen, So., Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park River Forest; Cora Williams, Sr., Brentwood, Calif./Liberty.

Student-athletes receive awards at Honors Celebration

APPLETON, Wis. — More than a dozen Lawrence University student-athletes recently received awards at the 2016 Honors Celebration.

The awards and winners are as follows.

The Ruth Bateman Award is given for excellence in scholarship, athletic ability and leadership by a female athlete. Senior softball player Tierney Duffy (North Riverside, Ill./Riverside-Brookfield) won the award after finishing her career with a .347 batting average. A starting outfielder for four seasons, Duffy was an All-Midwest Conference and All-Great Lakes Region selection in 2016. The co-chair of Lawrence’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Duffy was a leader in organizing the inaugural BLUCrew Awards, helped raise $13,000 with the Special Olympics Polar Plunge and worked with the Kids Give program. Duffy has a 3.6 grade point average and is a member of the Academic All-Midwest Conference team.

The Iden Charles Champion Cup is given for excellence in scholarship, athletic ability, college spirit and loyalty. Senior hockey player Renato Engler (Davos, Switzerland) served as the team captain and was a two-time Northern Collegiate Hockey Association All-Academic team member. Engler led the team in 2015-16 with nine goals and 16 assists for 25 points and recently signed to play professional hockey in his native Switzerland.

The Outstanding Freshman Athletic Award for Men is given the freshman man who has made the most outstanding contribution to Lawrence athletics. Football player Ryan Butterfield (McDonough, Ga./Strong Rock Christian) was the team’s starting quarterback. He completed 85-of-164 passes for 967 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions. He also ran 82 times for 549 yards and three touchdowns. Butterfield was named the Midwest Conference Offensive Player of the Week and was chosen as the USA College Football Rookie of the Week. He posted the first 200-plus yard rushing game for the Vikings since 2002 and posted the longest touchdown run (79 yards) by a quarterback in school history.

The Outstanding Freshman Athletic Award for Women is given to the freshman woman who has made the most outstanding contribution to Lawrence athletics. Outside hitter Arianna Neumeyer (Manitowoc, Wis./Lutheran) was an All-Midwest Conference selection for the Lawrence volleyball team. She led the team with 215 kills and at 2.42 kills per set. Neumeyer also finished second on the team with 25 aces and was third with 282 digs.

The Ralph V. Landis Award was established by the Lettermen of Lawrence in honor of Dr. Landis, physician to Lawrence students from 1926-78, and is awarded for outstanding contributions to Lawrence athletics by a senior male athlete. Senior men’s basketball player Jamie Nikitas (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) was a first-team All-Midwest Conference selection and one of 10 national finalists for the Josten’s Trophy, given annually to the top player in NCAA Division III. Nikitas finished in the top 10 in the nation in scoring at 25.1 points per game and broke Lawrence’s season scoring record with 577 points. He was the only player in the Midwest Conference to finish in the top seven in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. Nikitas was named the United States Basketball Writers Association Player of the Week, was chosen for the D3hoops.com Team of the Week and was twice named Midwest Conference Player of the Week.

The Charles E. Pond Award for Women is given for all-around athletic ability by a senior woman in two or more sports and for sportsmanship, school spirit and scholarship. Swimmer and track athlete Hayley Cardinal (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East) was a multiple Midwest Conference champion for the Vikings. In the pool, Cardinal won the 100-yard breaststroke in 2014 and took titles in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke in 2016. Cardinal, who made an NCAA “B” cut three times, holds the Lawrence records in the 100 and 200 breaststroke and the 200 individual medley. She also is part of the 200 and 400 medley relay teams. Cardinal is a member of the Academic All-Midwest Conference team and served as the swim team captain. She also run the hurdles and relays for the Lawrence track team.

The Marion Read Award is given for outstanding contributions to Lawrence athletics. Softball shortstop Amanda Jaskolski (Shawano, Wis./Shawano) capped her career by earning first-team National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America honors. A two-team All-Great Lakes Region selection, Jaskolski was a career .439 hitter with 17 doubles, two triples, 19 homers and 76 runs batted in. She holds Lawrence season records for hits (54), RBIs (46), runs scored (37) and homers (13). Jaskolski was a two-time Midwest Conference Player of the Year and hit .462 with 13 homers and 46 RBIs as a senior.

The Letterwinner Award is presented by the L Club to those outstanding seniors who have earned eight or more letters. The winners are:

Clare Bruning (Mondovi, Wis./Mondovi), cross country and track and field

Cam Davies (Grosse Point, Mich./South), cross country and track and field

Chris Fuelling (Saint Paul, Minn./Highland Park), cross country and track and field

Bjorn Gowdy-Jaehnig (Decorah, Iowa/Decorah), track and field

Liza Girsova (Busan, South Korea), soccer and track and field

Tyler Herman (Wadsworth, Ill./Warren Township), track and field

Liz Landes (Westmont, Ill./Westmont), cross country and track and field

Genna Matt (Mount Horeb, Wis./Mount Horeb), soccer and track and field

Isabella Schleisner (Hortonville, Wis./Hortonville), cross country and track and field

Cora Williams (Brentwood, Calif./Liberty), cross country and track and field

BLU Crew award winners to be selected Friday

APPLETON, Wis. — The first BLU Crew Awards will be selected Friday evening at the Warch Campus Center.

The inaugural event is sponsored by Lawrence University’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). SAAC will hand out 12 awards to its fellow Vikings and announce the All-Viking Team.

The event begins at 7 p.m. and is open to the public.

The categories and nominees are:

Breakthrough Athlete of the Year

Jessica Demski (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township), softball, pitcher

Jake Gostisha (Appleton, Wis./East), football, defensive end

Patsy Kealey (New Rochelle, N.Y./Ursuline), soccer, goalkeeper

Elana Lambert (Shorewood, Wis./Shorewood), tennis

Best Victory

Women’s cross country victory at Concordia (Wis.) Invitational

Hockey 6-3 win over Lake Forest to clinch berth in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs

Women’s soccer 2-0 win over UW-Stevens Point

Softball 5-4 win over Cornell

Men’s tennis 5-4 win over Cornell to qualify for Midwest Conference Tournament

Outstanding Play of the Year

Mattias Soderqvist (Stockholm, Sweden), back-to-back saves vs. Marian

Jamie Nikitas (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) to Mitch Willer (Sussex, Wis./Sussex Hamilton) for dunk vs. Knox

Cyra Bammer (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville), kill off face of Macalester player

Mike Deremo (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township), goal vs. Lakeland

Renato Engler (Davos, Switzerland), goal vs. Aurora

Ryan Berkley (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township), goals vs. UW-Stevens Point

Hayley Cardinal (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East), victory in 200 breaststroke at Midwest Conference Championships

Troy Miller (Lake In The Hills, Ill./Huntley), NBA-range 3-pointer in overtime at Monmouth

Alic Riedel (Appleton, Wis./East), kickoff return for touchdown vs. Rockford

Alic Riedel (Appleton, Wis./East), big hit on defense vs. Rockford

Upset of the Year

Women’s cross country tops field led by UW-Stevens Point to win Concordia (Wis.) Invitational

Women’s swimming defeats Lake Forest 146-117

Hockey defeats Marian 3-2

Softball gets 7-3 win at Monmouth

Women’s soccer 2-0 win over UW-Stevens Point

Baseball gets 6-4 victory over St. Norbert

Best Individual Performance

Ryan Butterfield (McDonough, Ga./Strong Rock Christian), football vs. Grinnell

Hayley Cardinal (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East), swimming at Midwest Conference Championships

Jamie Nikitas (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South), basketball vs. Carroll

Liz Arco (Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett), volleyball vs. Grinnell

Mattias Soderqvist (Stockholm, Sweden), series vs. MSOE

Troy Miller (Lake In The Hills, Ill./Huntley), basketball vs. Monmouth

Patsy Kealey (New Rochelle, N.Y./Ursuline), basketball vs. Concordia Chicago

Katie Schumacher (Little Chute, Wis./Little Chute), softball vs. St. Norbert

Comeback of the Year

Hockey vs. Lake Forest, trailed 3-1 and came back to win 6-3

Softball vs. Cornell, trailed 2-0 and came back to win 5-2

Men’s basketball vs. Monmouth, trailed 71-62 and came back to win 96-89 in OT

Men’s tennis, Adam Busch vs. Cornell’s Tom Greene, lost first set and rallied to win in three sets to clinch team’s berth in Midwest Conference Tournament

Women’s soccer vs. Grinnell, trailed 1-0 and scored two goals in final 13 minutes to win 2-1

Men’s Rookie of the Year

Ryan Butterfield (McDonough, Ga./Strong Rock Christian), football, quarterback

Nick Felan (Highlands Village, Texas), hockey, forward

Josh Janusiak (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee), cross country/track

Nathan Schlesinger (Austin, Texas), fencing

Nolan Spencer (Elmhurst, Ill./York), baseball, shortstop

Max Stahl (Tijeras, N.M./Sandia Prep), swimming

Women’s Rookie of the Year

Lilly Endsley (Rockford, Ill./Guilford), tennis

Mari Hubanks (Sharon, Wis./Walworth Big Foot), soccer, defender

Maddie MacLean (Arlington, Wash./Arlington), softball, pitcher

Arianna Neumeyer (Manitowoc, Wis./Lutheran), volleyball, outside hitter

Emmi Zheng (St. Louis Park, Minn./St. Louis Park), swimming

Coach of the Year

Jason Fast, cross country

Steve Francour, men’s tennis

Mike Szkodzinski, hockey

Kim Tatro, softball

Men’s Athlete of the Year

Ryan Butterfield (McDonough, Ga./Strong Rock Christian), football, quarterback

Renato Engler (Davos, Switzerland), hockey, forward

Matt Holliday (Hong Kong), baseball, first baseman/pitcher

Josh Janusiak (South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee), cross country/track

Jamie Nikitas (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South), basketball, guard

Women’s Athlete of the Year

Ryan Berkley (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township), soccer, forward

Clare Bruning (Mondovi, Wis./Mondovi), cross country

Hayley Cardinal (Lombard, Ill./Glenbard East), swimming

Tierney Duffy (North Riverside, Ill./Riverside-Brookfield), softball, outfielder

Meg Krautsch (Oshkosh, Wis./West), softball, shortstop

The Viking Award

Brandon Boelter (Saginaw, Mich.), hockey

Tierney Duffy (North Riverside, Ill./Riverside-Brookfield), softball

Natalie Kramer (Mendota Heights, Minn./Henry Sibley), basketball

Jacob Lueck (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard East), football

Jamie Nikitas (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South), basketball

Lauren Ray (Hales Corners, Wis./Whitnall), volleyball

SAAC plans pair of events for NCAA D3 Week

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is sponsoring a pair of events in conjunction with NCAA Division III Week, which runs April 4-10.

Members of Lawrence’s athletics teams will head to Richmond Elementary School near Alexander Gymnasium to read to students on Tuesday (April 5). In support of National Reading Month, Lawrence student-athletes also will be donating books to organizations including Richmond Elementary and the Boys and Girls Club.

Lawrence student-athletes, who have been mentoring students at Richmond Elementary for more than a decade, are also supporting the Midwest Conference SAAC Reads Initiative. Lawrence President Mark Burstein has donated to the cause, and his donation has been matched by the Midwest Conference.

Lawrence’s SAAC also is sponsoring motivational speaker Mark Speckman, who will talk Thursday (April 7) in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel at 8:30 p.m. The talk is free and open to the public.

Speckman, who joined the Lawrence football staff as the offensive coordinator in 2015, is a sought-after football theory and motivational speaker. Speckman drew media attention as a player decades ago. Born without hands, Speckman played linebacker at Menlo College and later at Azusa Pacific University and was a NAIA All-American. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Azusa Pacific in 1977 and picked up a master’s degree in health and human services from Columbia Pacific University in 1994.

Speckman, along with W. Jason Niedermeyer, authored the book, Figure It Out: How I Learned To Live In A Digital World Without Digits. His talk on Thursday will focus on figuring out how to balance life while playing sports, despite the challenges that life may present.

Lawrence football offensive coordinator will speak at the Memorial Chapel on Thursday. — Lawrence football offensive coordinator Mark Speckman (right) will speak at the Memorial Chapel on Thursday.

Speckman was a head coach at the collegiate level for 15 seasons, including 14 at Willamette University. Speckman coached Willamette 1998-2011 and compiled a record of 83-59. The Bearcats won the Northwest Conference in 1999 and 2008 and made appearances in the NCAA Division III playoffs in 1999, 2004 and 2008.

Speckman’s 2008 team finished with an 11-1 record and was ranked as high as fourth nationally. Speckman was a finalist for the Liberty Mutual National Coach of the Year and was named American Football Coaches Association West Region Coach of the Year in 2008.

Speckman, who has been named a conference Coach of the Year 10 times, also served as the head coach at Menlo College in 2012 before going to the Canadian Football League. He spent two seasons as the running backs and tight ends coach of the Montreal Alouettes before coming to Lawrence.

One of the game’s experts on the “Fly” offense, Speckman has served as a consultant to high-powered college football programs like Wisconsin, Oregon and Stanford and also has worked with the staffs of the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.

The NCAA Division III Week is part of the Division III Identity Initiative, which was introduced in 2010 to sharpen the division’s identity and to enable schools and conferences to more effectively explain why they prefer to compete in Division III. The initiative has been guided by a strategic-positioning platform, describing Division III as a place where student-athletes can “follow your passions and develop your potential,” within an approach that combines rigorous academics, competitive sports and an opportunity to pursue other interests.

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