2005 WIAC Football Headlines League Ranked Sixth in Football Attendance During 2005 Season RELEASED: Wednesday, February 8, 2006 Madison, Wis.--The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) ranked sixth among NCAA Division III football conferences in attendance during the 2005 season. According to data released by the NCAA, the eight league schools had 104,456 spectators in 44 games for an average of 2,374 per contest. The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference led the 28 reporting NCAA Division III conferences with an average of 3,018 fans per game in 43 contests. UW-Whitewater was the top school in the conference, finishing 13th among the 227 reporting institutions. The Warhawks totaled 25,896 spectators in eight home contests for an average mark of 3,574. UW-Eau Claire placed 21st with an average of 3,240, while UW-La Crosse finished 25th at 3,102 per game. Additional conference finishes included: UW-Platteville 42nd (2,669), UW-Stout 64th (2,328), UW-Oshkosh 123rd (1,505), UW-Stevens Point 126th (1,494) and UW-River Falls 174th (961). St. John's (Minn.) led the NCAA Division III in attendance for the third time in the last four years with an average of 7,925 in five home dates. # # # # # Former Pointer Kriewaldt Helps Steelers to Super Bowl Title RELEASED: Monday, February 6, 2006 Madison, Wis.--From the very first play of Super Bowl XL until the end, Sunday was a memorable day for former Clint Kriewaldt. The former Pointer standout made the game’s first tackle on the opening kickoff and then walked off the field as a world champion as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kriewaldt sprinted untouched down the field for a solo tackle of Seattle’s Josh Scobey at the Seahawks’ 18-yard line on the opening kickoff. He added an assisted tackle later in the first quarter on a Seattle punt return. A reserve linebacker, Kriewaldt took part on all of the Steelers’ special teams plays in Sunday’s 21-10 victory. It marks the first time a former UW-Stevens Point athlete has been a member of a major American professional championship team. It also is the second straight year a former Pointer has won a major pro football title after quarterback Scott Krause was a member of the 2004 Toronto Argonauts’ Canadian Football League Grey Cup squad. Kriewaldt played for the Pointers from 1995-98 and is the school’s all-time leading tackler with 416 during his career. He claimed the WIAC Player of the Year honor in 1998. # # # # # Former Pointer Kriewaldt Prepares for First Super Bowl Appearance RELEASED: Tuesday, January 31, 2006 Stevens Point, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point will be represented at Sunday’s Super Bowl in Detroit when former Pointer standout Clint Kriewaldt takes the field as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Seattle Seahawks. Kriewaldt, who played for the Pointers as a four-time all-conference selection from 1995-98 and received WIAC Player of the Year honors in 1998, is in his seventh season in the National Football League. He actually began his career in Detroit, playing four seasons with the Lions before moving on to Pittsburgh, where he is in his third season. It marks the second time UW-Stevens Point has been represented on a Super Bowl roster. Wide receiver Barry Rose was a member of the 1992 Buffalo Bills, but was not in uniform for the Super Bowl. Kriewaldt will be the only Division III player in this year’s Super Bowl. Jerheme Urban, a wide receiver from Trinity (Texas), played in five games this season for the Seahawks, but is not on the active playoff roster. Wearing number 57 as a reserve linebacker who plays in nearly every special teams situation, Kriewaldt has appeared in every game this season and started two games at mid-season due to an injury to starter James Farrior. In his two starts, he made nine tackles in a loss at Baltimore and four in a win at Cleveland. Kriewaldt also had four tackles at Lambeau Field against Green Bay on Nov. 6. This season, Kriewaldt has made a career-high 25 solo tackles along with six assisted tackles. He has played in all three postseason games this year and recorded a tackle in the wins over both Indianapolis and Denver. For his career, Kriewaldt has played in 95 games, making 143 total tackles, including 109 solo stops. Kriewaldt is a Shiocton native and is UW-Stevens Point’s all-time leading tackler with 416 career tackles. He also was a running back for the Pointers in goalline situations and scored 16 touchdowns in his final two seasons. A sixth round draft choice of the Lions in 1999, Kriewaldt completed a degree in interior architecture from UW-Stevens Point in 2000. # # # # # UW-Eau Claire's Hoffner Steps Down as Head Football Coach RELEASED: Friday, January 27, 2006 Eau Claire, Wis.--After seven years as the UW-Eau Claire head football coach, Todd Hoffner is stepping down to accept a coaching position at the University of South Dakota, an NCAA Division II program. Hoffner's resignation becomes effective February 10. He will take over as the offensive coordinator for Ed Meierkort’s Coyotes. Meierkort and Hoffner coached against each other when Meierkort was the head coach at conference rival UW-Stout. Hoffner leaves Eau Claire tied for second with Ade Olson in all-time football coaching victories behind Hall of Fame coach Link Walker. He finished with a 42-28 (.600 winning percentage) overall record and a 29-20 mark in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference competition. The Blugolds were actually 40-20 over the last six seasons after they finished 2-8 in his first campaign, losing six games by four or fewer points. During Hoffner’s career at Eau Claire, the Blugolds had six straight winning records in the WIAC, tieing for the conference title in 2001 and finishing second or tied for second in 2002, 2004 and 2005. The Blugolds have been nationally ranked during each of the last five seasons, climbing as high as No. 6 in one poll. In 2001 and 2002, the Blugolds had back-to-back campaigns of 8-2. Hoffner had success against some good programs, beating UW-La Crosse in four of the last five seasons and St. John’s University in three of the last five. Hoffner also took two Blugold teams overseas and won all four of his games in international competition. The Blugolds had four consecutive WIAC Scholar-Athletes in Bob Schmidt, Mike Bestul, Austin Crow and Dave Maas. Bestul was a two-time first team Academic All-American. Three Blugolds were selected to participate in the Aztec Bowl with safety Jay Hoyord going in 2001, tight end Brad Newton in 2002 and safety Brent Tieri in 2005. Among the Hoffner players who earned All-American recognition were running back Darrell Souhrada, offensive tackle Bob Schmidt, strong safety Jay Hoyord, tight end Brad Newton, defensive end Austin Crow, offensive lineman Mike Bestul and safety Brent Tieri. During the Hoffner years, the Blugold records for career rushing, single season receptions, single season pass completions, single season pass completion percentage and field goals were established. Hoffner was also involved in several football program improvements including the artificial turf that was installed at Carson Park, the football locker room renovation, the football office complex and a new video editing system. Director of Athletics Scott Kilgallon said of Hoffner, "We’re losing an outstanding coach who is leaving the program in great shape for his successor. We wish Todd, his wife Melodee and his children well as he takes a new direction in his career at the Division II level." # # # # # UW-Whitewater's Beaver Top Rusher in College Football RELEASED: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Whitewater sophomore running back was the leading rusher in college football - at any level - for the 2005 season. Beaver, a native of Palmyra, Wis. (Palmyra-Eagle H.S.), rushed for a NCAA Division III single-season record 2,420 yards during the 2005 campaign. Beaver helped UW-Whitewater win the WIAC title and advance to the NCAA Division III national championship game. He also played a significant role in UW-Whitewater setting school records for yards rushing, touchdowns and points scored. The other top rushers in each division of collegiate football follow: NCAA Division I-A: DeAngelo Williams (University of Memphis)-1,964 yards NCAA Division I-AA: Nick Hartigan (Brown University)-1,727 yards NCAA Division II: Jamar Brittingham (Bloomsburg State)-2,260 yards National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics: Roger Butler (Tabor College)-1,828 yards National Junior College Athletic Association: Eric Ransom (Trinity Valley Community College)-1,531 yards # # # # # Eight Claim Football Gazette All-America Honors; UW-Whitewater's Berezowitz Named Coach of the Year RELEASED: Friday, January 13, 2006 Madison, Wis.--Eight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) football players have been named to the 2005 Football Gazette NCAA Division III All-America Team. UW-Stout's Joe Seep and UW-Whitewater's Justin Beaver were named to the first team, while UW-La Crosse's Adam Dow and UW-Whitewater's Brady Ramseier and Robb Widuch were second team selections. UW-Stout's Evan Larsen and UW-Whitewater's Ryan Kleppe and Max Sakellaris were third team picks. UW-Whitewater head coach Bob Berezowitz was named the NCAA Division III Coach of the Year after leading the team to a 14-1 record, the WIAC championship and a berth in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. The Warhawks set a school record for victories in a season and their road to the Stagg Bowl included victories over the schools that captured the 2003 (St.