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RIPON, Wis. – After winning a share of the Midwest Conference (MWC) Championship in 2012 the St. Norbert Green Knights were picked to repeat in 2013 in the MWC Football Preseason Coaches’ Poll. St. Norbert has played in the NCAA Playoffs two of the last three years and has 14 MWC Championships in school history.

St. Norbert topped all MWC teams with 92 points and earned four first place votes to just edge out Illinois Col. for the top spot. The Blueboys also garnered four first place votes and tallied 89 points after an 8-2 season, good for a fourth place finish. Carroll picked up the other three first place votes for 83 points and along with Illinois Col. were only one game out of capturing a share of the MWC Championship last season. Monmouth gathered 71 points which was only one point better than Lake Forest, who earned the other half of the MWC Championship last season. Ripon followed with 52 points and barely edged out Cornell who had 52 points a year after coming back to the MWC. Grinnell (32 points), Knox (25), Lawrence (23), and Beloit (14) round out the preseason list.

Coming back this year are 42 players from the 2012 MWC All-Conference team which includes 13 from the First Team, 17 from the Second Team, and 12 Honorable Mention. Offensively three skill position players return after being named to the First Team including Illinois Col. quarterback Michael Bates, Carroll running back Lamont Williams, and Knox running back Derek Mortensen. A.J. Ulrich (Monmouth), Keith Lane (Illinois Col.), and Jordan Willits (Knox) are all back for their senior seasons after earning First Team accolades on the offensive line while Matt Newman (Illinois Col.) and Ace Henricks (Monmouth) were both First Team kickers.

On the defensive side of the ball Kurt Frischman (Illinois Col.) and Jake Rotkvich (Lake Forst) are back after earning First Team honors on the defensive line while Lake Forest linebacker Jordan Cruz is the only linebacker coming back. Ed Dobernig adds to the Foresters returning depth at defensive back while Monmouth punter Brik Wedekind was the First Team punter while also handling the quarterbacking duties for the Fighting Scots.

Voting is done by the MWC head football coaches. Each coach votes for the ten other schools in the conference in order of predicted finish. Points are assigned in reverse order of voting (ten points for first, nine for second, etc.). Coaches may not vote for their own teams.

Place	Team (First Place Votes)	Points
1	St. Norbert (4)	92
2	Illinois Col. (4)	89
3	Carroll (3)	83
4	Monmouth	71
5	Lake Forest	70
6	Ripon	54
7	Cornell	52
8	Grinnell	32
9	Knox	25
10	Lawrence	23
11	Beloit	14

 

Team Previews:


Beloit Buccaneers (2012: 0-10 overall, 0-9 MWC)

Head Coach:  Chris Brann (8th season); 20-50 (overall) / 17-46 (MWC)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Offense:  20/6
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Defense:  16/6
Letterwinners Returning/Lost at Kicker:  1/1
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense:  10/1
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense:  9/2
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker:  1/1
Returning All-MWC: OL Hayden Simonis (Honorable Mention), WR Lukeson Versulien (Honorable Mention)

Last season Beloit finished second in the MWC in pass defense giving up only 156.6 yards per game…As a team Beloit finished second in the conference in kickoff return average led by Lukeson Versulien who was third in the conference averaging 21.8 yards per return…Will Coyne quarterbacks the Bucs after finishing ninth in the league with 152.6 yards of total offense per game…Daniel Collins led the defense with 9.3 tackles per game (fourth in MWC)...


Carroll Pioneers (2012: 8-2 overall, 7-2 MWC)

Head Coach:  Mark Krzykowski (3rd season); 15-5 (overall) / 13-5 (MWC)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Offense:  17/8
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Defense:  13/9
Letterwinners Returning/Lost at Kicker:  2/0
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense:  8/3
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense:  6/5
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker:  2/0
Returning All-MWC: RB Lamont Williams (1st Team) OL Zach Tamblyn (2nd Team), DL Bryan Larson (2nd Team), P Matt Traub (2nd Team), WR Evan Whaley (Honorable Mention), DB Jacob Lindmair (Honorable Mention)

In 2012 Carroll led the nation in pass efficiency defense holding opponents to a 78.10 rating while ranking 18th in rush defense (91.5 ypg)…The Pioneers finished third in the nation in total defense (224.10 ypg) and held opponents to only 14.2 points per game…Lamont Williams led the MWC in rushing (140.8 ygp) and scored 24 touchdowns…Tyler Ostrander led the team with 55 catches for 703 yards and five touchdowns…Michael Sahli averaged five tackles per game while Nate Meinen returns four sacks from a season ago…


Cornell Rams (2012: 4-6 overall, 4-5 MWC)

Head Coach:  Vince Brautigam (4th season); 7-23 (overall) / 4-5 (MWC)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Offense: 23/7
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Defense:  25/8
Letterwinners Returning/Lost at Kicker: 2/0 
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense:  9/2
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense:  8/3
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker:  2/0
Returning All-MWC: WR Justin Cox (2nd Team), OL Sam Cluck (2nd Team), LB Geoffrey Miller (2nd Team), DB Nick Brautigam (Honorable Mention)

Cornell unveils its new field turf for the Sept. 7 home opener against Lawrence after the Rams have played all previous home games in school history on natural grass…Coach Brautigam needs three wins for 100 in his collegiate coaching career… Senior quarterback Juan Flores is Cornell’s career leader for passing yards (5,276), pass completions (450), completion percentage (61.2), and total offense (6,344)…Flores threw for a league-high 21 touchdown passes and 2,800 yards last season…Ben Knake led the MWC in receptions per game (6.3) in his freshman season…Justin Cox caught 62 passes for 905 yards (second in MWC) and ten touchdowns (second in MWC)…Geoffrey Miller was one of only three players to average double-figure tackles per game (11.1)…


Grinnell Pioneers (2012: 2-8 overall, 2-7 MWC)

Head Coach:  Jeff Pedersen (5th season); 13-17 (overall) / 11-16 (MWC)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Offense:  19/5
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Defense:  18/5
Letterwinners Returning/Lost at Kicker:  2/0
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense:  8/3
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense:  7/4
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker:  2/0
Returning All-MWC: CB Andrew Clark (2nd Team), LB David Ternes (2nd Team), K Graham Fisher (Honorable Mention)

Grinnell plays for its first MWC Championship since 1998…Defensively Grinnell finished fourth in the league in both rush defense (163.4 ypg) and scoring defense (25.4 ppg)…Quarterback Sam Poulos threw 16 touchdowns and only nine interceptions in his freshman season…Andrew Clark led the league averaging nearly 24 yards per kickoff return while collecting 27 tackles and an interception…David Ternes finished 2012 third in tackles per game (10.3) with 3.5 sacks and three forced fumbles…The Pioneers only lost one of its offensive linemen from last season…Maz Jacobson brings back 25 catches for 236 yards and a touchdown to lead the receiving core…


Illinois Col. Blueboys (2012: 8-2 overall, 7-2 MWC)

Head Coach:  Garrett Campbell (6th season); 31-20 (overall) / 29-16 overall
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  60/35
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense:  8/3
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense:  6/5
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker:  2/0
Returning All-MWC: QB Michael Bates (1st Team), OL Keith Lane (1st Team), K Matt Newman (1st Team), DL Kurt Frischman (1st Team), RB Cecil Brimmage (2nd Team), LB Carter Cox (2nd Team), WR Kevin Fuller (Honorable Mention)

All-MWC First Team quarterback Michael Bates returns after leading the MWC in total offense per game (318.2 yards) and passing yards per game (283.9 yards) with 20 touchdown passes…Cecil Brimmage finished fifth in the league with 96.4 rushing yards per game and eight touchdowns…Matt Newman hit all 53 of his extra point attempts last season and was 5-for-7 on field goal attempts…Kurt Frischman headlines the defense returning as the top tackler (7.0 tpg) and pass rusher (7.5 sacks)…As a team Illinois Col. led the league, and finished seventh in the nation, averaging 41.2 points per game…


Knox Prairie Fire (2012: 2-8 overall, 2-7 MWC)

Head Coach:  Damon Tomeo (1st season); 0-0 (overall) / 0-0 (MWC)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Offense: 15/8
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Defense: 18/10
Letterwinners Returning/Lost at Kicker: 1/0
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense:  7/4
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense:  4/7
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker: 1/0
Returning All-MWC: RB Derek Mortensen (1st Team), OL Jordan Willits (1st Team), TE Neal Moon (2nd Team)

Derek Mortensen needs 542 rushing yards to break the school record of 3,177 career rushing yards held by Kevin Megli (2003-2006)…Mortensen finished second in the league averaging 136.2 rushing yards per game and scored 17 rushing touchdowns…Dustin Armstrong caught 41 passes for 647 yards and six touchdowns in 2012…Tom Discher averaged 6.9 tackles per game while Steve Bora recorded 4.5 sacks for the Prairie Fire…As a team Knox ranked third in the league scoring defense only giving up 31.1 points per game…Luke Oosterbaan runs the offense after throwing for 1,091 yards and ten touchdowns…


Lake Forest Foresters (2012: 8-2 overall, 8-1 MWC)

Head Coach:  Jim Catanzaro (5th season); 15-25 (overall) / 15-21 (MWC)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Offense: 23/18
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Defense:  29/13
Letterwinners Returning/Lost at Kicker:  2/1
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense:  5/6
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense:  9/2
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker:  1/0
Returning All-MWC: LB Jordan Cruz (1st Team), DL Jake Rotkvich (1st Team), DB Ed Dobernig (1st Team), LB John Dillon (2nd Team), DL Michael Garetto-Balmer (2nd Team), OL Tom Mitchell (Honorable Mention), TE Greg Alonso (Honorable Mention), P Pat Gurchak (Honorable Mention)

The Forester defense returns nine starters and three 2012 All-MWC First Team selections…Lake Forest was second in the league in scoring defense (19.0 ppg) and fourth in total defense (340.6 ypg)…Jordan Cruz led the team with 7.7 tackles per game and John Dillon recorded six sacks (seventh in MWC)…The Foresters have to replace a pair of their top offensive performers from last season with the graduations of quarterback Pete Scaffidi and running back Al Mitchell…Joey Valdivia is the top returning rusher (361 yards, four touchdowns)…The Foresters welcome back only three receivers who caught a pass last season with Mike Peters covering 91 yards on ten receptions…


Lawrence Vikings (2012: 2-8 overall, 2-7 MWC)

Head Coach:  Mike Barthelmess (2nd season); 2-8 (overall) / 2-7 (MWC)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Offense: 20/8
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Defense: 17/11
Letterwinners Returning/Lost at Kicker: 1/1
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense: 6/5
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense: 5/6
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker: 1/1
Returning All-MWC: DB Sam Wagner (Honorable Mention)

Quarterback Luke Barthelmess returns as the most prolific passer in Lawrence history ranking atop the Vikings career leaderboard in completions (455) and passing yards (6,057) and is third with 48 touchdowns…Barthelmess threw for 2,292 yards last season and 20 touchdowns (tied second in MWC)…Dominique Dirden was third in the league catching nearly six passes per game and scored three touchdowns to go along with 624 receiving yards…Brandon Taylor finished eighth in the conference averaging eight tackles per game…Sam Wagner broke up 14 passes a year ago (tied second in MWC) for the league’s fourth-best pass defense…


Monmouth Fighting Scots (2012: 5-5 overall, 5-4 MWC)

Head Coach:  Steve Bell (14th season); 99-37 (overall) / 91-25 (MWC)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Offense: 26/9
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Defense:  24/11
Letterwinners Returning/Lost at Kicker:  1/1
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense:  7/4
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense:  7/4
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker:  1/1
Returning All-MWC: K Ace Henricks (1st Team), OL A.J. Ulrich (1st Team), P Brik Wedekind (1st Team), RB Trey Yocum (2nd Team)

Monmouth has won three of the last five MWC Championships including a title in 2011…2012 All-MWC Second Team running back Trey Yocum finished third in the league in rushing (117.1 ypg) with 13 touchdowns…Quarterback Brik Wedekind filled in for departed All-American Alex Tanney throwing for 1,667 yards and 15 touchdowns while throwing only seven interceptions…Monmouth finished second in the league as a team in rushing offense with 233.9 yards per game…Jordan Kalk headlines the defense after finishing seventh in the conference with 8.5 tackles per contest in his freshman season…Jack Porter was fifth in the conference with seven total sacks and had 12.5 tackles for loss…


Ripon Red Hawks (2012: 5-5 overall, 5-4 MWC)

Head Coach:  Ron Ernst (23rd season); 143-72 (overall) / 124-59 (MWC)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Offense: 25/10
Letterwinners Returning/Lost on Defense: 29/8 
Letterwinners Returning/Lost at Kicker:  1/1
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense:  4/7
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense:  9/2
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker:  1/1
Returning All-MWC: QB Tom Sawyer (2nd Team); OL Tyler Jonas (2nd Team); DB Luke Morgan (Honorable Mention)

Head Coach Ron Ernst enters this season needing just seven wins for 150 career victories…Entering his second season as full time starter, senior quarterback Tom Sawyer is tied for ninth in school history for career rushing touchdowns (23)…Last season, Sawyer rushed for 1,045 yards, which is the ninth-highest single season total in school history and finished fourth in the MWC in rushing yards per game (104.5)…Sawyer needs 683 rushing yards this season to rank in the top ten in school history…Ripon’s rushing attack is the backbone of the offense as it finished third in the nation (336.7 ypg)…Connor Greenwald gained 616 yards in his freshman year with six touchdowns…Linebacker Dylan Mroczenski finished 12th in the league with 7.9 tackles per game…


St. Norbert Green Knights (2012: 8-3 overall, 8-1 MWC)

Head Coach:  Jim Purtill (15th season); 122-27 (overall) / 114-11 (MWC)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 93/23
Starters Returning/Lost on Offense:  7/4
Starters Returning/Lost on Defense:  2/9
Starters Returning/Lost at Kicker:  2/0
Returning All-MWC: OL Andrew Cullen (2nd Team)

James Tringali returns to quarterback a Green Knights team that earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in the last three years in 2012…Tringali threw for 1,847 yards and 17 touchdowns, starting in all 11 games…Brad Boockmeier gained 430 yards on 75 carries in his freshman campaign for six touchdowns and leads the ground attack heading into 2013…Brian Fliess highlights the receiving core after catching 26 passes for 365 yards and four touchdowns a season ago…St. Norbert brings back only two starters from a defense that finished second in the MWC in rush defense (122.3 ypg) and third in scoring defense (22.1 ppg)…

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