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SENIORS Dakota Matthees
Dakota Matthees joined the team in 2019 from Iowa Western CC. Graduating from Winona Senior High in Winona, Minn. He is accompanied by Tim Matthees and Stacey Matthees
Tyler Zirpoli Tyler Zirpoli joined the team in 2018 from Waukesha West High school in Waukesha, Wisconsin. He is accompanied by Matt Zirpoli and Shelly Zirpoli.
Will Leskovar Will Leskovar has been an integral part of the Winona State Football staff, handling both practice and game filming operations. Will’s knowledge, dedication, attention to detail, and work ethic have been a key part of the WSU preparation each week. Will is a dedicated Warrior who will be missed!
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NAME POS. HT. Travis Alvin DL 6-5 Jacob Anderson S 6-0 Darioh Balisidya DB 6-0 Aidan Boehle DE 6-5 Ben Burgess P 6-1 Bryan Cassellius LB 5-11 Jim Curtin R.-Fr. 6-0 Ethan Doucette LB 6-1 Jackson Flottmeyer QB Brady Foster S 6-2 Sidney Green DB 5-10 Javontae Gregory DB John Klinger DL 6-3 Mason Kolling TE 6-4 Cole Lipper TE 6-3 Reese Littlefield Fr. 6-2 Marques Monroe DB 6-1 Carter Nair K 6-4 Lance Nielson, Jr. S 6-0 Anthony Powell RB 5-11 Blake Schraufnagel LB 6-0 Caden Spence RB 6-1 Joseph Staff LS 6-2 Carter Todd WR 6-4 Wesley Wollan DL 6-2 James Schwaab OL --
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YEAR Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. R-Fr. R-Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Rr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Fr. R-Fr. R-Fr.
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WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL: LAST TIME OUT Winona State comeback effort falls just short against Mavericks WINONA, Minn. - The Winona State University football team mounted an impressive comeback against No. 10 ranked Minnesota State on Saturday, Nov. 4, battling back to nearly upset the Mavericks in front of 4,460 fans in Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium.
The Mavericks would register the final scoring play of the third quarter, using a six-play, 66-yard drive to set up Ekhern to complete a three-yard pass to Tony Anger for the score. With the TD, MSU doubled the Warrior point total, moving to a 42-21 lead over WSU.
Winona State (4-6, 4-5 NSIC) tallied the last two touchdowns of a back-and-forth affair that saw the two teams combine for 91 total points. In the end, WSU was unable to pull off a last-minute miracle, falling just short on, and on the wrong end of, a 49-42 scoreline to Minnesota State (9-1, 8-1 NSIC).
The fourth quarter saw a furious WSU comeback effort rack up three of the final four scores in the last 15 minutes of the game.
Key Details: Minnesota State 49, Winona State 42 Attendance: 4,432 How It Happened The scoring started fast and furious with Minnesota State securing a touchdown on their opening drive, having received the first-half kickoff to start the game. The Maverick's Hayden Ekern found the endzone on a three-yard run to cap off a fourplay, 59-yard drive. Minnesota State would go on to double their touchdown production in the first quarter when Ekern hit Grant Guyett from 20 yards out for another Maverick score. After Matthew Jaeger converted his second PAT of the opening 15 minutes, MSU would lead Winona State 14-0 at the 6:13 mark of the opening stanza. It did not take long for Winona State to mount a response, as Quentin Pringle continued the 2023 tradition of long, first-quarter touchdown runs, cruising 75 yards nearly untouched for the first WSU score. Jacob Scott and the PAT unit continued their perfect season, converting the kick and moving the scoreboard to 14-7. In the second quarter, Minnesota State again tallied the first two scores for the stanza, the first scoring on a one-yard plunge by Ekern for his second TD of the half. Ekern's dive capped off a 10play, 71-yard drive that consumed over five minutes of the second quarter. Shen Butler Lawson, Jr. would also find the end zone seven minutes later, scoring on a 39-yard run. The two teams would head into the locker room with the Mavericks holding a 28-7 advantage. Halftime: Minnesota State 28, Winona State 7 The Winona State faithful saw a motivated Warrior side take the field in the second half, as evidenced early on by a Ty Gavin eightyard touchdown run that completed a six-play, 79-yard Warrior drive. Like the Mavericks in the first half, the opening drive score saw an energized crowd join the fray. Minnesota State would match Gavin's scoring effort with a touchdown at the 6:16 mark of the third quarter, with Lawson, Jr. notching his second rushing touchdown of the day, scoring on a 21-yard run.
First, Sylvere Campbell collected one of the most impressive completions of the season, hauling in a 46-yard pass from Cole Stenstrom for a touchdown less than two minutes into the fourth quarter. Minnesota State would match the WSU score with a eight-play drive over 52 yards. MSU's Lawson, Jr. would get over the goal line from one-yard out for what would be the Maverick's final score. Winona State would turn to a familiar combination in their fourthquarter comeback attempt, as Stenstrom would again find Campbell for a score, connecting on a 79-yard touchdown reception that brought the Warrior crowd to it's collective feet. Taking just 12 seconds, the Winona State score brought the Warriors to within striking distance, down 49-35. Following a pair of defensive stops - one for each team - WSU would score again when Cole Stenstrom finished off a six-play, 75-yard drive with a one-yard quarterback sneak. Upon Scott's successful PAT - his sixth of the game and 33rd-straight of the season - Winona State found themselves within one possession of a tying touchdown. With 1:24 remaining, the Warrior defense stood tall on a key fourth-down play, holding the Mavericks to no-gain in a 4th-and1 situation with the game on the line. After gaining the ball back late, unfortunately for WSU, no further magic was in the cards on the day, as the last four passing attempts failed to yield a touchdown catch. The contest would end in favor of the Mavericks, with Minnesota State beating Winona State 49-42. MSUM would earn the ball back with just over two minutes to go, earning a first-down and eventually taking a knee to end the game. The Dragons improved to 6-3 overall, 5-3 in NSIC play with the win, while Winona State moved 4-5 overall, 4-4 in NSIC play with the setback.
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FOOTBALL Head Coach: Brian Bergstrom 2022: 8-4, 8-3 NSIC @Coach_Bergy Brian Bergstrom was hired as the head football coach at Winona State University in December 2021. Bergstrom made an immediate impact on the Warrior program, leading the team to the NCAA postseason following an 8-3 regular season finish which included an undefeated 5-0 mark at home in Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium Bergstrom and WSU earned a share of the 2022 NSIC South Division title, the first for the program since 2012. Following a stellar regular season, Winona State advanced to the 2022 NCAA Division II Football playoffs, bowing out to league-rival Bemidji State in the first round. For Bergstrom, the successful first year saw him become one of a handful of football coaches across all NCAA levels to lead a team to the NCAA postseason in their first season. The 2022 campaign saw Winona State football student-athletes earn several impressive individual accolades, including the NSIC Britton Award (Mitch Snitker), Don Hansen All-Americans (Payton Dachel, Jaylen Schleicher, Clay Schueffer), the NSIC Glen Galligan Award (Carter Duxbury), among others. In addition, Clay Scheuffner was one of just 48 NCAA Division II players nominated for the Harlon Hill Award. Bergstrom came to Winona State having most recently served as the defensive coordinator for South Dakota State University. Hired in March 2017 at NCAA Division I FCS member SDSU, Bergstrom also coached the program's safeties. Bergstrom has 17 years of collegiate coaching experience and owns a strong network of recruiting connections cultivated over stops at Augustana University and Gustavus Adolphus College, his alma mater. While at Augustana, Bergstrom was part of a Viking staff that won a share of the 2015 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference South Division title. That same year, Augustana earned a berth in the NCAA Division II playoffs. While on staff at South Dakota State, Bergstrom has been a part of five consecutive Jackrabbit playoff teams, earning three trips to the FCS national semifinals, including a runner-up finish. Putting his stamp on strong defensive teams has been a trademark of Bergstrom at all levels. While at South Dakota State, the Jackrabbits were the third-best FCS program in terms of total interceptions in 2020-21 with 12 and were ranked eighth in turnovers gained with 17 on the year. Originally from Burnsville, Minnesota, Bergstrom earned both all-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) and honorable mention All-America selection as a linebacker. He was named team Most Valuable Player and was a team captain. In addition, Bergstrom was a CoSIDA Academic All-America honoree and was named the recipient of an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. Bergstrom officially began his duties on January 6, 2022. Bergstrom, his wife Kate, and their three children, Krayton, Beckett, and Berkley, reside in Winona.
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FOOTBALL 2023 NSIC FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
BURNSVILLE, Minn. - Bemidji State University was selected by the league coaches as the preseason favorite in the NSIC for 2023. The Beavers received four first-place votes (coaches cannot vote for their own team) and amassed 131 points, six points ahead of Minnesota State, which was second with 125 points and five first-place votes. Wayne State was third with 114 points while Augustana was fourth with 112 points; both WSC and Augie garnered two first-place votes. The Winona State University football team was picked to finish sixth in the 2023 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Football Preseason Coaches Poll, as announced today by the league. In addition, Ty Gavin and Clay Schueffner were named as the WSU offensive and defensive players to watch, respectively. Winona State, led by second-year head coach Brian Bergstrom, will open up the 2023 season on the road at Saginaw Valley State University on Thursday, August 31. The Warriors and Cardinals are set to kickoff at 6 p.m. EST in University Center, Michigan. The 2023 meeting will be the first-ever matchup between the two programs. SVSU and Winona State both factored into the 2022 AFCA Division II national rankings last season, with the Cardinals and Warriors both in the ‘Receiving Votes’ section of the final NCAA DII AFCA coaches poll. The captain's leadership group includes veteran linebacker Clay Schueffner (Sr. St. Cloud, Wis.), who was also tabbed by the NSIC Player-to-Watch on defense earlier this month, and defensive lineman Joseph Demro (RS So. Plymouth, Minn.), who appeared in four contests had 11 total tackles, including three solo stops. From the offense also earning captain roles were Tyler Zirpoli (Sr. Waukesha, Wis.), a senior fullback who appeared in seven contests last year, as well as center Jordan Haddad from Mequon, Wis. who missed last season due to injury. Winona State finished the 2022 season at 8-4 overall and caught the eyes of AFCA voters following a season in which the program earned a share of the NSIC South title. Last fall, WSU reached the NCAA Division II postseason for the first time since 2018, traveling to Bemidji State for a first-round contest. In 2023, NSIC football will consist of 13 teams with each team playing 10 conference games over an 11-week schedule. The NSIC will award an overall champion based on win percentage in the 10 NSIC contests. Ties will not be broken for the overall champions.
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Ken Janz
The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities has named Kenneth Janz to serve as interim president of Winona State University. The appointment becomes effective August 1, 2023.
Interim President
“Ken Janz is well regarded by faculty and leadership and has garnered the respect and trust of the broader Winona State University community during his time at WSU,” said Devinder Malhotra, chancellor of Minnesota State. “Both Chancellor Designate Olson and I are confident that he will provide effective and strong leadership to the university through this transition period.” Dr. Janz has served WSU since 2008 as associate vice president for Academic Affairs and CIO and added the role of dean of the library in 2015. In these roles, he provides leadership and vision for the planning and implementation of information services that support the teaching, learning, and research mission of the University and leads strategic planning efforts by working collaboratively with faculty, staff, students. Previous appointments include serving Indiana State University as the director of the Center for Instruction, Research, and Technology from 2003 to 2008, and as the director of information technology — College of Education from 1998 to 2003. He holds bachelor’s degrees from Dickinson State University (ND), a master’s from North Dakota State University, and a doctorate from Indiana State University. Janz succeeds Scott Olson, who has served as president of Winona State University since 2012 and recently accepted an appointment to serve as the chancellor of Minnesota State. The search for a permanent president of WSU will be launched in the fall. About Winona State University Founded in 1858, Winona State University is a regional public university and the oldest member of the Minnesota State system. With campuses in both Winona and Rochester, Winona State offers more than 200 majors and programs in five colleges: Business, Education, Liberal Arts, Nursing & Health Sciences, and Science & Engineering. More than half of WSU’s 6,000-plus students are Minnesota residents, and the university also hosts international students from 42 countries. Winona State University’s mission is to enhance the intellectual, social, cultural and economic vitality of the people and communities we serve: a community of learners improving our world.
WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATION Director of Athletics, Eric Schoh Eric Schoh started with the Warriors on June 11, 2012. He has almost three decades of athletics experience in Division II, 17 as an athletic director in the NSIC, and is in his tenth year as the director of athletics at Winona State. During his time as an AD, Schoh served on the Division II Management Council from 2016-2020, serving as Vice Chair of the Council in 2018. Also, during that time he served on the DII Identity Subcommittee and acted as chairperson in 2019. Other NCAA committee involvement included the Championships Committee, Planning and Finance, DII Administrative Committee, DII Membership Committee, and the DII Committee for Legislative Relief. With a strong commitment to the student-athlete experience, Warrior student-athletes have continued to excel in the classroom and give back to the Winona area through community service. During spring 2021, the average student-athlete term GPA was 3.43 (compared to 3.28 for the general student body) and the second highest on record. The average student athlete's cumulative GPA through spring 2021 was 3.37 (compared to 3.22 for the general student body). There were 101 Warriors with perfect 4.0 GPAs in spring 2021, with 196 making the Dean’s List. The latest NCAA Federal Graduation Rate for the Warriors is 78%, which ranks first in the NSIC and 22nd out of 316 institutions in Division II. During the pandemic, the community service hours for the Warriors decreased dramatically. However, normally the Warriors log more than 3,000 hours of community service each academic year. Over the past nine years, Warrior Athletic facilities have seen many improvements, including a complete renovation of McCown Gymnasium; installation of new turf and state-of-the-art video board at Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium; construction of a new gymnastics practice facility and locker room; an indoor training facility for men’s and women’s golf; new batting cages and practice mounds at softball; new infield, mound and scoreboard at baseball; complete renovation of Talbot Gymnasium, including a multipurpose synthetic floor; remodeled W Room for home volleyball and basketball games; and the installation of a film room for all teams. A comprehensive facility master plan for Warrior Athletics was completed in 2017 and the department continues to make strides toward completing the facilities outlined in the master plan. In the field of play, the Warriors continue to be known as a conference, regional, and national contender, winning numerous regular season and conference championships over the past nine years. Several teams have advanced to NCAA post-season play during Schoh’s tenure as well, including football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, volleyball, soccer, cross country, track and field, softball, gymnastics, men’s golf, and women’s golf. WSU hosted a football playoff game in 2017 and women’s softball regionals in 2014 and 2017. Schoh served as athletic director at Wayne State College from 2004-12. At Wayne State, Schoh helped build Wildcat Athletics into a consistent presence on both the regional and national levels. Wayne State won 13 NSIC regular season championships and six more conference tournament titles. The WSC women’s basketball team advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in 2012 and ended the season ranked fourth in the nation. More than 20 teams advanced to NCAA Tournament play under Schoh’s leadership. A native of La Crescent, Minn., Schoh holds both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Iowa State University. Schoh also has worked as the Associate Athletic Director for Development at California State University, Bakersfield (2002-04); the Associate Athletic Director at the University of South Dakota (1999-2002); and as an Assistant Athletic Director at Montana State University, Billings (1995-97). Schoh and his wife Stephanie have three children and one grandson: Paige (31) and River (5), Eric (26) and Tyler (25).
WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATION Melanie was named Associate Athletic Director on May 17, 2018 and assumed her new role with the Warriors in July. In August, 2023, Brunsdon was elevated to Deputy Athletic Director at WSU. Previously, Brunsdon spent the past five years as the Assistant Athletic Director at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky where she oversaw compliance along with direct supervision over the men's and women's golf programs. At Bellarmine, she was a member and chair of the Staff Council, served on the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee and the Title IX Committee. Brunsdon is also a member of the National Association for Athletics Compliance (NAAC) Division II Committee. Prior to her time at Bellarmine, she served as the Associate Athletic Director/Director of Compliance at Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois from 2012-13. Brunsdon's connection with the NSIC includes roles as the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and Student Life/Senior Woman Administrator at Minot State University from 2009-12 and serving as the Director of Athletic Recruiting at Upper Iowa University from 2008-09. Brunsdon earned a pair of bachelor's degrees in sport management (with a coaching endorsement) and psychology at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. The Brandon, Wisconsin native will reside in Winona with her husband, Paul, daughter, Madeline, and twin boys, Cade and Graham.
Jill Bratberg is the Assistant Athletic Director for Development and has been part of WSU Athletics since 2012. She is responsible for securing corporate partnerships for Warrior Athletics and is also in charge of coordinating large events within the department, such as the Winona State Athletic Hall of Fame banquet, Scholarship Night Fundraiser, and the Warrior Club Golf Classic. She also assists with ticketing and serves as the department's liaison to the Warrior Club. She grew up in Winona and graduated from University of Wisconsin – La Crosse with a degree in Sports Management in 1990. A former tennis student-athlete at UW-L and was inducted into the WIAC Century All-Time Women’s Team in 2012 and inducted into the UW – La Crosse Wall of Fame in 2014. Jill and her family live in Trempealeau, WI.
Bree Larsen is entering her seventh year as the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance at Winona State University in 2021-2022. Larsen is responsible for all aspects of compliance within the WSU’s athletic program. Her main responsibilities include developing procedures and policies to monitor and ensure compliance with all NCAA and NSIC rules and regulations, verify student eligibility to participate in university athletics and process all student-athlete scholarships. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, earning her Bachelor of Science in exercise sport science/physical education teaching in 2003. She then earned her Master of Science in sport management from Georgia Southern in Statesboro, Georgia in 2005. Larsen lives in Winona with her husband Corey, a former WSU student-athlete, their three sons, Riley, Logan, Colt and daughter Annabelle.
WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATION Joey Mueller joined the Warrior Athletics staff in August 2021 as an Assistant Athletic Communications Director. He currently serves as the Events and Ticketing Coordinator for the Warriors. The Hutchinson, Minnesota native earned his BA in Mathematics Education from Bethel University in 2021. At Bethel, Mueller competed on the men’s tennis team, was a student assistant coach for the Bethel women’s basketball team, and served as a member on Bethel’s StudentAthlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Mueller graduated with a master’s degree in Leadership Education: Sports Management in 2023.
Justin Loehr is the Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Services and has been part of WSU Athletics since 2008. He grew up in Onalaska, Wisconsin and then, after two years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, graduated with highest honors from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse with degrees in History and Political Science in 2007. Loehr then earned a Master’s degree in Education: Student Affairs Administration Emphasis, also from UW-L, in 2009. His experiences in Student Affairs are vast and include stops in Admissions, Advising, New Student Orientation, Student Activities, Career Counseling, Residence Life, and Classroom Instruction. Justin lives in La Crosse, Wis. with his wife, Ginny, and their daughters, Ava, Hattie and their son, Louis.
Danica Perner started as the Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Services at Winona State in July of 2018. She previously served as the Student-Athlete Services Learning Specialist at WSU from 2017-2018. A native of Spencer, Wisconsin, Danica graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sport Management from the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse in May 2017. While at UW- La Crosse, she was a member of the volleyball team, as well as a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Danica earned her Master of Science degree in Leadership Education: Sport Management from Winona State in May 2018. Danica lives in Galesville, Wis. with her husband, Jake, their son, Jaxon, and dog, Riggins.
Dr. Jason Kight, associate professor of business administration, was named the new faculty athletic representative (FAR) at Winona State University in July, 2023. Kight's main role as FAR is to serve as a liaison between the athletics department and the faculty while also representing the institution in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), and NCAA affairs. The purpose of the FAR is to ensure that Winona State establishes and maintains the appropriate balance between academics and intercollegiate athletics. Kight will take over the FAR role from Dr. Kara Lindaman and assumed his duties on July 15. Kight's research interests include Social Media and Privacy Law, Safety and Healthcare Law, and Sports Law. A bearer of bachelor's degrees from Rockford College, Kight earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the Southern Illinois University School of Law, a Masters of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from Eastern Illinois University, and a Masters of Science in Sports Management (M.S.S.M) from Minnesota State University, Mankato.
WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATION Pete Watkins joined the Winona State University Athletic Department as the Director of Athletic Communications in the spring of 2020. A resident of Winona since 2011, Watkins brings over 25 years of experience within college athletics to the Warrior staff. Between 2016 and 2020, Watkins served the Minnesota State Colleges and University system as the executive director of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference (MCAC). Prior to his work with the MCAC, Watkins was a college soccer coach and instructor in sports management at four different NCAA institutions before retiring from coaching and teaching in 2016. Watkins completed his college coaching career with an overall record of 158-140-31, garnered across both genders and all three NCAA levels. Watkins is a professional member of CoSIDA, the College Sports Information Directors of America, as well as the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Watkins earned his bachelor's degree from MacMurray College and his master's degree from Aurora University. Watkins earned All-SLIAC and Adidas Academic All-America honors in men’s soccer at MacMurray. Watkins and his wife Laura have three children; Campbell, Mae, and Seth, and the family resides in Winona.
Luke Martens joined the Athletic Communications staff in June of 2023. Martens will be assisting with all aspects of Warrior sports information, digital communications, and gameday management. Martens is a former Winona State men's basketball standout for the Warriors, competing for WSU between 2018-2023. The Apple Valley, Minn. product also competed in football in high school and was one of the top rebounders in the NSIC in the 2022-23 season.
Maria Averbeck joined the Warrior Communications team in June of 2023. Averbeck will be assisting with all aspects of Warrior sports information, digital communications, and gameday management. Averbeck comes to Winona State from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota where she worked in Residential Life. As an undergraduate at SMU, Averbeck competed in softball for the Cardinals between 2016 and 2019. Averbeck played softball, and basketball, at Lewiston - Altura High School and soccer at St. Charles High School.