Pioneer Football announce award winners

Platteville, Wis- The University of Wisconsin-Platteville football held its annual end of season banquet on Jan. 26. The Pioneers handed out 14 individual awards, recognized the all-conference, all-region, and All-American honorees and honored the 14 seniors who finished up eligibility this past season.  The Pioneers finished the 2019 season 7-3.

The Pioneers led the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in scoring, averaging 34.7 points a game.  Junior quarterback Colin Schuetz was voted by teammates as most valuable player, while junior wideout Donald Allender was named offensive MVP.  Sophomore center Carter Brehm was voted most improved offensive player by the coaching staff.   Schuetz lead the WIAC in passing efficiency with an efficiency rating of 145.7.  Allender led the Pioneers in touchdowns scored (13), which averaged 7.8 points per a game, tops in the WIAC.

The Pioneers were ranked fifth in the NCAA III with a 1.70 turnover margin and had the third-ranked defense in the WIAC, allowing 21.3 points per a game.  Senior defensive back Tyler Reinhardt was voted by his teammates as defensive MVP, while the coaching staff selected senior defensive lineman Bryce Arneson and senior defensive back Antonio-Jose Ramos to share the most improved defensive player award.  Reinhardt led the Pioneers with 77 tackles and recorded three interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. 

Senior defensive back Luke Johnson took home the prestigious George Chryst Award, giving annually to a senior on the football team who demonstrates leadership on and off the football field, as voted on by coaches. 

Senior long snapper Drew Rakers was voted by his teammates as special teams MVP and took home the scholar athlete award. 

Senior offensive lineman Hank Westemeyer and junior defensive lineman Jackson McMahan took home the Battle of the Trenches award, giving to the top offensive and defensive lineman, respectively, voted on by the Pioneer coaching staff.

Senior defensive back Walter Ollie was voted newcomer of the year by his teammates after transferring to UW-Platteville prior to the 2019 season.   

The coaching staff voted freshman defensive back Sam Tausz defensive scout team player of the year, freshman running back, Tyler Lamer offensive scout team player of the year and freshman linebacker Ryan Cole the scout team player of the year.

The Pioneers open up the 2020 season by traveling to Texas to take on East Texas Baptist University. 

Written by: Jason Piddington, Public Relations Writer-Athletics, Communications, 608-342-7645, piddingj@uwplatt.edu