Football Announce Team Honors at Football Banquet
Jan 24, 2016
2015 All-Iowa Conference selections as selected by IIAC head coaches.
The 2015 University of Dubuque Team Award winners.
DUBUQUE, Iowa - The 2015 Iowa Conference Championship Football Team spent time on Sunday, January 24 to honor the student-athletes for their success on and off the field. The undefeated IIAC champs, a perfect 7-0 in 2015, held their team awards banquet as the coaches announced awards voted on by Spartan coaches and teammates. UD was picked to finish fourth in the IIAC Coaches Poll before capturing the title. Next season the Iowa Conference welcomes Nebraska Weseleyan University into the league as an official member as it expands to nine teams.
Head Coach Stan Zweifel and his staff earned their second Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) football title in his seven years at the helm of the Spartans. The proudest fact for Zweifel and the Spartan football staff is the 117 Academic All-Iowa Conference selections they have earned in the past seven years. To be eligible the student-athlete must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or above on a 4.0 scale and be a sophomore or above in academic standing and have been at the instutution for at least one year.
UD's defense led the IIAC in nearly every major defensive statistical category in 2015 including turnovers forced (18), scoring defense (15.4 points/game), total defense (314.7 yards/game), rushing average (3.5 yards/rush), completion percentage (55.8), first downs allowed (127), and opponent third down pct (35.4%).
In the NCAA Division III final national statistics, Rio Johnson ranked 15th in quarterback completion percentage (.661%), 34th in yards per pass attempt (8.48 yds.), and 38th in passing effificency 151.5, Maurece Herrion ranked 33rd in rushing touchdowns (14), and Chris Bagley ranked 38th in receiving touchdowns (10).
The Spartans and the Loras College Duhawks donated proceeds from the Key City Clash ($2,000) to the Dubuque Dream Center in 2015. In the spirit of sportsmanship and mutual respect, and in a desire to give back to our local community and what it means to be faith-based institutions the The University of Dubuque and Loras College contribute a portion of the gate receipts from this annual event to a non-profit organization. It is with appreciation to our players, fans, and the Dubuque Community that Presidents Dr. Jeffrey Bullock and Jim Collins present this year’s support to The Dubuque Dream Center – a center built on Dr. King's dream of transforming communities by embracing, empowering, and unifying those who live there. Organizations who have received donations from the game are: United Way (2008), Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Eastern Iowa (2009), the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Dubuque (2010), Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque Flood Relief (2011), Riverview Center (2012), Opening Doors Maria House-Teresa Shelter (2013), the Gabriel Project (2014), and the Dubuque Dream Center (2015).
The 2015 University of Dubuque Team Post Season Awards included:
Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year - Dylan Westemeier (FB, 6-0, 201 lbs. Fr., Cyba City, Wis./Cuba City)
Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year - Sam Morton (WR, 5-10, 162 lbs., Fr., West Des Moines, Iowa/WDM-Valley)
Special Teams Player of the Year - Lucas Walzak (LS, 6-1, 228 lbs., Sr., Caroll Stream, Ill./Wheaton North) and Curtis Prull (K/P, 6-3, 230 lbs., Sr., Monticello, Iowa/Monticello
Newcomer of the Year - Rio Johnson (QB, 6-4, 215 lbs., Jr., East Point , Ga./Sandy Creek) and Maurece Herrion (RB, 5-11, 202 lbs., Fr., Elgin, Ill./Larkin)
Defensive Most Valuable Player - Blaine Snitker (LB, 6-1, 224 lbs., Sr., Waukon, Iowa/Waukon)
Offensive Most Valuable Player - Christopher Bagley (WR, 6-5, 204 lbs., Sr., Oswego, Ill./Oswego)
Team Most Valuable Player - Oscar White (DB, 6-0, 184 lbs., Sr., River Falls, Wis./River Falls)
2015 Team Captains - Zach Marotta (DL, 6-1, 249 lbs., Sr., Wayne, Ill./South Elgin), Benjamin DeLange (OL, 6-0, 243 lbs., Sr., Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central), Tanner Bronkema (OL, 6-6, 285 lbs., Sr., Forreston, Ill./Forreston), and Blaine Snitker (LB, 6-1, 224 lbs., Sr., Waukon, Iowa/Waukon)
2015 All-Iowa Conference
Defensive MVP
Blaine Snitker (LB, 6-1, 224 lbs., Sr., Waukon, Iowa/Waukon)
Coach of the Year
Stan Zweifel
First Team All-Iowa Conference
Trenton Grana-Curry (TE, 6-3, 224 So., Beach Park, Ill./Zion-Benton)
Pat Cusack (OL, 6-4, 285 lbs., Jr., Davis Junction, Ill./Stillman Valley)
Tanner Bronkema (OL, 6-6, 285 lbs., Sr., Forreston, Ill./Forreston)
Larry Harleston (DL, 6-1, 215 lbs., So., Racine, Wis./Racine Case)
Trevor Stauner (LB, 5-11, 206 lbs., Sr., South Milwaukee, Wis./South Milwaukee)
Oscar White (DB, 6-0, 184 lbs., Sr., River Falls, Wis./River Falls)
Michael Joseph (DB, 6-1, 180 lbs., Oswego, Ill./Oswego)
Second Team All-Iowa Conference
Rio Johnson (QB, 6-4, 215 lbs., Jr., East Point , Ga./Sandy Creek)
Chris Bagley (WR, 6-5, 204 lbs., Sr., Oswego, Ill./Oswego)
Dylan Schultz (WR, 6-2, 215 lbs., Jr., Orion, Ill./Orion)
Dominique Ravenell (OL, 6-7, 352 lbs., Sr., Fort Worth, Texas/RL Raschal)
Zach Marotta (DL, 6-1, 249 lbs., Sr., Wayne, Ill./South Elgin)
Honorable Mention All-Iowa Conference
Maurece Herrion (RB, 5-11, 202 lbs., Fr., Elgin, Ill./Larkin)
Benjamin DeLange (OL, 6-0, 243 lbs., Sr., Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central)
Dylan Hastings (LB, 5-10, 199 lbs., Sr., Lena, Ill./Lena-Winslow)
Eastern Iowa's Ed Thomas Coach of the Week
Head Coach Stan Zweifel
William V. Campbell Trophy
Blaine Snitker - LB - National Semifinalist
Cliff Harris Award
Blaine Snitker - LB - Finalist
USA College Football Pre-Season All-American
Blaine Snitker - First Team Linebacker
Oscar White - First Team Defensive Back
Curtis Prull - First Team Place Kicker
Zach Marotta - Second Team Defensive Line
Christopher Bagley - Second Team Wide Receiver
Trevor Stauner - Third Team Linebacker
Tanner Bronkema - Third Team Offensive Line
D3Football.com All-West Region
Tanner Brokema - Third Team OL
Blaine Snitker - Third Team LB
Iowa Conference Male Athlete of the Week
Rio Johnson - Quarterback - November 15, 2015
Blaine Snitker - Linebacker - Oct. 4, 2015
Maurece Herrion - Running Back - Oct. 18, 2015
Iowa Conference Defensive Player of the Week
Malachi Ward (DL, 6-2, 297 lbs., Sr., Brown Deer, Wis./Brown Deer) - Defensive Line - Oct. 18, 2015
USA College Football Players of the Week
Blaine Snitker - Defense Honorable Mention
Academic Awards
CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 linebacker - Blaine Snitker
2015-16 Academic All-Iowa Conference Honorees (Must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above on a 4.0 scale, be a sophomore or above and have been at school for at least one year):
Hagan Ackley (QB, 6-2, 197 lbs., So., Midland, Iowa/Wyoming)
Kyle Andresen (OL, 6-4, 249 lbs., Jr., Oxford Junction, Iowa/Wyoming)
Tanner Bronkema Tanner Bronkema (OL, 6-6, 285 lbs., Sr., Forreston, Ill./Forreston)
Alex Eckes - (WR, 5-10, 186 lbs., Sr., Watertown, Wis./Occonomowoc)
Conor Feckley QB, 6-0, 196 lbs., So., Achorage, Alaska/Anchorage West)
Michael Gilson (FB, 51-0, 216 lbs., So., Little Chute, Wis./Little Chute)
Larry Harleston (DL, 6-1, 215 lbs., So., Racine, Wis./Racine Case)
Zachary Marotta (DL, 6-1, 249 lbs., Sr., Wayne, Ill./South Elgin)
Brayden Neuendorf (K/P, 5-10, 182 lbs., So., Denver, Iowa/Denver)
Blaine Snitker (LB, 6-1, 224 lbs., Sr., Waukon, Iowa/Waukon)
Cameron Sorensen (TE, 6-3, 216 lbs., So., Eldridge, Iowa/North Scott)
Derek Trotter (DB, 6-2, 182 lbs., So., Tripoli, Iowa/Wapsie Valley)
National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete of the Day
Blaine Snitker - Linebacker - November 29, 2015
Rankings
RV (98) in nation (AFCA Coaches Poll, 12/21/15)
#25 in nation (AFCA Coaches Poll, 11/16/15)
RV (48) in nation (AFCA Coaches Poll, 11/9/15)
RV (26) in nation (AFCA Coaches Poll, 11/2/15)
RV (9) in nation (AFCA Coaches Poll, 10/26/15)
#23 in nation (D3Football.com, 12/21/ 15) (Final Poll)
#18 in nation (D3Football.com, 11/14/15) (Poll 11)
#20 in nation (D3Football.com, 11/7/15) (Poll 10)
#24 in nation (D3Football.com, 10/31/15) (Poll 9)
RV (25) in nation (D3Football.com, 10/24/15) (Poll 8)
RV (10) in nation (D3Football.com, 10/17/15) (Poll 7)
Key City Clash (winner of UD vs. Loras football game is presented a key to possess until the next year's contest)
2008 - Loras College won 42-6 at Rock Bowl
2009 – Loras College won 43-14 at Chalmers Field
2010 – Loras College won 14-6 at Rock Bowl
2011 – University of Dubuque won 41-16 at Chalmers Field
2012 – University of Dubuque won 45-0 at Rock Bowl
2013 - University of Dubuque won 56-0 at Chalmers Field
2014 - University of Dubuque won 34-7 at Rock Bowl
2015 - University of Dubuque won 42-7 at Chalmers Field
2016 Football Schedule
Sept. 3 vs. Bethel University Dubuque, Iowa 1:00 p.m.
Sept. 10 at Pacific University (Ore.) Forest Grove, Ore. 1:00 p.m. (PST)
Sept. 17 vs. Simpson College Dubuque, Iowa 1:00 p.m.
Sept. 24 at Luther College Decorah, Iowa 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 1 at Central College Pella, Iowa 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 8 vs. Nebraska Wesleyan Univ. Dubuque, Iowa 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 15 vs. Coe College Dubuque, Iowa 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 22 at Buena Vista Univ. Storm Lake, Iowa 1:00 p.m.
Oct. 29 vs. Wartburg College Dubuque, Iowa 1:00 p.m.
Nov. 5 at Loras College Dubuque, Iowa 1:00 p.m.
Nov. 12 Bye Week – No game
