Krause Named National Player of the Year Finalist,
Selected to Aztec Bowl
UW-Stevens Point quarterback Scott Krause has been
named one of 10 finalists for the Gagliardi Trophy, presented to the Player
of the Year in NCAA Division III football.
The senior from Waunakee has also been selected to
participate in the upcoming Aztec Bowl Division III all-star game, which
will be held on Dec. 13 in Cancun, Mexico.
Krause, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference Player of the Year, is the first UW-Stevens Point player to be a
finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, which is in its 11th year. However, the
Pointers have previously had a National Player of the Year as Kirk
Baumgartner was the NAIA Offensive Player of the Year in 1987 and 1989.
Other finalists are Susquehanna (Pa.) receiver
Mark Bartosic, Simpson (Iowa) quarterback Mike Donnenwerth, St. John�s
(Minn.) receiver Blake Elliott, Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) quarterback Cody
Fredenburg, St. John Fisher (N.Y.) defensive end Brad Keem, Bethel (Minn.)
safety Sam Lacy, Linfield (Ore.) quarterback Tyler Matthews, Wesley (Del.)
safety Rocky Meyers and Hampden-Sydney receiver Conrad Singh. The winner
will be announced on Dec. 5 and honored at a dinner in Bloomington, Minn. on
Dec. 22. The trophy is named for St. John�s coach John Gagliardi, who is the
winningest coach in college football history.
Krause will be the fifth UW-Stevens Point player
in six years to participate in the Aztec Bowl. He is the first Pointer
offensive player to be named to the event as the others were defensive back
Dillon Maney in 2002, defensive end Paul Schmitt in 2001, defensive lineman
Mark Fetzer in 1999 and linebacker Clint Kriewaldt in 1998. Krause will play
for a Division III all-star team that will take on the Mexican National
Team.
The game is sponsored by the American Football
Coaches Association and is in its sixth year featuring Division III players.
Former Central (Iowa) coach Ron Schipper will coach the team for the seventh
straight year.
Krause led the NCAA Division III in the regular
season with 37 touchdown passes, marking the fourth-highest season total in
WIAC history. He threw for 2,963 yards with just nine interceptions and
completed a school-record 66.1 percent of his passes. Krause ranked second
nationally in passing efficiency and fifth in total offense, while rushing
for 322 yards and four touchdowns. He completed 74.0 percent of his passes
and threw for 14 touchdowns over the final four games of the season.
UW-Stevens Point finished 8-2 overall and ranked
11th in Division III in total offense, including 10th in passing offense. |
