Derek Stanley (Verona/Verona) head shot Derek Stanley (Verona/Verona) action shot"> 

Derek Stanley (Verona/Verona) action" class="">

Derek Stanley (Verona/Verona) head shot" class="">

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wide receiver Derek Stanley (Verona/Verona) was picked by the Saint Louis Rams in the seventh round of the National Football League draft Sunday.

UW-W has had several players signed as free agents in past years, but Stanley, 5-10, 172, is the first UW-Whitewater ever drafted by the NFL. 

According to Gil Brandt on NFL.com, "He's 5-9 7/8 and 172 pounds and ran a 4.34. He's a receiver and a real good return man."

Stanley earned All-America honors as both a receiver and kick returner at UW-Whitewater.  He was a Football Gazette First Team All-America and Second Team D3football.com kick returner as a freshman, then first team honors from Football Gazette and D3football.com Third Team honors for the 2006 season as a receiver.

Stanley is UW-Whitewater's career record holder for yards receiving (2,621) and touchdowns receiving (35).  The latter mark is also the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference record.  His seventeen touchdown receptions in 2006 is the UW-W record, as are the 1,328 yards receiving in 2005.

Stanley helped UW-Whitewater go undefeated in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, undefeated in the regular season, and advance to the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Stagg Bowl (championship game) in 2005 and 2006, when the Warhawks ended the seasons 14-1.

Stanley's athletic ability also helped him earn All-America honors in the long jump four times in three seasons of track and field competition for UW-Whitewater.

For additional information:
Lance Leipold, UW-W football coach, 262-472-1453
Bob Berezowitz, UW-W football coach when Stanley played, 262-472-4772
UW-W football web site:  www.uww.edu/athletics/mfootball

Detailed information on Stanley's career follows.

School Record Book
1st career receiving yards, 2621
1st career touchdowns, 35
6th career receptions, 130
5th career avg/reception, 20.2
1st season TD?s receiving, 17 in 2006
1st in yards receiving, 1328 in 2005
2nd in avg/receptions, 25.3 in 2005
T 3rd receptions, 63 in 2006

WIAC Record Book
1st career TD?s receiving
10th career yards receiving

2006 ... team went 14-1, undefeated regular season, WIAC champions, runner-up in Division III ... played in 15 games, 63 receptions for 1141 yards, 18.1 avg/catch, 76.1 avg/game, 17 TD's ... returned 5 kickoffs for 18.0 avg, long of 24 ... led UW-W in TD's, receptions, yards ... fifth in WIAC in receptions/game, second in receiving yards/game, and third in overall scoring (teammate, placekicker Jeff Schebler (Davenport, IA/Assumption) was number one) ... fourth in total receiving yards in Division III ... First Team All-WIAC ... First Team Football Gazette All-America, Third Team D3football.com All-America

2005... team went 14-1, undefeated regular season, WIAC champions, runner-up in Division III ... 15 games, 52 receptions for 1328 yards, 25.5 avg/catch, 88.5 avg/game, 16 TD's ... led UW-W in yards and touchdowns receiving ... returned 13 kickoffs for 14.1 avg, long of 32 ... led WIAC in receiving yards/game and tenth in receptions/game, fifth in scoring ... 45th in Division III receiving yards per game ... Second Team All-WIAC at wide receiver  Note:  Keep in mind that UW-W's other wide receiver, Jim Lesczynski, was a first team All-American

2004 ... team went 7-3 ... played in 10 games, 15 receptions for 152 yards, 15.1 avg/catch, 15.2 avg/game, 2 TD's ... led UW-W with 11 kickoff returns for 213 yards, 19.4 avg/return, long of 49 yards ... also had two punt returns for 5.0 avg ... fifth in the WIAC in KO return avg

2003 ... team went 7-3 ... played in 10 games ... returned 12 kickoffs for 36.9 avg, 2 TD's, long of 97, led team in all KO return categories ... led WIAC in KO return avg and KO return TD's ... led Division III in kickoff return category (avg/return) ... Second Team All-WIAC at all-purpose position ... Football Gazette First Team All-America as a kick returner ... D3football.com Second Team All-America as a kick returner

Misc ... four time All-America in long jump ... placed second indoors 2004, sixth outdoors 2004, eighth indoors 2006, third outdoors 2006