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UW-Whitewater claimed the WIAC title - the program's 40th - with a 24-21 win at UW-Platteville last week. Carter Sessa and Tommy Novotny were named the Players of the Game for UW-Whitewater - an annual tradition of the George Chryst Memorial Bowl. UWW also maintained possession of the Miner's Axe. The Warhawks remain unbeaten at 9-0 heading into the final week of the regular season. 

With the win, UWW jumped to the top of the NPI (National Power Index) rankings which are used to determine seeding in the NCAA Tournament. The Warhawks also jumped to second in both national polls following the victory. 

Full Recap | Box Score

  • TEAM STATS
    • 83 yards rushing, 222 yards passing, 305 total yards
    • Defense held UWP to just 36 yards rushing; Carter Sessa's pick-6 was a difference maker in the game and it was the first time the Pioneer quarterback had thrown a pick-6 this season
       
  • OFFENSIVE LEADERS
    • Justin Klinkner (QB): 19-25-1, 222 yards, 1 TDs
    • Tommy Novotny (RB): 22 att, 87 yards, 1 TD; 4 rec, 29 yards, 1 TD
    • Tyler Vasey (WR): 5 rec, 43 yards
    • Kade Sainz (WR): 4 rec, 72 yards, 43-yard long
       
  • DEFENSIVE LEADERS
    • Carter Sessa (DB): 1 tackles, 1 interception returned 40-yards for TD, 1 pass breakup
    • Karsten Libby (LB): 9 tackles (all solo), 1.0 tackles for loss of 1
      • Named the WIAC Defensive Player of the Week
      • Was his first week back from injury since week two
         
  • SPECIAL TEAMS
    • Grant Urban (K): 1-2 FG (missed 53, made 19); 3-3 PATs
      • 19-yard field goal with 4:19 remaining in the game provided the difference
         

UW-Eau Claire (6-3, 3-3 WIAC) fell to UW-Stout Polytechnic 28-16 on the road last week. The majority of the scoring came in the second half as back-to-back touchdowns on consecutive drives for Stout gave the Blue Devils a 28-14 lead.

  • TEAM STATS
    • Rushing: 128 yards, 1 TD (56 rushing yards, 0 TDs allowed)
    • Passing: 14-36-1, 244 yards, 1 TDs (27-40-0, 361 yards, 4 TD allowed)
    • Total Offense: 372 yards (417 yards allowed)
       
  • OFFENSIVE LEADERS
    • Ayden Helder (QB): 14-36-1, 244 yards, 1 TD, 65-yard long, 3 sacks
    • Paxton Rothmeier (RB): 34 att, 97 yards, 2.9 yards per rush
    • Nick Kihn (WR): 3 rec, 120 yards, 65-yard long
       
  • DEFENSIVE LEADERS
    • Jack Scheldroup (LB): 14 tackles (7 solo, 7 asst), 2.0 tackles for loss of 5, 1 fumble recovery, 2 passes broken up
    • Carson Clark (DL): 3 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss of 11, 1.0 sacks for loss of 8
       
  • SPECIAL TEAMS
    • Nolan Kays (P): 8 punts, 259 yards, 32.4 average, 51-yard long, 1 50+, 4 inside 20

 

FIRST MEETING: 1923, UWW won 26-6

LAST MEETING: 2025, UWW won 51-10 | Box Score

CURRENT STREAK: UWW 23 games

LAST 10: UWW leads 10-0

FIRST 10: 6-4 in favor of UWEC

SERIES RECORD: UWW leads 53-23

LONGEST WIN STREAK: UWW - 23 games (2003-current); UWEC - 5 games (1998-2002)   

 

NATIONAL POLLS

   WARHAWKS   

   ASSOCIATION   

  BLUGOLDS  

2nd

D3football.com

RV

2nd

AFCA

--


NCAA RANKING COMPARISON

   WARHAWKS   

   STAT   

   BLUGOLDS  

38th (205.0)*

Rushing Offense

42nd (202.3)

30th (265.0)

Passing Offense

172nd (169.1)

21st (490.6)*

Total Offense

88th (371.4)

11th (45.2)*

Scoring Offense

132nd (24.6)

17th (70.0)

Rushing Defense

23rd (76.1)

163rd (217.8)

Passing Yards Allowed

219th (250.9)

56th (287.8)

Total Defense

103rd (327.0)

23rd (13.3)

Scoring Defense

88th (20.3)

* -WIAC Leader   

 

NCAA RANKINGS - INDIVIDUAL (Top 20)

   WARHAWKS   

   STAT   

   PIONEERS  

Tommy Novotny - 19th - 148.78

All Purpose Yards

Paxton Rothmeier - 13th - 162.11*

 

Blocked Kicks

Madden Mahr - 14th - 2*

 

Field Goal Percentage

Connor Radaj - 14th - 0.818

 

Field Goals Per Game

Connor Radaj - 14th - 1.13

Noah Moris - 14th - 0.33*

Forced Fumbles

Max Marty - 14th - 0.33*

Walker Powers - 1st - 4*

Fumbles Recovered

 

Drew Kortz - 7th - 0.63

INT Per Game

 

Drew Kortz - 15th - 1.38*

Passes Defended

 

Justin Klinkner - 16th - 173.4

Passing Efficiency

 

Justin Klinkner - 19th - 19.5

Points Responsible For Per Game 

 

Tommy Novotny - 5th - 1

Punt Return TDs

Madden Mahr - 5th - 1

Tyler Vasey - 8th - 14.8*

Punt Returns

 

Tommy Novotny - 11th - 7.21*

Rush Yards Per Carry

 

Tommy Novotny - 11th - 1082

Rush Yards

Paxton Rothmeier - 5th - 1298*

Tommy Novotny - 12th - 120.2

Rush Yards Per Game

Paxton Rothmeier - 6th - 144.2*

 

Solo Tackles

Jack Scheldroup - 19th - 5.56*

Justin Klinkner - 14th - 9.46

Yards Per Pass Attempt

 


 

WEEK 1: 1-0 | 69-7 win over Carleton
The Warhawks open the season in record-breaking fashion at Perkins Stadium. UW-Whitewater scored 55 unanswered points en route to the win. UWW set program records for total yards (762), longest run from scrimmage and longest touchdown run (Darrick Hill, 98-yards) and tied the program record with six touchdown passes in the contest. Quarterback Justin Klinkner had a career day completing 20-23 for 366 yards and 5 touchdowns. He was named to the D3football Team of the Week and selected as the WIAC Offensive Player of the Week. The Warhawks moved up one spot in each of the national rankings to 11th.

WEEK 2: 2-0 | 49-14 win over St. Xavier
UW-Whitewater registered another big win to take a 2-0 record into the bye week. The Warhawks took a 14-0 lead in the game courtesy of a Justin Klinkner 27-yard touchdown scamper and a phenomenal 61-yard touchdown run from Tommy Novotny. After SXU broke the shutout, UWW scored 28 unanswered points to put the game out of reach. Novotny (Offensive), AJ Johnson (Defensive) and Joseph Ware Jr. (Special Teams) were named the UW-Whitewater Players of the Week. With the win, the Warhawks jumped two spots to ninth in the D3football.com and American Football Coaches Association polls. 

WEEK 3: 2-0 | Bye 
Following a few big upsets across the Division III landscape, UW-Whitewater jumped to sixth in the D3football.com poll. The AFCA listed the Warhawks at #7 this week, up two spots from week two. 

WEEK 4: 3-0 | 69-0 win at Keystone
The Warhawks wrapped up their non-conference slate with yet another lopsided win – 69-0 at Keystone in Pennsylvania. In addition to the offensive onslaught, the game was a defensive masterpiece. UW-Whitewater allowed just five first downs, a single rushing yard and 69 total yards in the contest. The Warhawks forced seven fumbles while recovering four, registered an interception that turned into a pick-6 and tallied five sacks. Tommy Novotny (offensive), Walker Powers (defensive) and Grant Urban (special teams) earned WIAC Athlete of the Week honors for their performance at Keystone. The national polls had UWW listed at #6 (D3football.com) and #7 (AFCA) heading into week five. 

WEEK 5: 4-0, 1-0 WIAC | 24-16 win vs. UW-River Falls
The Warhawks opened WIAC play with a huge win over then-#2 and the defending national champions, UW-River Falls 24-16. UW-Whitewater's defense was stellar, picking off the Falcon quarterback three times and holding UWRF in the red zone twice in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Freshman running back Tommy Novotny had a career game with 22 rushes for 192 yards and three touchdowns - all career highs - to earn national Team of the Week honors. 

WEEK 6: 5-0, 2-0 WIAC | 24-18 win at UW-La Crosse
For the second week in a row, the UW-Whitewater defense registered a pair of redzone stops late in the fourth quarter to seal a 24-18 win at UW-La Crosse. Cole Warren got the start at quarterback and went 19-31 for 220 yards with a pair of passing touchdowns and a single interception. Warren added another TD with his feet in the game. His big play of the game was a 57-yard scoring connection with Tyler Vasey in the third quarter that gave UWW a 17-7 lead. Warren hit Luke Roeder for a 21-yard touchdown midway through the fourth to give the Warhawks a 24-15 advantage before the defense sealed the game late. With the win, UW-Whitewater moved up one spot in the D3football.com poll (4th) while maintaining their spot at fifth according to the AFCA. 

WEEK 7: 6-0, 3-0 WIAC | 37-31 win at UW-Stout Polytechnic
UW-Whitewater remained undefeated on the season with a 37-31 win at UW-Stout Polytechnic. The Warhawks led throughout the game with the defense registering another stellar performance that featured three interceptions, a pair of sacks and a fumble return in the endzone. Walker Powers jumped on the loose ball in the endzone early in the fourth quarter to extend the UWW advantage. He now leads the nation in fumbles recovered with four. Tommy Novotny had another 100+ yard game averaging 6.2 yards per carry with a rushing touchdown. Justin Klinkner returned to the quarterback position completing 22 of 32 for 240 yards and three passing TDs. UWW flip-flopped in the national rankings dropping to fifth in the D3football.com poll despite the win while moving up one spot to fourth according to the American Football Coaches Association. 

WEEK 8: 7-0, 4-0 WIAC | 63-0 win vs. UW-Stevens Point
The Warhawks were dominant in the team's annual Homecoming game with a 63-0 shutout of UW-Stevens Point at Perkins Stadium. Darrick Hill set the tone with a 90-yard touchdown run in the first. From there, UWW added 42 points over the next two quarters before capping the game with a 14-point fourth. Warhawk quarterback Justin Klinkner accounted for six touchdowns in the game - four passing and two with his legs. He was efficient in the pocket completing 22 of 27 for 309 yards. UW-Whitewater held steady at fourth and fifth in the national rankings heading into Week 9.

WEEK 9: 8-0, 5-0 WIAC | 48-19 win vs. UW-Oshkosh
UW-Whitewater broke out in the second half to defeat the Titans 48-19 under the lights at Perkins Stadium. Justin Klinkner posted a phenomenal game accounting for five touchdowns - two passing and three rushing - en route to earning D3football.com Team of the Week honors. The Warhawk defense, bolstered by big plays in the backfield by Noah Moris, held the Titans to just 20 yards in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. The win sets up a battle between unbeatens and one of the premier Division III football matchups of the season. The Warhawks moved up one spot in one poll to hold fourth in the pair of national rankings while the Pioneers are ranked second in both polls. 

WEEK 10: 9-0, 6-0 WIAC | 24-21 win at UW-Platteville
WIAC CHAMPIONS! The Warhawks claimed the WIAC title - the program's 40th - with a 24-21 win at UW-Platteville in a top four matchup in Platteville. The Warhawks scored twice in less than a minute before the end of the first half with Justin Klinkner finding Tommy Novotny for an eight-yard passing TD. On the second play of the Pioneers next drive, Carter Sessa intercepted a pass and returned it 40-yards for another touchdown 33 seconds after the Novotny score. Grant Urban's 19-yard field goal with less than five to go provided the difference. With the win, UWW jumps to the top of the NPI rankings and to second in both national polls heading into the final week of the regular season.

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