APPLETON, Wis. -- The 1981 Lawrence University football team will be inducted into the school's Intercollegiate Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday evening.
The team, which posted a 10-1 record and advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division III playoffs, also will be honored at halftime of Saturday's Fall Festival football game against Beloit College. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.
The 1981 Vikings and legendary head coach Ron Roberts broke new ground when they became the first Lawrence football squad to win three consecutive Midwest Conference championships. The 1981 team also was the first school in conference history to be invited to the NCAA Division III playoffs.
Lawrence won the opening playoff game, a 21-14 overtime victory over Minnesota-Morris in the quarterfinals. Lawrence was eliminated in the semifinals with a loss at the University of Dayton. Lawrence's win over Minnesota-Morris stood for 22 years as the lone victory in the playoffs by a Midwest Conference school.
Three players from that squad, running back Scott Reppert, tight end Pat Schwanke, and defensive back Graham Satherlie, were named Associated Press All-Americans. Both Reppert and defensive end Chris Matheus were chosen as Academic All-Americans. Fifteen players from that team were named to the All-Midwest Conference squad.
Until the loss at Dayton, the 1981 team was part of a school-record 18-game winning streak. That still stands as the 15th-longest winning streak in NCAA Division III history.
On offense, Reppert led the nation in rushing at 156.7 yards per game, and Schwanke caught 15 of his school-record 30 touchdown passes that season. Defensively, the Vikings posted a pair of shutouts and allowed only 9.3 points per game in the regular season. Defensive coordinator Rich Agness' "stack tough" defense became one of the team's trademarks.
Here's a look at the 1981 Vikings.
No. Name, Year., Pos., Ht., Wt., Hometown/High School
4 John Streibich, So., RB/WR, 6-0, 185, Dunlap, Ill./Dunlap
5 Graham Satherlie, Sr., DB, 5-10, 185, Northfield, Ill./New Trier West
6 Beau Schaefer, So., WB, 5-9, 145, Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville
7 Ron Roberts, So., QB/K, 6-0, 185, Appleton, Wis./East
9 Kurt Parker, Sr., DE, 6-3, 215, Neenah, Wis./Armstrong
10 Andy Larson, Jr., DB, 5-11, 170, Waukesha, Wis./South
11 Dean Walsh, Sr., QB, 5-11, 170, Chippewa Falls, Wis./Chippewa Falls
12 John Rees, So., QB/WB, 5-11, 170, Wilmette, Ill./New Trier East
14 Dave Blowers, Sr., DB, 5-9, 175, Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield
15 Gary Smith, Fr., DB/P, 5-10, 170, Janesville, Wis./Parker
20 Paul Carter, So., DB, 5-8, 165, Blanchardville, Wis./Pecatonica
21 Eric Ostenso, Jr., LB, 5-7, 175, Eau Claire, Wis./Memorial
23 Thad Copa, Fr., QB/DB, 5-10, 185, Faribault, Minn./Shattuck
25 Jack Ehren, Jr., WB/HB, 5-10, 170, Kohler, Wis./Kohler
26 Jim Keith, Fr., E/DB, 5-8, 155, Lincoln, Neb./Southeast
28 Shawn McIntire, So., DB, 5-11, 175, Milwaukee, Wis./Pulaski
30 Greg Stevens, So., RB, 5-11, 195, Anitoch, Ill./Antioch Community
31 Bob Willis, Fr., RB/LB, 5-5, 165, Sheboygan, Wis./North
33 John Marcquenski, So., RB, 5-7, 175, Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South
35 Scott Reppert, Jr., RB, 5-8, 182, Appleton, Wis./West
38 Bill Timm, Fr., RB, 5-10, 175, Winnetka, Ill./New Trier East
44 Bill Spreeman, Sr., LB, 5-11, 215, Kaukauna, Wis./Kaukauna
47 Brian Smigelski, So., DB, 5-11, 185, Milwaukee, Wis./Marquette
48 Glen Johnson, Fr., DE, 6-1, 185, Andover, Mass./Andover
51 Steve Hagen, Sr., LB, 6-0, 175, Palatine, Ill./William Fremd
52 Jeff DeMeuse, Jr., LB, 5-10, 175, Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead
53 Dan Laurence, So., C/G, 5-10, 190, Hoffman Estates, Ill./Hoffman Estates
54 Gene Boyle, Jr., DL, 6-0, 195, Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South
55 Neil Hersh, Jr., LB, 6-1, 195, Wilmette, Ill./New Trier West
56 Jeff Soderberg, Fr., DE/LB, 6-2, 200, Winneconne, Wis./Winneconne
57 Don Marks, Fr., DL/LB 6-0, 215, Beloit, Wis./Memorial
58 Greg Baird, Jr., C, 6-2, 210, Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West
59 Mike Allen, Sr., C/G, 5-11, 175, Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South
60 Sam Levin, Sr., DL, 5-8, 190, Wilmette, Ill./New Trier West
61 Chris Matheus, Jr., DE/DB, 6-2, 170, Germantown, Wis./Washington
63 Kevin Zlevor, Fr., G/LB, 5-10, 200, Racine, Wis./St. Catherine
64 Tom Wick, So., DL, 6-0, 190, Sheboygan, Wis./North
65 Bill Lien, So., G, 5-11, 195, Golden Valley, Minn./Robbinsdale
66 Ron Reising, Sr., DL, 5-10, 190, Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle
67 Murray McDonough, So., LB/DB, 6-1, 190, Lighthouse Point, Fla./Deefield Beach
68 Gary Van Berkel, Sr., G, 6-0, 195, Appleton, Wis./West
70 Gary Zlevor, So., C, 6-0, 200, Racine, Wis./St. Catherine
71 Pete Carlson, Jr., T, 6-1, 225, Beaver Dam, Wis./Beaver Dam
72 Pat Grogan, Fr., T/DT, 6-0, 220, Stockbridge, Wis./Stockbridge
73 Chris Tadych, So., T, 6-0, 200, Appleton, Wis./West
74 Tom Kromhout, So., DL, 6-0, 185, Enterprise, Fla./Trinity Prep
75 Jim McBride, Sr., T, 5-11, 230, Baileys Harbor, Wis./Indianapolis Southport
77 Ken Urbanski, Sr., T, 6-2, 230, Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way
78 John Linnemanstons, Jr., G/T, 6-0, 205, West Bend, Wis./West
79 Mark Babbitts, So., DE, 6-3, 210, Menasha, Wis./Menasha
80 Bill Nortman, So., De, 6-0, 205, Elm Grove, Wis./Broofield Central
82 Doug Kaiser, So., WB, 6-1, 170, Youngstown, N.Y./Ridley College
83 Greg Meyer, So., DE/DB, 6-0, 185, Castle Rock, Colo./Douglas County
84 Jeff Ropella, Sr., TE, 6-2, 205, Menasha, Wis./St. Mary Central
85 Pat Schwanke, Jr., TE, 6-1, 200, Menasha, Wis./Menasha
86 John Ide, Fr., DB, 5-11, 165, Chicago, Ill./Sullivan
87 Kelly Kennedy, Fr., E, 6-3, 177, Marshfield, Wis./Columbus
89 Bill Rosene, Fr., TE, 6-8, 240, Minocqua, Wis./Lakeland Union
92 Kraig Krueger, So., K/TE, 5-11, 200, Appleton, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran
Head Coach: Ron Roberts
Defensive Coordinator: Rich Agness
Defensive Line Coach: Mike Gallus
Offensive Line Coach: Steve Neuman
Team Manager: Lloyd Starks