APPLETON, Wis. -- Seven Lawrence University football players have been named to the All-Midwest Conference squad, led by first-team selection Tyler Krzewina.
Named to the second team were defensive back/returner Derek Micke, offensive tackle Joel Schneider, and punter Ken Alvord. Defensive end Matt Frelich, nose guard Jeremy Reider, and linebacker Kevin Penza received honorable mention.
Krzewina, a senior linebacker from Kaukauna, was honored on the all-conference
team for the fourth consecutive year. The former Kaukauna High School star earned
honorable mention twice and was a second-team selection once. He piled up 72
tackles on the season, including 13 tackles for loss, which ranked him fifth
in the conference. The former Kaukauna High School star recorded 2.0 sacks,
recovered a pair of fumbles, and had four pass breakups.
Micke, a sophomore defensive back who also hails from Kaukauna, was named to the team twice. Micke, also a former star at Kaukauna High School, was named to the second team as a defensive back and a return specialist. As a cornerback, Micke had 29 tackles, including one for loss, had two interceptions, and eight pass breakups. He also averaged 10.0 yards per punt return and returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown against Grinnell College. Micke was named the MWC Special Teams Player of the Week three times this season and was chosen for the D3football.com Team of the Week following his performance against Grinnell.
Alvord, a senior from Brookfield who went to Milwaukee Lutheran High School,
was the league's top punter. He averaged 42.1 yards per kick, which ranked him
second in the nation and more than four yards per kick ahead of St. Norbert
College's Bob Forstrom, who was the first-team all-conference selection. Kevin
Soflkiancs of Baldwin-Wallace College led the nation at 42.6 yards per kick.
Alvord had a long punt of 71 yards and pinned teams inside the 20-yard seven
times while recording six touchbacks.
Schneider, a senior from Hilbert, was a starter for the Vikings for four seasons and earned all-conference honors for the first time. Led by his play on the offensive line, the Vikings averaged 3.7 yards per rush and allowed only nine sacks on the season.
Reider, a sophomore from Appleton and former star at North High School, was given honorable mention for the second straight year. He had 38 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. He recovered one fumble, which led to the game-winning touchdown against Beloit College.
Frelich, a freshman from Maribel who starred at Denmark High School, had 52 tackles on the season. He ranked fifth in the league with 4.0 sacks and had 11 tackles for loss. He also forced a fumble and blocked a kick. He was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week after an 11-tackle performance in the 8-6 win at Knox College. He blocked an extra-point attempt in that game, and the ball was scooped up by Micke, who returned it for two points.
A freshman from Green Bay and former star at Ashwaubenon High School, Penza finished with 43 tackles, including nine tackles for loss and a sack. Penza had a season-high nine tackles in the win over Grinnell.
The Vikings finished with a 5-5 record for Lawrence's first non-losing season since 1987. Lawrence returns 18 starters and 51 letterwinners for the 2007 campaign, which begins Sept. 8 against Monmouth College.