Three Warhawks earn preseason All-America recognition from D3football.com including runningback Levell Coppage (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park), guard Matt Weber (Oregon/Oregon), and tackle Robbie Ustruck (West Allis/Hale). Coppage and Weber were first team picks while Ustruck was named to the second team.
All three have also received preseason recognition from Consensus Draft Services, with Weber as a first team pick, joined by Ustruck and Coppage on the second team.
Coppage,entering his junior year, he already has earned All-America honors his first two seasons. Also twice named first team all-conference, he has already amassed 3,568 yards in two years, fifth on the school's career rushing list. He set the school record with 35 rushing touchdowns in 2009, and owns the career mark with 56. He has averaged 5.6 yards per attempt over his two seasons.
Weber and Ustruck are two of the reasons Coppage has piled up his numbers. Weber was a D3football.com first team All-American last year, and Ustruck was first team D3football.com West Region. Both were first team All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. They also paved the way for UW-W to rank among the top five teams in Division III in both scoring and total offense, averaging 5.6 yards per rush, and allowing just nine sacks in fifteen games.
UW-W has won five consecutive WIAC titles and five straight NCAA III championship tournament berths. The Warhawks have advanced to the NCAA III title game, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl in Salem, Virginia, all five years. Whitewater won NCAA titles in 2007 and 2009.
UW-Whitewater opens the 2010 season Saturday, September 4 at 12:00 against Adrian College in Perkins Stadium on the UW-W campus. Call 262-472-2222 for football ticket information.
For additional information: Lance Leipold, UW-W coach