2011 Signed Recruits

Chase Casper

WR - 6'0" - 160

Lake Preston High School

Coach: Clint Smith

Lake Preston, S.D.

Intended Major: Elementary Education

Parents:  Tim and Treva Casper

• Team Captain
• All-Conference Honorable Mention
• Four-year letter winner
• Also lettered in basketball and track
• Argus Leader 'Ace of the Week' (Basketball)
• Brookings Radio 'Top Performer of the Week' (Basketball)
• State Track qualifier and team captain (Track)
• Four-year Honor Student

Zack Conner

TE - 6'3" - 185

Corsica High School

Coach: Jason Broughton

Corsica, S.D.

Intended Major: Sports Medicine

Parent: Janet Conner

• Two-time Most Valuable Defensive Back
• Set school record for most tackles in his junior and senior years
• Also lettered in basketball, baseball and track
• Member of State Class 'B' Boys' Basketball Championship team
• Three-year Honor Roll

Zach Ely

QB - 6'0" - 175

West Central High School

Coach: Kent Mueller

Colton, S.D.

Intended Major: Exercise Science

Parents: Scott and Sara Ely

• All-Conference
• 'Old Spice' player-of-the-week
• Also lettered in basketball and track

Tanner Husman

FB/LB - 6'0" - 205

Lennox High School

Coach: Scott Meyer

Lennox, S.D.

Intended Major: Production Animation

Parents: Bobby and Candace Conner

• Team Captain
• Big 8 All-Conference
• Offensive Most Valuable Player
• Also lettered in wrestling
• South Dakota Army National Guard

Jordan Mattern

TE - 6'3" - 205

Harrisburg High School

Coach:  Scott Ebert

Transfer:  Oklahoma Wesleyan 

Harrisburg, S.D.

Intended Major:  Physical Education

Parents:  Butch and Shawn Mattern

• Big 8 All-Conference
• All-State Honorable Mention
• 'Tiger Award' for sportsmanship, leadership and dedication on and off the field
• Also lettered in baseball
• Two-time 2nd Team All-State catcher

Cliff Monroy

DE - 6'3" - 250

T.F. Riggs High School

Coach: Joe Kramer

Pierre, S.D.

Intended Major: Math

Parents: Dennis Monroy and Heather Gust

• Two-time letter winner

Dominik Namken

DB - 6'2" - 175

Hamlin High School

Hazel, S.D.

Intended Major: Undecided

Parents:

• First team All-State cornerback
• School and conference record for most interceptions in a season
• Also lettered in basketball, baseball and track
• Honor Roll

Jeb Olsen

RB - 5'9" - 175

Canistota High School

Coach: Lenny Schroeder

Canistota, S.D.

Intended Major: Graphic Design

Parent: Jelene Olsen and the late Jim Olsen

• South Dakota 9-Man Football All-American
• South Dakota Sports Writers' Team of the Year (Canistota)
• Daily Republic's Football Player of the Year
• Argus Leader 'Elite 45' team
• KDLT/Taco John's Athlete of the Week
• Touchstone Energy Player of the Week (3 times)
• Member of '9B' State Championship team
• '9B' All-State running back (2010)
• '9AA' All-State honorable mention special teams
• Joe Robbie MVP - state championship game
• Outstanding Running Back - state championship game
• Cornbelt Conference MVP & 1st Team Running Back
• Three-time Cornbelt All-Conference
• Canistota Football Team MVP and Team Captain
• Broke school records for all-time leading rusher, single-season rushing record, single-season and career scoring record

Garrett Schmidt

DB - 5'9" - 160

Sioux Valley High School

Coach: Peter Books

Volga, S.D.

Intended Major: Business Management

Parents: Paul and Tamara Schmidt

• Team Captain
• All-Conference
• All-Brookings Register Team
• Team Offensive Most Valuable Player
• Honor Roll

Matt Wiles

OL - 6'6" - 320

Brookings High School

Coach: Gary Maffett

Brookings, S.D.

Intented Major: Undecided

Parents: Kirk and Tammy Wiles

• Team Captain
• Two-time letter winner
• Also lettered in hockey and track
• Participated in baseball
• Academic scholar award
• Honor Roll

Matt Wright

DL - 6'4" - 230

Sully Buttes High School

Coach: Mark Senftner

Blunt, S.D.

Intended Major: Graphic Design

Parents: Derik and Chrystal Wright

• All-Conference Defensive Tackle
• Honorable Mention All-State Defensive Tackle

Andrew Curtis

LB/WR - 6'1" - 205

Desert Ridge High School

Coach: Jeremy Hathcock

Mesa, Ariz.

United State Navy

Intended Major: Exercise Science

Parents: Michael and Linda Curtis

• Three-year letterwinner
• Lettered in Basketball and Baseball
• Served for four years in the United States Navy
• Military Awards include: National
  Defense Medal, Global War on
  Terrorism Service Medal and
  Navy Good Conduct Medal

Paul Lake

QB - 5'9" - 170

Lake Havasu High School

Coach: Karl Thompson

Lake Havasu, Ariz.

Intended Major: Business Management

Parents: Eric Lake and Melissa Swan

• 2nd Team All-Region Quarterback
• Honorable Mention All-Region Punter/Safety
• Two-time team's Most Valuable Player
• Two-time Team Captain

Brandon Large

QB – 6'4" – 210

Westwood High School

Coach: Eddy Zubey

Mesa, Ariz.

Transfers: Scottsdale CC &

Eastern Illinois University

Intended Major: Physical Education

Parents: Derek and Cathy Large

• 2nd Team All Region (JR)
• 1st Team All Region (SR)
• 2nd Team All State (SR)
• Scholar Athlete of the Yea
• Offensive Player of the Year
• Lettered in Basketball and Baseball
• 2934 yds. Passing
• 22 Passing TDs
• 527 yds. Rushing
• 5 Rushing TDs, senior year

Tyler Lippert

DL - 6'3" - 250

Hamilton High School

Coach: Steve Belles

Chandler, Ariz.

Intended Major: Business Management

Parent: Tandi Gelwicks

• Member of Arizona Division 5A1 State Champions in 2008, 2009 and 2010
• Letterman in defensive tackle from 2008-10
• 2nd Team All-Fiesta Region
• Member of 4th longest win streak in the nation with 40 wins
• Member of No. 5-ranked team in the nation (USA Today)
• Member of record-setting defense team, which allowed the least amount of rushing yards in a 10-game season
• Member of record-setting defense team, which allowed the least amount of rushing yards in a 15-game season
• Member of National Society of High School Scholars

Robert Ortiz, Jr.

WR/PR - 5'10" - 180

Mingus Union High School

Coach:  Bob Young

Transfer:  Scottsdale Community College

Cottonwood, Ariz.

Intended Major:  Physical Education

Parents:  Robert Ortiz, Sr. and Tonya Glenn 

• First Team All-Region Defensive Back in 2007
• First Team All-Region Running Back in 2008
• All-State Honorable Mention Running Back in 2008

Tyler Poggemeyer

DL - 6'1" - 225

Lake Havasu High School

Coach: Karl Thompson

Intended Major: Computer Science

Parents: Jerry and Nancy Poggemeyer

Seth Christensen

OL - 6'4" - 250

Atlantic High School

Coach: Gaylord Scheling

Atlantic, Iowa

Intended Major: Elementary Education

Parents: Rodney and Ruth Christensen

• Two-time letter winner
• Also participated in basketball, wrestling, track and choir

Kyle Franklin

QB - 6'1" - 175

Central High School

Coach: Mark Roering

Davenport, Iowa

Intended Major:

Parents: Jason Franklin and Nicky Esau

Dru Strand

WR - 5'7" - 150

Adrian High School

Coach: Randy Strand

Adrian, Minn.

Intended Major: Exercise Science

Parents: Randy and Lisa Strand

• Team Captain
• All-Conference
• All-Area Defense
• Member of the team that qualified for state playoffs
• State wrestling participant for two years
• Member of baseball team that advanced to state

Britton Stratton

LB - 6'4" - 215

Luverne High School

Coach: Todd Oye

Luverne, Minn.

Intended Major:

Parents: James and Jennifer Stratton

• All-Conference

Tanner Twigg

WR - 6'0" - 180

Detroit Lakes High School

Coach: Flint Motschenbacher

Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Intended Major:

Parents:

• Three-year letter winner
• Also lettered in basketball and participated in baseball

Colton Ward

LB - 6'2" - 180

Jackson Country Central High School

Coach: Tom Schuller

Jackson, Minn.

Intended Major: Business

Parents: Gary and Kay Ward

• Three-year letter winner
• Also lettered in golf and basketball
• All-Conference in golf

Nate Kirk

OL - 6'1" - 275

Springboro High School

Coach: Ryan Wilhite

Franklin, Ohio

Intended Major: Network Security

Parents: Donald and Betty Kirk

• Letter winner in football and track

Joey Wuolle

OL - 6'3" - 279

Shelton High School

Coach: Matt Hinkle

Olympia, Wash.

Intended Major: Computer Education

Parents: Craig and Jamie Wuolle, and Craig and Denise Velthuysen

• Three-time All-League Offensive Line, sophomore, junior & senior years
• All-League Defensive line in senior year
• Team Captain
• Two time voted Lineman of the Year junior & senior years
• 'Old Spice' player-of-the-week during the 2010 season
• Played Fullback part of senior year, rushed for 550 yards and 6 touchdowns in 7 games

Matt Moyte

DB - 5'7" - 170

Cheyenne East High School

Coach: Chad Goff

Cheyenne, Wyo.

Intended Major: Undecided

Parents: Rueben Moyte and Pamela Ruhaak

• 2nd Team All-Conference
• Prep Athlete of the Week
• Also lettered in indoor track

Matt Osbon

WR/DB - 5'8" - 160

Worland High School

Coach: Wade Sanford

Worland, Wyo.

Transfer: Northern State University

Intended Major: Business

Parents: Mark and Joy Osbon

• 2009 Football All-Conference and All-State selections
• Team Captain in football and wrestling
• '3A' interceptions leader
• 2009 Male Fall Sports Sportsman of the Year
• Three-time state placer in wrestling
• 2010 135-lbs. Wyoming State Champion
• '3A' Wyoming All-State selection
• 2010 All Class All-State selection
• '3A' Wrestler of the Year
• 2010 Second Team '3A' West All-Conference team
• 2007 state track participant
• 2007 Cowboy State Games Champion in one-mile run, runner-up in 100-meter dash
• Junior Olympic regional runner-up in one-mile run, fourth place in 100-meter dash
• Junior Olympic National qualifier
• Honor Roll for three years