Click here to view the PDFMarshall, Minn.: Southwest Minnesota State University football head coach Eric Eidsness announced today the signing of 25 high school and one transfer student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to continue their academic and football careers at SMSU. That announcement came today on the first day student-athletes are allowed to sign National Letters of Intent.
The list includes athletes from six different states including Minnesota (11), Iowa (6), South Dakota (4), Wisconsin (3), Nebraska (1) and Texas (1). The list of signees include seven offensive linemen, five linebackers, four defensive backs, four defensive lineman, three wide receivers, one quarterback, one tight end and one running back.
The assistant coaches did a great job of bring in quality student athletes that will fit well at SMSU, Eidsness said on Wednesday. I feel that this is a great recruiting class as we were able to add a lot of size and speed to our program.
Here is a complete list and the bios of the new letter of intent signees:
High School Signees
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School)
Tony Awoleye LB 6-1 220 Marshall, Minn. (Marshall HS)
Matt Coen DB 5-10 175 Newton, Iowa (Newton HS)
Jon Cox OL 6-5 255 Glencoe, Minn. (Glencoe-Silver Lake HS)
Tye Dill WR 6-1 165 St. Cloud, Minn. (Tech HS)
Cory Donscheski RB 5-9 190 Dunlap, Iowa (Boyer Valley HS)
Caleb DuFrane DE 6-5 250 Milan, Minn. (Lac Qui Parle Valley HS)
Randy Erickson OL 6-3 240 Hutchinson, Minn. (Hutchinson HS)
Nate Finkey DB 5-9 165 Wayne, Neb. (Wayne HS)
Eric Hendrickx TE 6-4 230 Brookings, S.D. (Brookings HS)
Dan Huber OL 6-4 280 Greendale, Wis. (Greendale HS)
Nick Hunt DB 6-0 174 Council Bluffs, Iowa (Jefferson HS)
Isaac Jensen OL 6-4 243 Verona, Wis. (Verona HS)
Kris Johnson LB 6-2 210 Holmen, Wis. (Holmen HS)
Derek Klinkner LB 6-2 215 Artesian, S.D. (Sanborn Central HS)
Calvin Kosminskas LB 6-0 205 Blaine, Minn. (Blaine HS)
Kellen McCrary WR 6-3 200 Bloomington, Minn. (Kennedy HS)
Michell Moya NG 6-1 305 El Paso, Texas (Coronado HS)
Joe Patten DE 6-5 230 Princeton, Minn. (Princeton HS)
Levi Reiff DB 6-3 189 Dell Rapids, S.D. (Dell Rapids HS)
Brian Rodas OL 6-4 278 Farmersburg, Iowa (MFL-MarMac HS)
Dusty Roemhild QB 6-3 200 Mora, Minn. (Mora HS)
Bud Sanken LB 6-2 200 Brownton, Minn. (Glencoe-Silver Lake HS)
Matt Stark OL 6-6 265 Bloomington, Minn. (Kennedy HS)
Dan Watts OL 6-3 285 Council Bluffs, Iowa (Jefferson HS)
Josh Zigrang DE 6-4 210 Eagle Grove, Iowa (Eagle Grove HS)
Transfer Signee
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School/Previous School)
Maxon Keating WR 6-5 210 Madison, S.D. (Madison HS/South Dakota State University)
MINNESOTA
Tony Awoleye (ah-la-way-a), LB, 6-1, 220, Marshall, Minn. (Marshall HS)
Prepped at Marshall HS for coach Terry Bahlmann ... named Associated Press All-State as a senior ... two-time All-Southwest Alliance Conference ... three-year letterwinner ... rushed for 1,062 yards and 11 touchdowns and had 68 tackles as a senior ... rushed for 970 yards and eight touchdowns and had 32 tackles as a junior ... also two-year letterwinner in baseball ... son of Michael and Mary Awoleye ... born Feb. 10, 1989 ... undecided major.
Jon Cox, OL, 6-5, 255, Glencoe, Minn. (Glencoe-Silver Lake HS)
Prepped at Glencoe-Silver Lake HS for coach Dave Dose ... named all-area as a senior ... member of 2006 state championship team ... two-year letterwinner ... helped offense average over 40 points per game and rush for 7.5 yards per carry ... helped four teammates rush for over 1,000 yards ... also two-year letterwinner in baseball and basketball ... son of Michael and Nancy Cox ... born July 7, 1988.
Tye Dill, WR, 6-1, 165, St. Cloud, Minn. (St. Cloud Tech HS)
Prepped at St. Cloud Tech HS for Gregg Martig ... named honorable mention all-area as a senior ... named honorable mention All-Central Lakes Conference as a senior ... named all-section ... three-year letterwinner ... member of 2006 Central Lakes Conference championship team ... passed for 1,546 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior ... rushed for 279 yards and five touchdowns ... had 283 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions as a senior ... three-year letterwinner in basketball ... also member of track and baseball teams ... son of Tracy and Kristy Dill ... born Sept. 9, 1988.
Caleb DuFrane, DE, 6-5, 250, Milan, Minn. (Lac Qui Parle Valley HS)
Prepped at Lac Qui Parle Valley HS for coach Mark Bjornjeld ... had 31 tackles, six sacks, four tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, 16 kickoff returns for 754 yards, and three catches for 55 yards as a senior ... also member of basketball and track teams ... team captain in basketball ... all-conference in track in shotput and discus ... son of Chris and Lisa DuFrane ... born Feb. 11, 1989.
Randy Erickson, OL, 6-3, 240, Hutchinson, Minn. (Hutchinson HS)
Prepped at Hutchinson HS for coach Andy Rostberg ... named All-Missota Conference as a senior ... three-year starter ... three-year letterwinner in track ... competed in shotput and discus ... earned all-conference and was state participant as a junior ... son of Lynn Winslow and Rex Erickson ... born Dec. 19, 1988.
Calvin Kosminskas, LB, 6-0, 205, Blaine, Minn. (Blaine HS)
Prepped at Blaine HS for coach Shannon Gerrety ... two-year letterwinner in football ... named All-Northwest Suburban as a senior and honorable mention all-conference as a junior ... team captain ... teams defensive MVP as a senior ... had 61 solo and 40 assisted tackles with three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks as a senior ... also lettered in baseball three years and in wrestling one year ... baseball team captain for 2007 season ... son of Paul and Kris Kosminskas ... born Mar. 30, 1989.
Kellen McCrary, WR, 6-3, 200, Bloomington, Minn. (Kennedy HS)
Prepped at Bloomington Kennedy HS for coach Dave Frisell ... three-year letterwinner in football ... team captain ... Golden Helmet Award Winner for academics and athletics ... had 35 receptions for 615 yards as a senior ... 65 receptions for 950 yards in career ... three-year letterwinner in track and two-year letterwinner in basketball ... team captain in track ... son of Kelly and Sue McCrary ... born on Nov. 6, 1988.
Joe Patten, DE, 6-5, 230, Princeton, Minn. (Princeton HS)
Prepped at Princeton HS for coach Scott Walquist ... two-time All-Mississippi Eight Conference ... two-year letterwinner ... 15 solo tackles and 36 assisted tackles, seven tackles for loss, six sacks, and three forced fumbles as a senior ... 115 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, nine sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two blocked kicks in career ... also three-year letterwinner in basketball ... son of Dawn Meelberg and Tim Patten ... born March 9, 1989.
Dusty Roemhild (rome-held), QB, 6-3, 200, Mora, Minn. (Mora HS)
Prepped at Mora HS for coach Randy Qual ... all-conference in 2005 ... team captain ... holds school record with 288 passing yards in a game ... threw for 2,029 yards and 17 touchdowns in career ... academic all-conference throughout high school career ... also three-year letterwinner and team captain in baseball and basketball ... honorable mention all-conference in baseball as a pitcher ... member of National Honor Society ... son of John and Sandy Roemhild ... born Aug. 26, 1988.
Bud Sanken, LB, 6-2, 200, Brownton, Minn. (Glencoe-Silver Lake HS)
Prepped at Glencoe-Silver Lake HS for coach Dave Dose ... named All-Wright County Conference as a senior ... team captain ... helped lead team to state championship as a senior rushing for 98 yards on 18 carries in title game ... three-year letterwinner ... rushed for 1,356 yards on 219 carries and nine touchdowns ... also member of track and basketball teams ... son of Mark and Cheryl Sanken ... born May 6, 1988.
Matt Stark, OL, 6-6, 265, Bloomington, Minn. (Kennedy HS)
Prepped at Kennedy HS for coach Dave Frisell ... two-year letterwinner ... also four-year letterwinner in wrestling ... earned honorable mention All-Lake Conference as a junior in wrestling ... wrestling team captain ... three-year letterwinner in track ... two-time honorable mention all-conference in track ... voted field MVP as a junior in track ... son of Jeff and Linda Stark ... born Dec. 20, 1988.
SOUTH DAKOTA
Eric Hendrickx, TE, 6-4, 230, Brookings, S.D. (Brookings HS)
Prepped at Brookings HS for coach Gary Moffett ... named honorable mention All-Eastern South Dakota Conference as a senior ... academic all-state ... team captain ... three-year letterwinner ... as a senior, had eight receptions for 93 yards, 31 tackles, 3.5 for loss, three sacks, two fumble recoveries and one interception returned 56 yards for a touchdown ... as a junior, had seven receptions for 77 yards and two touchdowns, 21 tackles, and one sack ... 15 receptions, 52 tackles, and four sacks in career ... also two-year letterwinner in baseball ... named VFW All-State and VFW All-State game MVP ... son of Bruce and Lori Hendrickx ... born Jan. 4, 1989.
Maxon Keating, WR, 6-5, 210, Madison, SD (Madison HS/South Dakota State University)
Transfer from South Dakota State University and enrolled at SMSU this spring ... will have two years of eligibility left ... did not play in 2006 ... was member of SDSU football team from 2003-05 ... played in eight games during the 2005 season finishing the season with one catch for 18 yards ... 2003 graduate of Madison HS ... prepped for coach Tom Milne ... named All-Big Eight Conference ... team captain ... had 19 receptions for 312 yards and two touchdowns as a senior ... three-year letterwinner in football ... lettered six years in track, four years in basketball and one year in cross-country ... academic all-state in basketball ... son of Pat Keating and Nancy Kadous ... born Sept. 19, 1984.
Derek Klinkner, LB, 6-2, 215, Artesian, S.D. (Sanborn Central HS)
Prepped at Sanborn Central HS for coach Rich Danek ... named first team all-state as a senior ... will play in 5D all-star game ... made 123 tackles as a senior ... had 256 tackles, 11 interceptions and three sacks in career ... also four-year letterwinner in basketball and letterwinner in track ... son of Don and Karen Klinkner ... born Jan. 8, 1989.
Levi Reiff, DB, 6-3, 189, Dell Rapids, S.D. (Dell Rapids HS)
Prepped at Dell Rapids HS for coach Steven Hansen ... earned Class 11A all-state honors ... played both quarterback and safety ... led team to state championship game before losing in double overtime ... finished season recording 53 tackles and one interception ... was also the team's punter, averaging 32.7 yards per kick ... also letterwinner in basketball and track ... son of Greg and Lorna Reiff ... born Dec. 20, 1988.
IOWA
Matt Coen (coe-n), DB, 5-10, 175, Newton, Iowa (Newton HS)
Prepped at Newton HS for coach Ed Ergenbright ... named all-conference as a senior ... two-year starter ... team captain ... rushed for 1,692 yards and 22 touchdowns and had 19 kickoff returns for 605 yards in career ... was chosen to attend Nike Elite football camp in 2006 ... four-year letterwinner in track ... two-time state and Drake Relays qualifier ... two-year letterwinner in wrestling ... district wrestling champion and state qualifier as a junior ... four-time academic all-conference ... member of National Honor Society ... son of Joe and Linda Coen ... born Dec. 29, 1988.
Cory Donscheski (don-chess-ski), RB, 5-9, 190, Dunlap, Iowa (Boyer Valley HS)
Prepped at Boyer Valley HS for coach Jay Petersen ... named first team all-state and first team all-district as a senior ... first team all district as a junior and honorable mention as a sophomore ... two-year team captain ... rushed for 1,607 yards and had four interceptions at linebacker as a senior ... had 3,754 yards and 48 touchdowns in career ... holds school record with seven touchdowns and rushing yards in one game ... also lettered in track and basketball ... son of Terry and Kaylene Donscheski ... born Dec. 7, 1988.
Nick Hunt, DB, 6-0, 174, Council Bluffs, Iowa (Jefferson HS)
Prepped at Jefferson HS for coach Dan Strutzenberg ... first-team All-Missouri River Conference at quarterback as a senior ... academic all-conference ... team captain ... named team offensive MVP ... three-year letterwinner in track ... Drake Relays qualifier ... member of National Honor Society ... son of Randy and Pam Hunt ... born Feb. 27, 1989.
Brian Rodas, OL, 6-4, 278, Farmersburg, Iowa (MFL-MarMac HS)
Prepped at MFL-MarMac HS for coach Dan Anderson ... named first team all-state and all-district as a senior ... team captain ... named all-district and second team all-state as a junior ... named honorable mention all-district as a sophomore ... had 51 tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks, and two blocked kicks as a senior ... had 46 tackles, 10 for loss, 5.5 sacks, and four blocked kicks as a junior ... had 49 tackles, four for loss, and three sacks as a sophomore ... made 146 tackles, 20 for loss, 10.5 sacks, six blocked kicks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and one safety in career ... also four-year letterwinner and team captain in wrestling ... currently holds with school record with 87 career pins ... son of Alvin and Theresa Rodas ... born June 20, 1988.
Dan Watts, OL, 6-3, 285, Council Bluffs, Iowa (Jefferson HS)
Prepped at Jefferson HS for coach Dan Strutzenberg ... named All-Missouri River Conference ... two-year letterwinner ... also four-year letterwinner in track ... fourth, third, and second-place finishes at Nebraska Powerlifting Championship ... son of Don and Janice Watts ... born July 17, 1989.
Josh Zigrang, DE, 6-4, 210, Eagle Grove, Iowa (Eagle Grove HS)
Prepped at Eagle Grove HS for coach Shawn Meth ... named first team all-district ... team captain ... had 96 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries as a senior ... had 159 tackles and nine sacks in career ... also team captain and two-year letterwinner in track ... son of Denis and Jenny Zigrang ... born Mar. 3, 1989.
NEBRASKA
Nate Finkey, DB, 5-9, 165, Wayne, Neb. (Wayne HS)
Prepped at Wayne HS for coach Kevin Finkey ... named all-state in 2006 and honorable mention all-state in 2005 ... three-time all-district ... two-time team MVP ... four-year starter at quarterback and defensive back ... completed 115 of 204 passes for 1,509 yards and 10 touchdowns and six interceptions as a senior ... also carried 57 times for 473 yards and 10 touchdowns ... had 67 solo tackles, 72 assisted tackles, and four interceptions on defense ... threw for 3,795 yards, 30 touchdowns in career ... had 363 tackles and 12 interceptions in career ... holds five school records ... four-year letterwinner in track in 100m, 200m and long jump ... three-year letterwinner in basketball ... four-year letterwinner in baseball and named all-league in 2004, 2005, and 2006 as a pitcher/outfielder ... son of Kevin and Tamie Finkey ... born Apr. 28, 1988.
WISCONSIN
Dan Huber, OL, 6-4, 280, Greendale, Wis. (Greendale HS)
Prepped at Greendale HS for coach Rob Stoltz ... two-time All-Woodland Conference ... two-time first team all-suburban ... honorable mention all-region as a senior ... team captain ... three-year letterwinner ... two-time all-conference as a pitcher in baseball ... three-year letterwinner in baseball ... son of Bob and Tanette Huber ... born Nov. 21, 1988.
Isaac Jensen, OL, 6-4, 243, Verona, Wis. (Verona HS)
Prepped at Verona HS for coach Dave Richardson ... earned second team all-conference honors ... also competes in track and field ... son of Greg and Karen Jensen ... born Apr. 7, 1989.
Kris Johnson, LB, 6-2, 210, Holmen, Wis. (Holmen HS)
Prepped at Holmen HS for coach Steve King ... named all-region and first team All-Mississippi Valley Conference as a senior ... team captain ... voted teams defensive player of the year ... named LaCrosse Tribune First Team All-Defense ... as a junior, named second team all-conference ... three-year letterwinner ... 22 solo and 56 assisted tackles, nine tackles for loss, five pass breakups, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries as a senior ... 78 total tackles and 10 tackles for loss as a junior ... 51 solo and 131 assisted tackles, 22.5 for loss, eight pass breakups, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, one interception and one sack in career ... member of National Honor Society ... son of Dr. Ben and Laura Johnson ... born Oct. 1, 1988.
TEXAS
Michell (Mike-all) Moya, NG, 6-1, 305, El Paso, Texas (Coronado HS)
Prepped at Coronado HS in El Paso, Texas, for coach Don Brooks ... named first team all-district as a senior ... named first team all-city as a senior ... played in city all-star game ... named honorable mention all-district as a junior ... had 37 tackles with 10 for loss and five sacks a senior ... also had 80 pancakes on offense ... son of Lorena Avila and Jaime Moya ... born Dec. 11, 1988.
Southwest Minnesota State, located in Marshall, Minn., is a member of NCAA Division II and competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. SMSU completed the 2006 season with a 4-7 overall record under the direction of head coach Eric Eidsness, and tied for sixth place in the 10-team Northern Sun Conference with a 3-5 record. During his three seasons as head coach Eidsness has a career record of 13-20.
The Mustangs are scheduled to begin spring practice on Mar. 30.
