FAYETTE, Iowa (Feb. 1, 2017) – The Upper Iowa University football team and coaching staff led by Head Coach Tom Shea announced its class of recruits for the 2017 season today. The class includes commitments from twenty-nine stu-dent-athletes to attend Upper Iowa and com-pete for the 2017 Peacock football team. The group includes student-athletes that signed National Letters of Intent or acceptance let-ters to Upper Iowa. Included in this class of recruits are eight defensive backs, three de-fensive linemen, five linebackers, three of-fensive linemen, three quarterbacks, two run-ning backs, four wide receivers and an athlete. Eight of the signees are from Iowa, while the sixteen more come from three neighboring states; eight from Illinois, seven from Wiscon-sin and one from Minnesota. The final five are made up of three young men from Florida, one from Washington and one from Arkansas.

The Peacock football team’s run of three straight winning seasons came to an end in 2016 as Upper Iowa finished with a record of 3-8. UIU lost three of the contests by a com-bined 24 points in 2016 including a two-point defeat at MSU Moorhead 23-21 and a home loss to St. Cloud State 27-20. Upper Iowa’s three victories came at home versus Minot State and Wayne State and on the road at

Concordia-St. Paul. Upper Iowa said good-bye to 18 seniors that wrapped up their careers in blue and white this past fall. UIU will have to replace solid play from All-NSIC performers Jalen Amis, Jalen Chambers, Trey Mac-Taggart, Brian Steffensmeier and Derrick Portis, as well as many other starters from last fall. The team will return three All-NSIC defenders from 2016 including soon-to-be juniors Jojo Simpson (DL, 2nd Team All-NSIC South) and Jordan Rommes (DB, Honorable Mention All-NSIC South), as well as senior-to-be Zach Ries (DT, Honorable Mention All-NSIC South).

2017 UPPER IOWA FOOTBALL COMMITMENTS

Luke Berner DB 6-0/170 Antigo, Wis. (Antigo HS)Drew Compton DB 5-11/185 Mount Prospect, Ill. (Prospect HS)Daniel Crawley DB 5-10/175 Mukwonago, Wis. (Mukwonago HS)Chandler Groth DB 5-8/165 Rockford, Ill. (Jefferson HS)Shaun Morris DB 5-10/160 Niceville, Fla. (Niceville HS)KJ Ridders DB 5-11/177 Federal Way, Wash. (Federal Way HS)Vincent Shaw DB 6-0/170 Roselle, Ill. (Lake Park HS)Sandy Toyer DB 5-9/155 Robbinsdale, Minn. (Parker HS)

Brody Bazile LB 6-1/210 Freedom, Wis. (Freedom HS)Erik Hansen LB 6-2/205 Burlington, Ill. (Burlington Central HS)Noah Kuboushek LB 5-11/192 Ossian, Iowa (South Winneshiek HS)Ben Salzman LB 5-11/205 Oshkosh, Wis. (Oshkosh North HS)Bobby Williams LB 6-0/195 Beech Grove, Ark. (Green County Tech)

Dwayne Emsweller Jr. WR 6-2/180 Valrico, Fla. (Seffner Christian Academy)Luke Greiner WR 6-2/185 Runnells, Iowa (Prairie City-Monroe HS)Joey Reader WR 6-5/230 Appleton, Wis. (Appleton West HS)Dylan Sumnicht WR 6-0/170 Shawano, Wis. (Shawano HS)

Elijah Garrett DL 6-3/270 Des Moines, Iowa (Hoover HS)Ryan Peterson DL 6-1/260 Seymour, Wis. (Seymour HS)Adam Robison DL 6-2/250 Washington, Ill. (Washington HS)

Bryce Jones OL 6-2/365 Johnston, Iowa (Johnston HS)Oscar Richmond OL 6-3/310 Peoria, Ill. (Peoria HS)Alex Schneider OL 6-4/285 Waterloo, Iowa (Waterloo West HS)

Derek Ehrhardt QB 6-2/175 Elkader, Iowa (Central HS)Reese Phillips QB 6-0/185 Marion, Iowa (Linn-Mar HS)Zach Taylor QB 6-3/225 Davenport, Iowa (Central HS)

Jace Chamberlin RB 5-10/200 Canton, Ill. (Canton HS)Greg McClellan RB 6-0/205 Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley HS)

Daniel Belton ATH 6-0/190 Seffner, Fla. (Seffner Christian Academy)

UPPER IOWA PEACOCK FOOTBALLUIU Sports Communication Services • Dorman Gymnasium • 605 Washington Street • Fayette, Iowa 52142Football Contact: Howard Thompson •thompsonh@uiu.edu •(563) 425-5307 (P) •(563)-425-5334 (F)

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2017 Upper Iowa Football Commitments

Luke Berner DB 6-0/170 Antigo, Wis. (Antigo HS) Pre-ChiropracticNamed honorable mention All-Conference as a defensive back… Served as a team captain… Recorded 3 interceptions and 28 solo tackles on defense and added 4 receptions on offense for 120 yards… son of Kurt and Anita Berner.

Drew Compton DB 5-11/185 Mount Prospect, Ill. (Prospect HS) Exercise & Sports StudiesStarted at defensive back for Prospect High School as a junior and senior… ran for varsity track and field team as a junior and senior… served as a Knights Way Leader… son of Andy and Jodi Compton.

Daniel Crawley DB 5-10/175 Mukwonago, Wis. (Mukwonago HS) Sports JournalismNamed to second team of All-Classic Eight Conference… registered 68 solo tackles for Mukwonago (5th best single-season total all-time)… lettered in football, track and field and wrestling… served as a team captain as a senior… son of John and Krys Crawley. Chandler Groth DB 5-8/165 Rockford, Ill. (Jefferson HS) Exercise SciencesEarned a spot on the Jefferson Honor Roll… son of Lana and Stacey Groth. Shaun Morris DB 5-10/160 Niceville, Fla. (Niceville HS) KinesiologyNamed to first team defense of All-District team… son of Joshua Morris.

KJ Ridders DB 5-11/177 Federal Way, Wash. (Federal Way HS) Communications/BusinessNamed to first team All-League as a defensive back, running back and wide receiver… selected to play in east-west All-State game… nominated for all-state… Member of Washington State Track Championship team in 2016… earned four varsity letters in football and three in track… son of Christa Whitfield.

Vincent Shaw DB 6-0/170 Roselle, Ill. (Lake Park HS) Criminal JusticeNamed to honorable mention All-Conference team as a senior… earned Academic All-Conference hon-ors… son of Jessica and Richard Johnson.

Sandy Toyer DB 5-9/155 Robbinsdale, Minn. (Parker HS) Sports MarketingNamed to second team All-Conference… son of Toya Thompson and Edward Toyer. Elijah Garrett DL 6-3/270 Des Moines, Iowa (Hoover HS) UndecidedTwice named to second team All-Conference as a junior and senior… earned a place on the Hoover Honor Roll over the last two years… son of Sharon Holmes and Eric Garrett and nephew of William and Jamie Holmes.

Ryan Peterson DL 6-1/260 Seymour, Wis. (Seymour HS) Environmental ScienceEarned High Honor Roll as a junior after being on the Honor Roll as a freshman and sophomore… named Honorable Mention All-Conference as a junior and first team All-Conference as a senior… selected Team North All-Stars… lettered in baseball… son of Kurt and Jennifer Peterson.

Adam Robison DL 6-2/250 Washington, Ill. (Washington HS) Ag BusinessTwice named to first team All-Conference and first team All-Area… Earned first team All-State honors as well as a pair of team awards (Tackler of the Year and Lineman of the Year)… holds the school record for single-season and career tackles for loss… son of Shawn and Natalie Robison.

Brody Bazile LB 6-1/210 Freedom, Wis. (Freedom HS) Conservation ManagementNamed to first team All-Conference as an inside linebacker as a junior and senior and second team All-Conference as a running back as a senior… selected to Post Crescent Elite 11 as a linebacker… selected to first team of American Family Insurance and All-USA Fox Valley football team… son of Brian and Vicki Bazile. Erik Hansen LB 6-2/205 Burlington, Ill. (Burlington Central HS) Environmental ScienceNamed All-Conference and honorable mention All-Area as a senior… ranked in the top 25 of Illinois line-backers by LemmingPrepInsider.com... played both sides of the ball for Burlington Central… recorded 24 tackles for losses, 9 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles as a senior… named team MVP and team captain… son of Julius and Kathleen Hansen.

2017 Upper Iowa Football Commitments... continued

Noah Kuboushek LB 5-11/192 Ossian, Iowa (South Winneshiek HS) Criminal JusticeNamed first team All-District… earned team’s Most Improved award as a junior and Defensive MVP as a senior… ran on the state tournament 4x100 track team for South Winneshiek… earned a spot on the B Honor roll.… son of Jeff and Charity Kuboushek.

Ben Salzman LB 5-11/205 Oshkosh, Wis. (Oshkosh North HS) Bio./Exercise & Sports StudiesPlayed three sports (football, wrestling, track and field) in each of his four years at Oshkosh North… named honorable mention All-VFA as an outside linebacker… lettered in wrestling four times and track and field once… played multiple positions including both inside and outside linebacker, fullback, half-back, defensive end, defensive tackle and punter… earned highest honor roll in academics… son of Jeff and Theresa Salzman.

Bobby Williams LB 6-0/195 Beech Grove, Ark. (Green County Tech) AccountingEarned Prezioso Award and Green County Tech’s Leadership Award… served as a student ambassador… named to All-City team… son of Bobby Williams Sr.

Br yce Jones OL 6-2/365 Johnston, Iowa (Johnston HS) BusinessEarned a spot on the Gridiron Elite Team… participant in the 2015 Ryan Kerrigan Football Camp… mem-ber of the National Society of High School Scholars… son of Jeffrey and Tonya Jones.

Oscar Richmond OL 6-3/310 Peoria, Ill. (Peoria HS) Computer ScienceMember of 5A Illinois State Champions as a senior… named to All-Area team by Peoria Journal Star… earned spot on the honor roll for the first three years of high school… son of Stephanie Bland and Randy Richmond

Alex Schneider OL 6-4/285 Waterloo, Iowa (West HS) Criminal JusticeNamed to first team All-District and All-Metro as a senior… earned Academic All-State honors as a se-nior… son of Brad Schneider and Joy Schneider.

Derek Ehrhardt QB 6-2/175 Elkader, Iowa (Central HS) Conservation ManagementNamed All-District MVP and first team All-State from Iowa Newspaper Association… selected to Ce-dar Rapids Gazette All-Area football team as Central reached the state tournament quarterfinal round… earned All-State honors four times (second team as a freshman and sophomore, third team as a junior and first as a senior)… named to first team All-District four times… racked up 3,189 yards of total offense as a senior including 1,946 through the air… threw for 6,127 yards and 101 touchdowns in four years… son of David and Paula Ehrhardt.

Reese Phillips QB 6-0/185 Marion, Iowa (Linn-Mar HS) Physical EducationTwice named to first team All-District and All-Metro teams… served as team captain of both the football and basketball teams… claimed a spot on the academic honor roll twice… son of Vikki Laf ler and Mark Phillips.

Zach Taylor QB 6-3/225 Davenport, Iowa (Central HS) Business ManagementEarned All-District honors… son of Jodi and Derek Taylor. Jace Chamberlin RB 5-10/200 Canton, Ill. (Canton HS) BiologyNamed to first team All-Conference and All-Area… selected honorable mention All-State as well as a senior… set Canton record for rushing yards in a game (334)… ran for 1,296 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2016… member of the National Honor Society… son of Jason and Andra Chamberlin.

Greg McClellan RB 6-0/205 Naperville, Ill. (Neuqua Valley HS) FinanceLettered in football as a junior and senior… son of Mark McClellan.

Dwayne Emsweller Jr. WR 6-2/180 Valrico, Fla. (Seffner Christian Acad.) Pre-Med/BiologyNamed to Florida Coaches Association All-State team and All-Academic team as a senior… earned team’s Most Improved Player award as a junior… set the Seffner Christian Academy All-Time records for receiving yards (1106) and touchdowns (19)… member of the National Honor Society… earned a place on the Principal Honor Roll… son of Dwayne and Tonya Emsweller.

2017 Upper Iowa Football Commitments... continued

Luke Greiner WR 6-2/185 Runnells, Iowa (Prairie City-Monroe HS) BusinessNamed as a team captain senior year… lettered in football three times… named to All-Iowa USA Pre-season Football Team… participated in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for four years… member of the National Honor Society… earned a place on the Honor Roll in each of the last four years… son of Kristin Danley-Greiner & Chris Greiner.

Joey Reader WR 6-5/230 Appleton, Wis. (Appleton West HS) EducationNamed as a unanimous first team All-Conference football selection as a senior… selected to All-Re-gion team and as the Receiver of the Year in VFA North… named to All-Conference team in basket-ball and served as a captain… served as the captain of the track and field team for two years… son of Rick and Julie Reader.

Dylan Sumnicht WR 6-0/170 Shawano, Wis. (Shawano HS) AccountingNamed to honorable mention All-State team and All-Region team as a senior… selected to first team All-Conference as a junior and senior… tabbed the Bay Conference Receiver of the Year as a senior… caught 62 passes for 1,123 receiving yards… named to Academic All-State team… earned a spot on the Higher Honor Roll at Shawano… son of Pete and Rhonda Sumnicht.

Daniel Belton ATH 6-0/190 Seffner, Fla. (Seffner Christian Acad.) Bio./Physical TherapyServed as team captain of football team as a senior and track team as a junior… earned A/B Honor Roll as a junior.