WHITEWATER — Jaden Hendrickson, a human performance major from Hollandale, and graduate of Pecatonica High School, is a member of the 2024 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team, which started its 2024 season last Saturday with a 34-7 victory against John Carroll (Ohio).
The Warhawks are ranked third in the nation by D3football.com and the American Football Coaches Association.
UW-Whitewater will be led by three Preseason All-Americans on offense including center John Pekar (Franklin/Franklin), lineman Alex Pethan (Oak Creek/Oak Creek) and running back Tamir Thomas (Menomonee Falls/Menomonee Falls). The Warhawks return breakout returner and wide receiver Tyler Vasey (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) — the 2023 WIAC Newcomer of the Year — to the team this season. Kyle Koelblinger (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) returns to help lead the defense after claiming Newcomer of the Year honors in 2021 as a defensive back.
UWW returns a number of all-league players to the squad this season. Running back Drake Martin (Rhinelander/Rhinelander) and wide receiver Steven Hein (St. Charles, Ill./North) join Pekar, Pethan and Thomas offensively. Defensive lineman Matt Burba (Lake in the Hills, Ill./Huntley) and Nehemiah Lomax (Park Forest, Ill./Crete-Monee) are joined by linebacker Ethan Gallagher (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport Township) in addition to Koelblinger on the defense. Mason Stepanski (Appleton/Kimberly) and Vasey head the all-conference earners returning on special teams.
UW-Whitewater finished second in the league a season ago after securing a 6-1 mark against Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference competition. The Warhawks made a run to the NCAA Division III Quarterfinals before capping the season with an 11-2 record. UWW has secured at least a share of the conference title in 14 of the last 18 seasons. The Warhawks have claimed more WIAC championships than any other team in the league — 39.
UW-La Crosse has been picked to win the title in 2024 followed in order by the Warhawks, UW-River Falls, UW-Platteville, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stout, UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stevens Point.
The first road game of the season is set for Sept. 14 at Roosevelt University in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
UW-Whitewater returns to The Perk for the final non-conference game of the season - a September 21 matchup against Mary Hardin-Baylor (Alumni Day presented by Mercyhealth). The Warhawks will host UW-Oshkosh in the WIAC opener on Oct. 5 for UW-Whitewater’s annual Family Fest and Shriners Day presented by PremierBank.
Back on the road on Oct. 12, the Warhawks will be in Menomonie for a meeting with UW-Stout. Kickoff against the Blue Devils is slated for 2 p.m. UWW will host UW-Stevens Point on Military Appreciation Day presented by the UW-Whitewater ROTC under the lights at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18. Following an Oct. 26 match-up at UW-Platteville, the Warhawk return to Perkins Stadium to take on UW-River Falls for Homecoming and the annual Hall of Fame Game presented by Educators Credit Union on Nov. 2.
The final two games of the 2024 regular season are set for Nov. 9 at UW-La Crosse and Nov. 16 at UW-Eau Claire.
