Warrior Athletics has been burning it up this year – impressing us time and time again. Read below for a few of the highlights from this past year!
Bohanski’s Brilliance
The illustrious Warrior career of WSU’s Abby Bohanski was topped off in December with the senior forward earning First Team Academic All-America honors, announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) with the release of the 2018 Google Cloud Academic All-America Women’s Soccer Teams.
The Google Cloud Academic All-America program recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom, as voted on by CoSIDA members.
Bohanski was one of just three First Team Academic All-Americans to represent the NSIC and becomes WSU’s first-ever CoSIDA/Google Cloud First Team Recipient. She was a Third Team Academic All-American in 2017 and is the first Warrior since 2013 to be named First Team Academic All-American by any publication. The Plover, Wisconsin native’s academic accolades also include being named to the Academic All-District First Team twice, the NSIC All-Academic Team three times, and the NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence in 2018.
On the pitch, Bohanski garnered All-Conference honors all four seasons of her Warrior career, including Second Team recognition in 2015, 2017 and 2018, and was named the 2015 NSIC Freshman of the Year. Bohanski led the Warriors in goals and total points in each of her four years – she graduates ranked ninth all-time in program history in goals (32), third in game-winning goals (13) and 10thin career points (82).
In the classroom, Bohanski has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA while studying Elementary Education, graduating this May.
Rumpza to the Rescue
It may have been Senior Day at Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium this past fall, but it was junior backup quarterback John Rumpza who provided the thrilling finish for Winona State as the Warriors came from behind to defeat Concordia-St. Paul (CSP) in Warrior Football’s season finale, 24-20.
Rumpza produced a storybook ending to WSU’s 8-3 season while also capping his personal journey in heroic fashion on a frigid Saturday afternoon. The junior, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer, underwent successful surgery and chemotherapy to rejoin his teammates midway through their spring 2018 practice season. He had seen limited action for the year – until his number was called late in the third quarter of the CSP game, when starting quarterback Owen Burke was hit hard on a sack.
The Warriors were down 17-14 when Rumpza entered the game, but evened the score on a 34-yard field goal by Paul Ortize to send them into the fourth quarter tied 17-17. The fourth quarter saw CSP score a field goal before both teams’ defenses took charge over the next 10 minutes of action. Late in the quarter, CSP went for it on fourth down on WSU’s 37-yard line, but their quarterback was sacked by sophomore Carter Duxbury. With 2:49 remaining in the game, Rumpza got the football.
He answered by engineering a seven-play 53-yard drive, that resulted in the game-winning touchdown pass to Connor Schultz – with 36 seconds left on the clock. The Warriors then sealed the deal by an interception by senior Josh Hawes on CSP’s final drive.
Battle for the Sledge
Winona State Warriors prevailed in the fourth annual “Battle for the Sledge” against Southwest Minnesota State University this past October, making it the third consecutive year the Sledge remained in Winona. The final score was 38-26.
Isaiah Hall – Football
Sophomore Isaiah Hall was named a 2018 Don Hansen Football All-American Honorable Mention this past January, earning All-American honors for the first time in his career.
Watch List
In February, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association/Schutt Sports named 50 student-athletes from across the country to the 2019 Division II National Player of the Year Watch List. On that prestigious list of the top players in the nation? WSU’s own Jordyn Kleman and Lani Van Zyl. Go Warriors!
Taylor Goar – Volleyball
WSU senior Taylor Goar was named to the NSIC Volleyball All-Conference Second Team in fall 2018, earning All-NSIC recognition for the third time in her career. She ranks fifth all-time in program history in kills, 11thin digs, 12thin service aces, and is a three-time NSIC All-Academic recipient.
Doing Good
In November, the WSU Volleyball Team volunteered their time to help First Congregational Church move scaffolding after the ceiling was replaced in the church’s sanctuary. Church members couldn’t say enough about the great help and player’s attitudes.
