PLATTEVILLE, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-Platteville football team has found a fortunate pipeline direct from Johnston High School (Johnston, Iowa) due to its very own Chancellor Dennis J. Shields.
Four current student-athletes appear on the roster for the Pioneers. Johnston alumni Mark Johnson, Hank Westemeyer, Eric Siedenburg, and Alec Jackson have the Pioneers off to a 4-3 start in the 2018 season.
Shields, a graduate of Johnston High, had an impressive journey from the Dragons' basketball team to his current role leading three branches of UW-Platteville. After earning his undergraduate degree from Graceland College and his Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1982, Shields held administrative positions at the Phoenix School of Law, Duke University School of Law, the University of Michigan Law School, University of Iowa, and City College of New York – City University of New York prior to his 2010 move to Platteville, Wisconsin.
During his time at UW-Platteville, Shields has made athletics a priority and focal point of recruiting the Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois tri-state area. UW-Platteville even offers the Tri-State Initiative to make UW-Platteville comparable to the resident cost of attendance in a student's home state. In addition to recruiting efforts, Shields served on the NCAA Division III Presidents Council and was chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Working Group.
"When Chancellor Shields first came to UW-Platteville, one of the first things he discussed with the coaches was the opportunity to recruit the Des Moines area," said head football coach Mike Emendorfer.
Included in Coach Emendorfer's 2018 Pioneers are for four Johnston High School graduates who are not only members of the team, but are making big waves on the program.
Senior wide receiver Mark Johnson has already earned his way into the UW-Platteville football record book with his impressive 2017 season. Johnson appeared in all ten games, set two new school records with 93 receptions and 1,218 yards in a season, and was voted Team MVP and Offensive MVP by his teammates. He once again is off to a great start in the 2018 season leading the Pioneers and racking up 44 receptions and averaging 89.3 yards per game with a long 80-yard reception to a touchdown on UW-Platteville's Homecoming game against UW-River Falls on Oct. 6. Johnson also sits second in receptions and receiving yards in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) for the 2018 season.
Junior right guard Hank Westemeyer came to UW-Platteville and after making appearances as early as his freshman year on the 2016 NCAA III playoff team, he has earned his way to a starting position for the Pioneers on the offensive line that has supported the Pioneers, who lead the WIAC in total and pass offense.
Sophomore linebacker Eric Siedenburg leads the Pioneers' defense with 26 solo tackles, 42 assists, one sack, and one interception in seven games. Siedenburg currently sits third in tackles in the WIAC for the 2018 season. Also at linebacker is sophomore Alec Jackson who has made multiple appearances both as a freshman and this year on the Pioneer defense and is making significant impact on the Pioneers' special teams.
The Pioneers opened the 2018 season with a victory at East Texas Baptist in Marshall, Texas and sit 4-3 overall. UW-Platteville competes in one if not the most competitive NCAA Division III conferences the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) and has consistently been ranked as a Top 25 program for the last eight years.
"Chancellor Shields really opened up the doors for us to break into the Des Moines area and with the found success we will continue to target the area as a focused recruiting ground," said Emendorfer.