Thursday, July 16, 2009

Six Valparaiso University football players have been named to Phil Steele’s College Football Preview preseason All-Pioneer Football League Second Team.  Ross Wiemer (Burlington, Wis./Burlington H.S.) and Nicholas Henton (Chicago, Ill./De La Salle H.S.) were selected to the offense while Adam Rundh (Aaloborg, Denmark/Orjanskolan [Sweden] H.S.), Anthony Curry (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville H.S.), and Kyle Himmelwright (Coplay, Pa./Whitehall H.S.) were named to the defensive squad.  Andrej Skiba (Homewood, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor H.S.) was picked on special teams.

Wiemer, a senior running back, led the Crusaders with 824 yards on the ground and 10 touchdowns in 2008.  He also caught 21 passes for 136 yards to finish the year with 960 all-purpose yards.  Henton, a fifth-year senior wide receiver, had 15 grabs for 140 yards one year ago.

On the defensive side of the ball, Rundh, a senior defensive lineman, made 42 stops during his junior campaign, including eight behind the line of scrimmage.  He had a team-leading 2.5 sacks and also blocked three kicks on special teams.  Curry ranked among the NCAA leaders in interceptions in 2008 with seven picks.  A senior defensive back, he also broke up six other passes while recording 49 tackles.  Himmelwright, a fifth-year senior defensive back, ranked third on the team a year ago with 55 tackles, including 7.5 for loss.  He also recorded four interceptions.

Skiba took over the team’s place kicking duties with four games remaining in the season, making a pair of field goals and five extra point attempts.  The sophomore also averaged nearly 60 yards per kickoff, including three touchbacks.

Valparaiso will open the 2009 season on Saturday, September 5 in Rensselaer, Ind. when the Crusaders face Saint Joseph’s (Ind.) beginning at noon.