Gene's Blog: Stats and stuff leftover from a busy year

December 14, 2009

Whew… is anybody else zapped after the recent flurry of Tommie sports events?

In 12 days to begin December, St. Thomas had 20 sporting events. Since Sept. 1, St. Thomas has played in 161 varsity competitions. 

Just two events remain in the 2009 calendar year. Steve Fritz’ No. 3-ranked St. Thomas men’s basketball team will have tough upcoming non-conference tests -- Dec. 22 nearby at Division II Concordia University, and Dec. 29 at nationally-ranked UW-Stevens Point.

Here are several items your may have missed during the recent crossover period when fall wrapped up and winter seasons began:

Near record total

--Ben Wartman’s 1,827 rushing yards in 2009 are the third most among all NCAA players and second most in Division III. Wartman’s total (reached in 13 games) also ranks second in both St. Thomas and MIAC history, behind Gary Trettel’s 1,861 yards in 12 games for the 1990 Tommies.

The previous No. 2 total in the conference was the 1,736 yards by Phil Porta of Bethel in 2004. Both Trettel and Porta played fewer games but had more overall rushing attempts than Wartman.

--Wartman’s 24 touchdowns tied for second most in Division III, set a Tommie season record, and tied for third most in MIAC history. The total fell short of the conference record of 32 touchdowns set by St. John’s Matt Malmberg in 13 games in 1992.

--Senior placekicker Brady Beeson broke the season placekicking scoring records for points (79) and PAT kicks (58).

--Sophomore Fritz Waldvogel (86 catches, 1,149 yards) finished one catch and 43 yards shy of tying P.J. Theisen's 2007 school records for season receptions and reception yards.

--In 2009, Brady Ervin played on UST basketball and football teams that went 17-0 at home on campus, and Wartman and Kirk Baglien played on Tommie baseball and football teams that finished 16-1 at home (the lone loss was in extra innings).

Team talk

--Despite little fanfare and minimal promotion, Coach Glenn Caruso finished in the top 10 in fan voting in the Liberty Mutual National Coach of the Year program for Division III.

--St. Thomas scored a Division III-best nine touchdowns off returns (punts, kickoffs, interceptions and blocked punt), including an NCAA all-division best six kick returns by Waldvogel (shown at right).

--The Tommies’ 70 touchdowns ranked third most in D-III, behind Mount Union and UW-Whitewater.

--UST football broke school season records for rushing yards (3,238), total offense (5,556 yards), points (506) and touchdowns (70).

--The Tommies were the lone conference team -- and one of just eight Division III programs -- to reach 11 football victories. (Once the major bowls are complete, approximately 36 NCAA teams at all four levels will reach or surpass 11 wins).

--UST is 15-2 in the Caruso era when it allows 21 or less points.

--Of the 32 Division III playoff qualifiers, St. Thomas was the only team to win on the road and win at home.

--St. Thomas is the lone Division III football team to reach the NCAA playoffs and have a player named to each of these elite teams -– ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America, AFCA All-America, AFCA Allstate Good Works, and the Stars and Stripes All-Star Game.

--When the D3Football.com All-America teams are announced next Saturday, UST has a good chance to have three All-Americans for the first time in the history of its program.

--Of the 30 Division III playoff games so far, all on campus sites, the Toms’ 22-point win over Monmouth was the largest victory margin by a road team.

--The Toms’ three sacks allowed were the second fewest among all NCAA teams at all levels.

--St. Thomas was the lone Division III institution to make the national quarterfinals in the 2009 calendar year in football, baseball and men’s basketball. UST had a combined record in 2009 of 79-16 in those sports, including a 27-1 on-campus mark.

--Tommie football’s current eight-game home winning streak in the longest in the MIAC and the seventh-best in Division III. The leaders are Mount Union (28), Plymouth State (17) and UW-Whitewater (13).

--UST allowed just 17 second-half points and 72 total points in compiling a 6-0 home record this fall.

--UST played four games against teams that won 10 or more games this season, three on the road. They will play on the road next season against two teams that in 2009 won nine or more games.

--St. Thomas will open its 2010 season at St. Norbert (9-1 this season) and will play the first game in the Green Knights’ new football stadium in DePere, Wis. That game will certainly be a spotlight game nationally in Division III. UST is 0-3 at St. Norbert since an 8-6 win there in 1972.

Purple power

2009 has been kind to Minnesota football teams that wear purple, including:

--The Vikings started 6-0 and now are 11-2 (7-0 at home). A postseason trip has been secured by Minnesota, which boasts a Pro Bowl offensive guard.

--St. Thomas started 5-0 and finished 11-2 (6-0 at home), with a postseason trip for the first time in 19 years. UST has an AFCA All-American center.

--Minnesota State Mankato, which started 10-0 and finished 10-2 (5-1 at home), made the Division II playoffs. The Mavericks had an AFCA All-American offensive tackle.

--Cretin-Derham Hall started its high school season 5-0 and finished 12-1 (6-0 at home on the UST campus). The Minnesota state 5A champions boast a high school All-American offensive tackle.

PHOTO: Locals like Brett Favre much better in purple than green and gold.

MIAC success story

Chad Walthall has an interesting sports background. The Staples, Minn., native played quarterback, was two-time All-MIAC and was part of two Concordia Cobbers conference football title teams before graduating in 1991. He didn’t play basketball in college but was a student volunteer coach with the Cobber men.

Walthall later earned a Master’s degree at St. Cloud State, where he was a graduate assistant coach in basketball. He was an assistant coach for four seasons at St. Olaf and later worked at Eastern Michigan. He was Loras’ head coach from 2000-2007, and in his final year led the Duhawks to their first NCAA playoff berth in school history.

Walthall joined the University of Iowa staff in 2007 when Butler’s Todd Lickliter was hired as head coach. The two had worked together at Eastern Michigan.

Lickliter recently had surgery, and Walthall is currently serving a three-game spell as the Hawkeyes’ interim head coach. Under his direction, the young Iowa team (3-5), lost in-state road games last week at Northern Iowa and Iowa State. The Hawks are scheduled to play Drake at home next Saturday.

Lickliter took over a depleted Iowa roster when Steve Alford left for New Mexico State in 2007. The Hawkeyes lost their first two home games this season. The last time that happened was in 1931, when the second defeat came at the hands of… Carleton. (Yep, that Carleton.)

Funny numbers

--So much for the old Elton John song: Tommie men’s hockey went 11-2-1 on Fridays but only 4-11-2 on Saturdays during the 2009 calendar year.

--In the same span, UST women’s hockey went 7-2-1 on Fridays and 7-3-3 on Saturdays.

--Brrrr. The overnight forecast calls for temps dipping to 6-below zero. It’s nice to be football’s Jeffrey Hilliard, who will take part in Tuesday practices with his Stars and Stripes all-star teammates near Mexico City. The temperature will approach 70 degrees, with a wind chill of 64.

PHOTO: Hilliard shown Tuesday interview by local media.

Hilliard was quoted today on the all-star experience: ""I love it here. The hospitality in this country is great. And I love learning about a new culture. 

"I think the game will be a great matchup. We are here to have fun, but also to represent our country."