Gustavus Adolphus safety Joe Welch, a senior from Hastings, Minn., has been named to the Pre-Season All-America Football Team as released by Lindy’s Sports Magazine. Welch, a first team selection, was one of four Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference athletes honored on the Lindy’s Pre-season All-America First and Second Teams. That group included Welch, Josh Ostrue (First Team, St. Thomas), Brad Eckelmann (Second Team, Carleton), and Ryan Wimmer (Second Team, Saint John’s).
Welch, a D3football.com Third-Team All-America selection last season, led the Gusties with 98 tackles, including 51 solo stops, to go along with one tackle for loss, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Welch finished third among MIAC defensive players with 10.1 tackles per game as he was named to the All-MIAC First Team Defense. He posted double-digit tackles in five games including a season-high 16 stops against Concordia. Welch recorded five interceptions on a defense that ranked sixth in Division III with 22 picks. He enters his senior season with 180 career tackles (which ranks 17th all-time at Gustavus) and 99 solo stops (which ranks ninth all-time at Gustavus). Welch needs 20 tackles to become the 14th player at Gustavus to compile 200 career stops.
Welch, who will serve as a captain for the second consecutive year, will report with his teammates to begin practice for the 2009 season on August 22nd. The Gusties will open up at home against Coe College on September 12 at 1 pm at Lloyd Hollingsworth Field.
Lindy’s 2009 Preseason All-Div-III Team
Offense – First Team
Alex Tanney QB Jr. Monmouth
Tunde Ogun RB Sr. Chris. Newport
Cecil Shorts WR Sr. Mount Union
DeRon Brown RB Sr. MIT
Michael Jennings WR Sr. Illinois College
Kenny Russell TE Jr. Fitchburg St.
Josh Ostrue C Sr. St. Thomas (MN)
Blaine Westemeyer OL Sr. Augustana (IL)
Josh Kotecki OL Sr. Monmouth
John Shivers OL Sr. Millsaps
Dan Schwindenhammer OL Sr. Monmouth
Jose Green AP Jr. Willamette
Alan Munoz K Jr. Mary Hardin-Baylor
Defense – First Team
James Herbert DE Sr. Mount Union
Gerard Bryant DT Sr. St. Lawrence
Giustin Jenkins DT Sr. Pacific Lutheran
Marcus Ball DE Jr. UW-Stout
Matt Wenger LB Jr. North Central
Randy Wright LB Jr. Elmhurst
Kyle Gesswein LB Jr. Delaware Valley
Victor Edwards CB Sr. Cal Lutheran
Troney Shumpert CB Sr. UW-Whitewater
Drew McClain S Sr. Mount Union
Joe Welch S Sr. Gustavus Adolphus
T.J. Grzesikowski P Jr. Ferrum
Offense – Second Team
Justin Feaster QB Sr. Hardin Simmons
Adam Anderson RB Sr. Whitworth
Levell Coppage RB So. UW-Whitewater
Pat O’Connor WR Sr. Dickinson
Kody Lemond WR Jr. Wabash
Reed Eason TE Jr. Rose-Hulman
Chad Schenkel C Jr. Franklin
Brad Eckelmann OL Jr. Carleton
Kyle Antos OL Jr. North Central
Storm Tropea OL Sr. Wooster
Mike Stoffel OL Sr. Johns Hopkins
Caleb Jennings AP Jr. Emory and Henry
Jackson Damron K So. Cal Lutheran
Defense – Second Team
Anthony White DE Jr. UW-Whitewater
Matt Williamson DT Sr. Mount Union
Joe Goetz DT Sr. Ithaca
Jim Sestito DE Sr. Plymouth State
Brad Steinmetz LB Sr. Thomas More
John Lawrence LB Sr. Hamilton
Ryan Wimmer LB Sr. St. John’s
Chalankis Brown CB Jr. Sewanee
Bobby Bott CB Sr. Case Western
Michael Tracy S Sr. Hardin-Simmons
Tom Tassinari S Sr. Tufts
Bobby Eppleman P Jr. Susquehanna