TIGERS FOOTBALL INKS 35 STUDENT-ATHLETES FOR 2022 SEASON

February 2, 2022

MITCHELL, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan football and head coach Ross Cimpl ink 35 signees on National Signing Day. Tiger football brings in recruits from eight states and four different time zones. Coach Cimpl and staff signed 20 offensive student-athletes, 14 defensive players, and one special team athlete.

Head coach Ross Cimpl spoke on the 2022 recruiting class earlier today stating, "Our coaches did a tremendous job of targeting and building relationships with some top tier talent. I would also like to recognize our players for their efforts in helping create a positive atmosphere and experience for these recruits and families when they came on campus. We have a tremendous class that we cannot wait to get on campus this fall." Head Coach Cimpl continued, saying, "We wanted to get very talented, high character players added to our roster and we think we accomplished that."

The signees include:

• Brodey Ballinger, 6-0, 195, linebacker, Jefferson, S.D.;

• Dillon Barnes, 6-0, 220, linebacker, Norfolk, Neb.;

• Devyn Born, 6-0, 195, linebacker, Box Elder, S.D.;

• Jacob Chvatal, 6-2, 260, offensive line, Omaha, Neb.;

• Mason Cordell, 5-8, 160, defensive back, Watertown, S.D.;

• Payton DeWitt, 5-9, 160, running back, Box Elder, S.D.;

• Nolan Dvorak, 6-1, 190, tight end, Lake Andes, S.D.;

• Isaac Foust, 5-8, 180, running back, Arlington, Neb.;

• Isaac Fuiten, 6-0, 170, defensive back, Woodinville, Wash.;

• Braxton Gahan, 6-3, 235, defensive line, Fredonia, Wisc.;

• Carson Gohl, 6-0, 200, running back, Ipswich, S.D.;

• Logan Halls, 6-0, 265, offensive line, Hot Springs, S.D.;

• Grayson Hanson, 6-0, 175, linebacker, Platte, S.D.;

• Michael Hart, 5-8, 165, safety, Elkhorn, Neb.;

• Jake Hedges, 6-1, 250, offensive line, Fremont, Neb.;

• Cole Holden, 6-0, 190, wide receiver, Watertown, S.D.;

• Leon Hutton, 5-9, 185, wide receiver, Moscow, Idaho;

• Koby Kayser, 5-10, 195, running back, Emery, S.D.;

• Brendan Kennedy, 5-9, 195, linebacker, Adams, Minn.;

• Conner Kessler, 5-8, 210, linebacker, Viborg, S.D.;

• Travis Krietlow, 5-11, 180, linebacker, Tea, S.D.;

• Jacob Marxhausen, 6-1, 190, tight end, Two Harbors, Minn.;

• Easton Millar, 6-1, 180, quarterback, Redfield, S.D.;

• Evan Nordstrom, 5-11, 165, wide receiver, Fort Pierre, S.D.;

• Clay Olinger, 5-11, 160, defensive back, Woonsocket, S.D.;

• Jaxon Patrick, 5-9,135, kicker/punter, Pullman, Wash.;

• John Pica, 6-4, 240, offensive line, Dell Rapids, S.D.;

• Taylor Putnam, 5-9, 150, wide receiver, George, Iowa;

• Maxwell Raab, 6-3, 195, tight end, Yankton, S.D.;

• Landon Ruesink, 5-10, 165, wide receiver, Dell Rapids, S.D.;

• Mason Schelske, 6-6, 215, tight end, Wessington Springs, S.D.;

• Joseph VanOverschelde, 5-10, 200, linebacker, Mitchell, S.D.;

• Samuel Welch,6-2,195, tight end, Wabasso, Minn.;

• Cody Winslow,6-3,210, linebacker, Hillsdale, Wyo.;

• Calvin Wright Jr., 6-3, 275, offensive line, Wagner, S.D.;

Brodey Ballinger

The 6-foot, 195lbs. linebacker from Jefferson, S.D. was a two-year letter winner and one-year starter for the Panthers of Dakota Valley High School. The linebacker commit is a four-time scholar-athlete and recipient of Academic All-State honors.

Dillon Barnes

A native of Norfolk, Nebraska, Barnes signs as a six-foot, 220lbs. linebacker from Norfolk Catholic High School. The 2018 and 2021 state runner up was a three-year starter for the Knights football team. During his junior campaign, he tallied 129 tackles, one rumble recovery, and one interception.

Devyn Born

The six-foot 195lbs., linebacker from Box Elder, S.D. signs on with the Tigers for the fall of 2022. Born was a two-sport athlete for the Douglas High School Patriots. The Honorable Mention and All-Conference player was a two-year starter in football and three-year starter for the track team. Academically, he was named to the Academic All-State list his senior year.

Jacob Chvatal

Chvatal is a native of Omaha, Neb., where he attended Concordia Jr.-Sr. High School. The 260lbs. offensive lineman stands at 6-2, notching three years as a starter for the Mustangs.

Mason Cordell

The Watertown, S.D. native and two-year starter joins Tigers football after totaling 83 tackles, one interception, one forced fumble, and six tackles for a loss with the Arrows of Watertown High School. The two-year starting defensive back stands at 5-foot-8, 160lbs as he earned three varsity letters during his four seasons on the Watertown High School football team.

Payton DeWitt

The 5-foot-11 160lbs. running back joins Tiger football as a native of Box Elder, S.D.

Nolan Dvorak

A native of Lake Andes, S.D., Dvorak stands as a 6-foot-1, 190lbs. tight end. The three-sport athlete for the Wagner Community School earned varsity letters in football, baseball, and wrestling. In baseball, Dvorak was a two-time All-Conference Honorable Mention catcher. On the football field, he received an All-State tight end nod while also earning an "A" Honor Roll accolade.

Isaac Foust

Foust joins Tiger football as a 5-7 running back from Arlington, Nebraska. A four-sport athlete for the Arlington Public School Eagles, he was a three-year starter on the football team. Foust is a two-time First Team All-District honoree and a 2018-2019 District Champion. Eagles team captain and Omaha World-Herald All-State honorable mention is a three-year honor roll student and an honor roll with distinction recipient.

Isaac Fuiten

The six-foot, 170lbs defensive back joins DWU football from Woodinville, Washington. The two-sport athlete for the Woodinville High School Falcons was a three-year starter for the football team and two-year starter for the soccer team. He earned an Honorable Mention accolade his sophomore season, before rising to a Second Team All-Kingco nod his senior season.

Braxton Gahan

Gahan signs with Tiger football as a 6-foot-3 235lbs. defensive end. A native of Fredonia, Wisconsin, and Ozaukee High School. The three-sport student-athlete was a four-year starter both on the court and the gridiron for the Warriors. A member of the National Honor Society, Gahan led the football squad with 15 total tackles for a loss and sacks combined, helping his team to a senior season record of 4-6 overall. Gahan was tabbed as a 2020 First Team All-Conference Defensive End, Second Team All-Conference Tight End in 2020. In his final season with the Ozaukee Warriors; he was tabbed as an Honorable Mention Defensive End and collected the 2021 Coaches Award.

Carson Gohl

The 6-foot, 200lbs. running back joins DWU football from Ipswich, S.D. after having a major impact on the Ipswich Tigers his junior and senior seasons. The three-sport athlete and three-year starter for the Tigers of Ipswich ran for a career total of 2,456 yards notching 33 career touchdowns. In a single season, Gohl tallied 17 rushing touchdowns, helping his team to an 8-3 overall record his junior year, and a 9-2 overall record his senior season. Defensively, he tallied a career total of 24 sacks earning him honors on the Lake Region Conference Offensive MVP list, and Honorable Mention list his junior and senior season. Gohl was also awarded Academic All-State honors.

Logan Halls

As a three-year starter for the Bison football team, Halls is a 6-foot 265lbs. center from Hot Springs, S.D.. In his senior campaign, Halls was a staple for the offensive line, helping the Hot Springs Bison to a 7-2 overall record.

Grayson Hanson

Hanson joins DWU football as a linebacker for the 2022 season. After compiling 152 total tackles, 83 of them being solo tackles; he also tallied 14 tackles for a loss, two fumble recoveries on 10 forced fumbles, and one interception. Offensively, he was credited with 220 carries for a total of 1,328 yards with 19 touchdowns. He notched 15 receptions for 232 yards recording two touchdowns. Defensively overall, Hanson has 421 tackles, six fumble recoveries, 18 forced fumbles, seven interceptions, and 54 tackles for a loss. During his offensive career, he notched 384 total carries for 2,448 yards and 36 touchdowns. He was tabbed as a 9AA Academic All-State honoree, two-time 9AA All-State Linebacker, and two-time Argus Leader Elite 45 player in 2020 and 2021. Other prestigious accolades Hanson has earned include 2021 9AA All-American and 9AA Midco Player of the Year.

Michael Hart

The Elkhorn, Nebraska native and Innovative award winner was a three-sport athlete during his time at Elkhorn High School. Hart was a three-year starter and a critical component of the Nebraska State Football Championship. In his senior season, he tallied 55 tackles and one interception of the defensive side of the ball. On offense, he tallied 86 carries for a total of 678 yards. During the state championship game, Hart was credited with 45 tackles and five interceptions. He was named as an All-Conference Honorable Mention twice, State Championship Honorable Mention, and received Honorable mention nods on the All-Area of Omaha list.

Jake Hedges

The 6-foot-1 offensive lineman and 2021 Nebraska State Football champion hails from Fremont, Neb. as a two-year starter for the Knights of Archbishop Began High School. As a 250lbs. lineman, he pushed his team into a 12-1 overall record in his junior campaign before having a perfect 13-0 season his senior year. His efforts during the 2021 season, garnered him an All-State Offensive Lineman honor. Academically, he is a three-time honor roll student.

Cole Holden

A four-sport athlete from Watertown, S.D. stands at six-foot-tall 190lbs. He is an Academic All-State honoree, Offensive MVP, and was awarded the Champion of Arrows award for Watertown High School. During the 2021 season with the Arrows, Holden tallied 49 receptions and 14 touchdowns totaling 1,121 receiving yards: garnering him to the First Team All-State and ESD All-Conference list.

Leon Hutton

The wide receiver and running back Hutton stands at 5-foot-9 185lbs., hailing from Moscow, Idaho. He was a three-sport athlete for the bears of Moscow High School, picking up varsity letters in football, basketball, and track. On the gridiron his senior season, he played quarterback, tossing 2,132 yards with a 61.9 completion percentage. Hutton tossed for 12 touchdowns while rushing for 197 yards; as he was tabbed to the Inland Empire League First Team Quarterback list.

Koby Kayser

An Emery, S.D. native, Kayser joins Tiger football after a multi-sport high school career. He was a two-year starter for the Seahawks football and basketball teams. During his junior season, he tallied 29 touchdowns on 1,412 rushing yards. In his senior campaign, Kayser rushed for another 1,412 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was tabbed as an Elite 8, elite 45, All-State, and All-Conference player.

Brendan Kennedy

Kennedy hails from Adams, Minnesota, and Southland High School where he was a four-year starter for the Rebels on the gridiron. Standing at 5-foot-9 195lbs., he played both sides of the ball. Offensively, Kennedy ran for 704 yards on 107 carries and tallied 44 receptions totaling 714 receiving yards notching 12 touchdowns. Defensively, he was credited with 64 solo tackles notching over half of his total tackles in a single game, setting the Southland High School record at 34 tackles in a single game. Overall, Kennedy notched 318 total tackles earning him back-to-back Defensive Player of the conference and a 2021 Minnesota All-State Linebacker accolades.

Connor Kessler

A 2019 football state champion, Kessler tallied 201 tackles, 12 sacks, three interceptions, 35 tackles for a loss, and forced eight fumbles for Viborg-Hurley High School. Standing at 5-8 from Viborg, S.D., Kessler was named to the All-State team his freshman and junior seasons.

Travis Krietlow

A Tea, S.D. native, Krietlow is an All-State Academic honoree and an honor roll student for the Tea Area High School Titans. The 5-foot-11 linebacker was a three-year starter was part of the 2020 perfect season that ended with a State Championship. Then turning the page his senior season to finish with an overall record of 11-1. He was tabbed as the unsung hero of the week and awarded the Tea Area Commitment Award.

Jacob Marxhausen

A wide receiver from Two Harbors, Minnesota is on board for Tiger football in the fall of 2022. Standing at 6-1, 190lbs., he was a two-sport athlete for the Agates of Two Harbors High School. A two-year starter on the Two Harbors hockey team and a three-year starter for the Agate's football team. Marxhausen tallied 286 rushing yards with four rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown on 56 receiving yards. Defensively, he tallied 39 tackles, three tackles for a loss, two interceptions.

Easton Millar

The Redfield, S.D., native joins the DWU football program as a 6-foot-1 quarterback. Millar was a two-year starter for the Pheasants' football team and a three-year starter on the baseball team. During his junior year campaign, he tallied 1,200 passing yards helping his team to a 3-5 overall record: earning an All-NEC honorable mention accolade. He only improved his senior season, with 1,600 passing yards and a 4-1 touchdown to interception ratio with 16 passing touchdowns to four interceptions. Millar was tabbed as an All-NEC First Team honoree. Overall, at Redfield High School, he has 25 passing touchdowns, one rushing, and one receiving touchdown; and tops the list for career passing yards with nearly 3,000. Academically, he has been on the high honor roll list all four years of high school.

Evan Nordstrom

Posting great high school careers in both football and track for the Stanley County High School Buffalos, Nordstrom joins DWU as a wide receiver and running back standing at 5-11, 165lbs.. On the track, he set a new school record in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.87 seconds and ran a led in the 4x100 meter relay for another school record at the South Dakota State Meet. After tallying over 2,000 all-purpose yards his junior and senior seasons, Nordstrom was tabbed as the Stanley Count Football Offensive Player of the Year. Academically, he is a National Honor Society member and tabbed to the All-Academic team.

Clay Olinger

After a three-sport high school career, Olinger joins Tiger football as a defensive back from Woonsocket, S.D., and Woonsocket High School. The four-year football starter for the Woonsocket Blackhawks rushed for 2,143 yards on 377 carries, averaging 5.7 yards per rushing attempt. He also tallied 2o receptions on 29 targets for 165 yards. He combined for 20 total touchdowns as 19 of them came on the ground. Defensively, Olinger tallied 103.5 tackles and two interceptions. With awards list a mile long, he was an FFA Outstanding Freshman during the 2018-19 season. Three-time All-Conference football winner from 2019-2022. An 11B All-State Running Back in 2021-22, followed by an Academic All-State honor in 2020-22.

Jaxon Patrick

The Pullman, Washington native, is a 5-foot-9, 135lbs. kicker/punter. As a dual-sport athlete for the Greyhounds of Pullman High School, he was a two-year starter in football and soccer. In the 2020 season, Patrick was 3-of-5 on field-goal attempts and 17-of-19 on PAT's. Improving his junior season to 4-of-9 on field-goal tries and 25-of-26 on PAT's. He received All-League accolades in 2020 and 2021, including a Second Team All-League Academic award, and the Pullman Chambers Student of the Month Award.

John Pica

The dual-sport athlete from Dell Rapids, South Dakota, signs with DWU football as a guard and middle linebacker. Pica stands at 6-4, 240lbs., holding a 2021 South Dakota 9B State Championship. The three-year starter for Cardinals football helped his team to an 8-3 overall record in his final season. In the championship game, Pica tallied 12 tackles and one interception: returning it to the end zone for a pick-six. The 2021 Academic All-State student-athlete was also named as 2021 9B Gatorade All-American, Midco Player of the Year, 2020-21 All-State guard, and 2021 DUC All-Conference.

Taylor Putnam

Putnam signs as a 5-foot-9, 150lbs., George, Iowa as a wide receiver. During his time with the Mustangs of George-Little Rock High School, he was a three-sport student-athlete and a two-year starter for the football team. The "B" Honor Roll student is also a First Team All-District wide receiver for District One in Iowa.

Maxwell Raab

A Yankton, S.D. native, signs with Tigers football as a tight end from Yankton High School. Assisting his team to a 9-2 overall record his junior season after 10 receptions for a total of 129 years. During his senior season, he tallied 25 receptions for three touchdowns, totaling 345 yards. Playing both sides of the ball for the Bucks, he also recorded 2.5 tackles that garnered him an All-State Tight End accolade. Other awards he was honored with include Team Above Self and Most Inspirational awards.

Landon Ruesink

Ruesink joins Tigers football from Dell Rapids High School. The multi-sport athlete signs on as a wide receiver after notching north of 2,000 receiving yards and 34 touchdowns. The three-time All-Conference and two-time All-State player also had a great career defensively, tallying 124 tackles, three sacks, and an interception. Ruesink was tabbed as an Elite 45 player twice.

Mason Schelske

Signing on as a tight end from Wessington Springs, S.D., and Wessington Springs High School is Schelske. He stands at 6-6, 215lbs., with three years of starting experience for the Spartans. While with the Spartans, he was a multi-sport athlete in football, basketball, and baseball. On the gridiron, he tallied 11 catches for 240 total yards with five touchdowns. He was named to the All-State team, Academic All-State, and All-Conference list in football.

Joseph VanOverschelde

The hometown athlete signs with DWU as an Argus Leader Elite 45 player. The Mitchell, S.D. native was a two-year captain for the Kernels and a stat sheet full of accolades. As a three-year starter for the Mitchell High School football team, he racked up 305 total tackles. VanOverschelde was named to the South Dakota All-State team three times, and the ESD All-Conference team twice.

Samuel Welch

A native of Vesta, Minnesota, Welch was a multi-sport athlete for Wabasso High School, including a two-year starter on the football team. In eight games during his junior season, Welch punted 18 times for a combined total of 634 yards. During his senior season, he tallied 53 punts for a total of 1,653 yards and 34 tackles. His 1,653 total punting yards earned him a Special Teams Player of the Year Award in Minnesota.

Cody Winslow

The Wyoming Shrine Bowl participant joins Tiger football as a 6-foot-3 210lbs. defensive lineman. As a three-year letter winner for the Burns Junior/Senior High School Broncos, he notched 93 tackles his senior season. His defensive efforts led him to be named; as an All-Laramie County Team and First Team All-Conference Team.

Calvin Wright Jr.

The Wagner, S.D. native and dual-sport athlete signs with Dakota Wesleyan as an offensive lineman for the 2022 college football season. Standing at 6-foot-3, 275lbs., he was a two-year starter for the Wagner Red Raiders football team. Wright Jr. earned the offensive player of the week in Wagner, along with earning Academic letters all four years of high school.

After talking with Coach Cimpl about each recruit, he added, "We worked extremely hard to recruit our local areas and found tremendous success in South Dakota and the Midwest. We are also excited about the regional talent that we were able to attract to our program. This class is loaded from top to bottom with talent and difference makers. We are looking for this class to make a tremendous impact on our program. We cannot wait for this fall."

The Tigers are currently slated to kick of the 2022 season in Madison, S.D. against Dakota State on Thursday, August 25. Stay up to date with everything DWU football and DWU athletics online at www.dwuathletics.com or on twitter at dwtigerfootball or dwusports.