STEVENS POINT - The UW-Stevens Point Athletic Hall of Fame will grow by eight this fall, as seven former student-athletes from football, swimming & diving, cross country and track & field, as well as one former coach, join the 200 individual members and six teams in the Hall of Fame on October 31.
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The 2009 ceremony kicks off on Saturday, Oct. 31 at the Pointer football game, as the inductees will be introduced to the crowd at halftime of the UWSP vs. UW-Whitewater game, scheduled for a 1 p.m. start at Community Stadium at Goerke Park. The induction ceremony will take place following the game at the Laird Room of the Dreyfus University Center.
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The individuals selected for this season's class include:
Randy Boelk, '01, West St. Paul, Minn., who boasts four individual school records and three relay records at UWSP, was a twenty-six time All American. He was a member of the WIAC Championship Pointer Men's Swimming and Diving Teams in 1998, 2000, and 2001. As a ten-time individual event champion and a thirteen time relay champion, Boelk competed in the NCAA Championships each season. In 1998, he was the national champion in the 200m backstroke and was part of the national-record setting 400m Medley Relay team in 1998 and 1999. In 2000, he competed in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Randy is a trading representative for Wells Fargo Investments and is married to Becca Uphoff Boelk.
Rebecca (Uphoff) Boelk, '00, West St. Paul, Minn., competed in the NCAA Championships each season of her athletic career and earned five All-American awards. In 2000, she was a member of the first Pointer Women's Swimming and Diving Team to win the WIAC Championship. She became an eleven-time individual champion and was part of six winning relay teams. She was also named as the 2000 Wisconsin NCAA Woman of the Year. She earned her master's degree at UW-Madison and is a speech-language pathologist for the school district of West. St. Paul/Eagan/Mendota Heights area. She is married to Randy Boelk.
Jesse Drake, '01, Neenah, a two time WIAC Cross Country and Track & Field Champion, Jesse Drake was named Athlete of the Year twice (2000 and 2001) and was a nine-time Cross Country and Track & Field All American. He was the 5,000m Indoor National Champion (2001) and named the UWSP Athlete of the Year (2000-2001). Drake was also named Team Captain and Most Valuable Performer three consecutive years (1999, 2000, 2001). Drake currently holds the school record for the Distance Medley Relay. In 2007 he was inducted into Rhinelander High School's Athletic Hall of Fame. Jesse earned a master's degree at UW-La Crosse and is a race operations manager for the Fox Cities Marathon. He is married to Jody (Butkowski) Drake, '02.
Sara (Groshek) Hilgers, '01, Custer, a javelin NCAA Division III national champion in 1999. Named “Outstanding Female Athlete in an Individual Sport” two years and “Most Dedicated Athlete,” as well as captain for the UWSP track & field team, Sara still retains two school records at UWSP for the javelin throw (44.28 meters) and hammer throw (52.62 meters). She made it to NCAA Division III Nationals meet one year for indoor track & field and three years for outdoor track & field. She was the UWSP's field event MVP three years in a row. Hilgers took third place in the javelin throw in the 1998 outdoor NCAA Div. III National Meet. In 1999 she won the Javelin throw and took 7th in the Discus at nationals. Sara spends her time coaching discus and shot put at Rosholt High School as well as working as a Medical Technologist at Riverside Medical Center in Waupaca. She lives with her husband, Luke, and two sons Magnus and Dmitri.
Clint Kriewaldt, '08, Shiocton, a NCAA Division III National Defensive Player of the Year in 1998, linebacker for the Detroit Lions and special teams player for the 2006 Super Bowl Champion Pittsburg Steelers. As a four year starting inside linebacker, Kriewaldt was the first four-time unanimous first team All-WIAC selection in conference history. In 1998 he was named WIAC Linebacker of the Year. He also led the team in scoring with nine touchdowns that same season and was named to three different first team All-American teams. Kriewaldt is also UWSP's all-time leading tackler with 416 career tackles. In 1999 Kriewaldt was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round. He spent four years there as a linebacker and special teams ace. In 2003 he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a free agent and earned special teams captain three of the five years. In 2005, he earned the title of Super Bowl XL Champion with the Steelers and recorded the first tackle of the game. Clint retired from professional football in 2007 after a neck injury and is the linebacker and special teams coach at Freedom High School. He and his wife, Jamie (Lowney) Kriewaldt, '01, have three children.
Rick Peot, last attended '78, Burnsville, Minn., a UWSP record holder and free agent signee of the Green Bay Packers, new England Patriots, New York Giants and San Diego Chargers. Graduating from UWSP in 1977, Peot was two time all-conference punter. He set school records for most touchdown passes in a game (five), highest single season punting average and highest career punting average (41.8). In 1988 he moved to Visalia, Calif, and coached punters and kickers at the College of Sequoias as the Special Teams assistant coach. In 1990, he took a job as the Defensive Backs and Special Teams Coach for Golden West High School. Rick currently resides in the Minneapolis area where he owns a painting business with his son, Ryan.
Bob Rohde, '70, Mahtomedi, Minn., As a four-year letterwinner, Rohde rushed for over 1,300 yards and averaged over four yards per carry during his career with the Pointers from 1965-68. Rohde was an all-conference and NAIA all-district running back in 1967 and earned team Most Valuable Player honors in 1968. In 1969, Rohde signed a free agent contract with the Denver Broncos. After graduating from UW-Stevens Point with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and History, Rohde earned his Master of Science Degree in Athletic Administration and Physical Education from Winona State University. He returned to Stevens Point and served as athletic director, football coach and basketball coach at P.J. Jacobs Junior High from 1970-78. He then moved to Oshkosh Lourdes Academy where he was the athletic director and football coach for one season. In 1979, Rohde became the first strength coach at the University of Minnesota. He also worked as strength coach for the Minnesota Twins baseball club from 1986-93, helping the squad to a World Series championship in 1987 and 1991. In 1991, he added duties as the Director of Football Operations at Minnesota, overseeing a $6 million budget. Rohde was named an Assistant to the Athletic Director in 1997 while continuing his work as the Gophers' strength coach and working with two national championship wrestling teams and five individual national champion wrestlers. He and his wife, Nan, reside in Mahtomedi, Minn.
The late
Monte Charles, head UWSP football coach from 1972-76. During his four seasons as UWSP's head football coach, Charles compiled a 26-21-3 record and was known for his exciting and proficient passing game. He was the only person in the history of the Wisconsin State University Conference to coach for three schools, and he left each with a winning record (UW-Platteville, 17-9-2, UW-Stevens Point, 26-21-3, UW Superior, 11-5). Upon his graduation from college, Monte was drafted as a fullback by the Green Bay Packers, and later spent three years with the semi-pro team Detroit Tars. Charles is a member of the Vicksburg High School Hall of Fame, the town he was born and raised in. He was named to the All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association team as a linebacker. In 2006 he was inducted into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame and was named “Coach of the Year” in the Detroit Metropolitan Area schools in 1957. Monte Blue Charles passed away on May 8th, 1992. He was dubbed the 'Ringmaster of the Aerial Circus' at UWSP and shall always be remembered in those regards.
