GREENWOOD, Ind.- Eight members of the UW-Oshkosh football team were named to the 2024 NCAA Division III Academic All-District® Team, selected by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) on Tuesday (Jan. 7).
John Schirger (Sr. • Grafton),
Dan Fynaardt (Sr. • Waukesha),
Chad Gerig (Jr. • Stillman Valley, Ill.),
Jon Mathieu (Jr. • Sheboygan Falls),
JoJo Nathaniel (Jr. • Milwaukee),
Clayton Schwalbe (Jr. • Waukesha),
Casey Webber (Jr. • Eagle), and
Jake Shutter (So. • Plymouth) each earned the honor.
An offensive lineman, Schirger is currently a graduate student at UW-Oshkosh with a bachelor's degree in supply chain management. He started in all 10 of the Titans games this season, anchoring an offense that rushed for at least 126 yards four times during the season while allowing just 43 tackles-for-loss and 19 sacks against NCAA Division III opponents and 28 and nine respectively against WIAC programs. He was named to the All-WIAC First Team, D3football.com All-Region 6 Second Team, American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-American First Team, and Associated Press All-America Second Team.
Fynaardt, an All-WIAC honorable mention honoree this season at wide receiver, is a supply chain management major with a 3.67 cumulative grade-point average. He played all 10 games in 2024 and started one, catching 23 passes for 323 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 14.04 yards per catch.
A finance major with a 3.68 cumulative GPA, Gerig ranked fourth on the team with 47 tackles (17 solo) as a defensive back with 10 starts. He also recorded half a tackle-for-loss, an interception, and a pass breakup.
Mathieu is a strength and conditioning major with a 3.98 cumulative GPA. The wide receiver played in all 10 games and recorded 517 receiving yards, the second-most for the Titans, on 35 receptions for three scores with a 14.77 yards per catch average.
Nathaniel played in instrumental role in the Titans' offensive line in 2024, he joined Schirger with 10 starts. The rehabilitation science major holds a 3.96 cumulative GPA.
Starting at tight end in all of UW-Oshkosh's games, Schwalbe led the WIAC with 19.7 yards per catch. He caught 17 passes on the season for 335 yards and three touchdowns. The physical education major with a 4.00 cumulative GPA will move on the CSC Academic All-Americaâ voting.
The Titans' long snapper, Webber played in all 10 games. He is a finance major with a 3.99 cumulative GPA.
Shutter, a linebacker, played in nine games with a start against Linfield University (Ore.) on Sept. 14. The exercise & sports science major with a 3.60 cumulative GPA registered 27 tackles (13 solo) with three tackles-for-loss, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hurry.
The Titans were joined by four student-athletes from UW-Eau Claire, eight from UW-La Crosse, seven from UW-Platteville, six from UW-River Falls, six from UW-Stevens Point, eight from UW-Stout, and seven from UW-Whitewater.
UW-Oshkosh (6-4, 4-3 WIAC) opened the 2024 season with wins over Wheaton College (Ill.) and Linfield, both of which were nationally ranked. After facing NCAA Division II Michigan Tech before the bye week, the Titans fell to No. 11/11 UW-Whitewater to open WIAC play. They then knocked off No. 12/18 UW-La Crosse and No. 6/6 UW-Platteville in back-to-back wins at home and followed the performances up with wins over UW-Stevens Point and UW-Eau Claire on the road. UW-Stout kicked a field goal as time expired to defeat Oshkosh in its final home game of the year and UW-River Falls beat the Titans in the season finale. In all so far this offseason, 13 Titans garnered All-WIAC honors, one was named an All-American by the AFCA, three earned D3football.com All-Region laurels, and one was tabbed AP All-America.
The 2024 Academic All-District® Football Team, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes football honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
Academic All-District® honorees are considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced Jan. 28, 2025.
The Division II and III CSC Academic All-America® programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2024-25 Divisions II and III Academic All-America® programs. The NAIA CSC Academic All-America® program is partially financially supported through the NAIA governance structure.
