Wayne, Neb. --- Wayne State College football today announced the addition of 24 student-athletes (22 freshmen, two transfers) that will join the Wildcat program in the fall of 2022.  The national signing day class of 24 student-athletes hail from six states – Nebraska (13), Florida (4), Illinois (2), Iowa (2), Texas (2), and California (1). 

            14 of the 24 signings come on the offensive side of the ball – five offensive linemen, four wide receivers, three running backs, one quarterback and one tight end – with 10 on the defensive side of the ball in the form of six defensive backs and four defensive linemen.

            Seven of the 13 Nebraska commits have been selected to play in the 2022 Nebraska Shrine Bowl.

            Wayne State College finished the 2021 season with a 7-4 record and fourth place finish in the NSIC South Division with a 3-3 league mark.  It was the first seven-win season for the Wildcat program in 10 years. 

 

HIGH SCHOOL

Mitchell Andersen – Defensive Back 5-10, 170 Defensive Back Bennington, Neb. / Bennington HS

Three year starter in football and two years in baseball at Bennington…during senior season, had five interceptions and 55 tackles and as a receiver had a 99-yard TD catch in playoff game vs. Waverly…helped Bennington to 13-0 record and Class B state title…selected to the 1,000 Yard Guy’s Class B All-State Team and was All-District and All-Eastern Midlands Conference honoree along with Class B All-State honorable mention by Omaha World Herald…in baseball, struck out 55 batters in just 34 innings pitched last spring and had 2-4 record with 4.53 ERA.

Drake Berry – Defensive Line 6-3, 245 West Branch, Iowa / West Branch HS

Berry was a two year starter and three year letter winner in football and four year starter in track and field…earned Class 1A All-State Second Team honors at offensive line during senior season, helping team to 7-3 record and second round of state playoffs…on defense credited with 24.5 tackles, three sacks and five tackles for loss…was an All-District selection as a junior and senior and voted Most Valuable Lineman last two seasons…Academic All-State selection in football and Academic All-Conference four years.

Alec Blevins – Offensive Line 6-6, 250 Bellevue, Neb. / Papillion LaVista HS

Blevins was a two-year starter in football…earned All-Metro Conference honors and was Class A honorable mention All-State during senior season…led team in pancakes as a junior (32) and senior (49)…was a Class A honorable mention All-State selection as a junior and helped team reach Class A playoffs both seasons.

Latravious Boyd – Running Back 6-0, 195 Orlando, Fla. / Jones HS

Two year starter in football and basketball at Jones High School in Florida…Boyd had 460 yards of total offense during senior season, rushing for 334 yards on 37 carries (9.0 avg.) with four TD’s and added 11 receptions for 126 yards and one TD…helped team win District title.

Brayden Chaney – Defensive Back/Kick Returner 6-1, 180 Omaha, Neb. / Gretna HS

Starter in football and baseball…had 50 tackles with three interceptions on defense and had 15 catches for 315 yards and seven TD’s…also averaged 54 yards on just seven kickoff returns for 379 yards including a 99-yard return for TD while helping Gretna to a 12-1 record and Class A state title…named to the 1,000 Yard Guy’s Class A All-State football team and selected to the 2022 Nebraska Shrine Bowl North Roster.

Dawson Forgy – Running Back 5-11, 180 Winterset, Iowa / Winterset HS

Multi-sport standout at Winterset High School, starting four years in basketball, three in football and two each in track and field and baseball…was leading rusher in Iowa Class 4A as a senior with 2,307 yards on 235 carries (9.8 avg.) with 32 TD’s…also leading receiver on team with 19 catches for 342 yards and 5 TD’s, helping Winterset to 9-3 record and Class 4A state semi-finals…was an All-State running back as a junior and senior and All-District honoree three years…finished high school career with 4,768 yards rushing and 70 TD’s…in basketball school record holder for assists in a game (15) and career (382) and was All-Raccoon River Conference selection twice…in track and field was a state qualifier in four events as a junior and is an All-State selection in baseball the last two seasons after hitting .441 with 49 hits, 40 runs scored, 26 RBI and 38-40 on stolen bases last summer as a junior…Academic All-State honors in all four sports.

James Frank – Defensive End 6-3, 215 Lincoln, Neb. / Lincoln Pius X HS

Three year letter winner and started one season at Lincoln Pius X High School…listed as one of the top pass rushers in the state…during senior season made 42 tackles (30 solo) with eight sacks and 15 tackles for loss while recording 16 catches for 147 yards as a tight end…earned All-City and All-Heartland Conference honors and was Class A All-State honorable mention…father Aaron played men’s basketball at WSC 1993-94 from Hartington Cedar Catholic.

Clyde Hinton – Defensive Back 6-0, 190 Plattsmouth, Neb. / Plattsmouth HS

Hinton was a two-year starter in football and four years in baseball…helped Plattsmouth to unbeaten regular season as a senior (10-1 overall), recording 51 tackles, four interceptions, one fumble recovery and one blocked kick on defense while catching 19 passes for 365 yards (19.2 avg.) and six TD’s…earned All-Trailblazer Conference and All-District honors and was Class B All-State honorable mention.

Jameson Krayneski – Offensive Line 6-4, 275 Bennington, Neb. / Bennington HS

Three year starter in football and two years in baseball at Bennington High School…earned Class B First Team All-State honors during senior season, helping Badgers to 13-0 record and Class B state title…credited with 35 pancakes during senior season…named First Team All-Omaha Area as a senior and was All-Eastern Midland Conference First Team selection as a junior and senior.

Jake Lukis – Defensive Line 6-1, 240 Gretna, Neb. / Gretna HS

Three year starter in football, two in wrestling and one in baseball…earned All-Metro Conference honors as a senior last fall, helping Gretna to 12-1 record and Class A state title…credited with 49 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries while also earning Class A All-State honorable mention…during junior season recorded 34 tackles and two forced fumbles in six games played.

Noah McCant – Wide Receiver 5-7, 170 Little Elm, Texas / Little Elm HS

McCant was a two year starter at defensive back but will play wide receiver at Wayne State…credited with 55 tackles and 1.5 sacks during senior season, earning Third Team All-District 6A honors…was an All-District honorable mention selection as a junior with 57 tackles and two interceptions…Academic All-State selection as a senior…father Keithen McCant was quarterback at Nebraska from 1989-91 and played three years in the Canadian Football League.

Kevin Minckler – Wide Receiver 5-10, 170 Port Orange, Fla. / Spruce Creek HS

Three year starter in football and two years in weightlifting at Spruce Creek High School in Florida…versatile player, earning All-Area honors as a junior at wide receiver and running back during senior season…rushed for 1,097 yards on 159 carries (6.8 avg.) and 13 TD’s while adding 29 catches for 390 yards and four TD’s as a receiver…helped team to district title as a senior and was an All-Area selection three seasons…as a receiver during junior season hauled in 45 catches for 592 yards (13.1 avg.) and 12 total TD’s…two-time Most Valuable Player and named Offensive Player of the Year at Spruce Creek High School, leading team to three playoff appearances.

Joseph Morrison – Defensive Back 6-0, 155 Jacksonville, Fla. / Riverside HS

Two year starter in football, basketball and track and field…made 54 tackles with six passes defended, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions for 135 return yards and one TD during senior season…had four interceptions in just seven games during junior campaign with 14 tackles and two passes defended.

Dane Petersen – Tight End 6-5, 190 Elkhorn, Neb. / Elkhorn HS

Two year starter in football, basketball and track and field at Elkhorn High School…earned Class B First Team All-State honors during senior season at linebacker with 86 tackles…averaged 26 yards per catch as tight end with 17 receptions for 447 yards and six TD’s…other honors as a senior included All-Omaha Area and All-Eastern Midlands Conference First Team honors…in basketball averages 12.7 points and 9.4 rebounds per game while shooting 64 percent from the field…helped Elkhorn to Class B state runner up finish as a junior and was All-State honorable mention…Class B state qualifier in the triple jump as a junior…earned Academic All-Conference honors in all three sports.

Jordan Porter – Defensive Back 5-9, 175 Daytona Beach, Fla. / Mainland HS

Three year starter in football, also played basketball and ran track and field…as a senior registered 42 tackles (27 solo) with nine passes defended and two interceptions for 107 yards to earn First Team All-County honors.

Avante Savage – Wide Receiver 6-1, 175 Chicago, Ill. / Phillips Academic HS

Multi sport standout in football, basketball, track and field and baseball…was teammate with fellow WSC recruit Tyler Turner at Phillips Academy where he had 1,108 yards receiving and 20 TD’s as a senior, earning Chicago Sun-Times All-Public League First Team honors while helping team to 9-3 record.

Carter Sitzman – Defensive End 6-4, 230 Lincoln, Neb. / Lincoln Christian HS

Two year starter in football for the Crusaders…credited with 10 sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 36 total tackles while rushing for 500 yards during senior season…named All-Centennial Conference, Class C1 All-State honorable mention and selected to the 2022 Nebraska Shrine Bowl South Roster…also earned Academic All-Conference honors.

Spencer Smith – Offensive Line 6-7, 240 LaVista, Neb. / Papillion LaVista HS

Three sport athlete at Papillion LaVista High School competing in football, basketball and track and field…had three sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss and 18 tackles during senior season…helped team reach Class A state playoffs last two seasons.

Jake Stier – Offensive Line 6-2, 270 Bennington, Neb. / Bennington HS

Four year starter in football and three year starter in wrestling for the Badgers…named Class B First Team All-State by numerous publications and was All-Nebraska and All-Super State Second Team during senior season after leading Bennington to 13-0 record and Class B state title…also selected to play in 2022 64th annual Nebraska Shrine Bowl…is a two-time state qualifier in wrestling.

Tyler Turner – Quarterback 6-2, 215 Chicago, Ill. / Phillips Academy HS

Three year letter winner/starter in football…during senior season earned Chicago Sun-Times All-Public League First Team honors after throwing for nearly 2,300 yards with 23 TD’s and just four interceptions while leading team to 9-3 record.

 

WALK-ONS

Kale Consbruck – Wide Receiver 5-9, 145 Firth, Neb. / Norris HS

Two year starter in football and baseball for the Titans…was a two-time All-District and All-Eastern Midlands Conference selection in football and named to the South Roster for the 2022 Nebraska Shrine Bowl…during senior season had 28 catches for 423 yards and five TD’s…was an All-District and All-Conference selection in baseball, hitting .367 in junior season with 57 runs scored and 44 stolen bases.

Wyatt Ogle - Offensive Line 6-3, 290 Blair, Neb. / Blair HS

Three year starter in football and basketball at Blair High School…senior season credited with 35 tackles in nine games with one fumble recovery and one forced fumble…earned All-Eastern Midlands Conference honors in football and was Class B All-State honorable mention…excels in the classroom earning Academic All-State and All-Conference honors in both sports…selected to the 2022 Nebraska Shrine Bowl Game in June.

 

TRANSFERS

Tanner Cooper – Defensive Back 5-11, 190 Oakley, Calif. / Freedom HS (Diablo Valley College)

Cooper transfers to WSC from Diablo Valley College in California and has two years of eligibility with the Wildcats…was an All-Bay 6 Conference selection both seasons…had 17 tackles in eight games last season (2021) and two interceptions for 41 returns yards and one TD with a blocked kick…credited with 22 tackles in nine games in 2019 with one sack and 2.5 tackles for loss and one interception for 69 yards.  

Cauren Lynch –Running Back 6-0, 215 Irving, Texas / Parish Episcopal HS (Toledo)

Spent two seasons at Division I University of Toledo…in high school was a three year starter at Parish Episcopal High School in Texas, rushing for 860 yards (7.5 yards per carry) with 11 TD as a senior helping team to TAPPS Division I state championship…earned All-District First Team honors and was three-star prospect according to 247 Sports.