Seven members of the Wayne State College football team were named to the 2023 Academic All-District Football Team as selected by College Sports Communicators.  The award recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom, maintaining a minimum grade point average of 3.50 or higher to earn the honor. 
            Named to the All-District Team were seniors Gage Dengel and Luke Sims, juniors Jett Janssen, Dexter Larsen, Alex Schall and Ashten Schmaderer and sophomore Dawson Forgy.
            Dengel, a 6-3, 240-pound senior tight end from Bellevue (Bellevue East HS), carries a 3.94 grade point average majoring in accounting and is a repeat All-District Team selection.  This season Dengel appeared in all 11 games for the Wildcats and had three catches for 14 yards while also playing on special teams. 
            Sims, a 5-11, 285-pound senior defensive lineman, maintained a 3.55 grade point average majoring in physical education.  He was a All-NSIC First Team selection this season for WSC recording 41 tackles (23 solo) with 4.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, one sack and one interception for 31 return yards.
            Janssen, a 6-4, 280-pound junior offensive lineman from Lincoln, (East HS), is a repeat Academic All-District selection with a 3.91 grade point average majoring in health and physical education.  He is a three-year starter at left tackle, anchoring an offensive line this season that allowed a league-low six sacks.  He earned All-NSIC First Team honors this season after named All-NSIC Second Team last year as a sophomore.
            Larsen, a 5-10, 215-pound linebacker from Blair (Blair HS), posted a 3.87 grade point average majoring in exercise science and is a repeat Academic All-District Team honoree.  He earned All-NSIC First Team and All-Super Region 4 First Team honors this season after leading Wayne State and ranking second in the NSIC in tackles with 91 (8.3 per game).  He tied for third in the NSIC with two forced fumbles and tied for fourth in fumble recoveries with two.
            Schall, a 6-2, 215-pound junior linebacker from Kearney (Kearney HS), has a 4.00 grade point average majoring in biology.  He was an All-NSIC Second Team selection this season after ranking fourth in the NSIC in total tackles (88) to go with 5.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups and one interception with one sack.
            Schmaderer, a 6-1, 195-pound junior wide receiver from Bennington (Bennington HS), maintains a 3.62 grade point average majoring in business management.  This season, Schmaderer ranked second on the Wildcats in receiving yards with 640 on 27 catches, averaging an NSIC-best 23.7 yards per catch with six TD's while appearing in all 11 games.
            Forgy, a 5-11, 190-pound sophomore running back from Winterset, Iowa (Winterset HS), carries a 3.89 grade point average majoring in exercise science.  He rushed for 503 yards on 112 carries this season with five TD's and added another 15 catches for 134 yards and one score receiving. 
             Wayne State finished the 2023 season with an 8-3 overall record and was fifth in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference with a 7-3 league mark.