Mears Named WFCA Private College Special Teams Player Of The Year

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WLCSports.com) – Wisconsin Lutheran College's Drew Mears (Appleton, Wis.) has been selected as the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) Private College Special Teams Player of the Year, the organization announced this week.

Mears, a senior punter, recently capped the 2025 season as a First Team All-NACC honoree after delivering one of the most productive punting seasons in program history. He punted 43 times for a school-record 41.3-yard average, a mark that not only led the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference but also ranks 13th in NCAA Division III.

Mears consistently flipped field position for the Warriors all season long, placing 15 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line, while recording just one touchback. He also did not have a single punt blocked. Mears logged four punts of 50 yards or longer, including his biggest kick of the year on November 8 at Rockford, when he unleashed a season-long 61-yard punt.

WLC finished its 2025 campaign 5-5 overall and 5-3 in the NACC, clinching consecutive winning NACC seasons for the first time since 2015–2016.