February 9, 2018 at 1:28 p.m.
Krueger to play football at Hillsdale College
Krueger to play football at Hillsdale College
Senior linebacker Colton Krueger signed a National Letter of Intent to play college football at Hillsdale College, a Division-II school in southern Michigan.
"It's a really long process and I'm glad to finally know where I'll be going," Krueger said Wednesday in a press conference at RHS. "I looked into this as early as my freshman, sophomore year. I knew I wanted to play somewhere in college. It took a lot of looking around and reaching out to coaches all over, a lot of tours, a lot of camps over three summers."
Krueger will join Hillsdale this fall as a preferred walk-on.
Krueger received an honorable mention as a linebacker in the Great Northern Conference this season and finished third on the Hodags with 65 total tackles this season - including five tackles for loss. Krueger was also the conference's second-team punter in 2017, and was the Hodags' leading rusher in 2016 before converting to offensive line late in the season.
"I'm always impressed with his game-day attitude, his work ethic in practice," said RHS assistant football coach Taylor Kloehn, who called Krueger one of the most coachable kids he has worked with. "I think, along with a great athlete and a kid who's going to bring all of his effort on the field and in the weight room, Hillsdale's getting a great well-rounded student."
Krueger said the recruiting process included talks with programs that ran the gamut of the NCAA's three divisions. He said Hillsdale and Michigan Tech were among his final choices, and added that the combination of Hillsdale's preferred walk-on offer and their one-on-one recruiting helped factor into his decision.
"Hillsdale was probably, out of all of them, the ones that made a personal connection the most," he said. "They had me sit down and talk with the coaches when I went down there. I think I've been down there three times. They took me one-on-one, instead of being with a big group of other guys who were being recruited.
"Their college, it just kind of stood out to me. I just liked everything - the campus, the atmosphere, the football program, all the facilities, the coaches. They really seem like they know how to build great, not only young football players, but great men of character."
A multi-sport athlete, Krueger is also ranked ninth in Division 1 as he begins the WIAA wrestling tournament today in a regional competition in Wisconsin Rapids.
"I'm just extremely proud of Colton, all of his hard work over the years," RHS wrestling coach Paul Ellenbecker said. "He's one of the most dedicated student-athletes I've been around. His work ethic - he's mature beyond his years - I think helped him achieve the success he's had. He's very self-motivated."
Hillsdale, located about an equal drive between Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor in extreme southern Michigan, is a part of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The Mustangs went 7-4 overall last season, and 5-2 in the GMAC.
The 5-11, 211-pound Krueger said he will join the team as a middle linebacker. He will become part of a defense that allowed 19.7 points and 328.7 yards per game last season.
"It's a position I'm really comfortable playing. I'm happy to play any position, but they had a plan for me and that helped me make the decision," he said.
Krueger was part of a 23-man recruiting class, that included four linebackers, announced by Hillsdale on Wednesday.
"Our players know coming in they have to be students first," Hillsdale College head coach Keith Otterbein said in a press release. "These guys will be challenged in the classroom as well as on the football field, but as a coaching staff, we're excited to see how this group rises to those challenges."
Academically, Krueger said he plans to major in Sports and Exercise Science with an eye toward physical therapy.
Krueger thanked his past and present coaches, his family and those who have supported him before signing his Letter of Intent.
"I'm really thankful for everything," he said. "The whole high school sports experience was great, not just with high school football, but with all the guys that I'll have memories with for a lifetime. Being able to represent Rhinelander after high school is a big thing for me."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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