Index of Sports Press Releases

April 29, 2009

Tiger football team signs Lincoln star Muilenburg

Coach Brad Pole

MITCHELL, S.D. – An outstanding offseason for the Dakota Wesleyan University football team got even better over the weekend as the Tigers’ landed another great recruit in Sioux Falls Lincoln standout Anthony Muilenburg.

Muilenburg (6-2, 185), who will likely play wide receiver at DWU, was one of the most sought-after recruits in the state after leading the Patriots to a Class “11AA” State Championship. Muilenburg was an All-State selection, a two-time All-Conference pick and a two-time member of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader Elite 45 Team.

Dakota Wesleyan head coach Brad Pole said that adding Muilenburg to an already-stellar recruiting class is a huge coup for the Tigers, and he can’t wait to utilize his latest signee’s vast skill set in the fall.

“We’re just real excited to add Anthony Muilenburg to our squad,” Pole said. “He was one of our biggest targets throughout the entire recruiting process, and it feels great to land a kid of his caliber. We feel he can come in and help us in a number of ways and we can’t wait to get him on campus this fall. This was a great get for Dakota Wesleyan.”

Muilenburg is the 38th player to sign with Dakota Wesleyan for 2009, and he’s the seventh player from Sioux Falls to commit to the Tigers. Muilenburg is the second player from Sioux Falls Lincoln to commit to DWU after teammate Derek Carlson (TE, 6-4, 205) was one of the Tiger recruits announced on National Signing Day.

One of Muilenburg’s biggest assets will be his athleticism, which was evidenced by his multi-sport success during his prep career. In addition to his football accolades, he was also an All-State basketball star as a junior and a senior, and he led Lincoln to a Class “AA” State Basketball Championship as a senior as well. He earned All-State, All-Conference, All-City and All-State Tournament honors in basketball as both a junior and a senior. Muilenburg also plans to play basketball at Dakota Wesleyan following the conclusion of football season.

Pole’s strong recruiting class comes on the heels of Dakota Wesleyan’s most successful football season in more than a decade. The Tigers finished the season tied for third in the Great Plains Athletic Conference with a 7-3 record and Pole was named the league’s Coach-of-the-Year. Last Monday, Dakota Wesleyan was included in the NAIA Football Coaches’ Top 25 Spring Poll at No. 23. DWU opens its 2009 season Saturday, Sept. 5, with a home game against No. 5-ranked Morningside College.