FREEDOM - Melissa Talbot and Collin Hofacker may have graduated nearly 14 years apart, but they both were fresh on the minds of the voting committee in selecting the top Freedom athletes of the 21st century.
The nine voters on the Freedom panel were principal and former athletic director Kurt Erickson, current athletic director Linda Olson, girls golf coach Jay Abitz, boys and girls cross country coach and boys track coach Thain Jones, wrestling coach Justin Lancaster, former girls track coach Jill Joly, baseball coach Adam Fox, girls basketball coach Mike Vanderloop and current girls track coach James Finster.
Talbot and Hofacker were the leading vote-getters and pace a talented field of five that included Katie Gonnering, Lauren Peters and Stacie Van Handel.
Each voter sent in their top eight athletes through the 2019 graduation year and we compiled the votes.
This is the eighth in an ongoing series this summer looking at top athletes from schools in the Post-Crescent coverage area.
Katie Gonnering, 2011 graduate
The 5-foot-10 Gonnering was a three-sport standout for the Irish, excelling in volleyball, softball and basketball.
Gonnering was a first-team all-Eastern Valley Conference infielder in softball her senior season and was also a first-team all-EVC pick in volleyball, finishing with 345 kills, 335 digs and 29 blocks.
But basketball was Gonnering's top sport. The forward was named the Post-Crescent girls basketball athlete of the year after averaging 17.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals her senior season. She also shot 56% from the floor. She was named the EVC player of the year and was also an honorable mention Associated Press all-state selection and a first-team Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association pick in Division 3. Freedom finished 23-3 that season, losing in the sectional final to eventual state runner-up Kewaunee.
She was also an honorable mention all-state pick by the AP her junior year, averaging 13.6 points and 7.8 rebounds.
Gonnering would have a sensational career at St. Francis (Ill.), finishing with 2,235 career points (20.5 average). She averaged 24 points her senior year with 10.3 rebounds.
Collin Hofacker, 2015 graduate
Hofacker was the Post-Crescent's 2015 male athlete of the year and boys track athlete of the year and was also a three-sport star. He was the only Freedom athlete named on all nine voters' ballots.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Hofacker was at his best in track and field. He was named the Wisconsin Track Coaches Association male athlete of the year after winning the WIAA D2 state titles in the 200 (:22.05 seconds) and 400 (:47.76), with his 400 time a state record. He also had a state-record time in the 200 (:21.32) in the prelims. He also ran the anchor leg of the Freedom's 1600 relay team that took first (3:21.86) and also competed at state in the long jump. He helped Freedom win the D2 team title that season and finished his career as the school record holder in six events (100, 200, 400, long jump, 800 relay, 1600 relay).
Hofacker was also a top performer in basketball and football. In hoops, he was a first-team all-EVC pick after averaging 12.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 assist his senior season.
In football he was a unanimous first-team all-EVC pick and the league's defensvie player of the year. He finished with eight interceptions and 35 tackles but he was also a big-play receiver, finishing with 47 catches for 1,029 yards and 15 touchdowns.
He would have great success in college competing for the University of Iowa track team. He finished as three-time all-American in both indoor and outdoor track. He ran the lead leg on the Hawkeyes' 1,600 relay team that finished sixth (3:07.68) at the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Lauren Peters, 2015 graduate
Peters was a four-year state qualifier in track and field and cross country for the Irish. She was named the Post-Crescent's athlete of the year in girls track in 2015.
Peters took third at the WIAA state track meet in the D2 400 (:58.25) and 800 (2:15.51). She also competed on Freedom's state-qualifying 1,600 relay. Her junior season, she placed fourth at the D2 state meet in both the 400 (:58.89) and 800 (2:18.66).
Her sophomore season, she placed fifth in the D2 800 (2:16.28) and was part of the 3,200 relay, which placed fourth. She also competed in the 800 her freshman season at the state track meet and was a member of Freedom's second-place 3200 relay team that season.
In cross country, Peters took eighth at the WIAA D2 state meet with a time of 19:06. She was also named second-team all-state by the Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association. She also competed at state cross country her junior, sophomore and freshman seasons, finishing 10th in D2 her junior season (15:06.47). She finished with school records in four events (400, 800, 800 relay, 3,200 relay).
She would have a solid career competing for the UW-Milwaukee women's track and field team. She was named all-Horizon League her junior season after finishing as the league's runner-up in the 800 (2:13.08). Her personal-best time of 2:12.76 her senior season ranks her fourth all-time in UWM history in the 800.
Melissa Talbot, 2002 graduate
Talbot was named the 2002 Post-Crescent female athlete of the year and for good reason: the track standout had a sensational senior campaign that saw her become only the second girl to win four individual events at the state meet, setting two state records in the process.
Talbot won WIAA D2 state titles in the long jump (17-11.25), 100 hurdles (:14.68, state record), 300 hurdles (:44.03, state record) and 200 (:25.06). Her exploits led to her being named the the WTCA girls athlete of the year.
She also won two events her junior season at the D2 state track meet: the 100 hurdles (:14.89), 300 hurdles (:45.42) and was also second in the 200. She also won the 300 hurdles (:44.99) as a sophomore at the D2 state meet.
Talbot had a solid career at the University of Wisconsin, competing in the pentathlon. She finished as the record holder in the event with 4,225 points and finished third at the NCAA meet her senior season.
Stacie Van Handel, 2008 graduate
Van Handel played volleyball and basketball and helped lead the Irish to the 2008 WIAA Division 2 state girls basketball championship and a runner-up finish to cap a four-year varsity career.
She was a first-team Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association all-state pick in D2 her senior season after averaging 16.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 1.7 blocks. She was also a second-team Associated Press all-state selection.
Van Handel helped the Irish reach the WIAA Division 2 state championship game where they dropped a 42-34 decision to state champ Monroe.
She also averaged 16.4 points and 9.8 rebounds her junior season for the Irish and 15.2 points and 8.1 rebounds her sophomore season. She finished with more than 1,000 points in her career.
Van Handel also earned all-Valley 8 honors her junior season in volleyball.
Others receiving votes
Liz Bloy (2013), Ramsey Bloy (2015), Noah Brickner (2016), Dakota Brockman (2018), Bo Casper (2013), Payton Dorn (2018), Seth Doxtater (2016), Makenna Haase (2017), Joseph Hinz (2013), Sam Hinz (2015), Dave Huss (2005), Caden Hofacker (2018), Charlie Jadin (2017), Aaron Kiecker (2011), Dale Kube (2009), Nathan Peters (2014), Andrew Philibeck (2013), Luke Pingel (2019), Craig Schommer (2012), Jamie Schuh (2010), Mason Sturm (2014), Matt Verhasselt (2018), Seth Vosters (2016), Trisha Zwiers (2008).
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