June 17, 2010
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald announced today the addition of another walk-on, linebacker Luke Reppe (Northfield, Minn./Northfield), to the 2010 football squad.
The addition of Reppe pushes Northwestern's 2010 walk-on total to seven.
"We're excited to welcome Luke to the Northwestern football family this fall," said Fitzgerald. "Non-scholarship student-athletes play a vital role in our program, and many go on to earn a scholarship during their career."
In recent years, scholarship reductions have increased the importance of attracting quality walk-ons to a football program. In addition, many walk-ons earn full scholarships while attending Northwestern. In the last 11 years, the Wildcats have awarded 30 full scholarships to walk-ons.
Northwestern is savoring its most successful stretch of football in school history. Since 1995, the Wildcats have posted nine seasons with six or more victories. In the last decade (2000-09), the Wildcats won six or more games seven times (2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009) and touted six bowl-eligible teams. Northwestern finished the last decade with an overall record of 61-60. In the last 15 years, only Ohio State and Michigan have won more Big Ten titles than the Wildcats' three conference crowns. NU has won a combined 17 games the past two seasons, which ranks as the third-most wins in a two-year period in school history. The Wildcats are coming off a 2010 New Year's Day appearance in the Outback Bowl.
Off the field, Northwestern's football program is shining, too. The Wildcats had a school-record 60 players earn a 3.0 grade point average for the 2010 winter quarter, and for the second time in school history, the team earned a cumulative GPA of better than 3.0. Northwestern had a school-record 29 football student-athletes earn Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2009, with two of those individuals being named ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Americans. Northwestern's football student-athletes also volunteer over 800 hours of combined community outreach each year, as well.
Northwestern begins preseason camp the weekend of Aug. 7 and 8, in preparation for its Sept. 4 season opener at Vanderbilt University.
The following is Reppe's biography:
Luke Reppe
6-4 210
Northfield, Minn. Northfield
Projected Position: Linebacker
High School: A Missota All-Conference running back/linebacker at Northfield High ... Senior captain ... Raiders' two-time "Mr. Hustle" team award recipient ... One of his prep highlights was a 75-yard touchdown run against New Prague in Minnesota's section championship ... Helped the Raiders to an 18-8 two-year record, which included back-to-back appearances in the state tournament ... Team advanced to the Division 4A state title game in 2008 ... Also lettered in baseball (outfielder) and basketball (forward) ... Member of Northfield's "A" Honor Roll and earned all-academic honors ... Coached by Bubba Sullivan.
Personal: Born Lucas J. Reppe ... Son of Lisa Reppe and Jonathan Reppe ... Brother, Jonathan, played football at nearby Gustavus Adolphus College.