Mar 07, 2022
2024 Charger Lift-a-thon
Thursday, March 7, 7 p.m. -- Livestream
Support the Charger Lift-a-Thon
The Lift-a-Thon began as a Charger Football Tradition in 1980. The following season in 1981, 84 members of the team lifted weights and raised $10,020 for the football program. That year Pat Gregory bench pressed 425 lbs - claiming the title of "Strongest Charger" for the second straight year.
(1981 Hillsdale College Winona Yearbook)
Charger Football continues the tradition of the Liftathon every spring as a team unifying, fundraising effort. We invite you to participate in this effort today!
2024 Liftathon Winners:
| Weight Class | Name | Year | Position | Lift |
| 185 lbs & Below | Logan VanEnkevort | Sr | WR | 285 lbs |
| 186-200 lbs | Vince Francescone | So | DB | 315 lbs |
| 201-225 lbs | Jacob Vance | rFr | LB | 315 lbs |
| 226-250 lbs | Neal Likens | rFr | DL | 330 lbs |
| 251-275 lbs | Ethan Jozsa | rFr | OL | 315 lbs |
| 276 lbs & Up | Landon VanBeek | So | DL | 350 lbs |
*new weight class record
| 73 Athletes Participated |
| 26 of the 73 Chargers cleaned between 270-295 lbs |
| 19 of the 73 Chargers cleaned 300 lbs or more |
| Best Overall Lift (Power Clean): Landon VanBeek - 350 lbs |
| Most Individual Money Raised: Colin Mick |
| Total Amount Raised: $65,100 (as of 3/8/2024) |
2023 Liftathon Winners:
| Weight Class | Name | Year | Position | Lift |
| 185 lbs & Below | Jackson Gillock | Jr | DB | 295 lbs |
| 186-200 lbs | Michael Herzog | Sr | TB | 325 lbs* |
| 201-225 lbs | Connor Stutz | Jr | WR | 320 lbs |
| 226-250 lbs | Ty Williams | Jr | HB | 325 lbs |
| 251-275 lbs | Riley Tolsma | Jr | DL | 365 lbs* |
| 276 lbs & Up | Carter Cushman | So | OL | 325 lbs |
*new weight class record
| 81 Athletes Participated |
| 32 of the 81 Chargers cleaned between 270-295 lbs |
| 13 of the 81 Chargers cleaned 300 lbs or more |
| Best Overall Lift (Power Clean): Riley Tolsma - 365 lbs (2023 Lift-a-thon best overall) |
| Total Amount Raised: $75,865 |
2022 Liftathon Winners and Recap:
| Weight Class | Name | Year | Position | Lift |
| 185 lbs & Below | Julius Graber | Jr | DB | 305 lbs |
| 186-200 lbs | Michael Herzog | Jr | TB | 295 lbs |
| 201-225 lbs | Isaac TeSlaa | So | WR | 315 lbs |
| 226-250 lbs | Riley Tolsma | So | LB | 365 lbs |
| 251-275 lbs | Kendall Tobin | Sr | DB | 345 lbs* |
| 276 lbs & Up | Ben Geno | Jr | OL | 300 lbs |
*tied record
| 72 Athletes Participated |
| 25 of the 72 Chargers cleaned between 270-295 lbs |
| 12 of the 72 Chargers cleaned 300 lbs or more |
| Best Overall Lift (Power Clean): Riley Tolsma - 365 lbs (2021 Lift-a-thon best overall) |
| Total Amount Raised: $63,880 (3/7/2022) |
2021 Liftathon Winners and Recap:
| Weight Class | Name | Year | Position | Lift |
| 185 lbs & Below | Ben Gendics | So | WR | 305 lbs |
| 186-200 lbs | Michael Herzog | So | TB | 315 lbs |
| 201-225 lbs | Jonathan Burton | Jr | LB | 340 lbs |
| 226-250 lbs | Riley Tolsma | Fr | LB | 355 lbs |
| 251-275 lbs | Joey Brenner | Jr | TE | 335 lbs |
| 276 lbs & Up | Jared Clark | Jr | OL | 325 lbs |
| 67 Athletes Participated |
| 12 of the 67 Chargers cleaned between 270-295 lbs |
| 19 of the 67 Chargers cleaned 300 lbs or more |
| Best Overall Lift (Power Clean): Riley Tolsma (Fr/LB) - 355 lbs |
| Total Amount Raised: $51,706 (3/3/2021) |
2020 Liftathon Winners and Recap:
| Weight Class | Name | Year | Position | Lift |
| 185 lbs & Below | Josh Peroni | rFr | DB | 310 lbs |
| 186-200 lbs | Jake Umholtz | rFr | RB | 310 lbs |
| 201-225 lbs | Kevin Stucker | rFr | TE | 325 lbs |
| 226-250 lbs | Kyle Parran | So | DE | 345 lbs |
| 251-275 lbs | Ryan Sellars | rFr | DL | 320 lbs |
| 276 lbs & Up | Joe Royer | So | DL | 335 lbs |
| 67 Athletes Participated |
| 22 of the 67 Chargers cleaned between 270-295 lbs |
| 16 of the 67 Chargers cleaned 300 lbs or more |
| 57 of the 67 (85%) set or matched a personal record |
| Best Overall Lift (Hang Clean): Kyle Parran - 345 lbs |
| Total Amount Raised: $51,659 |
2019 Liftathon Winners and Recap:
| Weight Class | Name | Year | Position | Lift |
| 185 lbs & Below | Jason McDonough | JR | DB | 300 lbs |
| 186-200 lbs | Alex Anshutz | SO | SLB | 305 lbs |
| 201-225 lbs | Wain Clarke | JR | LB | 345 lbs |
| 226-250 lbs | Kyle Kudla | FR | LB | 345 lbs |
| 251-275 lbs | Nate Canterberry | JR | DL | 325 lbs |
| 276 lbs & Up | Mark Konkle | JR | OL | 315 lbs |
| 70 Athletes Participated |
| 20 of the 70 Chargers cleaned between 270-295 lbs |
| 21 of the 70 Chargers cleaned 300 lbs or more |
| 60 of the 70 (86%) set or matched a personal record |
| Best Overall Lift (Hang Clean): Wain Clarke - 345 lbs |
| Total Amount Raised: $35,738 |
2018 Liftathon Winners and Recap: Video Link | Collegian Recap
| Weight Class | Name | Year | Position | Lift |
| 185 lbs & Below | Michael Valdez | FR | DB | 285 lbs |
| 186-200 lbs | Alex Zimmerman | JR | WR | 330 lbs |
| 201-225 lbs | Wain Clarke | SO | LB | 340lbs |
| 226-250 lbs | Jay Rose | SR | LB | 320 lbs |
| 251-275 lbs | Zach VanValkenburg | RS-FR | DL | 340 lbs |
| 276 lbs & Up | Drew Callahan | JR | OL | 360 lbs |
| 71 Athletes Participated | |||
| 26 of the 71 Chargers cleaned between 270-295 lbs. | |||
| 20 of the 71 Chargers cleaned 300 lbs. or more | |||
| 62 of the 71 (87%) set or matched a personal record | |||
| Best Overall Lift (Hang Clean): Drew Callahan - 360 lbs. | |||
| Total Amount Raised: $32,965 | |||
| ALL TIME LIFT-A-THON POWER CLEAN RECORDS | |||
| 175 & Below | Josh Peroni - DB | 2020 | 310 Pounds |
| 176-200 | Michael Herzog | 2023 | 325 Pounds |
| 201-225 | Tim Moinet - DB | 2014 | 350 Pounds |
| 226-250 | Cam White - HB | 2012 | 380 Pounds |
| 251-275 | Riley Tolsma - DL | 2023 | 365 Pounds |
| 276 & Up | Roger Stewart - DL Danny Drummond - OL |
2015 2015 |
365 Pounds |
| ALL TIME LIFT-A-THON HANG CLEAN RECORDS | |||
| 174 & Below | Will Danko - DB | 2010 | 310 Pounds |
| 175-199 | Alex Zimmerman - WR | 2017 | 350 Pounds |
| 200-224 | Ridge Riebold - LB | 2009 | 380 Pounds |
| 225-249 | Cam White - HB Ridge Riebold - DE |
2010 2010 |
365 Pounds |
| 250-274 | Phil Doerfler - OL | 2010 | 390 Pounds |
| 275 & Up | Jared Veldheer - OL | 2009 | 425 Pounds |
| *Mark Yassay - DL | 2009 | 420 Pounds | |
| ALL TIME LIFT-A-THON BENCH PRESS RECORDS | |||
| 181 & Below | Matt Chiodo Tim Lafferty |
1985 1989 |
360 Pounds |
| 182-198 | Stan Cook Dennis Burger |
1983 1987 |
405 Pounds |
| 199-214 | Brian Buckley | 1985 | 420 Pounds |
| 215-231 | Tony Scott | 1997 | 455 Pounds |
| 232-245 | Darrell DeWitt Tony Scott |
1994 1998 |
475 Pounds |
| 246 & Up | Bryan Bodell | 1996 | 500 Pounds |