WU’s Hastings grabs touchdown reception in Cactus Bowl all-star game

Washburn’s Joe Hastings hauled in a third quarter touchdown pass and Michael Wilhoite tied for third on the team in tackles in the 2011 Cactus Bowl All-Star game. Both playing on the Blue Devils team along with placekicker Steve Ivanisevic, the trio fell 28-6 to the Red Storm squad.

Hastings recorded his touchdown grab with 56 seconds remaining in the third quarter giving the Blue Devils team their first and only points of the game on a 4-yard touchdown grab. He would go on to finish with a team-high six receptions for 75 yards. Hastings was a third team Little Associated Press All-American selection while leading the MIAA in receiving yards with 1,546 while recording 87 receptions, both single season records at Washburn.

Wilhoite finished with five tackles during the game and Ivansievic had one kickoff for 64 yards while missing a 42-yard field goal attempt at the end of the first half.

Ivanisevic earned first team Little AP honors for the second straight season after he was selected last year as well. Ivanisevic, who will take part in the Cactus Bowl all-star game in January, was also an American Football Coaches Association All-American pick who also earned unanimous first team all-MIAA honors and second team Daktronics All-American honors along with first team Daktronics all-region honors as well as the MIAA’s Special Teams Player of the Year after leading the MIAA in field goal percentage hitting 16 of 18 attempts including a season-high 49 yard attempt. He also connected on all 50 of his extra point attempts. He finished third in the MIAA in scoring averaging 8.2 points per game accounting for 98 points on the season for the Ichabods. He led the MIAA kick-scorers as well. He finished 11 in the nation in field goals per game at 1.33 and 30th in the nation in scoring. He was an Associated Press Little All-American selection as a junior. He tied his own school record with four field goals in a single game against Nebraska-Omaha and he averaged 60.6 yards per kickoff with 11 touchbacks. He was 7 of 8 on field goals between 30 and 39 yards and 3 of 4 on attempts between 40 and 49 yards. He was a perfect 5 of 5 from inside 29 yards this season. He was a second team all-MIAA pick as a junior as well as a 2009 Associated Press Little All-American selection and a second team Football Gazette second team All-American choice as well.

Wilhoite played linebacker, defensive end and free safety for the Ichabods this season earning honorable mention all-MIAA honors as a senior. He recorded 81 tackles with eight tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He finished his career with 203 career tackles with 109 solo stops and 16 tackles for loss. He also had three interceptions including one for a touchdown against West Texas A&M in the NCAA playoffs.