The "Macalester Scotlight" is a special feature series that runs throughout each sports season and highlights individuals within the Macalester College Athletics Department who have a unique story to share.

Front page photo credited to Jody Russell

Link to "Scotlight" video on Will Dhonau

The success of any athletic program can of course be credited to great coaching, but most coaches would say that having good players and leaders as a part of the program play an integral part in finding success on and off the playing field.

The Macalester College football program has seen constant improvement during Head Coach Tony Jennison's four years at the helm. And like most successful programs, Jennison's team has had great leadership to help fuel its efforts as a group.

One player in particular, though, stands out for Jennison as an impressive vocal leader who also sets the example of what hard work and dedication should look like within the Macalester football program. That player is Will Dhonau, a senior defensive lineman from Fond du Lac, Wis., who truly embodies what it means to be a Division III student-athlete in its purest form.

“Will is the kind of leader you want as a part of your program,” said Jennison, who recruited Dhonau when he took over the program in 2008. “He will talk about what needs to be done and then he'll go out and do it.”

Dhonau's ambition to succeed and passion for football have driven him into a natural leadership role that he has fully embraced as a senior on the team and credits to his predecessors.

“In the past, we have had so many great leaders and role models who I have looked up to,” Dhonau said. “Now as a senior in a leadership role, I think I have really embraced it. I'm having fun getting to know the younger guys and helping them along as players.”

Jennison said Dhonau is the type of individual who younger players respond well to because of the energy he brings to the team and his ability to take on adverse situations.

“[Dhonau] is the kind of guy who gets other players going and really energizes the team at different times throughout practice and games,” Jennison said. “The young men on this team look to him in certain situations and how he will respond. The best part about Will is that he always responds in the way you hoped he would.”

Dhonau, though modest about his role on the team, sees himself as the type of player that every team needs in order to find success by keeping the atmosphere light and interesting.

“I like to have fun at practice and I'm always signing and goofing around,” Dhonau said. “I'm a true believer that football should be fun. Whether it's practice or a game, it should be fun”

Dhonau's attitude and demeanor as a player comes from a true appreciation for the opportunity that he has to play football at the collegiate level, one that he feels is often overlooked.

“A lot of people get done playing in high school and see it as the end of their career without getting a scholarship to play at a big school,” Dhonau said. “A lot of people don't realize what a special opportunity Division III is. The opportunity I have had to play here has been the experience of a lifetime and helped me realize that football is something that is going to be part of me for the rest of my life.”

As a student-athlete at Macalester, Dhonau has been able to fully embrace the opportunities presented to him on and off the field. His passion for football has grown into a desire to coach in the future and potentially work in athletic administration.

Dhonau has also been able to fully pursue academic interests and participate in community service efforts. As an English and Educational Studies double major, Dhonau is student teaching tenth-grade English at a local high school.

For the last two years, Dhonau has also been an integral part in the football team's participation in Relay for Life, a cause he is very passionate about and feels athletic teams should activiely help promote on campus.

“Relay for Life is something I strongly believe in and feel it is important for everyone to be involved in,” Dhonau said. “Almost everyone has been impacted by cancer before and [Relay for Life] is a great cause to be involved with.”

The passion Dhonau has for every aspect of his life is what truly sets him apart from other student-athletes and makes him a great example of what it means to be a Division III and Macalester student-athlete.

“When you're passionate about something, you are doing a disservice not to see it through, especially when in comes to athletics,” said Dhonau. “The opportunity to continue playing a sport is an opportunity you shouldn't give up on. I'm still playing a sport I love and I don't have a bad thing to say about my experience as a Division III student-athlete.”

“Will is a typical Macalester student,” said Jennison. “He's very committed academically and works hard at everything he does. He's a very good person who is serious about his academics and just happens to love football.”

Even more than Dhonau's ability to work hard or his leadership skills, though, Jennison is impressed with the growth Dhonau has shown since coming to Macalester and the type of individual he has become.

“I think [Dhonau] came [to Macalester] unsure of what to expect and very guarded,” Jennison said. “He has grown tremendously and is a winner at everything he does. Will has grown into a man and someone any parent or coach would be proud of.”

Dhonau's story is a true testament to the belief that Division III schools like Macalester can really allow athletics to be an integral part of having a well-rounded, transformational and rewarding college experience.