Bio

John Dettmann enjoyed a record-setting career as a member of the UW-Oshkosh football team from 1978-81. The Algoma native still holds UW-Oshkosh records for pass receptions in a game (16), season (67) and career (129).

Dettmann enjoyed his finest season in 1981 when he received NAIA All-America honorable mention and All-WSUC first team recognition. Dettmann also received UW-Oshkosh's Most Valuable Player award that season after catching 67 passes for 738 yards and eight touchdowns. His 60 pass receptions during WSUC play led the league, while his 648 receiving yards and 48 points scored ranked third. Dettmann's 16 catches in a 10-7 loss to UW-River Falls that season also set a school single game mark.

After playing sparingly as a freshman, Dettmann received All-WSUC second team honors in 1979 after catching 36 passes for 643 yards and six touchdowns. During an injury-plagued 1980 campaign, he caught 24 passes for 316 yards and two touchdowns. Dettmann concluded his career with 129 pass receptions for 1,715 yards and 16 touchdowns. His receiving yards rank fourth all-time in program history.

Following his career at UW-Oshkosh, Dettmann fulfilled a lifelong dream by signing a professional contract with the Green Bay Packers in 1982. Dettmann suffered a knee injury during his tryout with the Packers and was released at the end of the season.

Dettmann returned to UW-Oshkosh after his release by the Packers and graduated in May of 1983. Since graduation, Dettmann has held positions of fitness instructor at the Oshkosh YMCA; corporate director at the Downtown YMCA in Houston, Texas; corporate director at the Enron Corporation in Houston; and executive director of the Downtown YMCA in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Dettmann was reunited with intercollegiate athletics in 1990 when he was named one of the strength coaches at the University of Wisconsin, and last December he was named the head strength coach.