The University of Minnesota Duluth football team announced its six captains for the 2024 season Monday, including four graduate students, one senior and one redshirt junior. The new Bulldog captains are graduate student linebacker Drew Hennessey, fifth-year linebacker Andrew Klopp, senior defensive back Jacob Mogensen, graduate tight end Sam Pitz, redshirt junior Kyle Walljasper and fifth-year offensive lineman Aiden Williams.

"We are excited about what leadership these six captains will provide for the 2024 season," said UMD head coach Curt Wiese. "They have all been leaders in our program and our community, and are deserving of a team voted leadership role."

Hennessey, out of Highland, Wis. was third in the NSIC in sacks per game, and posted nine on the season. A 2023 NSIC All-Conference First Team Defense selection, he ranked fourth in the NSIC for 1.23 tackles per loss a game. Hennessey was also a 2022 NSIC All-Conference First Team Defense honoree, and is a three-time member of the NSIC All-Academic Team.

Klopp, who hails from Baldwin, Wis., ranked second for the Bulldogs with 43 total tackles, including 29 solo efforts. A 2023 NSIC All-Conference First Team Defense selection, Klopp averaged 5.5 tackles per loss a game for a total of 25 overall.

Mogensen, a product of Waukesha, Wis., ranked third on the team with 6.5 tackles per loss a game for a total of 27. With two sacks, Mogensen recorded 35 tackles – 28 of which were solo.

Pitz, a three-time NSIC All Conference selection -- including two-time First Team nods -- posted the most offensive season of his career, earning Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-American Honorable Mention honors for his work. The native of Appleton, Wis. caught nine touchdowns passes in 2023, dwarfing his TD output of his first three seasons combined. A two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Football Team member after earning the honor again last fall, Pitz was also a 2023 First Team CSC Academic All-American. A 2023 CCA All-Super Region 4 First Team Selection, Pitz was one of two Bulldogs named to the 2023 D2Fotball.com Elite 100. 

Walljasper had a breakout season for the Bulldogs in 2023. The product of Fond du Lac, Wis., had 39 total touchdowns this season -- tying him for the second most touchdowns in a single season in program history. Walljasper ran for 1,073 yards and 16 touchdowns, while passing for 1,580 yards and 22 TDs and added one touchdown reception. While leading the NSIC with his 16 rushing TDs across all positions, Walljasper also posted a league-best 9.3 points per game average over the entire season, and turned in eight games where he scored three or more touchdowns, including five contests where he accounted for four or more TDs. A 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Football Team pick, Walljasper was a 2023 NSIC Second Team Offense selection, and was also named to the NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence.

Williams, a product of Anchorage, Alaska, is a two-time all NSIC Second Team honoree after earning the accolades again in 2023. Part of a crew of lineman that were pivotal in UMD's rushing offense that led the NSIC and ranked seventh in the nation over the regular season, and averaged 243.8 yards a game.

The newly minted captains will be part of a UMD squad that will take on Bemidji State University Wednesday inside James S. Malosky Stadium. The spring game will get underway at 4:00 p.m.