Joel Moritz, ’95 – Moritz lettered in football for four seasons and in track and wrestling for three seasons each.
Moritz established himself as a top defensive player with school records for total tackles for single-game and career, and tackle assists for career through 2009. An outstanding player on special teams, Moritz holds Concordia’s records in blocked kicks with three in a single game, eight in a season and nine in a career.
Moritz contributed to a memorable Cougars’ win in the 1994 Homecoming game versus Lakeland College when he returned two interceptions for touchdowns, the second a 70-yarder in the final seconds that wrapped up a 35-24 victory and earned him the National Division III Co-Defensive Player of the Week by the Don Hansen Football Gazette. His 1994 post-season honors included being named the Illini-Badger Conference Most Valuable Defensive Back and a second-team Associated Press All-American at strong safety.
In track, Moritz was a member of the school-record 4 x 400-meter relay team that set a mark of 3:23 during the 1993 season. His time of 22.0 seconds in the 200-meter dash stood as a school record for 12 years.
Following graduation, Moritz served as an assistant football and track coach at Concordia. He also coached football at Walther Lutheran High School and helped to restart the athletic program at St. Paul Lutheran School in Brookfield, Illinois.
Moritz earned his B.A. in elementary education in 1993 and his M.S. in reading instruction in 2003.
