One would think that winning three consecutive national championships would earn some respect from opponents, so when Jim Christopherson, head coach of the 1986 Concordia-Moorhead football team, questioned the quality of Augustana’s secondary, it didn’t sit well with senior cornerback Troy Westerman.
Westerman responded by returning the opening kickoff of the teams’ national quarterfinal game 85 yards for a touchdown. That was just the start however, as he returned first-quarter punts 29 and 45 yards to set up the Vikings’ next two touchdowns. Augustana led 27-0 after the opening period and 41-0 at the half on its way to a 41-7 win. The “suspect” Viking secondary intercepted four Cobber passes that day, including one by Westerman. A week later, Augustana steamrolled Salisbury State 31-3 in the Stagg Bowl for its fourth straight NCAA Division III national title.
A star running back at Princeville High School in Princeville, Illinois, the fleet Westerman became a fixture in the Augustana defensive secondary, lettering for each of coach Bob Reade’s national championship squads and starting on the final three. He was a two-time second team All-CCIW selection and a team captain as a senior, when he also received All-America recognition from CoSIDA and Pizza Hut. The Vikings compiled an incredible 49-0-1 record during his four years.
As a sophomore, Westerman intercepted three passes against Elmhurst and matched that total against Union in a national semifinal matchup, tying a school single-game record for picks which still stands. He had two interceptions in 1985 and four in 1986—including one which he returned 48 yards for a touchdown against North Park—and finished his career with an even dozen.
While Reade’s defenses were always formidable, the 1986 unit, which Westerman captained with Lynn Thomsen, was exceptional. With Westerman leading them in tackles, the Vikings allowed an average of just 5.6 points and 159.6 total yards per game. Augustana forced an incredible 63 turnovers that season, including 42 interceptions. In addition, Troy and his mates allowed just 101 rushing yards during the entire conference season, an average of 12.6 yards per game which still stands as a CCIW record.
Westerman’s contributions on special teams matched those he made on defense. He averaged 33.1 yards per kickoff return as a senior and, like he did against Concordia, returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown against Carthage. He was also outstanding on kick coverage. He averaged 8.7 yards per punt return as a senior and 10.8 his junior year.
A 1987 Augustana graduate with a degree in business administration, Westerman has been with ExxonMobile Corporation for 24 years and currently serves as a regional wholesale manager. He lives in Wheaton, Illinois with wife Susan, a 1989 Augustana graduate. The couple has three sons, Jake (19), Noah (15) and Luke (12). Troy is involved in coaching youth sports and is a board member for the Wheaton Rams youth football program. He also volunteers for Special Olympics.
Of his college days, Westerman says, “My years at Augie shaped who I am as a person. From academics, to athletics, to friendships made, I will always treasure my time at Augustana.”
