Resume: Niko Jemilo has appeared in 24 games in three seasons with the Loras College football team. Jemilo – a linebacker – put together his best season with the Duhawks in 2024 as a junior, collecting 55 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two deflected passes and one forced fumble in nine games played. Jemilo had 11 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and one forced fumble in a game against Dubuque in October.
Jemilo
Jemilo graduated from Stoughton High School in 2022 and competed in football, wrestling and baseball with the Vikings.
Most memorable team accomplishment you’ve been a part of in college?
Defeating nationally-ranked Central College my sophomore year. The game was won on a field goal, and it was some of the happiest I’ve seen my teammates and coaches and it was such a great team win.
Most memorable individual athletic achievement/moment in college?
My 11-tackle, three-sack, 4.5–tackle for loss, one-forced fumble game against our rivals University of Dubuque this past year.
Biggest difference competing in high school versus college?
The biggest difference is the speed of the game. Even though it is Division III football, the game is much faster. The size and speed of the players is crazy. I remember being 190 my freshman year and feeling like a little kid out there.
What’s your major and what career do you see yourself in after graduation?
My major is Elementary Education, and I am getting my endorsement in Special Education. I see myself becoming a middle school special education teacher somewhere in Dane County or Rock County.
High school athletic memory that you still cherish?
I remember in a game our senior year against Sauk Prairie we were in our ‘Hippo’ package on offense so a lot of us defensive guys were in there on offense running a Wing-T almost. But we called a pass play and this is the only time we passed out of this formation all year and I remember me and Leighton Hart both went out for a pass, and I see the ball soaring over my head and I look up and I see Leighton streaking down the sideline and he extended to make a fingertip catch and took it into the end zone. Me and Luke Pugh absolutely bombarded him in the end zone and that is one of the core memories from high school.
Teammate(s) you miss playing/competing with the most?
I miss playing with my boys Leighton Hart, Luke Pugh and John Harman. We were all best friends from middle school, and we pushed each other to be better and had so much fun while doing so. Couldn’t ask for better teammates and friends.
Coach(es) that had the greatest impact on you?
High school I would say that all of my coaches had a really big impact on me. From football with coach Becker (head coach) and coach Gueths (linebacker coach). Both of these guys believed in me and pushed me to play football at the next level.
Wrestling with coach Spilde and coach Empey, who motivated me to get through which is still the hardest thing I’ve ever done, which is cutting to 170 my senior year. I am very thankful that I did that looking back at it because it made me a much tougher individual both mentally and physically.
Finally, to baseball with coach Dunnihoo. Even though we didn’t have the best team success my senior year, I had so much fun and me and Dhoo built such a great relationship throughout my time at Stoughton. I am so thankful for all of the wonderful coaches I was blessed to have, and they have all made such a positive impact on me not just as a player but as a young adult.
In college I am very blessed to say that I am in a program where I have built a great relationship with the whole coaching staff. I feel like that can be a rare thing on a college football team. I am so appreciative of coach Helminiak (head coach), coach Bower (defensive coordinator), coach Hipp (linebacker coach), coach Blaze (D-line coach), coach Powers (receivers coach) and coach Olsen (offensive coordinator).
Throughout my time at Loras, all these coaches have made me much more mature. They have been very hard on me at times and it’s hard to see the why behind it until you look back and see that every single coach on that staff cares about you and truly want to see you succeed not just on the field but in the classroom, as a son, as a brother, a future father, as an employee, etc. They have taught me so many valuable life lessons that I will carry with me way beyond college. All my coaches care about our whole program tremendously and I couldn’t be happier to be playing football for Loras. It is something I’m going to carry with me the rest of my life.