Women's Basketball

December 8, 2001

STEVENS POINT - Tanya Halbach (Jr, Janesville) hit a jumper with 27 seconds remaining in the game to lift UW-Stout to a 72-71 win over previously undefeated UW-Stevens Point, Saturday, Dec. 8 at Stevens Point.

Trailing 69-65 with 1-minute, 39-seconds left, Stout's Bonnie Thoe (So, Hayfield, Minn) made her first bucket of the game to pull Stout (7-2, 3-0) to within two. The Pointers' Tara Schmitt put her team back up by four, but Thoe connected again underneath to pull Stout back to two. The four points were Thoe's only points of the game.

The Pointers (8-1, 1-1) turned the ball over with 48 seconds remaining, then fouled Stout's Laura Verdegan (So, Tony). Verdegan hit one charity shot to make the score, 71-70, in favor of the Pointers. Stout again forced a turnover with 32 seconds left and five seconds later, Halbach hit the game winner.

The Pointers had two opportunities in the final seconds, but the off balance shots caromed off the iron.

Blue Devil coach Mark Thomas was ecstatic about his team beating the fourth ranked team in NCAA Division III.

"This was a great ball game," Thomas said. "There were a lot of big plays by a lot of people. I can't even single anyone out. We did a good job in the paint on both ends of the floor and the point guards did a good job."

Stout led for almost the entire game, but the Pointers pulled ahead with eight minutes left in the contest. Stout only took the lead twice in the last eight minutes until hitting the winning bucket.

Stout's Amy Zelinger (Sr, Racine) led all scorers with 15 points. Verdegan finished with 11 points and nine rebounds. Stacie Anderson (Sr, Clayton) and Lindsey Erichsen (Fr, Spring Valley, Minn) each dropped in 10 points. Halbach closed the game with eight points.

The Pointers' Carry Boehning and Amanda Nechuta each scored 13 points. Amie Schultz added 12 points and Andrea Kraemer finished with 11.

The Blue Devils will host UW-Eau Claire, Wednesday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. to close out first semester play. Stout will host their annual Snowflake Jamboree, Dec. 28-29.

December 5, 2001

MENOMONIE - A cool breeze was blowing into Johnson Fieldhouse just as the second half started and UW-Stout started the second half stone cold. It took a couple of freshmen players to light the fire in the Blue Devils and launch Stout to a 92-72 win over UW-La Crosse, Wednesday, Dec. 5, in Menomonie.

Holding a cushy 15 point, 41-27, halftime lead, the Eagles (3-5, 0-2) cut Stout's lead to five, 41-36, before the Blue Devils (6-2, 2-0) scored almost four minutes into the half. Tanya Halbach (Jr, Janesville) hit a 3-pointer and Jessie Herrman (So, Barron) tickled the twine to get Stout off center, but the Eagles battled back again to within six points.

Lindsey Erichsen (Fr, Spring Valley, Minn) scored four points, Bonnie Thoe (So, Hayfield, Minn) added a bucket and Erichsen added two more charity shots to give Stout a 54-43 lead with 14 minutes remaining.

Enter freshmen guard Erin Churchill (Plum City) who scored eight points over the next 1-minute, 5-seconds and catapulted Stout to a 64-49 lead. Stout never trailed by less than 13 points the rest of the way.

Stout held the Eagles' starting guards to only five first half points, but the Eagles front court players couldn't be denied - and their backcourt players did a number as well as they cut Stout's halftime lead.

Herrman tied for game scoring honors with the Eagles' Brooke Croshier as both players scored 14 points. Churchill finished with 13 points. Stacie Anderson (Sr, Clayton) scored 12, Thoe added 11 and Erichsen tossed in 10.

The Eagles got 10 from Yasmin Johnson.

The Eagles turned the ball over 35 times, and Stout made the Eagles pay by scoring 46 points off turnovers. The Blue Devils had trouble hanging onto the ball, recording 26 turnovers.

Men's Basketball

December 8, 2001

MENOMONIE - UW-Stout had as much as a 13 point lead midway through the second half, but UW-Stevens Point roared back to within one with 2-minutes, 16-seconds remaining. A three-point play by Stout's Barrington Smith (Jr, Oklahoma City, Okla) and a steal by Dave Loewe (Sr, Hiles) swung the momentum back Stout's way and the Blue Devils carried a 72-61 win out of Johnson Fieldhouse, Saturday, Dec. 8.

Loewe, who finished with a team-high 19 points, nailed back-to-back 3-pointers to lift Stout (5-4, 2-1) to the 13 point lead. The Pointers (7-2, 0-2) retaliated when Nick Bennett hit a field goal and 3-pointer around the five minute mark. Jason Kalsow hit consecutive lay-ups to pull the Pointers to within one point, 60-59, with 2:16 left in the game.

Smith followed with his baseline drive and drew the foul to give Stout a 63-59 lead. Stout finished the game making 7-of-8 free throws in the final 43 seconds. Nate Templer (So, Beaver Dam) connected on 3-of-4 free throws in the final 20 seconds and finished off the night with a steal and a thunderous dunk to put the wraps on the game.

The Blue Devils held a decided advantage at the charity stripe, hitting 15-of-21 freebies while the Pointers nailed both of their only trips to stripe.

Stout trailed only three times in the game, twice late in the first half, and then early in the second half. Loewe almost singlehandedly pushed aside the Pointer short-lived lead, hitting a 3-pointer, a lay-up and a free throw in the opening two minutes.

Templer and Steve Krueger (Sr, Three Lakes) each pitched in 16 points and Jeff Vandenberghe (So, Coon Rapids, Minn) collected 11 points. Stout held a 32-21 advantage in rebounds.

The Pointers' Bennett took scoring honors with 20 points. Kalsow had 16 points.

Stout will be at UW-Eau Claire, Wednesday, Dec. 12 and will close first semester play by hosting Viterbo University, Saturday, Dec. 15.

December 5, 2001

LA CROSSE - UW-Stout post player Steve Krueger (Sr, Three Lakes) had a big game, but unfortunately for the Blue Devils, no one else did and Stout fell at UW-La Crosse, 65-60, Wednesday, Dec. 5.

Krueger collected a double-double, knocking down 25 points and collecting 15 rebounds - the first time a Stout player has had 15 or more rebounds since Dec. 5, 1998.

The Blue Devils (4-4, 1-1) trailed throughout the entire game, holding a lead only twice - early in the game with a 2-0 lead and then again with 5-minutes, 32-second left in the game. Nate Templer (So, Beaver Dam) canned a basket to tie at 49 apiece, then gave Stout a 50-49 lead on a free throw. The Eagles hit back-to-back 3-pointers to take a 55-50 lead and kept Stout at bay the rest of the way.

Krueger scored 17 points in the second half and had eight rebounds in the second stanza. Dave Larson (Sr, LaCrescent, Minn) had nine points. Templer had four blocked shots and four steals. Stout's bench managed only eight points.

The Eagles (7-1, 2-0) had four players in double figures with Scott Meerstein leading the way with 18 points. Casey Taggatz and Eddie Hebert each finished with 15 points and Matt Schultz had 13 points.

Men's Ice Hockey

December 8, 2001

MENOMONIE - St. Thomas scored three goals in the third period to break a 3-3 tie and take a 6-3 win over UW-Stout, Saturday, Dec. 8 at the Dunn County Ice Arena.

The Tommies (8-2-0) scored two quick goals in the middle of the third period, then picked up an empty net goal with less than a minute remaining.

Stout (4-8-0) came out hot in this contest, scoring two goals in the first eight minutes. Nate Legler (So, Lakeville, Minn) scored with 3-minutes, 37-seconds off the clock, getting an assist by Joe Berry (Sr, Apple Valley, Minn). Mitch Kellin (So, Cohasset, Minn) scored four minutes later, with help from Drew Nichols (Jr, Victoria, Minn) and Charlie O'Hearn (So, Traverse City, Mich).

The Blue Devils forged a tie when Dan Winkler (So, Brooklyn Center, Minn) scored unassisted with eight minutes remaining in the period.

Ben Plester (Sr, Chemainus, BC) kicked out 35 shots for Stout, while Kevin Hennessey recorded 22 saves.

Stout will close out first semester action Saturday, Dec. 15 when they host Augsburg College at 7:30 p.m.

December 7, 2001

MENOMONIE - After falling behind 2-0 after one period, UW-Stout chipped away at St. Mary's lead and got goals in the second and third periods, but the Cardinals quickly scored in overtime to carry home a 3-2 victory, Friday, Dec. 7, at the Dunn County Ice Arena.

Trailing 2-0 late in the second period, Drew Nichols (Jr, Victoria, Minn) somehow found the net in the midst of a crowd to put Stout on the board with 1-minute, 5-seconds remaining in the period. Mitch Kellin (So, Cohasset, Minn) picked up the assist.

The Blue Devils (4-7) stayed hot, opening the third period when Joe Berry (Sr, Apple Valley, Minn) scored a shorthanded goal with just over four minutes off the clock, taking an assist from Tony Farnsworth (So, Buffalo, Minn).

The Cardinals' (8-1-1) Lenny Hoffmann scored unassisted 1:02 into the overtime period.

St. Mary's got on the five minutes into the game when Nick Meeker scored. Two minutes later, the Cardinals' Jason Fillipps scored to give St. Mary's a 2-0 lead.

The Cards outshot Stout, 33-32, with Stout's Jeff Dotson (So, Chanhassen, Minn) picking up the loss and collecting 30 saves. Eric Richardson had 30 saves for St. Mary's.

Women's Gymnastics

December 7, 2001

OSHKOSH - UW-Stout freshman Lacey Schroedl (Minneapolis, Minn) made a favorable impression in her first collegiate gymnastics meet as she collected a second place on the vault and third place on the floor exercise as the Blue Devils opened their season in a triangular meet at UW-Oshkosh that also included Hamline University, Friday, Dec. 7.

Schroedl placed second to 2001 NCGA all-around champion Melissa Stanton of Hamline on the vault, hitting a score of 8.65, then placed third on the floor exercise with an 8.975.

As a team, Stout placed third with 157.225 points. Hamline won the meet with 169.125 points and Oshkosh was second with 165.35.

Tasha Pasch (Jr, Northfield, Minn) placed fourth on the balance beam (8.65) and in the all-around (33.15).

Stout will be at UW-River Falls, Friday, Dec. 14.

Uneven Bars: 1. Melissa Stanton (Hamline) 9.475; Tasha Pasch 7.90; Erika Opoien 7.80; Lacey Schroedl 7.60; Mandi Neuman 7.55; Scarlett Ramey 6.45

Balance Beam: 1. Jennie Williams (Osh) 9.10; 4. Tasha Pasch 8.65; Lacey Schroedl, Mandi Neuman 7.50; Jill Birschbach, Erika Opoien 7.35; Scarlett Ramey 6.20

Floor Exercise: 1. Jennie Williams (Osh) 9.10; 3. Lacey Schroedl 8.975; Erika Opoien 8.65; Mandi Neuman, Tasha Pasch 8.45; Scarlett Ramey 7.35

All-Around: 1. Melissa Stanton (Hamline) 36.275; 4. Tasha Pasch 33.15; Lacey Schroedl 32.725; Mandi Neuman 31.30; Erika Opoien 30.65; Scarlett Ramey 27.40.

Football

December 10, 2001

MENOMONIE - UW-Stout defensive back Tony Beckham (Sr, Ocala, Fla/Forest) was named to the 2001 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division III Coaches All-America Team.

Beckham was the only Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) player named to the team which is the only All-America team selected solely by coaches. Beckham is also the second consecutive Blue Devil named to the team. Defensive lineman Jeff Hazuga, who now plays for the Minnesota Vikings, was named to the 2000 team.

Beckham, a two-time first team all-WIAC selection, has been chosen to play in the Blue Gray All-Star Football Classic on Christmas Day and the Rotary Gridiron Classic in January. He was also a first team All-West Region selection.

Beckham finished with 29 solo tackles and 14 assists. He had one interception for 35 yards and this year diversified his game. Beckham excelled at kickoff returns where he led the league with 22.4 yards per return and returned one 89 yards for a score. Beckham was utilized as a wide receiver and hauled in seven passes for 183 yards and three touchdowns. In the first game of the season, Beckham caught two passes - both for touchdowns - and returned a kickoff for a score.

Women's Cross Country

December 9, 2001

MENOMONIE - Lacey Osuldsen (Fr, Ladysmith/Bruce HS) was named the most valuable runner for the UW-Stout women's cross country team, coach Joe Harlan announced at the team's annual awards banquet, Sunday, Dec. 9.

Osuldsen led the team at the No. 1 spot throughout much of the season in her first year competing in college cross country. Osuldsen has been a member of the Stout women's track and field distance team for three years. Osuldsen clocked a best season time of 19-minutes, 14-seconds in placing 41st at the NCAA Division III regional meet, Nov. 10, in Rock Island, Ill. Osuldsen placed 31 at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) meet in a time of 19:39.9, Oct. 23 at Colfax.

Terra Dahlheimer (Jr, St. Michael, Minn) and Meredith Nordberg (Sr, Bloomington, Minn/Jefferson) were awarded the most improved returner awards. Jenny Hopps (Fr, Coon Rapids, Minn) received the outstanding newcomer award. Ellen Everson (Sr, Blair) was named most inspirational.

Dahlheimer's top time was 20:42.8 at the Midwest Challenge, Oct. 5, while Nordberg clocked her top time 20:06.2 at the conference meet. Hopps met her best time at the St. Olaf Invitational, Sept. 22, of 22:32.

Amy Arndt (Sr, Lakefield, Minn) and Heidi Bedsted (Jr, Plainview, Minn) were honored as 2001 team captains.

Updated: December 10, 2001