Women's Basketball

February 9, 2002

MENOMONIE - UW-Stout defeated UW-Whitewater, 80-62, Saturday, Feb. 9 to earn at least a share of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) crown at Johnson Fieldhouse.

Stout (19-4, 14-1) will play at UW-Superior Wednesday, Feb. 13 and a win would give the Blue Devils their first-ever conference crown they did not share. Stout shared the title with UW-Eau Claire during the 1996-97 season. Stout could have taken sole possession of the title today had UW-Oshkosh defeated UW-Stevens Point. But the Pointers, who have two games remaining and a conference record of 12-2, defeated the Titans, 68-51, at Stevens Point.

Stout did assure themselves of the No. 1 seed and home court advantage in the WIAC tournament, which starts Feb. 18.

The Blue Devils started off the game on a tear as all four of the seniors started on Senior Day. Stout jumped out to a 27-8 lead with 12 minutes left in the first half, then held back a Warhawk (8-15, 4-11) comeback attempt where Whitewater pulled to within nine points, 34-25, with three minutes remaining.

Lindsey Erichsen (Fr, Spring Valley, Minn) and Amy Zelinger (Sr, Racine) led a Stout surge in the final minutes of the half to give Stout a 43-31 halftime lead. Zelinger scored five points during the stretch and Erichsen scored four.

Stout put the Warhawks away early in the second half by going on an 11-2 run to take a 23 point lead. Stout stretched the lead to as much as 26 points late in the game.

Stout got 13 points from Erichsen, Tanya Halbach (Jr, Janesville) and Laura Verdegan (So, Tony) and 11 points from Bethany Halvorson (Sr, Independence). Sara Kahl (So, Menomonie) pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds. The Blue Devils outrebounded the Warhawks, 45-30.

The Warhawks were led Nya Geschke, who had a game-high 15 points. Katie Rechlicz scored 13, Jamie Carollo added 11 and Cathy Rossi 10.

February 6, 2002

RIVER FALLS - With only one player in double figures, UW-Stout used a balanced attack to come back from a halftime deficit to down UW-River Falls, 72-65, Wednesday, Feb. 6 at River Falls.

The Blue Devils (18-4, 13-1) got 10 points from Laura Verdegan (So, Tony), with seven coming in the second half, to turn a 35-27 shortfall around and stay on top of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) all by themselves. UW-Stevens Point defeated UW-Eau Claire, 70-60, to stay within earshot of the Blue Devils at 11-2 in league play, with their only losses coming to Stout.

Stout fell behind with eight minutes gone of the first half clock, and did not take the lead until seven minutes into the second half on a jumper by Bonnie Thoe (So, Hayfield, Minn). But the Falcons (10-12, 4-9) did not roll over, took the lead and did not relinquish it until Amy Zelinger (Sr, Racine) popped the lid to the basket to break the sixth tie of the half, giving Stout a 64-62 lead at the 3:22 mark.

Verdegan scored six points - four on free throws - in the final two minutes of the contest to seal the win.

Stout had a decent night at the line, connecting on 21-of-30 free throws, while the Falcons hit 13-of-15. Stout controlled the boards, holding a 43-33 lead.

The Falcons' Melissa McKernon led all scorers with 20 points. Darcy Olsen added 15 and Tara Wakefield 13.

February 5, 2002

MENOMONIE - Tanya Halbach (Jr, Janesville/Craig) hit the game-winning free throw with 1.7 seconds remaining to lift UW-Stout to a 72-71 win over UW-Oshkosh, Saturday, Feb. 2. Only four seconds earlier, Halbach tied the score at 71-71 with a free throw. For her efforts, Halbach was named the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) player of the week.

Halbach scored 17 points in the win to keep Stout in sole possession of first place in the WIAC. Earlier in the second half, Halbach scored eight points over a stretch to lead Stout to a 15-point lead.

Halbach scored 12 points earlier in the week in a 71-65 win over UW-Eau Claire. On the week, Halbach scored 29 points (10-for-21 from the floor, 4-for-10 from 3-point range, 5-for-7 from the line), pulled down eight rebounds, had four assists and two steals.

Men's Basketball

February 9, 2002

WHITEWATER - Andy Bray (So, Menominee, Mich) and Nate Templer (So, Beaver Dam) combined for 40 points, but it wouldn't be enough as UW-Stout lost, 89-82, to UW-Whitewater, Saturday, Feb. 9 at Whitewater.

Both Bray and Templer got the bulk of their points in the first half as the Blue Devils (11-12, 6-9) took a 37-34 halftime lead. Bray scored 13 of his career-high 21 points in the first half, while Templer scored 11 of his 19 points in the first stanza.

The Warhawks (17-6, 10-5) slowly chipped away at the Blue Devil lead, and took the lead for good with 15-minutes, 12-seconds remaining in the game, building up to as much as a 16 point lead with two minutes left in the game.

Stout did make a run at the Warhawks, outscoring them down the final stretch, 12-3, but could never get closer than five points.

The Warhawks' London Donlow led Whitewater with 20 points. Aubrey Lewis-Byers tossed in 19 points - all in the second half - for the home team, Andre Hicks added 13 and Nick Smith finished with 11 points.

Dave Loewe (Sr, Hiles) added 11 points for Stout.

Perhaps someone should check the varnish around the free throw area at Williams Center. The teams combined for 73 free throw attempts, with Stout canning 24-of-31 opportunities and Whitewater hitting 32-of-42. Bray was a perfect 7-of-7 from the line for Stout, while Lewis-Byers was 9-of-9. Stout had three players foul out, while the Warhawks lost two players to fouls.

Stout will close out the regular season and the home season, Wednesday, Feb. 13 when they host UW-Superior at 7 p.m.

February 6, 2002

MENOMONIE - First, UW-Stout lost. Then they won. When the final verdict came in, the Blue Devils lost, 70-68, to UW-River Falls, Wednesday, Feb. 6 at Johnson Fieldhouse.

After Stout's Nate Templer (So, Beaver Dam) gave the Blue Devils (11-11, 6-8) a 68-67 lead with 10 seconds left, the Falcons (14-7, 7-6) worked the ball downcourt. The Falcons' Brian Matthison was wide open on the left wing and fired the 3-pointer that appeared to float forever towards the basket, finally hitting its mark as time went off the clock.

The Falcons bench exploded jubilantly, but confusion set in as one of the officials waved his arms as he raced off the court, signally the game was over. Or was that the signal? The points were taken off the board as table personnel rushed to the officials' locker room to get the call. The shot was good, the win stood for River Falls, which won its sixth straight game over the Blue Devils.

Stout had built a nine point lead earlier in the half, going on a 10-1 run to jump out ahead, 56-47 with 8-minutes, 47-seconds remaining in the game. The Falcons went on an 8-2 run to pull to within one, 58-57, at the 5:17 mark.

Stout built the lead back up to as much as five, but the Falcons' Rich Melzer scored six points in the final 3:28 of the game to keep River Falls within striking range.

Jeff Vandenberghe (So, Coon Rapids, Minn) led Stout with 14 points. Steve Krueger (Sr, Three Lakes) came off the bench to score 13 and Dave Loewe (Sr, Hiles) added 11.

Melzer led all scorers with 22 points, 16 in the second half. Scott DeWyre and and Mathison each tossed in 13. Edmund Johnson tallied 11 points.

Men's Ice Hockey

February 9, 2002

MENOMONIE - UW-Stout hung with conference champion St. Norbert College for a little while, but the Green Knights took control and skated out of the Dunn County Ice Arena with a 6-1 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) decision, Saturday, Feb. 9.

Stout (11-13-1, 4-10-0) matched the Green Knights' first goal of the game when Mitch Kellin (So, Cohasset, Minn) jumped on a Charlie O'Hearn (So, Traverse City, Mich) pass and tied the score at 1-1 six minutes into the contest. Bryan Cummings (So, Austin, Minn) got the second assist.

St. Norbert (20-3-2, 12-0-2) had scored two minutes earlier. The Knights scored at the 14 minute mark of the period when Jason Deitsch got the first of two goals.

Dietsch added another four minutes into the second period. St. Norbert added another in the period, and tagged on two more goals in the third period.

The Green Knights outshot Stout, 46-21, and Blue Devil goalie Nathan Anderson (Fr, Rosemount, Minn) turned away 40 shots.

Stout will head into the NCHA tournament Friday, Feb. 15, at UW-Stevens Point. Stout finished in a tie for sixth place with Lake Forest, but received the higher seed because of a tie-break system. The series will continue to Saturday, Feb. 16, with a third, 20-minute minigame, if needed, to follow.

February 8, 2002

MENOMONIE - Freshman goalie Nate Anderson (Fr, Rosemount, Minn) played nearly flawless between the pipes and picked up UW-Stout's first shutout of the season as the Blue Devils downed Lake Forest College, 2-0, Friday, Feb. 8 at the Dunn County Ice Arena.

The win moves the Blue Devils (11-12-1, 4-9-0) into a tie with the Foresters (9-13-1, 4-9-0) for sixth place in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA).

Anderson kicked aside all 24 shots the Foresters threw at him as Stout turned away all seven of Lake Forest's power play opportunities. Anderson was making his second collegiate start.

Stout took the lead very late in the first period when the Blue Devils' leading scorer, Mitch Kellin (So, Cohasset, Minn) took a pass from Bryan Cummings (So, Austin, Minn) with 18 seconds remaining in the period.

The Blue Devils hung onto the 1-0 advantage into the third period when Nate Legler (So, Lakeville, Minn) scored at the 8:56 mark. Assists on the goal went to Joe Berry (Sr, Apple Valley, Minn) and Derek Nichols (So, Victoria, Minn).

Women's Gymnastics

February 8, 2002

RIVER FALLS - The UW-Stout gymnastics team experienced an up and down evening as they placed fourth at UW-River Falls, Friday, Feb. 8.

The Blue Devils had a very solid performance on the balance beam, then turned around on the vault - their last exercise of the evening - and seemingly fell apart.

Tasha Pasch (Jr, Northfield, Minn) scored a 9.45 to finish third on the beam, while Erika Opoien (Jr, Superior) notched her highest beam score of the season (9.20) to place fifth. Mandi Neuman (Fr, St. Paul, Minn) also scored her season best on the beam (9.125) to place sixth.

The vault was a different story where a number of the Blue Devils could not stick their landings. Lacey Schroedl (Fr, Minneapolis, Minn), who was nursing a bad back all week, scored an 8.75 to place in a tie for 10th for Stout's best score.

Pasch finished fourth on the uneven bars with an 8.65 and was fourth in the all-around with a 35.45.

Stout will host UW-Eau Claire, Friday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m.

UW-River Falls Quadrangular
1. UW-La Crosse 177.80; 2. UW-Oshkosh 172.55; 3. UW-River Falls 171.00; 4. UW-Stout 170.30

Individual Results
(First place, all Stout finishers)
Vault: 1. Tiffany Reber (RF) 9.30; 10. Lacey Schroedl 8.75; 14. Tasha Pasch 8.575; 16. Jill Birschbach 8.50; 18. Erika Opoien 8.30; 23. Mandi Neuman 8.10; 24. Jennie Rosinsky 8.00;

Uneven bars: 1. Michelle Saxton (LX) 8.925; 4. Pasch 8.65; 9. Opoien 8.30; 12. Schroedl 8.10; 15. Neuman 8.075; 23. Scarlett Ramey 6.60;

Balance beam: 1. Angela Erato (LX) 9.60; 3. Pasch 9.45; 5. Opoien 9.20; 6. Neuman 9.125; 15. Schroedl 8.60; 18. Rosinsky 8.20; 23. Birschbach 7.35;

Floor exercise: 1. Jennifer Williams (Osh) 9.50; 12. Schroedl 8.95; 15. Opoien, Pasch 8.775; 18. Neuman 8.675; 19. Rosinsky 8.60; 24. Birschbach 8.05;

All-around: 1. Jennifer Williams (Osh) 36.50; 4. Pasch 35.45; 7. Opoien 34.575; 8. Schroedl 34.40; 10. Neuman 33.975

Women's Track & Field

February 8, 2002

MENOMONIE - Jenney Luer (Sr, Colfax) shattered the school shot put record, the third time she has broken the mark this season as UW-Stout finished second at the UW-Stout Pentangular, Friday, Feb. 8 at Johnson Fieldhouse.

Luer tossed the shot 45-feet, 5-inches, breaking the mark she set only six days earlier by nearly 20 inches. Luer also qualified automatically to the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships with the toss.

Stout captured the top two spots in the 400-meter dash and the 3000-meter run, and took the top three spots in the 5000-meter run.

Angie McConnell (So, Blair) had the top time in the 400 (1:04.16), followed closely by Kelly Young (Fr, Chisolm, Minn) (1:04.71). Heidi Bedsted (Jr, Plainview, Minn) won her fourth consecutive race of the season, winning the 3000 in a time of 11:15.44. Amy Arndt (Sr, Lakefield, Minn) was second (11:43.33).

Terra Dahlheimer (Jr, St. Michael, Minn) led the pack in the 5000 (20:26.64), followed by Meredith Nordberg (Sr, Bloomington, Minn) in a time of 20:58.66 and Nacole Ewerdt (So, North Fond du Lac) in a time of 21:07.89.

Women's Team Results
1. St. Thomas 220; 2. UW-Stout 136; 3. Augsburg 55; 4. Northwestern 39; 5. Martin Luther 20; 6. North Central University 14

Individual Results
(First place, all Stout finishers)
55: 1. Heidi Vogel (St. Thomas) 7.70; 5. Sarah Jenne 8.17; 11. Ramona Vann 8.45; 11. Tricia Lipke 8.45; 17. Kristin Becker 9.11; 200: 1. Heidi Vogel (St. Thomas) 27.00; 5. Sarah Jenne 29.21; 9. Sara Manion 30.12; 12. Marci Schachtner 30.55; 13. Tricia Lipke 30.70; 14. Amber Wilde 30.73; 22. Kristin Becker 33.81; 24. Haley Brodhagen 38.73; 400: 1. Angie McConnell (Stout) 1:04.16; 2. Kelly Young 1:04.71; 7. Lindsay Steinmeyer 1:07.49; 800: 1. Chrissy Baune (Augsburg) 2:22.17; 8. Heather Stiles 2:38.04; 11. Michelle Beckman 2:39.45; 1500: 1. Dusich Tish (St. Thomas) 4:52.26; 6. Kersten Wilson 5:26.28; 9. Jacki Rust 5:36.03; 10. Mara Anderson 5:38.17; 12. Denise Hady 5:41.65; 3000: 1. Heidi Bedsted (Stout) 11:15.44; 2. Amy Arndt 11:43.33; 4. Jenny Hopps 12:28.68; 5000: 1. Terra Dahlheimer (Stout) 20:26.64; 2. Meredith Nordberg 20:58.66; 3. Nacole Ewerdt 21:07.89; 55-hurdles: 1. Becky Seely (Northwestern) 9.51; 7. Amy Biegel 10.22; 8. Linnea Kersten 10.41; 4X200-relay: 1. St. Thomas 1:49.31; 2. Stout 1:55.63; 3. Stout B 2:00.61; 4X400-relay: 1. St. Thomas B 4:17.31; 4. Stout 4:29.68; 7. Stout B 4;53.58;

High jump: 1. Grace Anderson (Northwestern) 4-11; 2. Amy Biegel 4-7; 3. Andi Schwabenlender 4-7; 5. Sara Manion 4-5; Pole vault: 1. Karolien Bastiaens (St. Thomas) 10-0; 3. Andi Schwabenlender 8-10.75; Long jump: 1. Heidi Vogel (St. Thomas) 15-11; 8. Ramona Vann 14-7.25; 9. Amy Biegel 14-1.75; 10. Angie McConnell 13-10.50; 12. Sara Manion 13-1.50; 14. Marci Schachtner 11-4; Triple jump: 1. Katie Patterson (St. Thomas) 31-5.25; 4. Ramona Vann 29-8.75; Shot put: 1. Jenney Luer (Stout) 45-5*auto; 3. Tabitha Martin 36-0; 5. Marci Schachtner 34-1.25; 6. Amy Biegel 33-5.75; 7. Donna Goodman 32-4.75; 9. Wendy Keller 28-6.50; 20-lb wt: 1. Kirsten Gulbro (Augsburg) 42-8; 4. Kendra Busch 29-11.25; 6. Donna Goodman 28-3; 7. Wendy Keller 25-10.

February 9, 2002

MENOMONIE - UW-Stout's Dave Hanson (Jr, Sun Prairie) placed third in the 400-meter dash at the Warren Bowlus Invitational, Saturday, Feb. 9 in Menomonie.

Hanson finished in an NCAA Division III provisional qualifying time of 49.76 seconds. John Hanson (Sr, Grantsburg) was 11th (51.43) in the same event.

Dave Huber (Jr, Mendota Heights, Minn) was fourth (9:00.80) in the 3000-meter run and the 4X400-meter relay team was third (3:25.17).

Stout hosted the meet, but chose to enter only a few individuals. Stout will be at the Wisconsin-Minnesota Challenge, Saturday, Feb. 16 at UW-Eau Claire.

February 8, 2002

MENOMONIE - UW-Stout swept the top three spots in the 55-meter dash and captured five other first places as the Blue Devils placed second at the UW-Stout Pentangular, Friday, Feb. 8 at Johnson Fieldhouse.

Sam Werner (Jr, Elk Mound) took top honors in the dash in a time 6.62 seconds and was followed by Brady Hurtgen (Fr, Ridgeland) and Theron Steward (So, St. Paul, Minn), who both clocked a time of 6.76.

Also taking firsts were Ethan Webinger (Sr, La Crescent, Minn) in the 5000-meter run (15:49.95), Lewis Cassillius (So, Glenwood City) in the pole vault (14-1.25), and Justin Zymyewski (Fr, Houston, Minn) in the high jump (6-4).

The Blue Devils also took the two relays, taking the 4x200 (1:32.40) and the 4x400 (3:30.46).

Men's Team Results
1. St. Thomas 184; 2. UW-Stout 160; 3. Augsburg 58; 4. Northwestern 29; 5. Martin Luther 18; 6. North Central University 12; 7. Hamline 4.

Individual Results
(First place, all Stout finishers)
55: 1. Sam Werner (Stout) 6.62; 2. Brady Hurtgen 6.76; 3. Theron Steward 6.76; 7. Brad Vick 6.90; 10. Steve Wenhardt 6.97; 200: Andrew Hilliard (St. Thomas) 22.78; 5. Brad Vick 23.38; 9. Brady Hurtgen 23.72; 11. John Hanson 23.95; 12. Tim Faber 23.98; 13. Jim Dvorak 24.27; 17. Steve Wenhardt 25.46; 400: 1. Andrew Hilliard (St. Thomas) 50.24; 4. Matt Schlough 52.00; 6. Taylor Hustad 52.36; 7. Steven Floyd 52.70; 800: 1. Chris Ohnstad (Aug) 2:00.54; 2. Kevin Riester 2:00.75; 4. Pat McCloughlin 2:02.43; 12. John Maresh 2:10.25; 1500: 1. Andy Kummer (St. Thomas) 4:08.01; 2. Dave Huber 4:11.99; 3000: 1. Bill Kretch (St. Thomas) 9:33.43; 4. Todd Dexheimer 10:03.26; 5000: 1. Ethan Webinger (Stout) 15:49.95; 3. Tim King 17:13.11; 4. Ryan Chernik 17:22.37; 55-hurdles: 1. Craig Benson (St. Thomas) 7.72; 2. Dave Hanson 7.83; 5. Aaron Rievetus 8.43; 6. Jeff Miller 8.58; 4X200 relay: 1. Stout 1:32.40; 4X400-relay: 1. Stout 3:30.46; 2. Stout b 3:42.49;

High jump: 1. Justin Zmyewski (Stout) 6-4; 3. Jay Sitek 5-10; Pole vault: 1. Lewis Casillius (Stout) 14-1.25; 2. Aric Hanusa 13-7.25; Long jump: 1. Andrew Hilliard (St. Thomas) 20-4.50; 2. Mark Swenson 19-10.25; Triple jump: 1. Ben Garbe (St. Thomas) 43-10.75; 2. Chad Sosalla 41-4.25; Shot put: 1. Perrin Werner (Northwestern) 47-5.75; 8. Dave Luety 36-11.50; 35-lb wt: 1. Aaron Johnson (St. Thomas) 47-4.50; 4. Dave Luety 37-7.75;

Updated: February 11, 2002