Women's Basketball

February 13, 2002

SUPERIOR - From top to bottom, the UW-Stout women's basketball team knew they had a job to do - and that was to win the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) title outright. The Blue Devils took care of business early and often as they closed out the regular season with a 91-53 win at UW-Superior, Wednesday, Feb. 13.

The outright conference title is not only the basketball program's first outright, but for the entire Blue Devil women's program. Stout shared the title in the 1996-97 season.

There was very little drama in this game as Stout (20-4, 15-1) raced out to an 8-0 lead with four minutes off the clock, then moved out to a 23-5 lead with 11 minutes left in the half. Stout held a 45-22 halftime lead. Stout's biggest lead was 41 points, 84-43, with four minutes remaining in the game.

Stout scored 44 points off turnovers, forcing 36 Superior turnovers. The Blue Devils got 51 points from their bench players, while Superior's bench scored 18.

Stout's Tanya Halbach (Jr, Janesville) led all scorers with 17 points. Erin Churchill (Fr, Plum City) was only other Blue Devil in double digits with 10. Churchill had six steals. Amy Zelinger (Sr, Racine) scored eight points to run her career totals to 988 points.

The Yellowjackets (3-20, 0-15) got 13 points from Lindsey Anderson, 12 points from Stephanie Janigo and 10 points and 14 rebounds from Heidi McKay.

The 20 wins in the season is one short of the most in a season, a mark Stout has hit twice in their history (1992-93, 1993-94). This is the first time Stout has won 15 games in conference play. The win gave Stout a 10-game winning streak, their third longest in team history and their longest since 1993-94 when they ran off 15 straight wins.

As the No. 1 seed in the WIAC tournament, Stout will play host as long as they keep on winning. The tournament opens Monday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. The semi-finals are Wednesday, Feb. 20 and the finals are Saturday, Feb. 23.

Men's Basketball

February 13, 2002

MENOMONIE - Steve Krueger (Sr, Three Lakes) returned to midseason form and led UW-Stout to a 70-61 win over UW-Superior to snap a five game losing streak, Wednesday, Feb. 13 at Johnson Fieldhouse.
Krueger, who had sunk into a slump and was pulled from the starting line-up three games ago, responded to his first start since then by pouring in 26 points, 15 in the first half as Stout jumped out to a 39-22 halftime lead. Krueger was 7-for-9 in the first half and finished the game hitting 9-of-12 shots from the floor. Krueger connected on 8-of-9 free throws for the game.

The Blue Devils (12-12, 7-9) ran their lead out to as much as 19 points several times in the second half.

Andy Bray (So, Menominee, Mich) came off the bench to score 14 points, while Casey Chapman (Jr, Hartland) scored 12 and Dave Larson (Sr, LaCrescent, Minn) added 10.

The Blue Devils had nine blocked shots on the evening, holding Superior to only 33 percent shooting from the floor. Krueger had three blocks, while Dave Loewe (Sr, Hiles), Bray and Nate Templer (So, Beaver Dam) each had two.

The Yellowjackets (11-13, 3-12) had four players in double digits. Jason Strilzuk led the way with 19 points, while Brandon Vesel chipped in 18. Dan DeFoe came off the bench to score 12 points, the only bench player to score. Alin Andre added 10 points.

Stout will take to the road for the WIAC tournament beginning Tuesday, Feb. 19.

Men's Ice Hockey

February 16, 2002

STEVENS POINT - A comeback by UW-Stout fell just short as the Blue Devils were eliminated, 7-5, by UW-Stevens Point in the first round of the Northern Collegiate Athletic Conference (NCHA) tournament, Saturday, Feb. 16 in Stevens Point.

After dropping a 5-2 decision the night before, all did not look good for the Blue Devils heading into the final period in the best of three series. Trailing 5-2, the Blue Devils (11-15-1) scored three goals over the first 12 minutes of the period to knot the score.

Tony Ross (So, Buffalo, Minn) got the Blue Devils going only three minutes into the stanza, getting an assist from Tony Tomaino (Fr, Duluth, Minn) and Cullen Flaherty (Jr, Duluth, Minn).

Stout pulled to within 5-4 on a power play goal by Aaron Decker (Sr, Mound, Minn), assisted by Dan Moes (Jr, North St. Paul, Minn) and Cale Finseth (So, Austin, Minn) at the 11 minute mark.

Three minutes later, Nathan Legler (So, Lakeville, Minn) tied the score with eight minutes remaining, assisted by Matt Olson (Sr, Buffalo, Minn) and Moes.

After a number attacks, the Pointers (17-8-2) pierced the Stout net with a goal by Randy Enders with three minutes left. Stout pulled the goalie in attempt to force the tie, but the Pointers' Mike Brolsma got his hat trick with the empty net to seal the win.

The Pointers advance to the championship round, Friday, March 1 at St. Norbert College.

February 15, 2002

STEVENS POINT - UW-Stevens Point scored three goals in the final period - including an empty net goal - to down UW-Stout, 5-2, in the opening game of the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) tournament, Friday, Feb. 15 at Stevens Point.

With the scored knotted at 2-2 heading into the third, the Pointers scored with about nine minutes remaining to go up 3-2. Stevens Point (16-8-2) added a goal with about two minutes left, then put in an empty net goal in the final minute to hand Stout a loss. During the season, Stevens Point won both meetings in overtime.

The Blue Devils (11-14-1) jumped into the early lead when Lewie Kellin (So, Cohasset, Minn) scored three minutes into the game, getting assists from Dan Riffe (So, Byron, Ill) and Jake Hemmah (Fr, Red Wing, Minn). The Pointers scored off the power play midway through the first period to knot the score.

Stout took the lead again, this time midway through the second period with a Cale Finseth (So, Austin, Minn) goal and assist by Aaron Decker (Sr, Mound, Minn). But that would be it as the Pointers scored the final four goals of the game, closing out the second period when Bryan Fricke scored his first of two goals.

Stout's Nate Anderson (Fr, Rosemount, Minn) recorded 36 saves, while the Pointers' Bob Gould had 15 saves.

Women's Gymnastics

February 15, 2002

MENOMONIE - UW-Stout's Tasha Pasch (Jr, Northfield, Minn) won three events and Mandi Neuman (Fr, St. Paul, Minn) captured the balance beam, but the Blue Devils fell, 171.55-167.10, to UW-Eau Claire, Friday, Feb. 15 at Johnson Fieldhouse.

Pasch took the vault (9.25), the floor exercise (9.35) and the all-around (35.85). Neuman scored the top score on the beam (8.75). Pasch was second in the uneven bars (8.65) and fourth on the beam (8.60).

Erika Opoien (Jr, Superior) was second on the vault (9.00) with her best score of the season. Opoien tied for third on the bars (8.55), was third in the all-around (34.70) and was fourth on the floor (8.85).

The Blue Devils will be at the WIAC Championships, Friday, Feb. 22 at UW-River Falls.

UW-Eau Claire 171.55, UW-Stout 167.10
Vault: 1. Tasha Pasch (Stout) 9.25; 2. Erika Opoien (S) 9.00; 3. Kristina Reitzel (EC) 8.975; 4. Alison Eagles (EC) 8.95; 5. Adria Walin (EC) 8.675; 6. Jill Birschbach (S) 8.45; 7. Lisa Harris (EC) 8.40; 8. Erin Henrich (EC) 8.35; 9. Sarah Aldridge (EC), Mandi Neuman (S) 8.10; 11. Jennie Rosinsky (S) 7.60; 12. Scarlett Ramey (S) 7.25;

Uneven bars: 1. Kristina Reitzel (EC) 8.90; 2. Tasha Pasch (S) 8.65; 3. Adria Walin (EC), Erika Opoien (S) 8.55; 5. Alison Eagles (EC) 8.40; 6. Mandi Neuman (S) 8.350; 7. Lacey Schroedl (S) 8.05; 8. Sarah Aldridge (EC), Amy Berg (EC) 7.75; 10. Joy Donaldson (EC) 7.70; 11. Scarlett Ramey (S) 6.95; Exh: Alicia Geving (EC) 7.40; Lara Harris (EC) 6.20;

Balance beam: 1. Mandi Neuman (S) 8.75; 2. Alison Eagles (EC), Adria Walin (EC) 8.60; 4. Tasha Pasch (S) 8.60; 5. Sarah Aldridge (EC) 8.45; 6. Joy Donaldson (EC), Erin Henrich (EC) 8.35; 8. Erika Opoien (S) 8.30; 9. Kristina Reitzel (EC) 7.70; 10. Jill Birschbach (S) 7.40; 11. Jennie Rosinsky (S) 7.30; 12. Scarlett Ramey (S) 5.90; Exh: Melissa Nguyen (EC) 7.85; Jessica Kitchner (EC) 7.75;

All-around: 1. Tasha Pasch (S) 35.85; 2. Adria Walin (EC) 35.125; 3. Erika Opoien 34.70; 4. Alison Eagles (EC) 34.70; 5. Kristina Reitzel (EC) 34.675; 6. Mandi Neuman (S) 33.90; 7. Sarah Aldridge (EC) 33.00; 8. Scarlett Ramey (S) 28.10.

Women's Track & Field

February 16, 2002

EAU CLAIRE - UW-Stout's Jenney Luer (Sr, Colfax) matched the NCAA Division III automatic qualifying distance in finishing first in the shot put at the Wisconsin/Minnesota Challenge at UW-Eau Claire, Saturday, Feb. 16.

The toss this time was not as dramatic as the last time Luer threw, when she shattered the school indoor record with a throw well over 45 feet. At Eau Claire, Luer simply outpaced the field by more than three feet with a mark of 43-feet, 11.25-inches.

Heather Stiles (So, Eden Praire, Minn) was second in the 600-meter run (1:44.72) and Heidi Bedsted (Jr, Plainview, Minn) placed third in the 5000-meter run (19:36.45).

Stout returns home Friday, Feb. 22 for the Blue Devil Invitational at 4 p.m.

High jump: 1. Kady Kleven (RF) 5-5; 9. Amy Beigel 4-7; 10. Sara Manion 4-3.25; 12. Marcie Schachtner 4-01.25; Long jump: 1. Nicole Pronschinske (RF) 16-9.25; 11. Marci Schachtner 13-1.50; 13. Sarah Manion 12-6; Shot put: 1. Jenney Luer (Stout) 43-11.25a; 9. Tabitha Martin 33-10.75; 12. Marci Schachtner 33-1.75; 19. Donna Goodman 29-1.75; 22. Wendy Keller 26-11; 20-lb wt: 1. Anna Nelson (EC) 44-0.75; 12. Donna Goodman 30-0.25; 13. Wendy Keller 27-6.50.

February 16, 2002

EAU CLAIRE - UW-Stout's Jeff Rotering (Sr, Waumandee) won the pole vault and Dave Hanson (Jr, Sun Prairie) was runner-up in the 55-meter hurdles at the Wisconsin/Minnesota Challenge at UW-Eau Claire, Saturday, Feb. 16.

Rotering, who has already qualified to the NCAA Division III Championships, cleared 14-feet, 9.50-inches to win the pole vault. Hanson clocked a 7.87 second finish to place second in the hurdle event. Hanson was fourth in the 200-meter dash (23.06).

Kevin Riester (So, Red Wing, Minn) was third in the 600-meter run (1:24.11) and Justin Zymewski (Fr, Houston, Minn) was third in the high jump (6-6.75). The 4x200-meter relay team won the event (1:31.55).

Stout returns home Friday, Feb. 22 for the Blue Devil Invitational at 4 p.m.

High jump: 1. Cory Dingels (St. Olaf) 6-8.75; 3. Justin Zmyewski 6-6.75; 6. Jay Sitek 5-8.75; Pole vault: 1. Jeff Rotering (Stout) 14-9.50; 4. Aric Hanusa 14-3.50; 7. Lewis Cassellius 13-9.75; Long jump: 1. Scott Whirry (EC) 23-1.25; 4. Mark Swenson 20-7.75; 7. Nate Olsen 19-1.50; 8. Jay Sitek 16-9.75; Triple jump: 1. Tommy Ngo (Unattached) 47-6.25; 9. Nate Olsen 38-10.50; 35-lb wt: 1. Glen Rogers (EC) 54-9.25; 7. Dave Luety 36-8.50.

February 17, 2002

Beckham was named to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America team and played in the Blue Gray Senior Classic and the Rotary Gridiron All-Star Classic.

Linebacker Jamie Spielman (Jr, Menomonie) was named the most valuable defensive player and quarterback Nick Ohman (Fr, Glenwood City) was named the most valuable offensive player. Defensive lineman Joe Kersten (So, Menasha) was named the most improved player.

Senior awards went to: fullback Eric Baker (Sarona/Spooner HS); defensive back Tony Beckham (Ocala, Fla./Forest HS); running back/receiver Mark Bergman (Grantsburg); tight end Brian Johnson (Hudson).

The Blue Devils finished the 2001 season with a 6-3 overall record, 4-3 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), good for third place.

Updated: February 18, 2002