Football

August 12, 2003

MADISON - For the second consecutive season, UW-Stout is favored to win the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) football title, according to the league’s sports information directors.

The Blue Devils, who fell about one foot short on a two-point conversion play that would have likely secured the conference title in 2002, received six first-place votes in this year’s poll. Over the past three seasons, UW-Stout has posted a 23-7 overall record, the best-ever record over a three-year period in the Blue Devils' 90-plus years of football, and the best overall record in the WIAC in that three-year span.

UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater each received one first-place vote in the preseason poll. The Pointers are pegged to finish second, while the Warhawks are picked to finish third with UW-La Crosse, the defending league champion.

August 8, 2003

Sports Illustrated recently ranked the Blue Devils 10th in the NCAA Division III preseason poll.

In four previous polls this summer, Stout has been ranked 12th (D3football.com), 19th (Football Gazette), 11th (Lindy Sports Annuals) and 16th (Street & Smith's).

Sports Illustrated is the only publication so far to stray from selecting three-time defending champion Mt. Union at the top spot. Instead, the international circulation magazine gave the honor to St. John's University, relegating Mt. Union to second place.

The Blue Devils open their season Saturday, Sept. 13 by hosting Hardin-Simmons University at 1 p.m.

Sports Illustrated Division III Top 10
1. St. John's, Minn; 2. Mt. Union, Ohio; 3. Rowan, NJ; 4. Wabash, Ind; 5. Washington & Jefferson, Pa; 6. Wheaton, Ill; 7. Bridgewater, Va; 8. Baldwin-Wallace, Ohio; 9. Hanover, Ind; 10. UW-Stout.

August 5, 2003

The Blue Devils ranked 12th in the D3football.com Preseason Top 25 and 19th in Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette NCAA III Top 40. Earlier in the summer, Stout ranked 11th in the Lindy's Sports Annual poll and 16th in Street & Smith's Division III poll.

Offensive lineman Ben Knepper (Sr, Rice Lake) and defensive lineman Joe Kersten (Sr, Menasha) were named to the D3football.com preseason All-America team. Both had been named to the Don Hansen preseason team earlier in the summer.

Stout finished last season at 7-3 overall, 4-3 for a third place tie in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC).

The Blue Devils, who return their entire offensive starting line-up, open their season Saturday, Sept. 13 by hosting Hardin-Simmons at 1 p.m. at Don & Nona Williams Stadium. The Cowboys are ranked 13th by D3football.com and 21st by Don Hansen.

D3football.com Preseason Top 25
1. Mt. Union, Ohio; 2. Wheaton, Ill; 3. Baldwin-Wallace, Ohio; 4. Mary Hardin-Baylor, Texas; 5. Howard Payne, Texas; 6. St. John's, Minn; 7. Linfield, Ore; 8. Rowan, NJ; 9. Ithaca, NY; 10. Trinity, Texas; 11. Wartburg, Iowa; 12. UW-Stout; 13. Hardin-Simmons, Texas; 14. Bridgewater, Va; 15. UW-La Crosse; 16. Lycoming, Pa; 17. Ohio Northern; 18. Wabash, Ind; 19. Hanover, Ind; 20. Hampden-Sydney, Texas; 21. UW-Stevens Point; 22. Central, Iowa; 23. Washington & Jefferson, Pa; 24. Augustana, Ill; 25. Wooster, Mass. The next five (alphabetically): Case Western, Concordia-Moorhead, Kings Point, McDaniel, Wittenberg.

Don Hansen's Football Gazette Preseason Top 40
1. Mt. Union, Ohio; 2. St. John's, Minn; 3. Trinity, Texas; 4. Wabash, Ind; 5. Rowan, NJ; 6. Linfield, Ore; 7. Wheaton, Ill; 8. Brockport State, NY; 9. Bridgewater, Va; 10. Baldwin-Wallace, Ohio; 11. Wittenberg, Ohio; 12. Wartburg, Iowa; 13. Hanover, Ind; 14. Muhlenberg, Pa; 15. UW-La Crosse; 16. Washington & Jefferson, Pa; 17. John Carroll, Ohio; 18. Mary Hardin-Baylor, Texas; 19. UW-Stout; 20. Augustana, Ill; 21. Hardin-Simmons, Texas; 22. Alma, Mich; 23. Howard Payne, Texas; 24. Coe, Iowa; 25. Lycoming, Pa; 26. Ohio Northern; 27. Widener, Pa; 28. King's, Pa; 29. Rensselaer Tech, NY; 30. Hartwick, NY; 31. Central, Iowa; 32. Redlands, Calif; 33. Johns Hopkins, Md; 34. UW-Eau Claire; 35. McDaniel, Md; 36. Cortland State, NY; 37. Hobart, NY; 38. Lake Forest, Ill; 39. Capital, Ohio; 40. Worcester State, Mass.

July 18, 2003

Towner was placed on the team's second team offense, while Knepper, an offensive tackle, was a first team pick and Kersten, a defensive end, was a second team choice. This is the third preseason All-America team Knepper has been placed on. This is Kersten's second summer honor.

Towner was a 2002 second team All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) pick and an honorable mention choice in 2001. Towner, a fourth year starting center, was a 2002 Football Gazette second team all-west region choice.

The Blue Devils averaged 225.1 yards per game on the ground, second in the WIAC only to the wishbone offense of UW-River Falls. As a team, Stout averaged a conference-high 398.1 total offensive yards per contest.

Stout's three picks to the squad is matched only by Baldwin-Wallace, which had two first team selections and a third team. Four other WIAC players were selected to the squads.

Knepper was placed on preseason football teams by Street & Smith's and Lindy's Sports Annuals. Kersten joined Knepper on the Lindy's team.

The Blue Devils, which are nationally ranked by Lindy's (11th) and Street & Smith's (16th), open the 2003 season Saturday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. at Don & Nona Williams Stadium against top 25 team Hardin-Simmons.

July 11, 2003

MENOMONIE - The UW-Stout football team ranked 11th in the Lindy's Sports Annuals 2003 Division III Top 25 preseason poll and offensive lineman Ben Knepper (Sr, Rice Lake) was named to Lindy's 2003 All-Division III first team and defensive lineman Joe Kersten (Sr, Menasha) was named to the second team.

Earlier this summer, Stout was ranked 16th in the Street & Smith's preseason poll and Knepper was named to that publication's preseason All-America team.

Stout opens the 2003 season when they host Hardin-Simmons University, Saturday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. The Cowboys were picked 13th in the Street and Smith's poll. Lindy's has selected that game as a key game in their "Don't Miss These" category.

The magazine makes comments about every team in their top 25. About Stout, the magazine said, "Running back Luke Bundgaard powers offensive unit that returns all of last year's starters."

Defending national champion Mt. Union was ranked No. 1, with St. John's getting the No. 2 spot. UW-Stevens Point was ranked 21st. Stout will travel to Stevens Point October 11.

Knepper helped produce one of the Blue Devils' top running games of all time. The Blue Devils averaged 225.1 yards per game on the ground, second only to the wishbone offense of UW-River Falls. As a team, Stout averaged a league-high 398.1 total offensive yards per contest. Knepper started all 10 games despite a mid-season injury and surrendered only one sack the entire season, that coming in the opening game. The Blue Devils ran 65 percent of their running plays to Knepper's side, said offensive coordinator Rod Carey.

Kersten, a 2002 first team all-conference player, was a physical force to be reckoned with on the defensive line. At 6-5, 290-lbs, Kersten finished with 22 tackles, 13 solo, with 10 tackles for losses of 34 yards and had five sacks. Kersten has drawn the interest of several NFL scouts.

The Blue Devils finished the 2002 season at 7-3 overall, 4-3 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). Stout finished in a tie for third in league play, but missed out on the conference title in the final seconds of the final game of the season with eventual conference champion UW-La Crosse.

June 25, 2003

In addition, the national publication awarded preseason All-America status to Blue Devil offensive lineman Ben Knepper (Sr, Rice Lake).

The Blue Devils finished the 2002 season at 7-3 overall, 4-3 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). Stout finished in a tie for third in league play, but missed out on the conference title in the final seconds of the final game of the season with evnentual conference champion UW-La Crosse.

Stout returns their entire offensive starting unit, which is anchored by Knepper, a 6-foot, 4-inch, 305-lb tackle. Knepper was a unanimous first team all-WIAC pick, and was an All-America choice by Don Hansen Football Gazette (third team) and D3football.com (second team).

Knepper helped produce one of the Blue Devils' top running games of all time. The Blue Devils averaged 225.1 yards per game on the ground, second only to the wishbone offense of UW-River Falls. As a team, Stout averaged a league-high 398.1 total offensive yards per contest. Knepper started all 10 games despite a mid-season injury and surrendered only one sack the entire season, that coming in the opening game. The Blue Devils ran 65 percent of their running plays to Knepper's side, said offensive coordinator Rod Carey.

Stout not only returns their entire offensive unit, but return up to seven starters on the defensive side of the ball. Stout has posted the top defensive squad in the WIAC the last three seasons and their rushing defense, which last year allowed only 50 yards per game, has been ranked nationally in the top five over that time period.

Stout opens the 2003 season when they host Hardin-Simmons University, Saturday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. The Cowboys were picked 21st in the Street and Smith's poll.

2003 Street & Smith's Division III Preseason Football poll
1. Mt. Union (Ohio); 2. St. John's (Minn); 3. Rowan (NJ); 4. Wabash (Ind); 5. Wheaton (Ill); 6. Baldwin-Wallace (Ohio); 7. Washington & Jefferson (Va); 8. Trinity (Tex); 9. Brockport State (NY); 10. Linfield (Ore); 11. UW-La Crosse; 12. Bridgewater (Va); 13. 13. Wartburg (Iowa); 14. Lycoming (Pa); 15. Augustana (Ill); 16. UW-Stout; 17. Muhlenberg (Pa); 18. Hanover (Ind); 19. Wittenburg (Ohio); 20. Central (Iowa); 21. Hardin-Simmons (Tex); 22. Widener (Pa); 23. Alma (Mich); 24. Worcester State (Mass); 25. Ohio Northern.

Best of the Rest: Pacific Lutheran, Wilkes, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stevens Point, King's Point, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Waynesburg, Washington (Mo) University, John's Hopkins, Redlands, Coe, Lake Forest, Westfield State

Soccer

August 21, 2003

The Blue Devils, who finished last season with a 7-5-5 overall record, and 2-2-4 in the WIAC, were picked seventh in the WIAC preseason poll. Perennial conference champion UW-Stevens Point was picked first, but UW-Eau Claire garnered the two votes the Pointers did not carry.

Underclassmen will have to take on the scoring roles for the Blue Devils, who lost all-time leading scorer Nellie Sivertsen to graduation. But the youngsters should be up to the task.

Sophomore forward Kelly Stolarczyk (Elk River, Minn) took much of the scoring pressure off Sivertsen last year, punching through 10 goals and adding three assists. Sophomore Heidi Schultz (River Falls) added three goals and delivered five assists. Junior midfielders Carrie Schrank (Reedsburg) and Krista Hight (Brookfield) were the team's assists leaders, with Schrank passing off eight and Hight six. Schrank also added two goals of her own.

Junior goalkeeper Melissa Ballweg (Merrimac) started the final 16 matches of the season and posted a goals against average of 1.17. She recorded 97 saves a year ago and was the benefactor of a strong defense that allowed a school record 20 goals. Seniors Diane Ehlen (Bloomington, Minn), Sarah Geiger (West Bend) and Desiree Nardini (White Bear Lake, Minn) return to the defensive backfield. Nardini is back after a year off due to injury, while Ehlen missed nine contests due to injury in 2002.

Matches will again be played on campus as soccer continues to make improvements on Nelson Field, the first women's-soccer-only lighted stadium in Wisconsin. Stout opens their season Saturday, Aug. 30 when they meet St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn., then will face Bemidji State the following day, again in Duluth.

( )--First-place votes

Volleyball

August 23, 2003

The Blue Devils, which finished last season at 31-6 overall, their best finish since 1994, tied for 19th with Williams, Mass, College.

Stout finished third in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) last season with a 6-2 conference finish and are picked to finish third again in the WIAC preseason poll. UW-River Falls got the top nod, and defending NCAA champion UW-Whitewater was picked second. Stout received one first place vote.

The Blue Devils return nearly their entire starting line-up, led by senior Brooke Viegut (Abbottsford), an All-Midwest Region Honorable Mention choice, who was UW-Stout's leading hitter with 3.86 kills per game and their leading defensive player with 531 digs, only three short of the school single-season record.

Viegut is flanked sophomore Tanille Zenner (Athens), who was named the AVCA National Freshman of the Year. She also garnered All-America Third Team recognition after setting a school record with 107 block assists and posting a hitting percentage of .343 with 3.56 kills per contest and 160 total blocks (1.28 blocks per contest).

Junior Lindsay Mensink (Ostrander, Minn) returns at the other middle spot where she averaged 0.83 blocks per game and pounded out 2.65 kills per contest.

Last year's libero, junior Erin Heger (Chaska, Minn), may be called upon to take over the setter spot that was vacated when Laura Bogenschutz opted not to return to school. As the libero, Heger was a backrow specialist who earned All-WIAC Defensive Team honors with 469 digs. Senior Gretchen Schroer (Eau Claire) finished the 2002 campaign with a 2.58 kills per game average. The Blue Devils also return senior Katie Wagie (Fort Atkinson), junior Scooter Aspen (Eau Claire) and sophomore and Rachel Lindbo (Stewartville, Minn).

Stout opens the 2003 season when they travel to the UW-River Falls Tournament, Aug. 29-30. Stout opens the tournament against 17th ranked Whitworth College and 13th ranked Central College of Iowa.

August 23, 2003

The award, initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors college and high school teams that displayed excellence in the classroom by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale and a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale during the school year. Nominating head coaches must be AVCA members.

UW-Stout finished last season with a 31-6 overall record, second best in school history, and finished third in the WIAC.

Recipients of the award range from NCAA Division I institutions to high school girls and boys teams. The college ranks produced 102 programs that met the requirements for the award. The breakdown of college representation includes 35 NCAA Division I programs, 18 NCAA Division II programs, 26 NCAA Division III programs, 15 NAIA programs, one NCCAA institution and seven two-year college programs.

A record-total of 103 high school programs earned the distinction, including Crystal Springs Uplands School (Hillsborough, Calif.) and Wheeling High School (Wheeling, Ill.) placing both boys and girls squads on the award list. The previous high for the prep ranks was 84 awards in 1996-97. NAIA schools tied their top number, achieved in back-to-back years of 1997-98 and 1998-99.

Several of this years award recipients achieved success on the court, as well as in the classroom. A total of 26 teams that earned the AVCA Team Academic Award also earned a berth in their respective collegiate post-season tournaments.

Over 600 different schools have won the award programs 11-year history. Three institutions have earned it every year, NCAA Division II Augustana College (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Jonesboro High School (Jonesboro, Ark.) and Ross S. Sterling High School (Baytown, Texas).

Historically, schools from 49 states and two countries (outside the United States) have won the award. For 2002-03, the award-winning programs represent 42 states and Korea. Wisconsin boasts the most schools having earned the designation with 37 in the 11-year history of the program, and 15 this year. Illinois follows with 36 overall and 14 on the current list.

"The AVCA Team Academic Award captures the true essence of the student-athlete, and the AVCA is honored to recognize these schools for excellence in the classroom," Katherine McConnell, AVCA executive director said. "We are especially pleased to bestow this prestigious award to a record number of teams for the second year in a row."

Stout opens the 2003 season Friday, Aug. 29 when they participate in the UW-River Falls Invitational.

Women's Cross Country

August 25, 2003

MENOMONIE - The UW-Stout women's cross country will sport one of the largest teams in Blue Devil history with more than 25 competitors reporting for training camp.

Men's Cross Country

August 25, 2002

MENOMONIE - After a week of training, the Blue Devils will hold an intrasquad and alumni meet, Saturday, Aug. 30 beginning at 10 a.m. at the Menomonie High School course. The meet is named after Jamie Block, a former Blue Devil cross country and track performer who passed away after competing in a half-marathon last fall.

Women's Tennis

August 22, 2003

Noll, a UW-Stout graduate, served as the interim women's tennis coach in the spring of 2003. No stranger to Blue Devil athletics, Noll has been a women's assistant basketball coach for three years, a position he will carry on with. Noll was also an assistant men's basketball coach at Stout. Noll will continue to be an instructor in the physical education department.

"I want to bring a new atmosphere into the women's tennis program," Noll said. "We will accomplish that by working as hard as we can during both practice and competition.

"I appreciate the opportunity to be the head women's tennis coach and expect to bring the program along slowly. I look forward to the challenges of coaching in the WIAC (Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference)."

Noll, a native of nearby Colfax, has worked with AAU girls programs for the last 15 years, having run AAU camps and tournaments, including serving as tournament supervisor and coach for the immensely popular Great Lakes Shootout held every summer in Menomonie and the surrounding communities.

Noll and his wife, Kara, live in Menomonie with their two children, Jackson and Tyler.

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July 21, 2003

As a team, UW-Stout ranked 18th among 69 teams given the honor. The Blue Devils had a combined 3.3747 grade point average for the last academic school year. The list included NCAA Division I, II and III schools. Stout was the No. 2 ranked Division III school.

To be considered for the individual award, student-athletes had to post a minimum GPA of 3.50 for the past academic year.

The following Stout gymnasts received the academic awards:

Jenny Rosinsky, Jr, Green Bay, Wis., psychology, 4.00; Tiffany Reber, Sr, Mantorville, Minn., dietetics, 3.93; Mandy Neuman, So, St. Paul, Minn., dietetics, 3.92; Shanna Kissinger, So, Sioux City, Iowa, early childhood education, 3.82; Courtney Maitrejean, Fr, Chisago City, Minn., art, 3.78; Tasha Pasch, Sr, Northfield, Minn., vocational rehabilitation, 3.76; Erika Opoien, Sr, Superior, Wis., vocational rehabilitation, 3.64; Jill Birschbach, So, Chilton, Wis., apparel design, 3.53

AROUND BLUE DEVIL ATHLETICS

August 14, 2003

Originally from Chippewa Falls, Coenen served as the interim athletic trainer and first assistant athletic trainer at NCAA Division I Bradley University in Peoria, Ill., during the last school year. She was the head athletic trainer at Northland College in Ashland from 1999-2002.

A certified athletic trainer, Coenen is a UW-Eau Claire graduate where she worked as a student athletic trainer. Coenen also teaches health and safety classes through the American Red Cross. In addition to working in the Training Center, Coenen will also serve as an instructor in the Physical Education Department.

Serving more than 350 student/athletes, the UW-Stout Athletic Training Center works with the 14 UW-Stout intercollegiate programs.

Recently married, the former Anita Boos currently resides in Altoona with her husband, Ben Coenen.

August 22, 2003

MENOMONIE - Bill Duncan, a regular fixture at UW-Stout athletic events, passed away at his home, Friday, Aug. 22.

Born and raised in Eau Claire, Duncan resided in the Menomonie area the past 60 years where he was a regular at UW-Stout and Menomonie High School sporting events. Wheelchair bound, Duncan regularly parked his wheelchair on the east end of Johnson Fieldhouse for basketball and volleyball events, and drove his specially equipped van up to the fence of baseball, softball and football fields. Duncan many times kept his own statistics or tried his hand at photographing the athletes in action. Duncan received the UW-Stout Athletic Distinguished Service Award in 1986.

Duncan worked as a bookkeeper for West Wisconsin Telephone Cooperative for more than 30 years. Duncan was a strong supporter of the Eau Claire Cavaliers baseball club and was the team's statistician. He also coached and played wheelchair basketball and participated in wheelchair bowling. His other interests included ham radio, building and flying model airplanes, and photography.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, Aug. 28 at Olson Funeral Home in Menomonie. He is survived by two brothers, one nephew and three nieces.