WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD
The Blue Devils closed out the season at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, May 27-29 at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill. Laura Verdegan (Jr, Tony), Marci Schachtner (Jr, Deer Park) and Ann Schachtner (Jr, Somerset) each earned All-America honors

MEN'S TRACK & FIELD
The Blue Devils finished up the season at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, May 27-29 at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill. The 4x400-relay team of Scott Barthel (Jr, Brooklyn Park, Minn), Derek Gonzenbach (Fr, Milbank, S.D.), Craig Kotsmith (Fr, Foreston, Minn) and Dave Hanson (Sr, Sun Prairie), along with Hanson individually earned All-America honors.

Women's Track & Field

May 29, 2004

DECATUR, Ill - UW-Stout's Laura Verdegan (Jr, Tony) earned her eighth All-America award and Ann Schachtner (Jr, Somerset) carried home her first such honor on the final day of the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Saturday, May 29 at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill.

Verdegan, after failing to advance to the finals of the 400-hurdles and the long jump two days earlier, set a school record as she placed fourth in the triple jump with a leap of 40-feet, 5-inches, breaking the mark of 40-3.25 that she set last year at the national meet. Darcell Edwards of McMurry College captured the national title with a mark of 42-0.

Schachtner, who finished ninth at last year's outdoor championships, moved up a notch to place eighth in the shot put and earn her first All-America honors. Schachtner, who last week set a new school record in the event, threw the shot 44-7.50, edging out the ninth place finisher by just under two inches. Elizabeth Wanless of Bates College won the event with a heave of 52-0.50.

As a team, Stout tied for 21st place with three other schools with 11 points. Marci Schachtner (Jr, Deer Park) accounted for Stout's other points over the two first days of the meet, placing eighth in the discus and fifth in the hammer throw.

May 28, 2004

DECATUR, Ill - UW-Stout's Marci Schachtner (Jr, Deer Park) earned her second All-America honor in two days by placing eighth in the discus at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Friday, May 28 at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill.

Schachtner threw the plate 138-feet, 5-inches, her second best toss of her collegiate career, to place second in her flight and eighth overall. Schachtner was seeded 19th and last going into the event. Kristin Peterson of Gustavus Adolphus won the event with a throw of 159-6.

Schachtner had earned All-America honors the day before by placing fifth in the hammer throw.

May 27, 2004

DECATUR, Ill - UW-Stout's Marci Schachtner (Jr, Deer Park) earned All-America honors in the hammer throw during the first day of the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Thursday, May 27 at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill.

Schachtner extended her own school record in the event, placing fifth with a toss of 173-feet, 6-inches to earn her second All-America award. Schachtner placed third at the weight throw last spring at the indoor championships.

Laura Verdegan (Jr, Tony) didn't have as good a day, coming up short to add to her seven All-America awards. Verdegan was 13th in the 400-hurdles (63.69-seconds) after clipping the first hurdle of the race and 19th in the long jump (17-3.25), an event she reported to less than 30 upon completion of the hurdle event.

Schachtner is scheduled to compete in the discus event Friday, May 28. Verdegan will return to action Saturday, May 29 in the triple jump. Ann Schachtner (Jr, Somerset) will compete Saturday in the shot put.

May 25, 2004

MENOMONIE - Three UW-Stout athletes will compete in six different events at the 2004 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, May 27-29 at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill.

Laura Verdegan (Jr, Tony/Flambeau) will compete in three events: the 400-hurdles, the long jump and the triple jump. Marci Schachtner (Jr, Deer Park/Clear Lake) will compete in the hammer throw and the discus. Ann Schachtner (Jr, Somerset) will compete in the shot put.

Verdegan is making her sixth trip to a national track meet, and her third to the outdoor championships. In the spring of 2004, Verdegan won the national indoor triple jump title. She is a six-time All-American.

Verdegan will compete in the 400-hurdles and the long jump on Thursday, May 27. Verdegan will open by competing in the hurdles at 2:35 p.m., where she is seeded fourth in a time of 61.71-seconds. The top seed is Jessica Trombly of Tufts University (60.78). The finals are Saturday, May 29 at 3:35 p.m. The long jump pit is scheduled to open at 3 p.m. Verdegan is seeded 10th with a distance of 18-feet, 6.50-inches. Darcell Edwards of McMurry is the top seed (19-8.75).

Verdegan gets Friday off, but will compete in the triple jump Saturday at 11:30 a.m. She is seeded sixth at 38-9.75, but holds the school record with a leap of 40-3.25. Edwards is again the top seed (41-8.75).

Marci Schachtner will compete in the hammer throw Thursday, May 27 at 2 p.m. Schachtner is seeded sixth in a school record distance of 170-7. Kelly Godsey of Bates is the top seed (198-2). Schachtner will compete in the discus Friday, May 28 at 1 p.m. She is seeded 19th with a throw of 138-11. The top seed is Katie Corner of Calvin College (167-1). Schachtner is making her second trip to a national meet. She placed third in the 20-lb weight at the 2004 indoor championships.

Ann Schachtner will be looking for her first All-America designation. Schachtner enters as the third seed, tossing a school record and automatic qualifying distance of 47-5.25 last week. Schachtner is scheduled to compete Saturday, May 29 at 2:30 p.m. This is Schachtner's third trip to nationals, her second to the outdoor nationals, where she finished ninth in 2003.

Men's Track & Field

May 29, 2004

DECATUR, Ill - UW-Stout's Dave Hanson (Sr, Sun Prairie) wrapped up his career with a sixth place finish in the 400-meter hurdles and as a member of the 4x400-meter relay team that placed eighth on the final day of the 2004 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Saturday, May 29 at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill. Both Hanson individually and the relay team earned All-America honors.

Hanson clocked a time of 53.19-seconds in the hurdle event, while the relay team of Hanson, Craig Kotsmith (Fr, Foreston, Minn), Scott Barthel (Jr, Brooklyn Park, Minn) and Derek Gonzenbach (Fr, Milbanks, S.D.) finished in a time of 3-minutes, 16.57 seconds. UW-La Crosse's Derek Toshner was first in the hurdles (50.09), while La Crosse took the top prize in the relay event (3::08.21). As a team, Stout finished in a tie for 54th as Hanson had a hand in all four points.

The All-America honors are the second and third for Hanson, who also achieved the feat in 2002 in the 400-hurdles, and is the first All-America award for the other three members of the relay team.

May 28, 2004

DECATUR, Ill - Both Ryan Kawski (Fr, Stevens Point) and Craig Kotsmith (Fr, Foreston, Minn) rubbed shoulders with the top competitors in the NCAA Division III, but neither advanced to the finals of their respective events at the 2004 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Friday, May 28 at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill. 

Kawski threw the discus 150-feet, 1-inch and placed 15th in the event. The event was won by Mike Turgeon of UW-La Crosse with a throw of 179-4. Turgeon competed for Stout when he was a freshman. Kotsmith placed 14th in the 400-meter dash in a time of 48.73 seconds. Kotsmith will compete Saturday, May 29 in the finals of the 4x400-meter hurdles where his team is seeded fifth.

May 27, 2004

DECATUR, Ill - Dave Hanson (Sr, Sun Prairie) in the 400-hurdles and the 4x400-relay team advanced to the finals of the 2004 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Thursday, May 27 at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill.

Hanson posted the fourth-best time in the hurdle event and finished second in his heat in a time of 52.73-seconds. Defending national champion Derek Toshner of UW-La Crosse paced the field in a time of 51.95. The finals are Saturday.

The 4x400-relay team of Hanson, Craig Kotsmith (Fr, Foreston, Minn), Scott Barthel (Jr, Brooklyn Park, Minn) and Derek Gonzenbach (Fr, Milbanks, S.D.) finished third in their heat in a time of 3-minutes, 13.03-seconds, the fifth best time of the day. The finals are Saturday.

The 4x100-relay team of Sam Werner (Sr, Elk Mound), John Henry Freeman (Fr, St. Clovis, Mo), Steve Wenhardt (So, Fish Creek/Gibraltor) and Nate Templer (Sr, Beaver Dam) did not advance to the finals when they finished seventh in their heat in a time of 41.97.

May 25, 2004

MENOMONIE - Nine UW-Stout athletes will compete in five different events at the 2004 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, May 27-29 at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill. The Blue Devils qualified three to individual events and two relay teams.

Dave Hanson (Sr, Sun Prairie) will compete in the 400-hurdles. Ryan Kawski (Fr, Stevens Point) will compete in the discus and Craig Kotsmith (Fr, Foreston, Minn/Milaca) will compete in the 400-meter dash.

Hanson is seeded fifth in the hurdle event in a time of 52.80 seconds. The top seed is UW-La Crosse's Derek Toshner (50.79). Hanson will compete in the preliminaries Thursday, May 27 at 2:50 p.m. Finals are Saturday, May 29 at 3:45 p.m.

Hanson is making his fourth trip to the national track meet, his third time at the outdoors. Hanson, who redshirted last season, earned All-America honors in 2002 by placing third in the 400-hurdles.

Kawski is seeded 13th in the discus with a toss of 163-feet, 10-inches. The top seed is Mike Turgeon of La Crosse (177-2). The discus is scheduled for Friday, May 28 at 4 p.m. Kawski is making his first trip to a national event.

Kotsmith is the 18th and final participant in the 400 with a time of 48.21. The top seed is La Crosse's Andrew Rock (45.23). Kotsmith will compete in preliminaries Friday, May 28 at 6:30 p.m. Finals are Saturday, May 29 at 2:40 p.m. Kotsmith is making his first trip to a national event.

Hanson and Kotsmith are also members of the 4x400-meter relay team that qualified automatically to the meet in a school record time of 3-minutes, 12.51-seconds, seeding them fifth. Also on the team areScott Barthel (Jr, Brooklyn Park, Minn) and Derek Gonzenbach (Fr, Milbanks, S.D.). La Crosse has the top time (3:08.04). Preliminaries are Thursday, May 27 at 6:05 p.m. Finals are Saturday, May 29 at 5:15 p.m., the final event of the championships.

The 4x100-relay team of Sam Werner (Sr, Elk Mound), John Henry Freeman (Fr, St. Clovis, Mo), Steve Wenhardt (So, Fish Creek/Gibraltor) and Nate Templer (Sr, Beaver Dam) are also seeded fifth with a time of 41.34 seconds. La Crosse is the top seed (40.59). Preliminaries are Thursday, May 27 at 4:45 p.m. Finals are Saturday, May 29 at 1:40 p.m.

Barthel, Gonzenbach, Freeman and Wenhardt are making their first trip to the national meet. Templer and Werner both competed at last season's outdoor meet, Werner in the 4x100-relay, and Templer in the 4x100-relay, as well as the 100- and 200-meter dashes.

Men's Ice Hockey

MAY 27, 2004

MENOMONIE - UW-Stout hockey forward Lewis Kellin (Sr, Cohasset, Minn/Grand Rapids) was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District V men's at-large team.

Kellin, a business administration major with an applied math minor and a grade point average of 3.922, started all 27 games for the Blue Devils this year as Stout finished the season at 14-10-2 overall. Kellin, who plays both forward and defense, scored three goals and six assists. He led the team with a plus/minus rating of plus-10.

A team captain, Kellin was the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference recipient of the Max Sparger Scholar Athlete award. Kellin has received the Chancellor's Award for Academic Excellence seven times and was on the WIAC and the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) all-academic teams twice.

Kellin is now eligible for Academic All-America honors.

Updated: May 31, 2004