WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
The Blue Devils (22-8, 12-4) closed out their season at the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, dropping an 80-71 decision to Randoph-Macon, March 10 in Tacoma, Wash. Kelsey Duoss was named a first team All-American by WBCA/Kodak and D3hoops.com.

MEN'S & WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
The Blue Devils will hold Fan Appreciation Night, Wednesday, March 22 at 7 p.m. in Johnson Fieldhouse.

GYMNASTICS
The Blue Devils Rhian Paulson and Ashley Timm will compete in the all-around at the NCGA Championships, March 24-25 in Brockport, NY.

FASTPITCH SOFTBALL
The Blue Devils (3-7) will be at the Coe College tournament in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, this weekend where they will face host Coe College and Monmouth College, Friday, March 24 and Central College and Simpson College, Saturday, March 25. Last week: The Blue Devils finished 3-7 at the Rebel Spring games, opening at 3-1 over the first four games, but then falling on hard times the rest of the way while competing against four nationally ranked squads. Player of the week: Courtney Zafft, Sr, Rochester, Minn. (Century); Pitcher of the week: Jessica Glasgow, Fr, St. Paul, Minn. (Como Park)

BASEBALL
The Blue Devils (0-7) will be off until Saturday, April 1 when they open the WIAC portion of the schedule by traveling to UW-La Crosse. Last week: The Blue Devils went 0-7 on their annual spring break trip to Texas. Player of the week: Seth Maier, Jr, Park Falls, Wis.; Pitcher of the week: John Englund, Sr, Savage, Minn. (Lakeville)

WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD
The Blue Devils will open the outdoor season Friday, March 24 at the Washington University Twilite meet in St. Louis, Mo.

MEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD
The Blue Devils play host to three high school indoor meets over the next week (March 25, March 28, March 31) before opening their outdoor season Saturday, April 8 at UW-River Falls.

Women's Basketball

KELSEY DUOSS NAMED KODAK/WBCA AND D3HOOPS.COM ALL-AMERICAN

MENOMONIE (March 17, 2006) - UW-Stout center Kelsey Duoss (Jr, Janesville/Clinton) was named to the 2006 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Kodak/WBCA All-America Basketball Team and to the D3hoops.com All-American first team.

The Kodak team is a joint effort between the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and Eastman Kodak Company. This year's team marks the 24th year of the Division III Kodak/WBCA All-America Basketball Team, which began in 1983. Selection committees in each of the eight WBCA geographical regions select ten of the top women's basketball players in the nation to be honored.

Duoss, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) player of the year, led Stout, and the WIAC, in scoring with 19.0 points, and finished second in the WIAC in rebounds with 9.3. Stout made their second consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III Sweet Sixteen and their second consecutive WIAC regular season and tournament titles.

Duoss had an impressive year where she: scored 13 double-doubles this season; finished the year with 552 points, second on the Stout single season scoring list behind Julie Maki's 575; had 269 rebounds, fifth on the Stout single season list; recorded 81 blocked shots, second behind her 97 blocked shots from last season; has 956 career points in only two seasons with the Blue Devils; is a two-time all-WIAC pick and a two-time all-WIAC defensive team pick; was selected as the WIAC player of the week three times and was the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram I-94 player of the year.

Duoss is only the second Blue Devil to ever be named as a Kodak All-American first team recipient. Maki earned the same honor during the 1992-93 season. Cindy Hovet was an honorable mention selection in 1993-94.

"On behalf of the WBCA, I am delighted to announce the 2006 Kodak/WBCA All-America Team for Division III," said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. "Each one of these student-athletes has worked extremely hard this season and we applaud their efforts."

"For the past 32 years, Kodak has partnered with the WBCA to celebrate the best in women's college basketball. Kodak is in the business of helping people capture and share memories. It is gratifying for us to help honor these student-athletes whose highlights have thrilled us for so many years," said Greg Walker, Director and Vice President, Brand and Market Development at Kodak. "We are proud to recognize the accomplishments of these young women and the positive recognition they bring to their schools, their communities and the game."

MENOMONIE (March 14, 2006) - UW-Stout center Kelsey Duoss (Jr, Janesville/Clinton) was named to the D3hoops.com All-Central Region first team Tuesday.

Duoss led Stout, and the WIAC, in scoring with 19.0 points, and finished second in the WIAC in rebounds with 9.1. Duoss ranks third in NCAA Division III in field goal percentage (.637).

Duoss, the WIAC player of the year, scored in double figures in 28 of 29 games she played and led the Blue Devils (22-8) to their second consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearance and their second consecutive conference regular season and tournament titles. She finished with 13 double-doubles, scoring a career-high 31 points against Division II Minnesota State, Mankato, and she pulled down a season high 18 rebounds against UW-Oshkosh in December.

TACOMA, Wash. (March 10, 2006) - Randolph-Macon took away UW-Stout's inside game in the first half and ballooned a lead to as much as 26 points midway through the second half, only to see Stout cut the lead to as little as four points with less than a minute to play before taking an 80-71 victory in the NCAA Division III Sectional semi-final game Friday.

The game was going reasonably well for the Blue Devils (22-8) early, but the Yellow Jackets (28-2), last year's NCAA Division III runner-up, took control with a 33-8 run to close out the first half. Megan Silva, the Jostens' Division III player of the year, proved to just about everything as advertised as she poured in 13 first half points, had three assists, two blocked shots and three steals.

RMC denied the ball inside numerous times as the Blue Devils' Kelsey Duoss (Jr, Janesville) was held to five first half points and the Yellow Jackets took a 44-20 half time lead.

Stout did come out firing in the second half, cutting the lead to 12 points, going on a 12-0 run with Duoss matching her first half production with five points during the run. But then it was RMC's turn to off on a run and they went on a 14-0 run with Silva popping in eight points in that run for a 60-34 lead with 12:05 left in the game.

The Blue Devils looked like they were done, but Stout began to chip away and it was the Geissler sisters that did much of the chipping. Lindsey Geissler (So, Thorp) scored 13 of her 18 points in the final 11 minutes and big sister Amanda Geissler (Jr, Thorp) scored seven of her 11 points during that stretch. Duoss would also do some damage with seven points in the final run to finish the night with 19 points.

Stout pulled to with four points, 73-69, with two free throws by Duoss with 51 seconds left to play. Stout was forced to foul and the Yellow Jackets responded by making 7-of-8 free throws to take the prize.

The night belonged to Randoph-Macon and Silva, who led all scorers with 28 points, hitting 11-of-21 shots from the floor, with two 3-pointers and four free throws. Michelle Orton scored 11 points, but tossed in eight in the first half.

Stout outrebounded RMC, but much of that came on grabbing missed shots. Stout pulled down 49 rebounds - Duoss had 13, nine in the second half - to the Yellow Jackets' 36. Stout had 27 offensive rebounds to 14 for RMC. But many of those rebounds came in the first half as Stout shot only 19 percent from the floor, while RMC was shooting 54 percent. Stout improved in the second half to make 49 percent of their shots to finish the game at 35 percent. The Yellow Jackets hit 54.3 percent in the first half, 44.4 percent in the second half to finish at an even 50 percent (31-of-62).

Men's Basketball

JACOB NONEMACHER NAMED ALL-WEST REGION

MENOMONIE (March 16, 2006) - UW-Stout center Jacob Nonemacher (Jr, Kalispel, Mont/Flathead) was named to the All-West Region team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).

Nonemacher was an integral part of the Blue Devils' push to their first NCAA Division III tournament bid. Nonemacher can make a great bid for the most improved player in the WIAC. Nonemacher finished the season averaging 12.2 points per game and 7.8 rebounds. He finished with 108 blocked shots. He ranked third in the WIAC in rebounds and field goal percentage (.576) and second in the league in blocked shots (3.72).

During the Blue Devils' first 12 games, Nonemacher averaged 9.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, shot .513 from the floor (41-80) and had 3.9 blocked shots. In Stout's final 17 games, Nonemacher averaged 14.0 points, 9.1 rebounds, shot .609 (95-136) and averaged 3.6 blocked shots.

Stout finished the season at 22-7 overall, matching the most wins in school history and placed second in the WIAC, Stout's best finish since 1975.

MENOMONIE (March 14, 2006) - UW-Stout will recognize the accomplishments of both the Blue Devil men's and women's basketball teams and will thank the fans, Wednesday, March 22 at 7 p.m. in Johnson Fieldhouse.

The Blue Devil women (22-8) made their second consecutive trip to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and captured their second consecutive WIAC regular season and tournament titles.

The Blue Devil men (22-7) finished second in the WIAC and received a first-ever bid to the NCAA tournament, advancing to the second round.

The event will not only recognize the teams, but the Cheer and Stunt Squad, the Dance Team, the UW-Stout Pep Band and, of course, the Blue Devil fans.

There will be food, drink, t-shirts, basketballs, prizes, autograph cards and much more.

Women's Gymnastics

RHIAN PAULSON, ASHLEY TIMM TO COMPETE AT NATIONALS

BROCKPORT, N.Y (March 20, 2006) - UW-Stout's Rhian Paulson (Sr, Stillwater, Minn) and Ashley Timm (So, Eden Prairie, Minn) will compete at the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Championships, Friday, March 24. Both will compete at all-around competitors and advanced as at-large bids.

Baseball

BLUE DEVILS FALL IN A COUPLE OF CLOSE GAMES ON FINAL DAY

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (March 16, 2006) - John Englund (Sr, Savage, Minn) pitched a four-hitter, but lost 1-0 in UW-Stout's first game of the final day of their annual spring break trip as the Blue Devils lost a pair of game, 1-0, 10-7, to Franklin and Marshall, Thursday.

Englund, who has been away from the game for three seasons, gave up a lead off single, then didn't give up a hit until he gave up two in the fifth inning. Englund lost the game in the seventh when he gave up a hit, but an outfield error allowed the game-winning run to score. Englund recorded four strikeouts and allowed two walks.

In the nightcap, Stout (0-7) scored six runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the score at 7-7, but gave up three runs in the eighth for the loss. Franklin & Marshall scored four runs in the top of the first, then added two runs in the third and a solo run in the fourth to take a 7-1 lead.

Matt Krause (So, Bonduel) highlighted the six-run seventh inning with a two-run, one-out double.

BLUE DEVILS OVERTAKEN TWICE IN LOSSES TO MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR

BELTON, Texas (March 15, 2006) - UW-Stout saw Mary Hardin-Baylor come back in both games to drop the Blue Devils Wednesday, 6-5, 9-7.

In the opener, UMHB took a 4-1 lead, but Matt Krause's (So, Bonduel) two-run home run in the sixth inning pulled the Blue Devils (0-5) to within one, 4-3. The Crusaders stretched the lead to 5-3 in the bottom half of the inning, but Stout knotted the score at 5-5 on a Luke Schultz (Jr, Menomonie) single and a run scoring double play in the seventh. The Crusaders (4-10) loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning, then ripped a single for the game winning run.

Schultz led Stout with three hits, while Seth Maier (Jr, Park Falls) and Krause each had two. Krause picked up the loss in relief.

The Blue Devils held the lead in the second game, only to see the Crusaders come back twice. Stout jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first on RBI singles by Schultz, Adam Olson and Dan Olson (Jr, Eau Claire) and a wild pitch. UMHB came back with three runs in the bottom of the first.

Adam Olson hit his first home run as a Blue Devil, a three run shot in the top of the fourth, to make it 7-3. The Crusaders cut it to 7-4 in the fourth, then tied the score with a three-run fifth inning. UMHB added two runs in the sixth to win the game.

Adam Olson was 2-for-4 with four RBI for Stout, while Schultz and Maier each had a pair of hits.

SEGUIN, Texas (March 14, 2006) - UW-Stout dropped two seven inning contests to Texas Lutheran University, Tuesday, getting edged 9-7 in the opener, and losing the second, 14-5.

In the opener, Texas Lutheran kept overcoming any lead the Blue Devils (0-3) could muster. Stout jumped out to a 2-0 first inning lead on RBIs by Seth Maier (Jr, Park Falls) and Eric Johnson (So, La Crosse), but Texas Lutheran knotted the score with two in the bottom half of the inning.

Matt Krause (So, Bonduel) led off the second with a triple and was brought home by Tim Schneider (So, West Salem). Again, TLU answered, this time with two runs to take a 4-3 lead, then jumped out, 6-3, with a two-run third.

The Blue Devils tied the score at 6-6 with a three-run fourth on RBIs by Joe Cicora (Jr, Rochester, Minn), Luke Schultz (Jr, Menomonie) and Maier. TLU took the lead for good with a solo run in in the bottom of the inning, then added two more in the fifth. Stout got their final run in the seventh when Tanner Kattre (Fr, Abbotsford) drove in Maier, who led off the inning with double. Maier finished the game going 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs.

In the nightcap, Stout took a 5-3 lead with a four run third inning, then fell apart. Stout took advantage of a TLU error in the third to score two runs, and also had RBIs by Johnson and Sean Wilson (Fr, Woodbury, Minn).

Texas Lutheran (11-6-1) scored two in the fourth, five in a seven-hit fifth and three in the sixth to take over the contest. Dan Olson (Jr, Eau Claire) was 2-for-2 for Stout with two runs scored. Wilson was 1-for-2 with two RBI. Stout committed five errors in the game.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (March 13, 2006) - Trinity University scored 14 of their 16 runs in three different innings as the Tigers spoiled UW-Stout's season opener, 16-2, Monday, on the Blue Devils' annual spring break trip.

Trinity scored three runs in both the first and second innings, then added eight runs in the fifth inning, the same inning where Stout scored their first run of the night.

Stout committed seven errors across the evening as they had to fight back from a 6-0 deficit heading into the fifth inning. Eric Paul singled down the left field line to drive in Dan Olson (Jr, Eau Claire) to break up the shutout, but Trinity scored eight runs in the bottom half of the inning, taking advantage of two Blue Devil errors.

Luke Schultz (Jr, Menomonie) opened the sixth with a double, then advanced to third on a wild pitch. He came home on Tanner Kattre's (Fr, Abbotsford) ground out to second. Trinity scored two more runs in the bottom of the eighth.

BLUE DEVILS FINISH FLORIDA TRIP ON A SOUR NOTE

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (March 17, 2006) - After going 3-1 in their first four games, UW-Stout came up short in all six of their final games to go 3-7 on their annual spring break trip to Florida.

The Storm opened the scoring with a single run in the second, which Stout matched in the fourth inning when Courtney Zafft (Sr, Rochester, Minn) doubled home Kara Martyn (So, Edgar), who led off the inning with a single to left field.

SUNY-Cortland 4, Stout 3 (March 17)
After Stout scored two runs in the eighth, the 14th ranked Cortland one upped the Blue Devils with three runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 4-3 win.

Cortland (8-1) took a 1-0 lead in the sixth, but Stout answered back with a run in the top of the seventh. Jackie Juan led off the inning with a single up the middle. Kasey Johnson (Fr, Greenwood), who pinch ran for Juan, moved on a sacrifice bunt by Beth Lloyd (So, Fond du Lac), then moved to third on a ground out by Megan Donley (Sr, Fridley, Minn). Johnson scored on a passed ball to tie the score at 1-1.

Stout scored two in the eighth when Zafft tripled in a run, then scored on a defensive interference call.

Cortland scored three off a double and two singles in the bottom half of the inning.

Jessica Glasgow (Fr, St. Paul, Minn) scattered six hits, with two earned runs and four strikeouts to take the loss for Stout.

Marietta 6, Stout 5 (March 16)
Stout carried a 5-4 lead into the seventh inning, but gave up two runs in the top of the seventh.

Marietta scored one run in the third and three runs in the fourth inning, but Stout came back with back-to-back RBI singles by Savanah Oeltjen (So, Spring Valley, Minn) and Amanda McKellips (Fr, Mosinee) in the bottom half of the inning to trail 4-2.

Stout took a 5-4 lead with a three run sixth inning, highlighted by Lloyd's two run single.

William Paterson 6, Stout 1 (March 16)
Sixth-ranked William Paterson scored all six of their runs in the fifth inning that saw them send 10 batters to the plate. Ana Abourashad smashed a three-run double to key the Paterson attack.

Stout did come back with a single run in the seventh on an RBI double by Zafft, but stranded two runners in the inning.

Ohio Wesleyan 11, Stout 7 (March 15)
The Blue Devils took a 4-0 lead in the second inning with back-to-back-to-back RBIs by McKellips, Nelly Peterson (Fr, Cumberland) and Oeltjen. Wesleyan scored a run in the the bottom of the inning to make the score 4-1 and Stout pushed the score to 5-1 on an RBI by Lloyd.

But Wesleyan tied the score with single runs in the third and fifth innings, and two runs in the fourth. Stout jumped out to a 7-5 lead on RBIs by Katie Fitcher (Fr, Baraboo) and Tara Donahou (Fr, Littlefork, Minn) in the sixth inning.

But a sixth inning explosion by Wesleyan in the bottom half of the inning put the lid on the game.

McDaniel 1, Stout 0 (March 15)
McDaniel worked freshman Glasgow for a run on two walks in the third inning and made the run stand up.

Stout stranded seven runners and three time left runners in scoring position.

Glasgow scattered four hits and recorded seven strikeouts.

KISSIMMEE, Fla (March 14, 2006) - UW-Stout has gone 3-1 after four games in the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla. Stout returns to action Wednesday, March 16 when they face McDaniel and Ohio Wesleyan.

The Blue Devils fell behind when Hamilton scored an unearned run in the fourth inning. Stout came back when Megan Donley (Sr, Fridley, Minn) hit a bloop single over second base to score Jackie Juan (So, La Crosse).

The Blue Devils had loaded the bases when Courtney Zafft (Sr, Rochester, Minn) led off with a single, then advanced on Juan's single. Tara Donahue (Fr, Littlefork, Minn) laid down a drag bunt single to load the bases. Zafft was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice, but Juan and Donahue moved to set the stage for Donley.

Jessica Glasgow (Fr, St. Paul, Minn) notched her first collegiate win.

UW-Stout 7, Macalester 2 (March 13)
Juan highlighted a Blue Devil offensive attack by cracking off her first home run of the season in her first at-bat in the first inning.

Stout took control of the game with a three-run fifth inning on RBIs by Zafft, Lloyd and Amanda McKellips (Fr, Mosinee).

St. Francis 13, Stout 2 (March 11)
Ten Blue Devil errors and only five hits doomed this game from the get-go. St. Francis scored a run in the second and tacked on four in the third. Stout got an unearned run in the fourth, but St. Francis added two more in the bottom half of the inning.

Donley belted a triple, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Fitcher in the fifth. St. Francis scored a single run in the sixth, then five more runs in the top of the seventh to put the game out of reach.

Stout 6, Bridgewater 0 (March 11)
Donley scattered four hits, had six strikeouts and no walks and picked up the win in the Blue Devils' opener Saturday, March 11.

WOMEN'S TRACK TEAM TO START OUTDOOR SEASON AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

MENOMONIE (March 20, 2006) - The UW-Stout women's track team will get the outdoor season underway, Friday, March 24 when they head south to St. Louis, Mo., to participate in the Washington University Twilite Invitational.

Men's Track & Field

NEITHER LEECH OR GONZENBACH ADVANCE AT NATIONALS

NORTHFIELD, Minn. (March 10, 2006) - Neither Steven Leech (Fr, Lake Geneva) or Derek Gonzenbach (Jr, Milbank, SD) advanced out of the preliminaries rounds of the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships, Friday.

Leech placed ninth in the 55-hurdles in a time of 7.75 seconds, while Gonzenbach finished 11th in the 400-meter dash in a time of 50.00 seconds. Gonzenbach was a late entry, finding out only the day before that he would be running in the meet.

NORTHFIELD, Minn. (March 9, 2006) - UW-Stout track and field coach Josh Buchholtz got a pleasant surprise when he arrived at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships, Thursday. He found out he doubled his number of entrants.

Derek Gonzenbach (Jr, Milbank, SD) narrowly missed the cut to advance to the championships, so he did not make the trip to nearby St. Olaf College. When Buchholtz was checking in Steven Leech (Fr, Lake Geneva) to compete in the 55-meter hurdles, he was approached by an NCAA official who told him a runner had scratched and there was now a spot for Gonzenbach in the 400-meter dash.

Buchholtz called Gonzenbach to let him know, then called a UW-Stout instructor to get reschedule a test for Gonzebach so he could make the trip to Northfield, Minn.

Gonzenbach, the two-time defending WIAC indoor 400-meter dash champion, will compete Friday, March 10 at 6:50 p.m. The finals are Saturday, March 11 at 5:25 p.m.

Leech will compete just moments before Gonzenbach, with his race scheduled for 6:20 p.m. The finals are Saturday at 4:55 p.m.

Updated: March 20, 2006