Volume 6, Number 20
January 6, 2003


Blue Devil Sports Releases
Men's Basketball
Women's Basketball
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Women's Gymnastics

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Up This Week

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
The Blue Devils (10-2, 2-1) will travel to UW-Oshkosh (10-1, 1-1), Monday, Jan. 6, then get the rest of the week off before hosting UW-Platteville (9-3, 3-1), Saturday, Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. The Titans handed Stout their only conference loss last season, but the Blue Devils captured two games over Oshkosh, including the WIAC tournament title game where Stout won handily, 90-71. Prior to last year, Stout had not defeated Oshkosh since the 1998-99 season. Stout swept past Platteville last season, 86-79 and 77-64. Stout holds a 16 game winning streak over the Pioneers, with Platteville's last win coming during the 1990-91 season. The Pioneers will host UW-Stevens Point, Wednesday, Jan. 8. Stat leaders: Stout is led by Lindsey Erichsen (13.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg) and Laura Verdegan (11.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg). Oshkosh is led by: Libby Sievert (13.2 ppg) and Kay Miolajczak (12.6, 8.3 rpg) Platteville leaders include: Tiff Flesch (second in league 14.4 ppg, league leading 9.9 rpg). and Angie Sisson (10.4 ppg). Last week: The Blue Devils won two games at the Land of Magic Classic in Daytona Beach, Fla., downing Elizabethtown College, 78-66, Dec. 29, and Hanover College, 104-77, Dec. 30. The Titans won the Edgewood Jubilee Tournament last weekend, downing North Central, 60-44, and Carroll College, 75-54. Platteville edged UW-Superior, 65-64, Jan. 4, and trounced Viterbo, 65-49, Jan. 2. Player of the week: Laura Verdegan, Jr, Tony, Wis. (Flambeau)

MEN'S BASKETBALL
The Blue Devils (6-5, 2-2) will host Northwestern College, Tuesday, Jan. 7. Stout beat Northwestern last season, 79-60, and have won the last two meetings between the teams. The Blue Devils return to conference play Saturday, Jan. 11 when they travel to UW-Platteville (5-7, 2-2). Stout split with the Pioneers last season, winning 87-58 in Menomonie, but getting tipped 58-51 at Platteville. History is not on the Blue Devils side at Williams Fieldhouse in Platteville, where Stout has not won in more than 15 years. The Pioneers will be at UW-Stevens Point, Wednesday, Jan. 8. The Stout/Platteville game will be broadcast over WMEQ, 880-AM radio and via the internet at: www.wmeq.com Stat leaders: Stout is led by Andy Bray (16.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg) and Barrington Smith (11.3 ppg). Northwestern leaders include: Jeff VerSteeg (11.9 ppg, 8.5 rpg) and John Reeves (10.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg). Platteville leaders include: Tyler Selk (15.3 ppg, league leading 9.1 rpg) and Bryan Stangel (13.8 ppg, 4.3 rbg). Last week: The Blue Devils used a balanced scoring attack to upset ninth ranked UW-Oshkosh, 70-55, Jan. 4. Earlier, the Blue Devils split two games at the DIII Hawaiian Shootout in Honolulu, Hawaii, last weekend, downing Nebraska Wesleyan, 87-81, Dec. 28, but dropping an 89-75 decision to No. 18 ranked Illinois Wesleyan, Dec. 29. Northwestern lost, 68-61, to Carleton College, Jan. 2. Platteville defeated UW-Superior, 54-52, Jan. 4. Player of the week: Casey Chapman, Sr, Hartland, Wis. (Arrowhead)

HOCKEY
The Blue Devils (4-11-0, 0-6-0 NCHA, 0-3-0 WIAC) will jump back into action Tuesday, Jan. 4 when they host Gustavus Adolphus (3-9-0), then hop into the fire with a home and home weekend with UW-River Falls (13-2-1, 5-0-1 NCHA, 2-0-0 WIAC), traveling to River Falls, Friday, Jan. 10, then hosting the fifth ranked Falcons, Saturday, Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m. Stout defeated Gustavus, 5-3, last season and hold a 4-3 lead in the series. The Blue Devils got a 2-1 overtime win last year over the Falcons, Stout's first win over River Falls since the 1978-79 season. Jeff Dotson kicked out 57 shots and was named the national player of the week for his efforts. The Falcons took the second game, 5-0. River Falls holds a 46-8-1 lead in the series. Last week: Stout dropped a 9-3 decision at St. Olaf, Jan. 3. The Gusties are coming off a Christmas trip to Europe, where they played several games. Their last game in the states was a 6-4 non-conference win over Hamline. After losing their first nine games, the Gusties have won their last three. The Falcons defeated St. Olaf, 3-1, Jan. 4.

GYMNASTICS
The Blue Devils will open their season Wednesday, Jan. 8 when they travel to NCAA Division II Winona State. The Blue Devils are led by senior record holders Tasha Pasch and Erika Opoien and transfer Tiffany Reber.


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Women's Basketball

January 4, 2003

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PROGRAM REACHES A MILESTONE

MENOMONIE
- When UW-Stout defeated Hanover College, Dec. 30,the Blue Devils accomplished something the program hasn't seen in more than 30 years.

The win was enough to push Stout's all-time record over the .500 mark for the first time since the 1971-72 season, the Blue Devil women's inaugural year.

With this year's team posting a 10-2 overall record now, Stout's all-time record moved to 323-322. Stout jumped out to a 6-3 overall record in 1971-72, before finishing the season at 6-9.

Not many programs would celebrate a .500 record, but for Stout, the turnaround has been just short of amazing. While Stout is now a perennial national Top 25 team, the 1970s and 1980s were nothing to write home about.

Before present coach Mark Thomas took over the program for the 1987-88 season, Stout had an overall record of 64-180, and only two seasons that were .500 or better - 1977-78 (5-5) and 1980-81 (9-5).

During Thomas- 15-plus seasons, the Blue Devils have had only two seasons below .500, his first two seasons. Thomas took over a program that had just gone 2-44 the two previous years and hadn't won a conference game in nearly four seasons.

Times have changed. Over the last 15 years, Stout has won two conference titles, advanced to either the NAIA or NCAA Division III playoffs seven times and are a regular feature in the Top 25 rankings.

Stout will put their record on the line Monday, Jan. 6 when they travel to UW-Oshkosh


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Men's Basketball

January 4, 2003

BLUE DEVILS KNOCK OFF RANKED UW-OSHKOSH, 70-55

MENOMONIE -
UW-Stout used a balanced attack with five players scoring in double digits as the Blue Devils knocked off UW-Oshkosh, 70-55, Saturday, Jan. 4 at Johnson Fieldhouse.

The Blue Devils (6-5, 2-2) spread the wealth around, and, defensively, managed to contain the majority of the players of the team that leads the league in scoring with a 78 point average. Stout allowed All-America Tim Dworak 30 points, but Scott Sowinski was the only other Titan to hit double digits, scoring 11.

Stout also won the rebounding wars, pulling down 36 boards to Oshkosh's 26.

Oshkosh (10-2, 1-2), which was ranked ninth in the latest D3hoops.com poll, held the lead only once - three minutes into the game - and that one point lead only lasted a minute as Stout shot out from a 4-3 deficit to take a 13-4 lead with six minutes gone. Julian Greer (Jr, St. Paul, Minn), making his first Blue Devil start, sparked the run with five points.

The Titans only got as close as two points for the rest of the game, trailing 17-15 at the nine minute mark of the first half.

Casey Chapman (Sr, Hartland) sparked Stout in the second half, scoring 10 of his team-high 15 points. Stout carried a lead of at least 10 points through much of the second half, ballooning that up to 18 points, 68-50, with a minute remaining.

Jeff Vandenberghe (Jr, Coon Rapids, Minn) scored 12 points, while Greer, Barrington Smith (Sr, Oklahoma City, Okla) and Andy Bray (Jr, Menominee, Mich) tossed in 11 points.

Off the boards, the Blue Devils were balanced as well. Vandenberghe pulled down seven rebounds. Greer, Nate Severson (Fr, Eau Claire) and Nate Templer (Jr, Beaver Dam), who was playing despite a case of the flu, had six. Dworak finished with a game-high nine rebounds.

Stout will host Northwestern College, Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m., then will be at UW-Platteville, Saturday, Jan. 11.


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Men's Ice Hockey

January 3, 2003

BLUE DEVILS DROPPED, 9-3, IN SECOND SEMESTER OPENER

NORTHFIELD, Minn
- UW-Stout lost a 9-3 non-conference decision at St. Olaf College, Friday, Jan. 3 in Northfield, Minn., as the Oles scored four goals in the second period to take the win.

The Oles got on the board first early in the first period, but Stout's Mike Elm (Fr, Falcon Heights, Minn) knotted the score halfway through the period. The Oles (6-5-1) too k the lead again minutes later, but Stout came through with a goal by Derek Nichols (Jr, Victoria, Minn). St. Olaf took the lead for good with 45 seconds left in the first stanza, then rapped off four goals in the second.

Stout's Bryan Cummings (Jr, Austin, Minn) pulled the score to 7-3 only 50 seconds into the third period. The Oles put the game on ice with two final goals.

Justin Huth (Fr, Shakopee, Minn) had two assists for Stout (4-11), and Elm had an assist to go with his goal.

Stout will host Gustavus Adolphus, Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Dunn County Ice Arena.


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Women's Gymnastics

January 6, 2003

BLUE DEVILS OPEN SEASON AT DIVISION II WINONA STATE

MENOMONIE -
With a young, promising team, UW-Stout will open up their 2003 season Wednesday, Jan. 8 by traveling to NCAA Division II Winona State for a 7 p.m. meet.


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Men's Track & Field

December 30, 2002

JOSH BUCHHOLTZ VAULTS TO STOUT'S TRACK/CROSS COUNTRY JOB

MENOMONIE -
After conducting a national search, UW-Stout needed to only look out the back door to find their next men's head track and field/cross country coach.

Josh Buchholtz, a native of Bloomer and UW-La Crosse graduate, was named to head the Blue Devil track and field and cross country programs, athletic director Steve Terry announced today.

"We are pleased to have someone with the enthusiasm, knowledge and familiarity of our programs and conference that Josh brings to UW-Stout," Terry said.

Buchholtz has been an assistant coach at UW-La Crosse for the last four seasons, working with the high jump, sprinters and the pole vault. Prior to beginning his coaching career, Buchholtz earned two Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) pole vault titles (1998 indoor and outdoor), and three times earned All-America honors in the event, placing third in 1998.

During Buchholtz's coaching career, he has had a hand in producing eight individual All-America athletes and five WIAC individual champions.

Familiarity with UW-Stout is not a problem for Buchholtz.

"I know where the Stout program has been," Buchholtz said, "and want to get us back to that point. I competed when it was La Crosse and Stout. I will use what I have learned at La Crosse to help us up here."

The facilities are not new to Buchholtz either.

"We did some counting the other day," Buchholtz said, "and I have either competed or coached at Stout's complex at least 30 times, either in high school or college."

Buchholtz's brother, Jamie, was a standout for the Blue Devils, and the two competed against each other several times while in college. The Buchholtz family also left a legacy at Bloomer High School. Their father, Bill, set the high school record in the late 1960s. Josh, who won the Wisconsin state pole vault title his senior year, broke the Bloomer mark, and Jamie, two years younger than Josh, set a new mark.

Buchholtz intends to use his competitive experience as an aid in his coaching.

"I struggled at times through those years," Buchholtz said. "I learned from that and know what a struggling athlete is going through."

Buchholtz also worked with the Eagles' cross country programs, including administrating the prestigious Jim Drews/Tori Neubauer Invitational.

Buchholtz sees the cross country program as his biggest challenge, a challenge he is more than willing to tackle.

"Cross country will be my biggest learning experience here," Buchholtz said, "but I am excited about that challenge."

Buchholtz earned his degree from La Crosse in physical education in 2001. In addition to his coaching duties, Buchholtz will be an instructor in the physical education department.

The Blue Devils open the 2003 track and field season, Saturday, Jan. 25 at St. Mary's University in Winona, Minn.


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Updated: January 6, 2003