2002 WIAC Baseball Headlines

2002 WIAC Baseball Headlines

Rottino, Verbrick Named Midwest Region Players of the Year

RELEASED: Monday, June 17, 2002

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse senior Vinnie Rottino and UW-Stevens Point senior Bill Verbrick have been named the 2002 Midwest Region Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively, by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America.

Rottino, a shortstop from Racine, Wis. (St. Catherine's), was named the 2002 WIAC Position Player of the Year after setting school season records in at-bats (195), hits (80), runs (57), home runs (15) and doubles (19). He was an All-Midwest Region First Team selection and All-America First Team pick this season and finished his career first in at-bats (587), hits (199), runs (129), doubles (50) and home runs (23). Rottino's career at-bats and doubles totals also established WIAC records.

His .759 slugging percentage in 2002 was the second highest school history, while his .410 batting average was seventh best. Rottino had 50 RBIs this year, third most in school history.

Rottino had at least two hits in 30 of 44 games this year and at least one hit in 37 contests. He hit safely in 63 of his last 76 games and had an extra-base hit in 28 of 44 games this season.

Verbrick, an Appleton, Wis. (Xavier) product, was named the 2002 WIAC Pitcher of the Year after establishing WIAC season records with 102.0 innings pitched and 115 strikeouts. He was an All-Midwest Region First Team selection and All-America Second Team pick and also set a school record with 10 victories, while posting a 10-2 record and 3.09 ERA. He holds WIAC career records for innings pitched (294.0) and strikeouts (271).

Verbrick also pitched the first nine-inning perfect game in WIAC history in a 5-0 win over UW-River Falls on April 6 and earned National Player of the Week honors for his efforts.

Rottino and Verbrick were also finalists for the National Player and Pitcher of the Year. Rottino finished third in the national voting behind National Player of the Year Todd Meyer of Alvernia (Pa.), while Verbrick finished second in the voting to Josh Paddock of Aurora (Ill.), despite receiving four of six first-place votes on the national ballot.

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La Crosse's Rottino Named Academic All-America

RELEASED: Thursday, June 4, 2002

La Crosse, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse senior shortstop Vinnie Rottino of Racine, Wis. (St. Catherine's) has been named to the 2002 Verizon Academic All-America College Division First Team. He is one of 12 first team selections among NCAA Division II and III and NAIA institutions. A Verizon Academic All-America Second Team selection last year, Rottino was named to the All-District First Team in May.

Along with his national academic honor, Rottino was named the 2002 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Max Sparger Baseball Scholar-Athlete. A chemistry major and mathematics minor with a 3.95 grade point average, Rottino has been a member of the La Crosse Dean's List all seven semesters while earning two chemistry scholarships. He was a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society and Who's Who Among College Students in America.

On the field, Rottino was selected a 2002 America Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) First Team All-American after setting school season records in at-bats (195), hits (80), runs (57), home runs (15) and doubles (19). He was also selected to the ABCA All-Midwest Region First Team for the second consecutive season.

Rottino, who was selected the 2002 WIAC Position Player of the Year, ranks first in school history in career at-bats (587), hits (199), runs (129), doubles (50) and home runs (23). His career at-bats and doubles totals also established WIAC records.

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Four Earn Baseball All-America Honors

RELEASED: Thursday, May 30, 2002

Madison, Wis.--Four Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) baseball players have been named to the 2002 America Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) NCAA Division III All-America Team. UW-La Crosse's Vinnie Rottino and UW-Stevens Point's Paul Molitor were named to the first team. UW-Stevens Point's Bill Verbrick earned second team honors and UW-Whitewater's Brady Endl was named to the third team.

Rottino, a senior shortstop from Racine, Wis. (St. Catherine's), is the first Eagle to earn first team accolades. He was named the 2002 WIAC Position Player of the Year after setting La Crosse season records in at-bats (195), hits (80), runs (57), home runs (15) and doubles (19). He finished his career first in at-bats (587), hits (199), runs (129), doubles (50) and home runs (23). Rottino's career at-bats and doubles totals also established WIAC records.

Molitor, a senior third baseman from Reedsburg, Wis., becomes the first Pointer to earn first team All-America honors. He participated in all 47 games for the Pointers this season and established a WIAC season record for at-bats (210). Molitor also led the league in runs scored (57) and RBIs (58), while ranking second in hits (78). He batted .371 during the 2002 campaign with a .652 slugging percentage.

Verbrick, a senior pitcher from Appleton, Wis. (Xavier), is the first Pointer to earn second team All-America accolades. He was named the 2002 WIAC Pitcher of the Year after establishing WIAC season records for innings pitched (102.0) and strikeouts (115) and totaled the third-highest victory total in conference history (10). Verbrick is conference's all-time leader in strikeouts (271) and innings pitched (294.0), while ranking second in career wins (26) and fourth in appearances (47). He pitched the first nine-inning perfect game in league history in a 5-0 win over River Falls on April 6.

Endl, a sophomore first baseman/pitcher from Jefferson, Wis., garnered third team honors as a utility player. He is the Whitewater All-American since Pat Tobiasz earned third team recognition in 1998. On the mound, Endl went 5-2 with a 4.23 ERA and 50 strikeouts. His 61.2 innings pitched ranked eighth in the WIAC this season. At the plate, Endl ranked third in the WIAC in home runs (13) and slugging percentage (.723) and eighth in RBIs (39), while compiling a .353 batting average.

Fifteen players were named to each of the three teams on the 2002 ABCA All-America squad.

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Seventeen Earn Baseball All-Region Honors

RELEASED: Wednesday, May 22, 2002

Madison, Wis.--Seventeen Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) baseball players have been named to the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-Midwest Region Team. Individuals garnering first team honors included: La Crosse's Vinnie Rottino, Oshkosh's Ben Stanley, Stevens Point's Paul Molitor, Randy Reed and Bill Verbrick and Whitewater's Brady Endl.

Rottino, a senior shortstop from Racine, Wis. (St. Catherine's), garnered first team honors for the second consecutive season. He was named the 2002 WIAC Position Player of the Year after leading the league in batting average (.410), runs (57), hits (80), home runs (15) and slugging percentage (.759). Rottino ranks first in career hits (194), at-bats (572), doubles (48), runs scored (125) and home runs (22) at La Crosse.

Stanley, a senior catcher from Janesville, Wis. (Parker), led the WIAC in on-base percentage (.494), while ranking second in batting average (.403) and fourth in home runs (11). Earlier this season, he was named the Louisville Slugger national player of the week when he homered three times in a game against both Whitewater and Stout.

Molitor, a senior third baseman from Reedsburg, Wis., played in all 47 games for the Pointers this season and established a WIAC season record for at-bats (210). He also led the league in runs scored (57) and RBIs (58), while ranking second in hits (78).

Reed, a senior outfielder from Appleton, Wis. (East), led the league in runs scored (57) and triples (5). His five triples this season established a Pointer season record and increased his all-time school record to 10.

Verbrick, a senior pitcher from Appleton, Wis. (Xavier), was named the 2002 WIAC Pitcher of the Year after establishing WIAC season records for innings pitched (102.0) and strikeouts (115) and totaled the third-highest victory total in conference history (10). He also pitched the first nine-inning perfect game in league history in a 5-0 win over River Falls on April 6.

Endl, a sophomore first baseman/pitcher from Jefferson, Wis., earned first team honors for the second consecutive season. He ranked third in the WIAC in home runs (13) and eighth in RBIs (39), while compiling a .353 batting average. On the mound, he ranked seventh in strikeouts (50) and eighth in innings pitched (61.2).

Named to the ABCA All-Midwest Region Second Team were: La Crosse's Chester Janke, Stevens Point's Ryan Jones and Joe Waksmonski and Whitewater's Joe Shere and Travis Van Zile.

Named to the ABCA All-Midwest Region Third Team were: Oshkosh's Kevin Jones, Platteville's Emmanuel Rivera, River Falls' Scott DeWyre, Stevens Point's Ryan Ivy and Jeff Pieper and Whitewater's Randy Borgardt.

The ABCA named 47 players to its 2002 NCAA Division III All-Midwest Region squad (15 on the first and second team and 17 on the third team), with all first team members becoming eligible for All-America accolades.

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La Crosse's Rottino Named Baseball Scholar-Athlete

RELEASED: Wednesday, May 15, 2002

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Vinnie Rottino has been named the 2002 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Max Sparger Baseball Scholar-Athlete, it was announced recently by WIAC Commissioner Gary Karner.

Rottino, a senior from Racine, Wis. (St. Catherine's H.S.), is majoring in chemistry with a minor in mathematics and carries a 3.97 grade point average. He was a Verizon Academic All-America Second Team selection last season, as well as a Verizon Academic All-District First Team choice. Rottino has been named to the Dean's List at UW-La Crosse seven semesters and has received a pair of chemistry scholarships.

Rottino, a team captain the past two seasons, was named to the All-Midwest Region First Team last season and is a two-time All-WIAC First Team selection. He established school season records in at-bats (195), hits (80), runs (57), home runs (15) and doubles (19) this year. Rottino finishes his career first in at-bats (587), hits (199), runs (129), doubles (50) and home runs (23).

Rottino is also a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society and Who's Who Among College Students in America.

Rottino becomes the fourth athlete, and second straight, in La Crosse history to win the conference's baseball scholar-athlete honor, joining Kurt Chapman (1996), Kelly Olson (1997) and James DeCremer (2001).

Also nominated for the scholar-athlete award were: La Crosse's Eric Check and Eric Grube, Stevens Point's Randy Reed and Whitewater's Jason Ondricka.

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is sponsored by Culver's. In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.25 grade point average, be in their last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years.

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Rottino, Verbrick Lead All-WIAC Baseball Team

RELEASED: Tuesday, May 14, 2002

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Vinnie Rottino was named the Position Player of the Year and UW-Stevens Point's Bill Verbrick was named the Pitcher of the Year, headlining the group of 19 players selected to the 2002 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Baseball Team.

Rottino leads the WIAC with 195 at-bats, 80 hits, 57 runs scored, 15 home runs and 19 doubles this season. He established school season records in each category. Rottino finishes his career first in La Crosse history with 587 at-bats, 199 hits, 129 runs scored, 50 doubles and 23 home runs. The 587 at-bats set a WIAC career record, surpassing the mark of 531 set by Stevens Point's Ryan Krcmar from 1996-99.

Rottino, who also leads the league with a .410 batting average, was an All-WIAC First Team choice a year ago and earned honorable mention honors in 1999. He had at least two hits in 30 of 44 games this year and at least one hit in 37 contests. He hit safely in 63 of his last 76 games and had an extra-base hit in 28 of 44 games this season.

Rottino becomes the first Eagle since Kelly Olson in 1997 to win the conference's Position Player of the Year honor.

Verbrick led Stevens Point to the 2002 WIAC regular season and tournament championships, posting a 9-1 record with 95 strikeouts and a 3.30 ERA. He leads the conference in victories, strikeouts and innings pitched. Verbrick threw 84.2 innings and became the conference's all-time strikeout leader with 251 for his career, surpassing the mark of 247 set by Oshkosh's Troy Cota from 1982-85.

Verbrick also pitched the first nine-inning perfect game in league history in a 5-0 win over River Falls on April 6. He was named the Louisville Slugger national player of the week for his efforts against the Falcons.

Verbrick, a honorable mention selection the past two seasons, is the first Pointer to win the conference's Pitcher of the Year accolade. Chris Berndt won the Position Player of the Year honor in 1999 for the Pointers.

Joining Verbrick on the first team from Stevens Point were Ryan Jones, Paul Molitor, Jeff Pieper, Randy Reed and Joe Waksmonski.

Jones and Molitor form a solid combination on the infield corners for the Pointers. Jones ranks second in the conference with 14 home runs and sixth with 46 runs scored and 41 RBIs. He set a school season record for home runs this year. Molitor leads the WIAC with 55 RBIs, while ranking second with 73 hits, third with 13 home runs and three triples, fourth with 51 runs scored and sixth with a .384 batting average. He was a honorable mention pick last season.

Pieper ranks third in the WIAC with a 3.47 ERA in 62.1 innings pitched this year. He was an All-WIAC First Team choice in 2000 and a honorable mention selection last season.

Reed leads the conference with five triples, while ranking second with 56 runs scored, third with a .397 batting average, 71 hits and 13 stolen bases and fourth with 11 home runs and 14 doubles. He holds the school career record with 10 triples. Reed was a honorable mention pick each of the last two years.

Waksmonski ranks fourth in the league with 14 doubles, seventh with 43 runs scored and ninth with a .376 batting average.

Randy Borgardt, Brady Endl, Joe Shere and Travis Van Zile earned first team honors for Whitewater. Borgardt leads the conference with a 2.97 ERA, allowing 21 earned runs in 63.2 innings pitched. His innings pitched total ranks sixth in the league, while his six victories rank third.

Endl received recognition as a position player and a pitcher, becoming the first league player since Whitewater's Bob Wickman in 1990 to earn accolades in two spots. Endl ranks third in the WIAC with 13 home runs and seventh with 39 RBIs, while batting .353 on the season. On the mound, he ranks sixth with 50 strikeouts and eighth with 61.2 innings pitched. Endl was named the WIAC Pitcher of the Year last season.

Shere ranks 14th in the WIAC with a .366 batting average and added 38 runs scored, 30 RBIs, nine doubles and three home runs on the season. Shere was All-WIAC First Team pick last year and a honorable mention selection in 2000. Van Zile earned All-WIAC First Team honors for the third time in his career. He leads the WIAC with 16 stolen bases, while ranking third with 15 doubles and fifth with 47 runs scored.

Platteville's Merrill Brunson and Emmanuel Rivera helped the squad to 17 wins this season, the most since the 1993 campaign. Brunson ranks third in the WIAC with 55 runs scored--a mark that established a Pioneer season record. He also hit a school record 10 home runs this season, while batting .338. Brunson was an All-WIAC First Team selection in 1998.

Rivera, a newcomer from Muscatine Junior College, is fourth in the league with a .396 batting average. He ranks second with four triples and 15 stolen bases and seventh with 59 hits.

River Falls landed a pair of players on the first team. Scott DeWyre earned All-WIAC First Team honors for the third consecutive season. He led the Falcons with a .347 batting average, 42 hits, 27 RBIs and 12 doubles. Eric Bartholomew had a team-leading .587 slugging percentage and six home runs. He added 37 hits, 25 RBIs, 16 runs scored and seven doubles.

La Crosse's Chester Janke also earned first team honors. He is second in the WIAC with 53 RBIs--a mark that established a school record. Janke ranks fourth in the league with 63 hits, fifth with 11 home runs and 10th with a .375 batting average. He was a honorable mention selection last season.

Oshkosh's Ben Stanley leads the league with a .494 on-base percentage, while ranking second with a .403 batting average, third with 15 doubles, fourth with 11 home runs, fifth with 60 hits and seventh with 39 RBIs. Earlier this year, he was named the Louisville Slugger national player of the week when he homered three times in a game against both Whitewater and Stout.

Stout's Matt Lunde appeared in 17 games this season and ranks second in the WIAC with 78.2 innings pitched and seven victories. In addition, he ranks seventh with a 3.78 ERA. Lunde was a honorable mention pick last season.

Superior's Steve Lishinski ranks 12th in the conference with a .370 batting average. He played in 31 games for the Yellowjackets this season and contributed a team-leading 40 hits and seven doubles.

Stevens Point head coach Brian Nelson was named the 2002 Coach of the Year by the league coaches. Nelson has guided the Pointers to a school record 34 wins this season and their third WIAC championship in four seasons. He has compiled a career record of 92-33 in his three seasons with the Pointers. Nelson becomes the first baseball coach in school history to win the conference honor.

Named to Honorable Mention squad were: La Crosse's Casey Bablitch, Eric Check, Travis Elvert, Eric Grube, Kyle Kaufman, Matt Kloss, Chris Schwarz and Mike Smith, Oshkosh's Brian Herzog and Kevin Jones, Platteville's Ryan Von Haden, River Falls' Dan Morgan, Stevens Point's Mike Hall and Ryan Ivy, Stout's Brad Barneson, Justin Biever, J.W. Dachel and Jon Kroening, Superior's Marcus Besonen and Andrew Carlson and Whitewater's D.J. Cartledge.

Following is a detailed list of the 2002 All-WIAC Baseball Team:

First Team

Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)
Eric Bartholomew, River Falls, Senior, Outfield, North St. Paul, Minn.
Randy Borgardt, Whitewater, Junior, Pitcher, Racine (Park)
Merrill Brunson, Platteville, Senior, Third Base, Richland Center
Scott DeWyre, River Falls, Junior, Outfield, Glenwood City
Brady Endl, Whitewater, Sophomore, First Base/Designated Hitter, Jefferson
Brady Endl, Whitewater, Sophomore, Pitcher, Jefferson
Chester Janke, La Crosse, Sophomore, First Base, Black River Falls
Ryan Jones, Stevens Point, Sophomore, First Base, Eau Claire (North)
Steve Lishinski, Superior, Senior, Catcher, Dollar Bay, Mich.
Matt Lunde, Stout, Senior, Pitcher, Eau Claire (North)
Paul Molitor, Stevens Point, Senior, Third Base, Reedsburg
Jeff Pieper, Stevens Point, Junior, Pitcher, Wausau (West)
Randy Reed, Stevens Point, Senior, Centerfield, Appleton (East)
Emmanuel Rivera, Platteville, Junior, Shortstop, Arroyo, Puerto Rico (Guamani)
Vinnie Rottino, La Crosse, Senior, Shortstop, Racine (St. Catherine's)
Joe Shere, Whitewater, Senior, Third Base, Janesville (Craig)
Ben Stanley, Oshkosh, Senior, Catcher, Janesville (Parker)
Travis Van Zile, Whitewater, Junior, Centerfield, Reedsburg
Bill Verbrick, Stevens Point, Senior, Pitcher, Appleton (Xavier)
Joe Waksmonski, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Catcher, Schofield (D.C. Everest)

Honorable Mention

Casey Bablitch, La Crosse, Junior, Second Base, La Crosse (Central)
Brad Barneson, Stout, Senior, First Base, Strum (Eleva-Strum)
Marcus Besonen, Superior, Junior, Outfield, Trout Creek, Mich. (Ewen-Trout Creek)
Justin Biever, Stout, Junior, Catcher, South Milwaukee
Andrew Carlson, Superior, Junior, Pitcher, Dassel, Minn. (Dassel-Cokato)
D.J. Cartledge, Whitewater, Junior, Shortstop, Greenfield
Eric Check, La Crosse, Senior, Third Base, La Crosse (Logan)
J.W. Dachel, Stout, Senior, Rightfield, Bloomer
Travis Elvert, La Crosse, Junior, Pitcher, Prairie du Chien
Eric Grube, La Crosse, Senior, Pitcher, Auburndale
Mike Hall, Stevens Point, Sophomore, Shortstop, Manitowoc (Lincoln)
Brian Herzog, Oshkosh, Senior, Pitcher, Manitowoc
Ryan Ivy, Stevens Point, Senior, Outfield, Kenosha (Duluth, Ga.)
Kevin Jones, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Third Base, Fond du Lac
Kyle Kaufman, La Crosse, Sophomore, Pitcher, Portage
Matt Kloss, La Crosse, Senior, Leftfield, La Crosse (Central)
Jon Kroening, Stout, Sophomore, Designated Hitter, Ladysmith
Dan Morgan, River Falls, Junior, Pitcher, Ladysmith
Chris Schwarz, La Crosse, Senior, Pitcher, Manitowoc (Lutheran)
Mike Smith, La Crosse, Senior, Catcher/Designated Hitter, Portage
Ryan Von Haden, Platteville, Sophomore, Outfield, Boscobel

Position Player of the Year: Vinnie Rottino of La Crosse

Pitcher of the Year: Bill Verbrick of Stevens Point

Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete: Vinnie Rottino of La Crosse

Coach of the Year: Brian Nelson of Stevens Point

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Stevens Point Receives Top Seed In Baseball Regional

RELEASED: Monday, May 13, 2002

Stevens Point, Wis.--Fresh off Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships, the UW-Stevens Point baseball team has earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division III baseball tournament and will open regional play this weekend in Oshkosh.

The Pointers are 34-8 overall and will take on sixth-seeded George Fox University of Newberg, Ore. in the first round Thursday at 10 a.m. at Tiedemann Field, which is located next to Titan Stadium.

UW-Stevens Point is making its fifth NCAA tournament appearance in six years and also participated in last year’s regional in Oshkosh. George Fox is the Northwest Conference champion with a 26-13 record. The Bruins are making their second tournament appearance, having also participated in the 2000 tournament. UW-Stevens Point has never played a school from the West Coast in its 48-year baseball history.

Defending national champion St. Thomas (Minn.), which handed the Pointers a loss in last year’s regional, is the No. 2 seed and takes on fifth seed Blackburn (Ill.). Lakeland (Wis.) is the third seed and meets fourth seed Calvin (Mich.).

The tournament is a double elimination format and runs through Sunday. The winner of the regional advances to the NCAA Division III championship at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton May 24-28.

NCAA Division III Baseball Regional Pairings (at Tiedemann Field, Oshkosh)
Thursday, May 16
Game 1--#1 seed UW-Stevens Point (34-8) vs. #6 seed George Fox, Ore. (26-13), 10 a.m.
Game 2--#2 seed St. Thomas (29-10) vs. #5 seed Blackburn, Ill. (26-10), 1 p.m.
Game 3--#3 seed Lakeland, Wis. (29-14-1) vs. #4 seed Calvin, Mich. (28-11), 4 p.m.

Friday, May 17
Game 4--Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 10 a.m.
Game 5--Game 1 winner vs. Game 3 loser, 1 p.m.
Game 6--Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 4 p.m.

Saturday, May 18
Pairings TBA

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Three Earn Baseball Academic All-District Honors

RELEASED: Thursday, May 9, 2002

Madison, Wis.--Three Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) baseball student-athletes have been named to the Verizon Academic All-District V First Team. Named to the 11-member squad were UW-Platteville's Merrill Brunson, UW-Stevens Point's Randy Reed and UW-La Crosse's Vinnie Rottino. The trio will now advance to the national ballot.

Brunson, a senior third baseman from Richland Center, Wis., is majoring in elementary education with a 3.46 grade point average. He is one of the most decorated student-athletes in Platteville history. Brunson set school records with 10 home runs and 55 runs scored this season. He compiled a .338 batting average with 29 RBIs. In 1998, he was an All-WIAC First Team and All-Region selection.

He returned to school and the baseball program this year after playing professional basketball in England. Brunson was a two-time NCAA Division III Basketball All-American and led the Pioneers to two national championships. He earned the NABC national basketball Player of the Year award after leading Platteville to the NCAA III championship in 1998-99. He was also the WIAC's Scholar-Athlete in basketball following the 1999-2000 season.

Reed, a senior centerfielder from Appleton, Wis. (East H.S.), is a physical education major and health education minor who carries a 3.25 grade point average.

Reed helped the Pointers to their third WIAC championship in his career this season. He has started all 39 games in centerfield for the Pointers this year and the last 126 games over his career. Entering play in the WIAC Tournament this weekend, Reed leads the team with a .398 batting average to go along with 10 home runs and 46 RBIs as the Pointers' lead-off hitter.

His five triples this season and 10 in his career are both Stevens Point records. Reed also ranks in the top four in Pointer history in games played, at-bats, runs, hits and stolen bases. He is the only player in school history with at least 15 home runs and 30 stolen bases in his career. Reed has earned All-WIAC Honorable Mention honors the past two seasons.

Rottino, a senior shortstop from Racine, Wis. (St. Catherine's H.S.), is majoring in chemistry and minoring in mathematics with a 3.95 grade point average. This marks the second straight year he has earned All-District honors. He was a Verizon Academic All-America Second Team selection in 2001.

Rottino has started all 40 games this season and leads the Eagles in batting average, at-bats, runs, hits, doubles, home runs, total bases and slugging percentage. He has established school single-season records for doubles, hits, runs and home runs this year. Rottino ranks first in career hits (194), at-bats (572), doubles (48), runs (125) and home runs (22) at La Crosse.

Rottino was an All-WIAC First Team and All-Region choice a year ago. He earned All-WIAC Honorable Mention honors as freshman in 1999.

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Stevens Point Captures Conference Baseball Crown

Whitewater, Wis.--Josh Blaha worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning and stranded two UW-Whitewater runners in the ninth inning as the UW-Stevens Point baseball team pulled out a dramatic 8-7 win in the second game of a doubleheader to claim its third Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championship in four years.

The Pointers, who lost the opening game 9-8 to the host Warhawks, finished 22-6 in the league and will host the WIAC tournament next weekend with an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III tournament at stake. UW-Stevens Point, which is 29-8 overall, plays fourth seed UW-Oshkosh in the first game Friday at noon at University Field, while second seed UW-Whitewater takes on third seed UW-La Crosse at the same time at Bukolt Park.

UW-Stevens Point needed a split of the doubleheader for the title and was two outs away from capturing the crown in game one, but the Warhawks Joseph Ecker hit a three-run homer in the ninth as UW-Whitewater scored four runs in the final inning for the victory.

Kevin Pankow relieved Pointer starter Matt Standifer in the fourth inning of game two and scattered just three hits until the eighth when the Warhawks opened with two hits and a walk. After Blaha relieved Pankow, the next two batters both reached on errors as the Warhawks cut the lead to 8-7 and still had the bases loaded with no outs.

However, Blaha struck out Brady Endl swinging and then fired an outside fastball to strikeout Josh Hearn on three pitches. Dan Gnatzig then lined a ball to Pointer leftfielder Kevin Fry to end the threat.

In the ninth, Blaha retired the first two batters, but Travis Van Zile singled and Ecker walked before Blaha forced Joe Shere into a fly ball to right field to earn his first career save. Pankow picked up the victory for the Pointers.

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Oshkosh's Ben Stanley Named National Player of the Week

Entering play of April 10 with eight career home runs, UW-Oshkosh senior Ben Stanley belted seven round trippers within a six-game, five-day period to gain mention as one of four National Collegiate Baseball Player of the Week honorees for contests played April 8-14. The weekly awards are sponsored by Louisville Slugger and selected by staff members of the magazine Collegiate Baseball.

Stanley, a Janesville native, homered three times in a game twice this past week, April 10 in an 11-9 loss to UW-Whitewater and April 14 in an 11-10 loss to
UW-Stout. He also homered in a 14-6 loss to UW-Whitewater on April 10. His long ball display is one of the more impressive hitting performances in UW-Oshkosh history.

Stanley's weekly totals included 16 hits in 26 at bats (.615 batting average) with seven home runs and one double. He also had 14 runs batted in, 10 runs scored and four walks. Stanley ended the week going 10-13 at the plate with eight runs batted in, including a 5-5 performance with five runs scored and five runs batted in during his three-home run contest against UW-Stout. Playing catcher, designated hitter and first base two games each, Stanley was perfect in 33 fielding opportunities.

Joining Stanley as this week's award recipients are pitcher Shaun Reed of Eastern Nazarene College (Mass.) and pitcher Brad Sullivan of the University of Houston (Texas) and outfielder Kevin White of Presbyterian College (S.C.). Stanley was also named this week's WIAC Player of the Week award winner.

Stanley is the second WIAC baseball player to receive National Player of the Week honors in as many weeks. Last week, UW-Stevens Point pitcher Bill Verbrick gained the accolade for his perfect game against UW-River Falls.

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Verbrick Named National Player of the Week

UW-Stevens Point senior pitcher Bill Verbrick has been named among Louisville Slugger's National Players of the Week after throwing the first nine-inning perfect game in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference history.

Louisville Slugger selects five players from all NCAA divisions and Verbrick was one of two Division III players honored along with Jonah Bayliss of Trinity (Ct.), who threw a seven-inning no-hitter against Bates (Maine).

The other three winners were all from Division I and included two pitchers who threw seven-inning no-hitters. Kevin Field of Georgetown no-hit Rutgers and Jeff Mazzola of Albany no-hit Canisius. Clemson third baseman Jeff Baker was honored after hitting five home runs last week.

Verbrick struck out 10 and retired all 27 UW-River Falls batters in a 5-0 Pointer victory on Saturday.

He finished with the sixth no-hitter in UW-Stevens Point history and the first perfect game since Bill Kuse beat UW-Eau Claire in a five-inning game in 1961.

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Fox Cities Entities Seek Extension Of NCAA World Series

2002 NCAA World Series Logo After receiving an additional year as host last fall, the local planning committee of the NCAA Division III Baseball World Series looks to keep the eight-team event at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute through the 2006 season.

Fox Cities Stadium, the home of minor league baseball's Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, has been the venue of the NCAA Division III World Series for the past two years. With the tournament set for the stadium through 2003, the planning committee, consisting of local business representatives, has decided to bid to keep the event another three years. A bid to extend its stay has been submitted and will be presented when the NCAA Division III Baseball Committee meets this summer.

Major local sponsors of the NCAA Division III World Series in the Fox Cities are the Appleton Post-Crescent, Bergstrom Corporation, Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

The economic impact of the NCAA Division III World Series to the Fox Cities is nearly $150,000, according to Aaron Schumacher, Sports Sales Manager of the Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau. The figure is based on hotel room rates, restaurant spending, retail shopping spending, transportation costs, parking costs, admittance to area attractions and miscellaneous expenses. The NCAA Division III World Series is held over Memorial Day Weekend, a slow time in the Fox Cities area regarding tourism.

“As chair of the NCAA Division III Baseball Committee, and southern Wisconsin native, I'm thrilled about interest in the Fox Cities to host the World Series for an additional three years,” said Matt McDonald, head
baseball coach at St. Olaf College (Minn.). “The tournament hosts have done a tremendous job the past two years of promotion, operating the event, and giving each participating student-athlete and coach an experience that will last forever. Fox Cities Stadium is one of the finest baseball venues in the nation, and the local planning committee is to be commended for their efforts.”

The NCAA Division III World Series has been held in five cities since Division III baseball competition began in 1976. Prior to coming to its current location in 2000, the NCAA Division III World Series was held in Marietta, Ohio, from 1976-87, Bristol, Conn., from 1988-89, Battle Creek, Mich., from 1990-94
and Salem, Va., from 1995-99.

The 2001 NCAA Division III World Series, with the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) winning the championship, drew a paid attendance of 12,466 fans, the sixth-highest total in the 26-year history of the event. The all-time attendance record is 13,670 fans, set in Marietta in 1985. In 2000, with Montclair State University (N.J.) winning the title, a total of 12,336 fans attended games at Fox Cities Stadium.

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