2003 WIAC Men's Cross Country Headlines

Two Earn Academic All-America Men's Track and Field/Cross Country Honors

RELEASED: Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Andrew Rock and UW-Stevens Point's Curtis Johnson have been named to the 2004 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America College Division Men's Track and Field/Cross Country First Team.

Rock, a senior from Stratford, Wis., is majoring in finance and maintains a 3.61 grade point average. He earned Academic All-America First Team honors for the second straight season. Rock won the 400-meter dash with a United States Olympic Trials qualifying time and was a member of UW-La Crosse's national champion 4 x 400-meter relay at the 2004 NCAA Division III outdoor championship as the Eagles won their fourth straight national crown. He also captured the 200-meter dash and 400-meter dash titles at the WIAC outdoor championship for the fourth straight year.

Rock won the 400-meter dash at this year's NCAA Division III indoor championship and was a member of UW-La Crosse's winning 4 x 400-meter relay team as the Eagles won their fourth consecutive national title. He was named the meet's Most Outstanding Track Performer for his efforts. Rock also earned the WIAC Max Sparger Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete Award this year.

Johnson, a senior from DeForest, Wis., carries a 3.92 grade point average and is double majoring in chemistry and biology. He received a postgraduate scholarship from the NCAA in the amount of $7,500 and was named the 2003 WIAC Max Sparger Cross Country Scholar-Athlete. Johnson placed 18th at the 2003 NCAA Division III cross country championship after placing third at the WIAC meet. He also won the 5,000-meter run title at the 2004 WIAC outdoor championship and participated in the national meet in the 10,000-meter run.

# # # # #

Two Earn Men's Track and Field/Cross Country Academic All-District Accolades

RELEASED: Monday, June 7, 2004

Madison, Wis.--Two Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) student-athletes have been named to the 2004 CoSIDA Academic All-District Five College Division Men's Track and Field/Cross Country Team. UW-La Crosse's Andrew Rock and UW-Stevens Point's Curtis Johnson were recognized on the first team.

Rock, a senior from Stratford, Wis., is majoring in finance and maintains a 3.61 grade point average. He earned CoSIDA Academic All-America College Division First Team honors last season. Rock won the 400-meter dash with a United States Olympic Trials qualifying time and was a member of UW-La Crosse's national champion 4 x 400-meter relay at the 2004 NCAA Division III outdoor championship as the Eagles won their fourth straight national crown. He also captured the 200-meter dash and 400-meter dash titles at the WIAC outdoor championship for the fourth straight year.

Rock won the 400-meter dash at this year's NCAA Division III indoor championship and was a member of UW-La Crosse's winning 4 x 400-meter relay team as the Eagles won their fourth consecutive national title. He was named the meet's Most Outstanding Track Performer for his efforts. Rock also earned the WIAC Max Sparger Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete Award this year.

Johnson, a senior from DeForest, Wis., carries a 3.92 grade point average and is double majoring in chemistry and biology. He received a postgraduate scholarship from the NCAA in the amount of $7,500 and was named the 2003 WIAC Max Sparger Cross Country Scholar-Athlete. Johnson placed 18th at the 2003 NCAA Division III cross country championship after placing third at the WIAC meet. He also won the 5,000-meter run title at the 2004 WIAC outdoor championship and participated in the national meet in the 10,000-meter run.

The academic all-district team is comprised of all NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA student-athletes from Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota and is voted on by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Rock and Johnson are now eligible for the Academic All-America squad, which will be announced at the end of June.

# # # # #

UW-Stevens Point's Johnson Receives NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship

RELEASED: Thursday, March 25, 2004

Indianapolis, Ind.--University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point's Curt Johnson has been award one of 58 postgraduate scholarships from the NCAA in the amount of $7,500. The scholarships were given to 29 male and 29 female student-athletes who participated in fall sports, which included women's badminton (emerging sport), men's and women's cross country, women's field hockey, football, men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball and men's water polo.

Johnson, a senior cross country student-athlete from DeForest, Wis., is double majoring in biology and chemistry and carries a 3.92 grade point average. He received the WIAC Max Sparger Men's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete Award in 2003 and has been named to the Dean's List at UW-Stevens Point every semester.

Johnson placed third at the 2003 WIAC championship to earn All-WIAC first team accolades. He was named his team's Outstanding Freshman and the Most Dedicated and also received his institution's Outstanding Freshman Male Athlete Award.

Johnson is a member of the Phi Kappi Phi and Tri-Beta Biological Honor Societies and has published and presented research at national conferences and symposiums. He has received a student research grant and is active in research on Lyme Disease and tick pathogens. Johnson is a member of UW-Stevens Point's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and has attended the NCAA Regional Leadership Conference.

To qualify for an NCAA postgraduate scholarship, a student-athlete must have an overall grade point average of 3.200 (on a 4.000 scale) or its equivalent and must have performed with distinction as a member of the varsity team in the sport in which the student-athlete was nominated. The student-athlete must have behaved, both on and off the field, in a manner that has brought credit to the student-athlete, the institution and intercollegiate athletics. The student-athlete also must intend to continue academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree as a full-time or part-time graduate student.

# # # # #

Hanover, Ind.--Three Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) men's cross country teams finished in the top 10 and two women's squads placed in the top seven at the NCAA Division III Championships, which were held on Saturday, November 21 at the L.S. Ayres Athletic Complex on the campus of Hanover College.

UW-Stevens Point's men's team completed its best finish in school history by placing second overall, while UW-La Crosse finished fourth and UW-Oshkosh ninth. In the women's race, UW-Stevens Point had the highest finish in school history by placing third overall with UW-La Crosse finishing seventh and UW-Oshkosh placing 11th.

Calvin (Mich.) won the men's national title with 48 team points to outdistance the Pointers who compiled 128 points. It also marked only the second time in NCAA Division III history that a team scored fewer than 50 points in a national meet. North Central (Ill.) placed third with 155 points, UW-La Crosse fourth with 163 points and Wartburg (Iowa) fifth with 210 points. UW-Oshkosh finished ninth with 286 points and UW-Whitewater placed 17th with 389 points at the 24-team national meet.

Josh Moen of Wartburg (Iowa) won the men's race, completing the 8,000-meter course in 24:34.4. UW-Platteville's Ryan Kleimenhagen was the top finisher from the WIAC, placing 11th with a time of 25:31.9 to capture All-America accolades. UW-Stevens Point's Mark LaLonde placed 12th (25:33), followed by teammate Curt Johnson who finished 18th (25:36.7). Kleimenhagen, LaLonde and Johnson all earned All-America honors for their efforts at the national meet.

Middlebury (Vt.) won the women's national crown for the third time in the last four years with 135 team points to outdistance Trinity (Ct.) who finished second with 174 points. The Pointers compiled 193 points in their third-place finish, while Williams (Mass.) finished fourth with 206 points and Amherst (Mass.) placed fifth with 225 points. UW-La Crosse finished seventh with 263 points and UW-Oshkosh placed 11th with 311 points in the 24-team meet.

Missy Buttry of Wartburg (Iowa) won the women's individual crown with a time of 20:00.2 to outdistance UW-Oshkosh's Elizabeth Woodworth, who finished second with a time of 21:03.3 on the 6,000-meter course. UW-La Crosse's Julia Rudd finished 26th (22:43.9) and UW-Platteville's Jackie Mulrooney placed 28th (22:44.9). Woodworth, Rudd and Mulrooney claimed All-America accolades

# # # # # #

Madison, Wis.--Four Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) men's cross country teams and three women's teams advanced to the NCAA Division III Championships following regional competition at Whitetail Golf Course in Colfax, Wis. UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater advanced on the men's side, while UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh and UW-Stevens Point will represent the league in the women's event.

UW-Oshkosh, the defending national champion, dominated the men's race with 35 team points, while North Central (Ill.) finished second with 97 points, UW-Stevens Point third with 98 points, UW-La Crosse fourth with 110 points and UW-Whtiewater fifth with 135 points. Additional WIAC team finishes included UW-Platteville 10th (269), UW-Eau Claire 12th (368), UW-Stout 13th (370) and UW-River Falls 21st (678). A total of 32 teams competed in the men's event with the top five teams advancing to the national meet.

UW-Platteville's Ryan Kleimenhagen won the men's race for the second straight season, completing the 8,000-meter course in 24:43, while UW-Oshkosh's David Cisewski finished second with a time of 24:44. UW-Oshkosh's Nick Boehlke placed third with a time of 24:45, UW-Stevens Point's Curtis Johnson fourth (24:48), UW-Oshkosh's Matt Groose fifth (24:52), UW-Oshkosh's John LeRoy eighth (25:03) and UW-Whitewater's Chad Carstens ninth (25:04).

UW-Stout's Dave Huber was one of eight members to qualify individually for the national meet. He placed 11th with a time of 25:11.

In the women's race, UW-Stevens Point took first with 76 team points. UW-Oshkosh placed second with 98 points, while UW-La Crosse finished third with 113 points and Chicago (Ill.) fourth with 142 points. Additional WIAC team finishes included UW-Eau Claire eighth (267), UW-Whitewater ninth (275), UW-River Falls 11th (332), UW-Stout 13th (394), UW-Platteville 14th (422) and UW-Superior 30th (817). A total of 35 squads participated in the women's competition with the top four teams advancing to the national meet.

UW-Oshkosh's Elizabeth Woodworth won the women's event, completing the 6,000-meter course in 20:48, while UW-La Crosse's Julia Rudd finished fourth with a time of 21:55. UW-Platteville's Jackie Mulrooney placed sixth with a time of 22:02, UW-Stevens Point's Teresa Stanley eighth (22:28) and UW-Stevens Point's Leah Herlache 10th (22:35).

Mulrooney's finished allowed her to qualify individually for the national meet.

The NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships will be held on Saturday, November 22 in Hanover, Ind. The event will be hosted by Hanover College with the women's race beginning at 11:00 a.m. and the men's event will begin at noon.

# # # # #

UW-Stevens Point's Johnson Named Men's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete

RELEASED: Thursday, November 6, 2003

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point's Curt Johnson has been named the 2003 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men's Cross Country Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete, it was announced recently by WIAC Commissioner Gary Karner.

Johnson, a senior from DeForest, Wis., is double majoring in biology and chemistry and carries a 3.92 grade point average. He is a three-time Academic All-American and a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. Johnson has also been named to the Dean's List at UW-Stevens Point every semester.

Johnson recently helped the Pointers to a second-place finish at the WIAC Championship, by placing third overall to earn All-WIAC First Team accolades. He was named his team's Outstanding Freshman and the Most Dedicated and also received his institution's Outstanding Freshman Male Athlete Award in an individual sport.

Johnson is a member of the Phi Kappi Phi and Tri-Beta Biological Honor Societies and has published and presented research at national conferences and symposiums. He has received a student research grant and is active in research on Lyme Disease and tick pathogens. Johnson is a member of UW-Stevens Point's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and has attended the NCAA Regional Leadership Conference.

Johnson becomes the third men's cross country individual from UW-Stevens Point to win the league's scholar-athlete award, joining Dan Schwamberger (2000) and Jeremie Johnson (1995).

Also nominated for this year's scholar-athlete award were UW-Oshkosh's Chris Anderson, UW-Stevens Point's Brad Wick and UW-Whitewater's Riley Kehoe.

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.

# # # # #

UW-Oshkosh Wins Second Straight Men's Cross Country Championship

Colfax, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh won its second straight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) men's cross country championship which was hosted by UW-Stout on Saturday, November 1 at Whitetail Golf Course. The league meet was hosted by UW-Stout.

The Titans claimed the ninth men's cross country crown in school history, and third in the last four seasons, finished with 29 team points to outdistance UW-Stevens Point, which finished second with 48 points. The 29 points by UW-Oshkosh were the best in conference history since UW-La Crosse compiled 27 points at the 1994 conference gala.

UW-La Crosse finished third with 82 points, followed by UW-Whitewater with 107, UW-Platteville with 128, UW-Stout with 169, UW-Eau Claire with 187, UW-River Falls with 246 and UW-Superior with 284.

Senior David Cisewski led the strong Titan effort with a second-place finish over the 8,000-meter course in a time of 24:45, while junior John LeRoy placed fourth in 24:55, junior Nick Boehlke placed fifth in 25:02, senior Matt Groose finished sixth in 25:06 and junior Paul Brown placed 12th in 25:23.

UW-Platteville senior Ryan Kleimenhagen successfully defended his individual title, completing the course with a time of 24:42. He is just the second runner in the school history to win the league's individual crown after Amo Stephen captured the crown in 1961.

UW-Stevens Point senior Curt Johnson placed third overall with a time of 24:52, while UW-Whitewater senior Chad Carstens finished seventh with a time of 25:08. The top seven individuals received All-WIAC First Team recognition, while competitors placing 8-14 earned All-WIAC Second Team accolades.

UW-Oshkosh head coach John Zupanc was voted the Coach of the Year by the league coaches, while UW-Stevens Point's Curt Johnson received the Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award.

# # # # #

Nisius Named UW-Superior Cross Country/Track and Field Head Coach

RELEASED: Wednesday, August 20, 2003

Superior, Wis.--The University of Wisconsin-Superior has named Paul Nisius as its new Cross Country/ Track and Field Coach. Nisius comes to the Yellowjackets from Bigfork, Minnesota where he was the head track and field coach for ten years and taught Business Education. He also served as an assistant aoach with the Grand Rapids High School Cross Country program for three years.

A native of Duluth, Minn., Nisius competed at Duluth Central High School. He also competed collegiately in Cross Country and Track & Field at the University of Minnesota-Duluth from 1986-90. He was the captain of both teams and was named the Bulldogs' Outstanding Senior Athlete in 1990.

While at Bigfork, Nisius had track and field Athletes qualify for the Minnesota State High School Meet the last eight years. At Grand Rapids, the cross country program captured the Minnesota State AA High School Championship in 2000. The Thunderhawks were state runners-up in 2001 and captured third place in 2002.

UW-Superior Athletic Director Jeff Kaminsky is excited about Nisius' hiring. "We are excited to add Paul Nisius to our staff and take over the leadership of the cross country and track and field programs. Paul's dedication and enthusiasm are obvious. I look forward to having Paul bring that kind of excitement to our department and work to develop the cross country and track and field programs."

Nisius graduated from Minnesota-Duluth in 1990 with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Business Administration. He has his USA Track & Field Level II Coaching Certifications in Endurance, Sprints, Hurdles and Relays.

"There is a lot of high school talent in Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, and I am hoping my knowledge of the local coaches and athletes will aid in recruiting. The WIAC is an extremely competitive conference, and I look forward to the challenge of guiding UW-Superior against other traditionally successful programs in the conference."

# # # # #

Back to the WIAC home page