RELEASED:  Thursday, August 23, 2007

Fritsch Named UW-La Crosse Men’s Track and Field Interim Head Coach

La Crosse, Wis.--The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse has named Don Fritsch as its interim head men’s track & field head coach. Fritsch, who also serves as the Eagles’ head men’s cross country coach, replaces Brent Ericksen, who resigned in July to accept an assistant track & field coaching position at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

“As a long-time alumnus of the program and a 16-year veteran as a volunteer coach in the track program I wanted to see the smoothest possible transition for the veterans as well as the new incoming freshmen,” said Fritsch. “Our goal will be to prepare and coach a highly competitive team once again this year, but I want to do more than tread water for one year. I want to turn over a program and team to the future coach that is highly motivated, confident and very positive about the future of the program. The past success of this program has always hinged on the incredible attitudes and great work ethics of our student-athletes, and that will not change.”

Fritsch enters his 10th year at the helm of the UW-La Crosse men’s cross country team in 2007. After taking over in 1998, Fritsch has led the Eagles to two National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships and six Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) titles. UW-La Crosse captured its third national title in school history in 2005 and second under Fritsch, also winning in 2001. The Eagles won their first national championship in 1996. Fritsch was named the 2001 and 2005 NCAA Division III Cross Country Coach of the Year.

He has led the Eagles to WIAC Championships in 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2006. Fritsch led UW-La Crosse to its first conference championship since the 1994 season with the team title in 1998. For his efforts, Fritsch has earned WIAC Coach of the Year honors in all six seasons the Eagles have captured the conference crown.

Fritsch was inducted into the Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in January, 2004.

He has guided UW-La Crosse to top-seven national finishes in eight of nine years as head coach. Fritsch assisted head cross country coach Phil Esten and the UW-La Crosse track and field program for six years before being elevated to the head cross country position. A former UW-La Crosse cross country and track and field athlete, Fritsch graduated in 1980 and later returned to receive a master’s degree in physical education-human performance in 1993. He ran to All-WIAC and NAIA All-District 14 honors during his career at UW-La Crosse.

Before coming back to coach at UW-La Crosse, he served as head coach of the boy’s and girl’s cross country programs at Stevens Point Pacelli High School from 1981-90, where he earned Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association Coach of the Year honors four times. He also guided the boy’s and girl’s track and field programs at the school from 1985-91. Fritsch coached the boy’s and girl’s programs to a combined 15 WISAA Division II cross country team championships. He also guided the girl’s track and field team to two state titles. During his tenure at Pacelli, Fritsch guided the development of 15 individual state champions.

In addition to his coaching duties, Fritsch has been a member of the UW-La Crosse academic staff in the health and physical education department and in the education department at Viterbo University. He currently teaches health and physical education at Longfellow Middle School in La Crosse, a position he has held since 1994.

UW-La Crosse has won 24 track & field titles in school history (13 indoor, 11 outdoor), more than any other Division III institution.

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