2006 WIAC Women's Volleyball Season Headlines

2006 WIAC Women's Volleyball Season Headlines

UW-Whitewater’s Fick Receives AVCA Award

RELEASED: Monday, June 25, 2007

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Whitewater sports information director Tom Fick has received the 2006-07 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Grant Burger Media Award for the Midwest Region in NCAA Division III.

Fick, who has served as UW-Whitewater’s sports information director for 31 years, was recognized for the information he provided on a Warhawk women’s volleyball program that compiled a 35-7 record during the 2006 campaign and captured the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) tournament championship. UW-Whitewater advanced to the NCAA Division III national semifinals and finished third in the final AVCA NCAA Division III poll.

Fick’s honor by the AVCA is the third straight for a WIAC sports information director as UW-Platteville’s Paul Erickson was honored last season and UW-Stout's Layne Pitt received the award in 2004-05.

The AVCA Grant Burger Media Award is an honor intended to recognize members of the media who have been involved in the advancement of the sport of volleyball, whether it be through consistent coverage in all mediums (sports information, print, broadcasting and web content), production of volleyball-specific publications or extensive radio and/or television exposure. It is named in honor of Grant Burger, former Director of Sports Information and Associate Director of the AVCA (1988-92), whose hard work, innovative mind, knowledge and enthusiasm took the areas of media relations and publications at the AVCA to a higher level and increased awareness of the sport of volleyball nationwide.

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Herb Announces Retirement From Volleyball

RELEASED: Thursday, March 8, 2007

Eau Claire, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire head women’s volleyball coach Lisa Herb has announced her retirement from coaching after 22 seasons at Eau Claire and 28 seasons overall as a head coach, Director of Athletics Scott Kilgallon announced today.

Herb compiled a 626-208 record (.751 winning percentage) in her 22 years at Eau Claire and coached 1,086 career matches in 28 years, finishing with a 789-297 career mark (.726). She started the 2006 season as the third winningest coach in Division III, trailing only Larry Bock of Juniata, Pennsylvania who currently has 1,100 wins and Rich Luenemann of Washington University, Missouri, who has 871 wins.

Herb will rank third among Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) coaches for wins while at a UW school and second in all-time wins behind Kris Russell of UW-Whitewater who went 812-231 in 24 seasons. Marty Petersen of UW-Oshkosh amassed a 630-368 record in 22 seasons at UW-Oshkosh.

Under Herb the Blugolds advanced to nine NCAA post-season tournaments. Eau Claire finished 9-9 overall in NCAA play but compiled a 6-3 record in its last three tournament appearances in 1997, 2005 and 2006. The Blugolds advanced to the Sweet Sixteen seven times, reaching that round in 1987, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2005 and 2006.

Eau Claire won WIAC championships in 1987 and 2006. The Blugolds finished second in the regular season standings in 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1997 while placing third in 1985, 1992, 1993, 1996 and 2005.

With Herb as head coach the Blugolds posted winning records in 21 of her 22 seasons. Eau Claire finished 52-3 in 1987 which is the second-most match wins ever recorded by a WIAC school in one season. The Blugolds also notched a 42-14 record in Herb’s second Eau Claire season in 1986. During Herb’s tenure, the Blugolds have posted nine 30-plus win seasons and 20 20-plus win seasons.

As the Blugold head coach, Herb produced 15 All-Americans. Only UW-Whitewater with 32 and UW-Oshkosh with 18 produced more over the same time frame. The Blugolds have received the most All-Americans among WIAC schools in the last two years as five players have achieved that honor.

Before Herb’s arrival, only three Blugolds received All-Conference status. In the last 22 years, Eau Claire has had 70 first team, honorable mention or all-defensive honors. Forty-eight Blugolds have been named to the first team in addition to 17 honorable mention and five all-defensive recipients. Only Whitewater has received more all-conference honors during that time with 76.

Prior to her arrival in Eau Claire, Herb spent six seasons as the head coach at the University of Dubuque, Iowa. During her stint at Dubuque, the Spartans went 163-89, winning the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) championship in 1982 with a second in 1983. Herb’s 1982 team still holds school records for best season record at 46-5, matches won at 46 and most service aces with 384. In six seasons, seven Spartans received all-conference honors with two winning IIAC Player of the Year honors and one Academic All-District honoree. Herb was inducted into the University of Dubuque Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001 and her 1982 team was inducted in 2004.

Herb inherited an Eau Claire program that had won 100 matches in 10 seasons and an overall record of 6-65 in the two previous seasons. Herb went on to win 32 matches in her first season. She was named the WIAC Coach of the Year in 1997 and 2006.

Kilgallon expressed his appreciation for Herb’s long service with Blugold athletics. “I want to thank Lisa for her dedication to the program and the many student-athletes whom she mentored during these past 22 years.”

Herb will continue in her UWEC position as Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology. She is currently serving as the interim chair of that department.

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UW-Eau Claire’s Berger Named to Academic All-America Women’s Volleyball Second Team

RELEASED: Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s Shanna Berger has been named to the 2006 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America College Division Women’s Volleyball Second Team.

The team is comprised of all NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA players throughout the country and is voted on by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Berger, a senior libero from Baldwin, Wis. (Baldwin-Woodville H.S.), is majoring in chemistry with a business emphasis and boasts a 3.96 grade point average. She is a three-time All-WIAC defensive team selection and secured honorable mention status this year. Berger finished sixth in the conference with 4.65 digs per game this season and ranks third on UW-Eau Claire’s career list with 1,983 digs.

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UW-Whitewater Falls Short in NCAA Women’s Volleyball Semifinal Contest

RELEASED: Saturday, November 18, 2006

Salem, Va.--The first semi-final match of the 2006 NCAA Division III National Women’s Volleyball Championship pitted a pair of volleyball heavyweights against each other on Nov. 17.

With a combined 40 total NCAA tournament appearances between the two foes, Washington University (Mo.) and UW-Whitewater set the stage for a stellar contest. Washington U. proved tops on this day, upending the defending champion Warhawks 3-0 (30-21, 30-18, 30-27) and putting themselves into the national final match.

“This is reality,” explained Washington U. head coach Rich Luenemann. “We were working towards this championship.”

The Bears (38-1) used an overpowering block to march through the first two games of the match, but the third stanza was a different story. Washington U. jumped out to an 11-1 lead that soon grew to 20-7 before UW-Whitewater called its second timeout of the game. The Warhawks (35-7) rebounded following the break, using improved hitting and good net play to wrong-foot Washington U. UW-Whitewater closed the gap to 23-13 to force the Bear bench pause play and regroup.

The Warhawks continued to push the issue out of the timeout, further unsettling the Bears’ big lead. With its offense untracked and the Warhawks in rhythm, Washington U. was again forced into a stoppage with its advantage cut to 27-23. With the scoreboard reading 29-27, Nikki Morrison put the final point down for the Bears, securing its 3-0 victory.

Morrison led the way for the Bear attack that hit .258 for the contest, hammering out a match-high 15 kills to go with three blocks. Whitney Smith led the Washington U. front line with six total blocks (five assists) as part of a Bear defense that sent back 10 Warhawk attempts. Setter Audra Janak handed out 24 assists, while Amy Bommarito and Haleigh Spencer racked up 14 and 13 digs, respectively.

Carley Polk headed the UW-Whitewater attack with 12 kills. Setter Kate Lazotte dished out 36 assists to go with seven digs. Kristina Conlin led the defense with 11 digs, while Abby Schultz and Rebekah Nelson collected 10 apiece.

UW-Whitewater took control early in the first game, moving out to a 10-7 advantage at one point. Washington U.’s Smith and a pair of her frontline-mates sent back a pair Warhawk attacks to help the Bears move out to a 12-10 timeout-inducing lead. Washington U. carried a two-point edge for much of the middle part of the frame before pushing its lead to 26-20 and forcing a second Warhawk break. The Bears didn’t let up following the timeout, hunting down victory 30-21.

Game two started much the same as the first with the teams exchanging points back and forth. UW-Whitewater seemed to be starting a little run as it moved out to a 10-8 lead, but Washington U. called timeout to quickly dispel the momentum. The tactic worked as the Bears leveled the match and eventually took a 17-13 lead midway through frame. A pair of timeouts couldn’t stop the Washington U. block from stymieing the Warhawk offense, leading to a 30-18 Bear triumph.

"We were very motivated,” said Bear senior Amy Bommarito. “Everyone played their best.”

Washington U. will face Juniata College (Pa.) for the national title on Nov. 18, at 7:30 p.m. (Eastern).

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UW-Whitewater Upends California Lutheran in Women’s Volleyball Elite Eight Contest

RELEASED: Thursday, November 16, 2006

Salem, Va.--The 2006 NCAA National Volleyball Championship began with a high air of anticipation given the two opponents in its opening match. California Lutheran University seemed on track to continue its recent history of tournament upsets in the early going, but last year’s national champion, UW-Whitewater, quickly turned the table and rode the change of momentum to a 3-0 (32-30, 30-21, 30-22) match victory.

Having already trumped La Verne University (Calif.) in a regional play and denying the Leopards a return trip to Salem, Cal Lutheran had its crowd on its feet with an early 10-5 advantage. The Regals maintained the edge through much of the first game including a 28-24 late lead before the match’s direction quickly shifted. UW-Whitewater (35-6) used good hitting and a few Regal errors to send the game to extra points before pulling out the first game victory.

“The key to winning was never giving up and always hanging in their,” explained UW-Whitewater head coach Stacy Boudreau. “We knew we could bring more to our game.”

Carley Polk, American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Second Team All-American, and junior Abby Schultz led the team in kills and really worked Regals’ libero, Jessica Hagerty, with a total of 25 kills between them. The impressive hitting of the Warhawks was set up by 40 assists from setter Kate Lazotte.

Cal-Lutheran’s Mo Coverdale, an AVCA First Team All-American, did not disappoint in today’s performance with 17 kills. Sophomore Summer Plante-Newman added 14 digs and five kills along the wing to counter Coverdale’s middle efforts.

Following the first game victory, UW-Whitewater took complete control of the second game. The Warhawks found themselves with a 14-7 lead midway through and never looked back. The game’s final score was 30-21 with Lazotte serving the final point.

In the final game, the Regals found themselves battling for a second chance when the score was tied 7-7 after a kill by Coverdale and again at 21-21after an attack error by UW-Whitewater. The Warhawks earned the side out and recaptured the lead behind the service of freshmen Kelly Sorensen and Kristina Conlin to seal the game and the match.

“We didn’t play at our level today,” added Coach Boudreau. “And in order to win, we are going to have to pick up our game.”

Cal-Lutheran finishes the season with an 18-6 record. UW-Whitewater advances to the semi-final match against Washington University (Mo.) on Nov. 17 at 4:30 p.m. (Eastern).

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Ten Named to AVCA All-America Team

RELEASED: Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Madison, Wis.--Ten Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) individuals have been named to the 2006 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Team.

UW-Oshkosh’s Leah Rosenbaum and UW-Platteville’s Dana Alf were first team selections, while UW-Eau Claire’s Carly Freiborg and UW-Whitewater’s Carley Polk were second team selections and the Blugolds’ Jessica Groh and the Warhawks’ Rebekah Nelson were third team choices.

The AVCA selected three 12-player All-America teams from a pool of 96 players who had been named to eight All-Region first teams.

The remaining All-Region first team members were accorded honorable mention in the balloting, including UW-Eau Claire’s Shanna Berger, UW-Oshkosh’s Kim Vail, UW-River Falls’ Andrea Geehan and UW-Stevens Point’s Shelly Maus.

Rosenbaum, a junior middle hitter from Wrightstown, Wis., was an All-America third team choice a year ago and leads the WIAC with a .395 hitting percentage, while placing sixth with 1.04 blocks per game and seventh with 3.65 kills per game.

Alf, a senior middle hitter from Eleva, Wis. (Eleva-Strum H.S.), is the first All-America First Team selection in UW-Platteville history after claiming honorable mention status a year ago. She was named the WIAC Player of the Year this season after leading the conference with 4.96 kills per game, while ranking second with a .381 hitting percentage. Alf’s 1,821 career kills represent the third most in league history.

Freiborg, a senior setter from Sacred Heart, Minn. (Renville County West H.S.), ranks fifth in the conference with 11.97 assists per game. She set the school career assist record with 5,021, while placing third with 243 service aces and eighth with 1,132 digs. Freiborg is the highest All-America choice for the program since Brooke Wozniak-Schmidt earned first team status in 2003.

Polk, a junior middle blocker from Dousman, Wis. (Mukwonago H.S.), is fourth in the league with 1.19 blocks per game, fifth with a .329 hitting percentage and 10th with 3.42 kills per game.

Groh, a senior middle hitter from Eau Claire, Wis. (North H.S.), places second in the WIAC with 1.56 blocks per game, fourth with a .334 hitting percentage and fifth with 3.69 kills per game. She set Blugold career records with 423 blocking assists and 508 total blocks.

Nelson, a junior outside hitter from Delavan, Wis. (Williams Bay H.S.), ranks ninth in the conference with a .293 hitting percentage and 3.42 kills per game.

Berger, a senior libero from Baldwin, Wis. (Baldwin-Woodville H.S.), ranks sixth in the WIAC with 4.65 digs per game and finished third on UW-Eau Claire’s career list with 1,983 digs.

Geehan, a senior middle hitter from St. Paul, Minn. (Como Park H.S.), places fourth in the league with 3.72 kills per game and finished her career with 1,400 kills which ranks third on UW-River Falls’ all-time list.

Maus, a junior middle hitter from Green Bay, Wis. (Southwest H.S.), leads the WIAC with 1.64 blocks per game, while ranking third with a .354 hitting percentage and eighth with 3.49 kills per game. She places second on the school’s all-time list with 1,211 kills and is the first individual in program history to claim All-America recognition since Carol Larson in 1985.

Vail, a junior outside hitter from Madison, Wis. (Memorial H.S.), is seventh in the association with a .301 hitting percentage and 11th with 3.08 kills per game.

All 10 individuals were also named to the 12-member All-Midwest Region Team this season. UW-Oshkosh’s Samantha Schmidt and UW-River Falls’ Kate Thompson were honorable mention choices on the all-region squad, while the Titans’ Leah Stumpf was named the Midwest Region Freshman of the Year.

Stumpf becomes the sixth straight individual from the WIAC to win the region freshman of the year honor in the six-year history of the award.

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UW-Whitewater Advances to Women’s Volleyball Elite Eight

RELEASED: Sunday, November 12, 2006

Eau Claire, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Whitewater advanced to the “Elite Eight” of the NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Tournament with a 30-28, 30-19, 26-30, 30-27 victory over UW-Eau Claire at the McPhee Phy Ed Center on Nov. 11.

UW-Whitewater, the defending national champion, will participate in the NCAA Quarterfinals for the ninth time in school history and fifth time since the 2000 season.

The Warhawks (34-6) will face California Lutheran in a NCAA quarterfinal match on Nov. 16 in Salem, Va.

In the first game against UW-Eau Claire, neither team had a lead of greater than three. The key point of the game was when the score was tied 28-28, the Warhawks finished off a long rally with a kill and would go on to win 30-28. Whitewater had 15 kills in game one, while the Blugolds had a .000 attack percentage.

With the score 4-3, UW-Eau Claire in the second game, the Warhawks would go on an 11-3 run and go up 17-9. UW-Whitewater would take the second game 30-19. The Warhawks had a .321 attack percentage, their best of the match.

In game three the Blugolds, down 21-20, used a 6-1 run to take a 26-22 lead. They held that margin and took the third game 30-26 to stay alive in the match. The Blugolds had 18 kills in game three.

UW-Eau Claire appeared to be sending the match into a fifth game as they were up 26-21 in game four. However, the Warhawks went on to score the next seven points to take a 28-26 lead. The Warhawks then would get the win on a service ace and take game four 30-27.

The Blugolds had 54 kills in the match and the Warhawks had 53 kills. UW-Whitewater registered 34 blocks, while the Blugolds had 12. Jodi Dunbar led the Blugolds with 18 kills, while Carley Polk and Abby Schultz each contributed 13 kills to lead the Warhawks.

UW-Eau Claire ended the season with a 30-4 record with three of the losses against UW-Whitewater.

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UW-Eau Claire and UW-Whitewater Win Women’s Volleyball Second Round Contests

RELEASED: Saturday, November 11, 2006

Eau Claire, Wis.--For the second consecutive season, UW-Eau Claire and UW-Whitewater will meet in the finals of the NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Midwest Regional after both teams won their second round contests at McPhee Phy Ed Center on Nov. 10.

UW-Eau Claire defeated Concordia College-Moorhead (Minn.) by scores of 30-23, 28-30, 30-25, 21-30, 15-9, while UW-Whitewater earned a 30-21, 30-20, 30-19 triumph over University of St. Thomas (Minn.).

UW-Whitewater won last year’s bout against UW-Eau Claire during regional competition in Oshkosh, Wis. The Warhawks went on to win the NCAA Division III national championship. UW-Whitewater has also defeated UW-Eau Claire twice this season, a five-game victory in the regular season and a four-game win in the WIAC tournament championship match.

UW-Whitewater (33-6) avenged an early season defeat to St. Thomas (29-7) with a three-game sweep in the regional. The first game was close early, but with the score 14 apiece the Warhawks would score eight of the next 10 points and go on to win 30-21. The Warhawks also pulled away midway through the second game to win 30-20.

UW-Whitewater carried their momentum into the third game and closed out the Tommies, winning 30-19. UW-Whitewater had 20 kills in the third game and finished with 51 kills for the match, while the Tommies finished with 31 kills.

Abby Schultz led UW-Whitewater with 13 kills and 15 digs. Carley Polk added 10 kills and had five blocks. Rachelle Dosch led the Tommies with 11 kills.

In the second semifinal, UW-Eau Claire (30-3) defeated Concordia-Moorhead (25-2) in another thrilling five-game match for the Blugolds.

The Blugolds broke open a close game late as they took game one by a score of 30-23. The Blugolds out-scored the Cobbers 10-4 to end the game. In game two, the Blugolds had an 11-9 lead, but the Cobbers would score the next five points to take a 14-11 lead. Concordia then would have a 28-24 lead, but the Blugolds came back to tie it at 28-28. However, a Blugolds service error and a block gave the Cobbers 30-28 game two win.

UW-Eau Claire had a 9-3 lead to begin game three, however Concordia came back to take a 15-14 lead. The Blugolds then bounced back and went on a 7-1 run to take a 20-15 lead. UW-Eau Claire retained that lead to win the game 30-25. It was the Cobbers turn to pull away in a close fourth game. With the score 17-16 Concordia, the Cobbers would go on a 8-0 run and went on to win the game 30-21.

In the fifth game, neither team had a lead of greater than two in the first half of the game. With the score 9-9, the Blugolds would take the final six points to win 15-9. Nine of the 15 points for UW-Eau Claire were kills. The loss snapped Concordia’s 18-match win streak. The Blugolds ended with 75 kills in the match, while the Cobbers finished with 55 kills. UW-Eau Claire had five players with double figures in kills led by Nikki Peterson with 18 kills. Jessica Groh added 15 kills and led the team with eight blocks. Danielle Dahl led the Cobbers with 14 kills, while Becca Shane contributed 13 kills.

UW-Eau Claire and UW-Whitewater will fight for the chance to go to Salem, Va., and the Elite Eight when they face each other on Nov. 11 at 7 p.m.

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UW-Eau Claire Advances, UW-Oshkosh Falls at NCAA Women’s Volleyball Midwest Regional

RELEASED: Friday, November 10, 2006

Eau Claire, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Midwest Regional, while UW-Oshkosh was eliminated from tournament competition at the McPhee Phy Ed Center on Nov. 9.

The Blugolds advanced with a 30-17, 26-30, 25-30, 30-26, 17-15 victory over Carthage College and will face Concordia College-Moorhead (Minn.) (25-1) in a second round contest on Nov. 10 at 7 p.m., while the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) ended the Titans’ season with a 31-29, 23-30, 26-30, 30-26, 15-12 triumph.

St. Thomas (29-6) will face defending national champion UW-Whitewater (32-6) in the other second round matchup at 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 10.

In game one of UW-Eau Claire’s match against Carthage (29-5), the Blugolds used a lot of short sets on their way to winning the game 30-17. The margin was about five points until the Blugolds scored seven unanswered points to lengthen their lead. The Lady Reds jumped out to a 7-1 lead in game two. The Blugolds tied it 16-16, but Carthage went on to win the game 30-26.

In game three, UW-Eau Claire took an early lead, however Carthage came back to take a lead of their own. The Lady Reds then scored 10 of the last 14 points to break a 21-21 tie and win game three 30-25. In a hard fought game four, the Blugolds pulled away midway through and went on to win game four by a score of 30-26 to stay alive.

Game five was as good as it gets. Carthage got ahead early, scoring the first five points of the game. The Blugolds then came back to cut the lead to 9-7. The Lady Reds extended their lead to 12-7. The Blugolds then scored six of the next seven points to tie the score 13-13. The Blugolds then fought off two match points at 14-13 and 15-14. With the score 16-15, UW-Eau Claire ended the match on a kill for a 17-15 win. Jodi Dunbar finished with 23 kills to lead the Blugolds, while Sarah Carlino and Ashley Kuehl each had 15 kills to lead Carthage.

In UW-Oshkosh’s (32-6) match against St. Thomas, the Titans went up 16-8 in game one and had a game point at 29-28. However, the Tommies scored the final three points to take the first game 31-29. The Titans jumped out to an early lead in game two and this time hung on to that lead, winning by a score of 30-23 to even the match.

The Titans continued their success into game three, as the biggest margin they trailed by was 7-5. After that, UW-Oshkosh scored six straight points on their way to winning game three 30-26 and take a two games to one lead. The Titans looked to close out the match in game four, but the Tommies scored nine of the last 12 points to survive and win 30-26 to force a fifth and deciding game. St. Thomas had 17 kills in the game, their highest of the match.

After a close start to game five, St. Thomas pulled away midway through and would go on to win 15-12. The Tommies had their best attack percentage (.304) of the match. Both teams finished with 67 kills, while St. Thomas had 35 blocks, compared to 19 for the Titans. Rachelle Dosch led the Tommies with 21 kills, while the Titans were led by Leah Rosenbaum with 18 kills.

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Three Claim Women’s Volleyball Academic All-District Status

RELEASED: Friday, November 10, 2006

Madison, Wis.--Three Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) individuals have been named to the 2006 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Five College Division Women’s Volleyball Team. UW-Eau Claire’s Shanna Berger was a first team selection, while UW-River Falls’ Kat Krtnick was a second team honoree and UW-Eau Claire’s Ashley Danielson a third team pick.

The 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).

Berger, a senior from Baldwin, Wis. (Baldwin-Woodville H.S.), secured first team honors for the second straight year. She is majoring in chemistry with a business emphasis and boasts a 3.96 grade point average. Berger is a three-time All-WIAC defensive team selection and ranks sixth in the league with 4.70 digs per game.

She is eligible for the Academic All-America team which will be announced on Nov. 28.

Krtnick, a senior from Fridley, Minn., carries a 3.76 grade point average and is majoring in biology and marketing with a minor in professional writing, business and government. She secured the WIAC Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award this season. Krtnick is a two-time All-WIAC first team selection and places third in the conference with 12.19 assists per game and seventh with 3.87 digs per game. She owns the school career record with 1,799 digs, while her 4,297 career assists are third.

Danielson, a senior from Cadott, Wis., is majoring in kinesiology and maintains a 3.87 grade point average. She ranks eighth in the WIAC with 1.01 blocks per game and 12th with a .271 hitting percentage.

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UW-Platteville’s Alf Headlines All-WIAC Women’s Volleyball Selections

RELEASED: Tuesday, November 7, 2006

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Dana Alf was named the 2006 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Player of the Year to headline the 12 individuals selected to the All-WIAC Women’s Volleyball Team by the league coaches.

Alf is the first individual in school history to win the conference’s player of the year honor after leading the Pioneers to a 26-11 record for their third consecutive season of 26-plus victories. She leads the WIAC with 4.96 kills per game, while ranking second with a .381 hitting percentage and 11th with 0.89 blocks per game.

Her 699 kills broke the conference single season record, while her 1,465 attempts were the third-highest total in league archives. Alf twice recorded 31 kills – Oct. 11 at UW-Stevens Point and Oct. 20 vs. UW-Eau Claire – to set a school record and produce the sixth-best conference mark ever.

Alf compiled 1,821 kills in her career to represent the third most in conference history.

UW-Eau Claire landed three individuals on the first team after the squad won a share the WIAC regular season title and claimed an at-large bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament. Jodi Dunbar is second in the WIAC with 4.28 kills per game and 20th with a .236 hitting percentage. She tied a school single-match record with 29 kills against UW-Platteville on Oct. 20.

Carly Freiborg was a honorable mention pick a year ago. This season, she ranks second in the league with 0.67 service aces per game and fifth with 11.92 assists per game. Her 4,848 career assists are second on the school’s all-time list.

Jessica Groh places second in the conference with 1.60 blocks per game, fourth with a .338 hitting percentage, fifth with 3.71 kills per game and eighth with 0.44 services aces per game. She holds UW-Eau Claire’s career record with 491 total blocks.

Leah Rosenbaum and Kim Vail helped UW-Oshkosh to a share of its second straight regular season championship. Rosenbaum secured first team honors for the second consecutive year after receiving honorable mention status in 2004. She leads the WIAC with a .400 hitting percentage, while ranking sixth with 1.05 blocks per game and seventh with 3.65 kills per game.

Vail places sixth in the conference with a .309 hitting percentage and 11th with 3.12 kills per game.

UW-Whitewater’s Rebekah Nelson and Carley Polk led the team to the WIAC tournament title and the program’s 15th straight appearance in the NCAA tournament. Nelson ranks ninth in the conference with a .293 hitting percentage and 3.42 kills per game, 15th with 0.38 services aces per game, 16th with 0.76 blocks per game and 18th with 3.05 digs per game.

Polk is fourth in the WIAC with 1.19 blocks per game, fifth with a .329 hitting percentage and 10th with 3.42 kills per game.

UW-River Falls’ Andrea Geehan and Kat Krtnick both secured first team accolades for the second straight year after receiving honorable mention recognition in 2004. Geehan ranks fourth in the WIAC with 3.72 kills per game, 12th with 0.89 blocks per game and 13th with a .270 hitting percentage, while Krtnick places third in the association with 12.19 assists per game and seventh with 3.87 digs per game. Krtnick owns the school career record with 1,799 digs, while her 4,297 career assists are third.

The Falcons’ Kate Thompson was a honorable mention pick in 2004 and 2005. This year, she is third in the league with 4.02 kills per game.

UW-Stevens Point’s Shelly Maus secured first team status after claiming honorable mention recognition the last two seasons. She is the Pointers’ first All-WIAC first team honoree since the 1995 campaign. Maus leads the WIAC with 1.64 blocks per game, while ranking third with a .354 hitting percentage and eighth with 3.49 kills per game. She is second in school history with 1,211 career kills in three years.

Named to the honorable mention team were: UW-Eau Claire’s Shanna Berger, UW-La Crosse’s Brianne Stankus, UW-Oshkosh’s Katie Beining and Samantha Schmidt, UW-Platteville’s Kelly Laschinger, UW-Stevens Point’s Callie Kunde, UW-Stout’s Jenny McDermid and UW-Whitewater’s Kate Lazotte and Sarah Theis.

The league coaches also recognized a four-member all-defensive team. Individuals receiving recognition included: UW-Eau Claire’s Berger, UW-Oshkosh’s Schmidt, UW-River Falls’ Lindsey Mace and UW-Stevens Point’s Lori Marten.

Berger claimed all-defensive honors for the third consecutive season after ranking sixth in the league with 4.70 digs per game, while Schmidt received the accolade for the second straight year after accumulating a WIAC single-season record 813 digs.

Mace is fourth in the association with 4.87 digs per game, while Marten earned all-defensive honors for the second time in her career after receiving recognition in 2004. Marten ranks second in conference with 5.27 digs per game and is just the fifth player in league history to reach 2,000 career digs, finishing with a school-record 2,163 in her four years.

UW-Eau Claire’s Lisa Herb was voted the Coach of the Year for the second time in her career. She also won the award during the 1997 season. Herb directed this year’s squad to a share of the WIAC regular season title and a spot in the NCAA tournament. She owns a 624-207 record in 22 seasons with the Blugolds and ranks third among active NCAA Division III coaches with 787 career wins.

2006 All-WIAC Women’s Volleyball Team
First Team
Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)
Dana Alf, UW-Platteville, Senior, Middle Hitter, Eleva (Eleva-Strum)
Jodi Dunbar, UW-Eau Claire, Senior, Outside Hitter, Platteville
Carly Freiborg, UW-Eau Claire, Senior, Setter, Sacred Heart, Minn. (Renville County West)
Andrea Geehan, UW-River Falls, Senior, Middle Hitter, St. Paul, Minn. (Como Park)
Jessica Groh, UW-Eau Claire, Senior, Middle Hitter, Eau Claire (North)
Kat Krtnick, UW-River Falls, Senior, Setter, Fridley, Minn.
Shelly Maus, UW-Stevens Point, Junior, Middle Hitter, Green Bay (Southwest)
Rebekah Nelson, UW-Whitewater, Junior, Outside Hitter, Delavan (Williams Bay)
Carley Polk, UW-Whitewater, Junior, Middle Blocker, Dousman (Mukwonago)
Leah Rosenbaum, UW-Oshkosh, Junior, Middle Hitter, Wrightstown
Kate Thompson, UW-River Falls, Senior, Outside Hitter, Forest Lake, Minn.
Kim Vail, UW-Oshkosh, Junior, Outside Hitter, Madison (Memorial)

Honorable Mention
Katie Beining, UW-Oshkosh, Sophomore, Outside Hitter, Brookfield (East)
Shanna Berger, UW-Eau Claire, Senior, Libero, Baldwin (Baldwin-Woodville)
Callie Kunde, UW-Stevens Point, Sophomore, Setter/Outside Hitter, Burnsville, Minn. (Apple Valley)
Kelly Laschinger, UW-Platteville, Junior, Setter, Verona
Kate Lazotte, UW-Whitewater, Junior, Setter, Stoughton
Jenny McDermid, UW-Stout, Senior, Outside Hitter, Oconto Falls
Samantha Schmidt, UW-Oshkosh, Sophomore, Libero, Waupun
Brianne Stankus, UW-La Crosse, Freshman, Outside Hitter, Burlington
Sarah Theis, UW-Whitewater, Junior, Middle Blocker, Lodi

All-Defensive Team
Shanna Berger, UW-Eau Claire, Senior, Libero, Baldwin (Baldwin-Woodville)
Lindsey Mace, UW-River Falls, Senior, Libero, Hastings, Minn.
Lori Marten, UW-Stevens Point, Senior, Libero, Pittsville
Samantha Schmidt, UW-Oshkosh, Sophomore, Libero, Waupun

Player of the Year: Dana Alf of UW-Platteville
Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete: Kat Krtnick of UW-River Falls
Coach of the Year: Lisa Herb of UW-Eau Claire

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UW-River Falls’ Krtnick Named Women’s Volleyball Scholar-Athlete

RELEASED: Tuesday, November 7, 2006

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-River Falls’ Kat Krtnick has been named the recipient of the 2006 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women’s Volleyball Scholar-Athlete Award.

Krtnick, a senior from Fridley, Minn., is majoring in biology and marketing with a minor in professional writing, business and government and boasts a 3.76 grade point average. She has been named to UW-River Falls’ Dean’s List every semester and is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. Krtnick has received numerous scholarships from her institution.

She is a two-time team captain and has earned All-WIAC first team status the past two seasons after receiving honorable mention recognition in 2004. Krtnick owns the school career record with 1,799 digs, while her 4,297 career assists ranks third. She was named her team’s Co-Player of the Year last season and earned the team’s Hardest Worker Award in 2004 and 2005.

Krtnick is a member of UW-River Falls’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, the Facilities and Fees Board and the Bookstore Committee. She also serves as chair of the Recreation Committee and is a Student Senate Athletic Representative.

Krtnick becomes the fourth women’s volleyball student-athlete from UW-River Falls to claim the league honor, joining Nina Petersen (2005), Melissa Tvrdik (2004) and Melissa Mattson (2001).

Also nominated for this year’s scholar-athlete award were: UW-Eau Claire’s Shanna Berger and Ashley Danielson, UW-La Crosse’s Ashley Boylan and Jenn Jaeger, UW-Oshkosh’s Lisa Beck, UW-Platteville’s Amy Renick, UW-River Falls’ Kate Thompson, UW-Stevens Point’s Lori Marten and UW-Stout’s Jenny McDermid and Kathryn Roesler.

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Judy Kruckman, who served as Assistant Commissioner for the WIAC from 1996-98. Prior to this appointment, she functioned as Commissioner of the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from October, 1984 - September, 1996.

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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UW-Eau Claire’s Herb Named Women’s Volleyball Coach of the Year

RELEASED: Tuesday, November 7, 2006

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women’s volleyball head coach Lisa Herb has been named the 2006 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Coach of the Year, which was determined by a vote among the league coaches.

Herb earned the award for the second time in her career after receiving the honor during the 1997 season.

She directed this year’s squad to a share of the WIAC regular season title and a spot in the NCAA tournament. Herb owns a 624-207 record in 22 seasons with the Blugolds and ranks third among active NCAA Division III coaches with 787 career wins.

Her 624 wins at UW-Eau Claire rank third on the WIAC all-time list, behind the 630 by UW-Oshkosh’s Marty Peterson from 1983-04 and the 812 by UW-Whitewater’s Kris Russell from 1981-04.

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Three Teams Invited to NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament

RELEASED: Monday, November 6, 2006

Madison, Wis.--Three Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women’s volleyball teams received bids into the 2006 NCAA Division III Tournament as UW-Eau Claire, UW-Oshkosh and UW-Whitewater have been selected for the 60-team championship field.

This marks the fourth straight season that the conference has had at least three teams in the NCAA Division III tournament. Four schools participated a year ago and three teams competed in the 2003 and 2004 events.

UW-Eau Claire (28-3) is making its second straight appearance in the national tournament and ninth overall. The Blugolds received one of 17 at-large bids into the tournament and won the WIAC regular season title. UW-Eau Claire advanced to the title match of the league tournament, falling to UW-Whitewater for the second time this season.

UW-Oshkosh (32-5) is appearing in the national competition for the second straight year and 11th overall. The Titans earned an at-large bid into the event and shared the conference regular season title with UW-Eau Claire this season.

UW-Whitewater (32-6) is the defending NCAA Division III national champion and is making its 15th straight NCAA Division III tournament appearance and 19th overall. The Warhawks earned the WIAC’s automatic bid into the event by winning the conference tournament.

UW-Eau Claire will be the host site for the seven-team NCAA Division III Midwest Regional Nov. 9-11 at McPhee Phy Ed Center.

With their location, the Blugolds have drawn the top four teams from the Midwest Region as well as the second and third-ranked teams from the Central Region.

The top four Midwest Region teams are UW-Eau Claire, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Whitewater and Carthage College (29-4), while the second and third teams from the Central Region are Concordia College-Moorhead (Minn.) (24-1) and University of St. Thomas (Minn.) (28-6). The seventh team in the field is Midwest Conference champion Beloit College (21-8).

The tournament will open with a match between St. Thomas and UW-Oshkosh at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 9. Concordia-Moorhead will take on Beloit at 6 p.m. followed by a match between UW-Eau Claire and Carthage College (29-4) at 8:30 p.m. Top-seeded UW-Whitewater drew an opening-round bye and will meet the St. Thomas/UW-Oshkosh winner at 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 10 with a 7 p.m. match pitting the Concordia/Beloit and UW-Eau Claire/Carthage winners. The championship match will be played at 7 p.m. on Nov. 11.

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UW-Whitewater Secures Women’s Volleyball Tournament Crown

RELEASED: Saturday, November 4, 2006

Eau Claire, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Whitewater secured the 2006 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women’s volleyball tournament crown with a 31-29, 30-24, 9-30, 30-28 win over UW-Eau Claire at McPhee Phy Ed Center on Nov. 4.

The conference tournament championship for the Warhawks is the 11th in school history and first since the 2002 season. UW-Whitewater also secured the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament with the victory.

UW-Whitewater (32-6) is the defending national champion and will be making its 15th straight appearance in that national tournament and 19th overall.

UW-Eau Claire (28-3) jumped out to a 22-13 lead in game one, but the Warhawks rallied to take a 28-27 lead. With score tied 29-29, UW-Whitewater scored the last two points to take the game 31-29.

The Warhawks kept it going in the second game, jumping out to a 12-3 lead. UW-Whitewater kept that lead and won the second game 30-24.

The third game was all Blugolds, going up 15-4 and winning 30-9. The nine points was lowest UW-Whitewater has scored in a game all year.

UW-Eau Claire jumped out to a 7-3 lead early in game four. UW-Whitewater would come back and the rest of the game went back-and-forth. UW-Whitewater pulled it out in the end, winning game four 30-28.

The Warhawks finished with 59 kills, while the Blugolds tallied with 50 kills. Kelly Sorensen led UW-Whitewater with 14 kills, while Jodi Dunbar led UW-Eau Claire with 14 kills.

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UW-Oshkosh Claims Share of Women’s Volleyball Crown

RELEASED: Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Whitewater, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh claimed a share of the 2006 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women’s volleyball championship with a thrilling 31-29, 30-32, 31-29, 14-30, 18-16 victory over UW-Whitewater on Oct. 25 at the Williams Center Volleyball Arena.

The Titans share this year’s regular season title with UW-Eau Claire after both teams posted 7-1 league records. The Blugolds completed their WIAC slate on Oct. 21 with a victory over UW-La Crosse to earn a slice of the championship.

The conference title for UW-Oshkosh is its second straight and eighth in school history.

This marks the fifth time in the last six seasons that two schools have shared the WIAC regular season championship. UW-Oshkosh split the crown with UW-Whitewater in 2001 and 2005, while UW-River Falls divided the title with the Warhawks in 2002 and UW-La Crosse in 2003.

UW-Eau Claire earned the top seed for this year's WIAC Tournament due to its 30-26, 30-25, 30-19 victory over the Titans on Sept. 22. The Blugolds will host eighth-seeded UW-Stout in the quarterfinals on Oct. 31, while UW-Oshkosh claimed the second seed and will host seventh-seeded UW-Platteville.

Additional quarterfinal matchups include sixth-seeded UW-La Crosse at three-seeded UW-Whitewater and fifth-seeded UW-River Falls at fourth-seeded UW-Stevens Point.

All tournament quarterfinal matches begin at 7:00 p.m. Quarterfinal winners advance to the semifinals and finals, which will be held Nov. 3-4 at the site of the highest remaining seed. The winner of the conference tournament receives the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament.

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UW-Eau Claire Secures Share of Women’s Volleyball Championship

RELEASED: Saturday, October 21, 2006

La Crosse, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire secured a share of the 2006 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women’s volleyball championship with a 30-22, 30-20, 30-19 victory over UW-La Crosse at Mitchell Hall on Oct. 21.

The conference title for the Blugolds is the second in school history with the first being earned in 1987. UW-Eau Claire entered the season expected to place third in the conference standings based on a preseason poll of the league’s sports information directors.

UW-Oshkosh or UW-Whitewater will share the league championship with the Blugolds after the Warhawks host the Titans on Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. The winner between the two rivals will earn a share of the conference crown.

In the match against UW-La Crosse, Brianne Stankus led the Eagles with 13 kills while Samantha Dries had 22 assists. The Eagles had 27 kills, 23 errors in 129 attempts for a .031 hitting percentage.
Amber Schoonover finished with 14 digs.

Jodi Dunbar led UW-Eau Claire with 14 kills while Abby Freiborg and Jessica Groh each had 11. Carly Freiborg had 28 assists. The Blugolds recorded 47 kills, 23 errors in 149 attempts for a .161 hitting percentage.

Shanna Berger led UW-Eau Claire with 17 digs while Abby Freiborg added 15 and Carly Freiborg 12. Groh had 10.0 total blocks.

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UW-La Crosse's Perkins Achieves Milestone Wins

RELEASED: Tuesday, September 12, 2006

La Crosse, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's volleyball head coach Sheila Perkins achieved milestone victories in matches won by the Eagles recently.

Perkins earned her 400th career collegiate victory in UW-La Crosse's 30-14, 30-27, 30-18 win over Edgewood College on September 2. She registered her 300th victory at UW-La Crosse in the Eagles' 26-30, 32-30, 30-28, 31-29 win over Coe College (Iowa) on September 9.

Perkins is in her 20th season of coaching and 13th at UW-La Crosse and has compiled an overall mark of 403-235 (.632 winning percentage) and 301-124 ledger (.708) with the Eagles. She also coached at University of Minnesota-Morris from 1989-93.

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UW-Eau Claire's Herb Reaches Milestone Win

RELEASED: Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Eau Claire, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's volleyball head coach Lisa Herb recorded her 600th career win at the school in the Blugolds' 30-23, 28-30, 30-21, 30-21 victory over Central College (Iowa) on September 2.

Herb is in her 22nd year at UW-Eau Claire and has registered a 603-205 record (.746 winning percentage). She owns a career record of 766-294 (.723) in 28 seasons after coaching at the University of Dubuque (Iowa) from 1979-84.

Herb is third among active NCAA Division III coaches with 766 wins and third on the WIAC all-time chart with 603 victories.

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UW-Whitewater Receives Women's Volleyball Preseason Nod

RELEASED: Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Madison, Wis.--For the third straight season, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is the preseason choice to win the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women's volleyball championship, according to the league's sports information directors.

The Warhawks, ranked No. 7 nationally in a NCAA Division III preseason poll conducted by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), secured four first-place votes in the league preseason predictions after claiming the NCAA Division III national championship last season and a share of the WIAC title - marking their eighth crown in the last 10 years. UW-Whitewater has accumulated 11 30-win seasons in the last 13 years, including two national crowns and three second-place finishes. The Warhawks have also registered an impressive 438-72 overall record and sterling mark of 90-14 in WIAC contests during that span.

Head coach Stacy Boudreau was named the NCAA Division III Coach of the Year last season in her first stint at UW-Whitewater. She returns three starters, including Carley Polk who ranked second in the league with 1.32 blocks per game.

UW-Oshkosh is ranked No. 9 nationally in the AVCA poll and received the remaining five first-place votes in the conference preseason projections. The Titans shared the 2005 WIAC regular season title with the Warhawks after being picked to finish seventh in the preseason poll. The Titans tied a school record for the fewest losses in a season with five in 2005 and have recorded 16 20-win seasons in the past 18 years and three 30-plus win seasons in the past six years. Samantha Schmidt was named the NCAA Division III Midwest Region Freshman of the Year last season after totaling a conference single season record 804 digs.

UW-Eau Claire, ranked No. 6 nationally, amassed 30 victories during the 2005 campaign - the highest total for the program since a 32-6 finish in 1997. The Blugolds return seven of their top nine players, including Jessica Groh who led the WIAC with 1.43 blocks per game. UW-Eau Claire had national champion UW-Whitewater down 2-1 in the NCAA tournament regional final before the Warhawks rallied for a win. The Blugolds have handed the Warhawks their only conference loss each of the last two seasons. Head coach Lisa Herb is third among active NCAA Division III coaches with 759 wins and needs four victories to reach 600 in her career with the Blugolds.

UW-River Falls had its string of 12 straight seasons of 20-plus victories snapped a year ago when the squad compiled 17 wins. The Falcons also had registered six 30-win campaigns during that span. UW-River Falls has six seniors returning and all of them started in 2005. Head coach Patti Ford needs 30 wins to reach 300 in her career at UW-River Falls.

UW-La Crosse has won at least 20 matches in 11 straight seasons under head coach Sheila Perkins, who needs five wins to reach 300 in her career at the school and three victories to accomplish 400 for her collegiate career. The Eagles lost all three all-WIAC performers from a year ago, but return five players who saw action in at least 100 games in 2005.

UW-Platteville, ranked No. 21 nationally, claimed the WIAC Tournament title for the first time since 1993 and reached the NCAA tournament for the fourth time in school history last season. The Pioneers have defeated 14 top 25 teams in the last two years and have had the highest single-game attendance mark in the country for each of the last seven seasons, including a school-record of 1,106 for last season's Homecoming match vs. Augustana College (Ill.)

UW-Stout began the 2005 campaign with a 9-2 mark, but finished at 17-18, marking the program's first sub-.500 season since 1996. The Blue Devils graduated just one senior from last year and return eight of 10 kills leaders, along with both setters.

UW-Superior's 21 victories last season were the most for the program since the 1996 squad had 24 wins. The Yellowjackets also registered two conference wins a year ago which matched the total of the previous eight seasons combined.

UW-Stevens Point has a 34-14 record against non-WIAC opponents the last two seasons and handed Elite Eight participant New York University one of its eight losses last year.

2006 Preseason Predictions (Voted on by WIAC Sports Information Directors)

Rank, School, 2005 Record
1. (4) UW-Whitewater (7-1, 40-4)
2. (5) UW-Oshkosh (7-1, 36-5)
3. UW-Eau Claire (6-2, 30-5)
4. UW-River Falls (2-6, 17-18)
5. UW-La Crosse (4-4, 24-8)
6. UW-Platteville (4-4, 29-8)
7. UW-Stout (3-5, 17-18)
8. UW-Superior (2-6, 21-14)
9. UW-Stevens Point (1-7, 16-19)

( )-First-place votes

Team Vitals
UW-Eau Claire
Head Coach: Lisa Herb; 28th season;
596-204 record at UWEC / 759-293 overall
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 13/5
Starters Returning/Lost: 5/2
Returning All-WIAC: Shanna Berger, Sr., Lib. (2005-All Def., 2004-All-Def.); Carly Freiborg, Sr., S (2005-HM)

UW-La Crosse
Head Coach: Sheila Perkins; 19th season;
295-122 record at UWL / 397-233 overall
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 7/3
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/4
Returning All-WIAC: None

UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach: Brian Schaefer; 3rd season;
46-11 record at UWO / 46-11 overall
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 8/5
Starters Returning/Lost: 5/2
Returning All-WIAC: Katie Beining, So., OH (2005-HM); Leah Rosenbaum, Jr., MB (2005-First, 2004-HM); Samantha Schmidt, So., Lib. (2005-HM)

UW-Platteville
Head Coach: Deb Schulman; 19th season;
435-235 record at UWP / 435-235 overall
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 6/7
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/4
Returning All-WIAC: Dana Alf, Sr., MH (2005-HM, 2004-HM)

UW-River Falls
Head Coach: Patti Ford; 15th season;
370-158 record at UWRF / 370-158 overall
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 13/6
Starters Returning/Lost: 7/0
Returning All-WIAC: Andrea Geehan, Sr., MH (2005-First, 2004-HM); Kat Krtnick, Sr., S (2005-First, 2004-HM); Kate Thompson, Sr., OH (2005-First, 2004-HM)

UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach: Stacey White; 6th season;
64-101 record at UWSP / 64-101 overall
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 9/6
Starters Returning/Lost: 4/3
Returning All-WIAC: Shelly Maus, Jr., MH (2005-HM, 2004-HM)

UW-Stout
Head Coach: Jill Jolliff; 14th season;
278-167 record at UWS / 278-167 overall
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 10/7
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/4
Returning All-WIAC: Jenny McDermid, Sr., OH (2005-HM)

UW-Superior
Head Coach: Lynne Deadrick; 4th season;
42-59 record at UWS / 42-59 overall
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 4/4
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/4
Returning All-WIAC: None

UW-Whitewater
Head Coach: Stacy Boudreau; 5th season;
40-4 record at UWW / 110-41 overall
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 8/5
Starters Returning/Lost: 3/4
Returning All-WIAC: None

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UW-La Crosse and UW-Oshkosh Earn AVCA Team Academic Award

RELEASED: Thursday, August 10, 2006

Lexington, Ky.--The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball teams have been awarded the Game Plan/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 2005-06 season.

The award, initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors college and high school teams that displayed excellence in the classroom by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade point average on a 4.0 scale and a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale during the school year. Nominating head coaches must be AVCA members.

The Eagles and Titans were two of 287 schools, including 44 in the NCAA Division III, to receive the honor that incorporates schools from National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I, II and III programs, as well as National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), two-year colleges and high school teams. This marks the second consecutive year that UW-La Crosse has received the honor.

"The Game Plan/AVCA Team Academic Award is what being a student-athlete is all about. The AVCA is privileged to once again be able to award these schools for their excellence in the classroom," AVCA Executive Director Kathy DeBoer said. "We congratulate the student-athletes, coaches and school personnel for achieving this honor and upholding the delicate balance between academics and athletics."

Each school will receive a plaque, and each player a certificate commemorating the designation.

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UW-Platteville's Erickson Receives AVCA Award

RELEASED: Thursday, June 1, 2006

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Platteville's Paul Erickson earned the 2005-06 Grant Burger American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Media Award for the Midwest Region.

Erickson was one of eight regional winners in NCAA Division III.

He was honored for stories and the web pages for the 2006 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference post-season tournament champions. The Pioneers were 29-8 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III national championships. Coach Deb Schulman's club was ranked 20th in the final AVCA poll. For the seventh consecutive year, the Pioneers drew the largest regular-season single-match attendance in NCAA Division III. UWP had a school-record 1,106 fans in victory over Augustana (Ill.) Oct. 12, 2005.

"I feel very fortunate to be associated with such a successful program," Erickson said. "We are all very fortunate to have the high-quality pictures that Andy McNeill not only shoots, but also provides to me the night of the match so I can put them on the website with the game stories. That really sets our website apart."

Erickson honor by the AVCA is the second for a conference sports information director as UW-Stout's Layne Pitt received the award a year ago.

Erickson has been UW-Platteville's sports information director since December, 1996.

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