2002 WIAC Women's Cross Country Headlines

Three Named To Women's Track and Field/Cross Country Academic All-America Team

RELEASED: Thursday, June 19, 2003

Madison, Wis.--Three Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) student-athletes have been named to the 2003 Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-America Women's Track and Field/Cross Country Team. UW-La Crosse's Jocelyn Loe was named to the first team, while UW-Oshkosh's Elizabeth Woodworth and UW-Stevens Point's Jody Butkowski were second team selections.

Loe, a senior from Oshkosh, Wis. (West H.S.), earned academic all-america first team honors for the second straight seasons. She is majoring in chemistry with a minor in mathematics, while maintaining a 4.00 grade point average and she was named the 2003 WIAC Judy Kruckman Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete. Loe is one of eight individuals on this year's all-america squad to carry a 4.00 grade point average. She has earned 10 NCAA Division III All-America honors participating as a member of relays at UW-La Crosse and has also captured 17 All-WIAC First Team medals in her career.

Woodworth, a junior from Marinette, Wis., is majoring in medical technology and maintains a 3.59 grade point average. She is a six-time All-American, winning the 800-meter run national title in indoors and outdoors the past two seasons. Woodworth was named the WIAC Track Athlete of the Meet at the 2003 indoor league championship and 2002 outdoor conference meet.

Butkowski, a senior from Stevens Point, Wis. (SPASH), is majoring in english education and maintains a 3.88 grade point average. She was a Verizon Academic All-America Third Team choice last year and was named the 2003 Judy Kruckman Women's Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete. Butkowski is a three-time All-American and won the league triple jump crown and participated on the winning 4x100-meter relay team at the 2003 outdoor meet.

The academic all-america team is comprised of all NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA athletes from around the country. It is selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

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Four Named To Academic All-District Women's Track and Field/Cross Country Team

RELEASED: Tuesday, June 3, 2003

Madison, Wis.--Four Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) student-athletes have been named to the 2003 Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-District Five Women's Track and Field/Cross Country Team. UW-La Crosse's Jocelyn Loe, UW-Oshkosh's Elizabeth Woodworth and UW-Stevens Point's Jody Butkowski were named to the first team, while UW-La Crosse's Kristin Raether earned second team honors.

The team is comprised of all NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA track and field/cross country athletes from Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota and voted on by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Loe, a senior from Oshkosh, Wis. (West H.S.), is majoring in chemistry with a minor in mathematics and maintains a 4.00 grade point average. She was a Verizon Academic All-America First Team pick last year and was named the 2003 WIAC Judy Kruckman Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete. Loe is one of four individuals on this year's all-district squad to carry a 4.00 grade point average. She has earned 10 NCAA Division III All-America honors participating as a member of relays at UW-La Crosse and has also captured 17 All-WIAC First Team medals in her career.

Woodworth, a junior from Marinette, Wis., is majoring in medical technology and maintains a 3.59 grade point average. She is a six-time All-American, winning the 800-meter run national title in indoors and outdoors the past two seasons. Woodworth was named the WIAC Track Athlete of the Meet at the 2003 indoor league championship and 2002 outdoor conference meet.

Butkowski, a senior from Stevens Point, Wis. (SPASH), is majoring in english education and maintains a 3.88 grade point average. She was a Verizon Academic All-America Third Team choice last year and was named the 2003 Judy Kruckman Women's Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete. Butkowski is a three-time All-American and won the league triple jump crown and participated on the winning 4x100-meter relay team at the 2003 outdoor meet.

Loe, Woodworth and Butkowski are now eligible for the Academic All-America Team, which will be announced later this month.

Raether, a senior from Marathon, Wis., is majoring in psychology and carries a 3.62 grade point average. She has earned five NCAA Division III All-America honors (two outdoor, three indoor) and has 16 top-six finishes at the WIAC Championships to her credit.

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Northfield, Minn.--The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh men's cross country team claimed the 2002 NCAA Division III Men's Cross Country Championship on Saturday, November 23.

The Titans claimed the team title with the eighth-lowest score in the 32-year history of the event with 66 team points. Calvin (Mich.) finished second with 122 points, North Central (Ill.) third with 146, Nebraska Wesleyan fourth with 178 and Willamette (Ore.) fifth with 190. UW-La Crosse finished sixth with 231 team points and UW-Stevens Point finished 11th in the 24-team field with 336 points.

The national title was the fourth for UW-Oshkosh, which previously won NCAA Division III championships in 1990, 1989 and 1988.

Individual finishes for the Titans included: David Cisewski fifth (25:22.8), Nick Boehlke seventh (25:26.0), Eamon McKenna 25th (25:40.9), Phil Keskinen 27th (25:41.9) and Pat Seger 45th (25:55.7). Matt Grosse and Jason Fast also competed for the Titans and placed 59th and 122nd, respectively. Cisewski, Boehlke, McKenna and Keskinen earned All-America honors for their finish at the national meet.

UW-Platteville's Ryan Kleimenhagen placed second overall with a time of 25:08.1 and his teammate, Corey Stelljes, finished eighth (25:28.6). Kleimenhagen and Stelljes garnered All-America honors for their efforts. Only two WIAC runners have finished higher than Kleimenhagen in NCAA championship history. Brett Altergott of UW-La Crosse won the event in 1997 and Arnie Schraeder of UW-Stevens Point won the individual crown in 1986.

UW-La Crosse placed sixth for its 16th straight top 10 finish at the national meet. The Eagles were led by Mark Creger who finished 38th overall (25:51.2).

The 11th-place finish for UW-Stevens Point was their highest since the 1999 campaign, when they placed sixth. The Pointers were led by Eric Fisher, who finished 74th (26:09.5).

Titan head coach John Zupanc was named the NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year by the United States Track Coaches Association.

UW-Oshkosh becomes the second-straight WIAC institution to claim the men's cross country national title after UW-La Crosse won the national meet last season.

In the women's race, UW-La Crosse finished sixth in the 24-team field with 270 team points.

Williams (Mass.) won the women's meet with 42 team points, while Middlebury (Vt.) finished second with 145, Wartburg (Iowa) third with 209, Washington (Mo.) fourth with 256 and Calvin (Mich.) fifth with 264.

Individual finishes for UW-La Crosse included: Julia Rudd 23rd (22:19.6), Julie Mocadlo 58th (22:51.6), Stephanie Oudenhoven 60th (22:52.6), Lindsay Schroepfer 102nd (223:24.0) and Tiffany Pogodzinski 156th (24:04.1). Rudd captured All-America honors for her finish.

UW-La Crosse placed fourth overall at last season's national meet.

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Madison, Wis.--Three Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) men's cross country team and one women's team advanced to the NCAA Division III Championships following regional competition in Peoria, Ill. on Saturday, November 16. UW-Oshkosh, UW-La Crosse and UW-Stevens Point advanced on the men's side, while UW-La Crosse will represent the conference in the women's event.

UW-Oshkosh won the men's race with 51 team points. North Central (Ill.) finished second with 81, UW-Stevens Point third with 91 and UW-La Crosse fourth with 102. Additional WIAC team finishes included UW-Platteville fifth (124), UW-Eau Claire seventh (215), UW-Whitewater eighth (253), UW-Stout 18th (555), UW-River Falls 19th (661) and UW-Superior 23rd (692). A total of 33 teams competed in the men's race with the top four teams advancing to the national meet.

UW-Platteville's Ryan Kleimenhagen won the men's race with a time of 24:28.90, while UW-La Crosse's Dan Sutton finished second (24:42.43), UW-Oshkosh's David Cisewski fourth (24:50.91), Nick Boehlke sixth (24:55.89), Eamon McKenna seventh (24:59.69) and UW-Stevens Point's Eric Fisher 10th (25:01.29).

Kleimenhagen and his teammate, Corey Stelljes, will both compete as individuals in the national meet. Stelljes finished 12th at the regional with a time of 25:02.68.

The UW-La Crosse men's team won the national championship last season.

Benedictine (Ill.) won the women's race with 112 team points. UW-La Crosse finished second with 128 and Elmhurst (Ill.) third with 129 and UW-Oshkosh fourth with 178. Additional WIAC team finishes included UW-Stevens Point fifth (185), UW-Eau Claire eighth (238), UW-River Falls 10th (301), UW-Whitewater 14th (438), UW-Stout 20th (576), UW-Platteville 25th (655) and UW-Superior 26th (684). A total of 34 teams competed in the women's event with the top three teams advancing to the national meet.

Principia's (Ill.) Steph Hood won the women's race with a time of 20:57.03, while UW-La Crosse's Julie Mocadlo finished seventh (21:56.37) and UW-Stevens Point's Leah Herlache finished 10th (22:05.15).

The NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships will be held on Saturday, November 23 in Northfield, Minn. The event will be hosted by St. Olaf College with the men race beginning at 11:00 a.m. and the women will run at noon.

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Traxler and Troy Named Women's Cross Country
Co-Scholar Athletes

RELEASED: Wednesday, November 6, 2002

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-River Falls' Lisa Traxler and UW-Platteville's Amanda Troy have been named 2002 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women's Cross Country Co-Scholar-Athletes, it was announced recently by WIAC Commissioner Gary Karner.

Traxler, a senior from Menominee, Wis., is majoring in elementary education and mathematics with a 3.846 grade point average. She has been named to the Dean's List every semester, as well as being a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. She has also received the Lynum, Dopkins Memorial, Fritz Memorial and Schnur Memorial Scholarships while attending UW-River Falls.

Traxler, a three-time team captain, placed sixth at the WIAC Championship last weekend to help the Falcons to a fifth-place finish. It marks the team's best finish since the 1994 campaign when they also finished fifth in the league standings. She holds the third best cross country time in school history (19:02 set in 2001 over 5,000-meters). Last season, she earned All-Midwest honors after finishing 30th at the regional event.

Traxler has served as the President of the UW-River Falls Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for the past three years and has been a member of the WIAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She has volunteered with the Girl Scouts of America and Big Brothers/Big Sisters and is a member of the UW-River Falls Lutheran Campus Ministry.

Traxler becomes the second women's cross country student-athlete at UW-River Falls to win the conference award, joining Sandy Cryer, who won the award during the 1981 season.

Troy, a senior from Benton, Wis., is majoring in english education with a minor in journalism and carries a 3.795 grade point average. She has earned Cross Country Coaches Association Academic All-America honors and has been named to the Chancellor's and Dean's List at UW-Platteville on numerous occasions. Troy has also received the Frank Pross, Milton and Thelma Longhorn, Mary Alice Hendershot and Bernice and Elmer McNett Scholarships while attending UW-Platteville.

Troy placed ninth overall at the WIAC Championship last weekend to earn All-WIAC Second Team accolades for the second straight season. She earned All-Midwest Region honors last year after finishing 35th at the regional meet. Troy was named the team's Most Valuable Player last season and holds the school record for the 6K.

Troy is a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Alpha Lambda Delta and has also been a member of the UW-Platteville Student-Athlete Advisory Committee the past two years.

Troy is the second women's cross country student-athlete from UW-Platteville to win the conference award. Amy Abing won the award during the 1995 season.

Also nominated for the scholar-athlete award were: UW-La Crosse's Kristin Krueger and Steph Oudenhoven, UW-Oshkosh's Kate Meinecke and Tovah Mendoza, UW-Stout's Lacey Osuldsen and Heidi Bedsted and UW-Superior's Carrie Smith and Rebekka Elm.

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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UW-La Crosse Wins Women's Cross Country Championship

Platteville, Wis.--Placing three individuals in the top eight, UW-La Crosse successfully defended its Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women's Cross Country Championship held Saturday, November 2 at Memorial Park in Platteville.

UW-La Crosse totaled 45 team points to win the fourth title in school history (2001, 1980 and 1979). UW-Stevens Point finished second with 72 points, while UW-Oshkosh finished third with 88, UW-Eau Claire fourth with 101, UW-River Falls fifth with 138, UW-Whitewater sixth with 164, UW-Stout seventh with 179, UW-Superior eighth with 197 and UW-Platteville ninth with 235.

Julia Rudd led the Eagles to the team title, claiming the individual crown with a time of 23:20. She became the fifth individual in school history to win the women's individual title, joining Jenny Fiedler (1999), Sheri Winter (1986), Tori Neubauer (1981 and 1982) and Gail Rusch (1979).

Stephanie Oudenhoven placed fifth overall for the Eagles with a time 23:40, while Julie Mocadlo finished eighth in 24:00. Both runners earned All-WIAC First Team honors (top seven finish).

Additional All-WIAC First Team finishes included: UW-Eau Claire's Jane-Marie Ovanin second (23:27), UW-Oshkosh's Renee Pilon third (23:29), UW-Stevens Point's Leah Herlache fourth (23:37), UW-River Falls' Lisa Traxler (23:43) and UW-Eau Claire's Missy Paulson seventh (23:54).

UW-La Crosse's Pat Healy was named the league's Coach of the Year, while UW-Platteville's Amanda Troy and UW-River Falls' Lisa Traxler were named the WIAC Judy Kruckman Co-Scholar-Athletes.

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