2002-03 WIAC Wrestling Headlines

UW-Whitewater's Willie Myers To Receive Lifetime Service Award

RELEASED: Thursday, July 10, 2003

Whitewater, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling coach Willie Myers has been selected to receive the Lifetime Service Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. According to the Hall's web site, "the Lifetime Service to Wrestling is given in recognition of years of dedication to the development of leadership and citizenship in young people through the sport of wrestling."

Myers, head wrestling coach at UW-W since 1968, was nominated for the national recognition by the Wisconsin state chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. The banquet honoring the 2003 Wisconsin honorees will be hosted by UW-Whitewater, Sunday, August 17. The reception will begin at 4:00, with a program and dinner at 5:00. Tickets, $28 each, for the August 17 ceremonies are available by contacting Phil Klamm, UW-W assistant wrestling coach, at (262) 492-0303. Klamm can also be reached by fax at (262) 472-2791, or by e-mail at klammp@charter.net. Klamm's mailing address is: Phil Klamm, Assistant Wrestling Coach, Intercollegiate Athletics, UW-Whitewater, Whitewater, WI 53190.

While coaching at UW-Whitewater, Myers has mentored 60 conference champions, 48 All-Americans, and 24 Scholar All-Americans. His team has seventeen top twenty finishes in national championships. Under Myers direction, the Warhawks have won twelve conference championships, including an unprecedented seven in a row (1974-80). Myers earned the 1969 NAIA Rookie Coach of the Year. He has been named Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference wrestling coach of the year four times since the award was created in 1984 (1986, 1987, 1989, 1990).

Myers' other accomplishments include service as the United States freestyle team coach at the 1977 World University Games, administrator for the 1979 U.S. World University Games wrestling team, and serving as president of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Wrestling Coaches Association (1979) and the NCAA Division III Wrestling Coaches Association (1985-87, 1989-91). He also coached a NAIA all-star team on a tour of Japan and Korea in 1980.

The national Lifetime Service to Wrestling award is the latest in a long line of honors earned by the Warhawk mentor. He was inducted into the George Martin (Wisconsin Wrestling) Hall of Fame in 1982, inducted into the NAIA District 14 Hall of Fame in 1986, and Inducted into the NAIA Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1986. Myers was also Inducted into the Eastern Illinois University, his alma mater, Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996.

Myers will join the Wisconsin 2003 class of recipients that includes Jerry Barr, coach and official from Burlington; Joe Kaster, coach at Janesville Craig High School and official; John Stockowitz, East Troy High School, and Jim Koch.

Myers and fellow honoree Jim Koch of UW-Parkside will become just the sixth and seventh Wisconsin collegiate coaches recognized with the Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award. Already mentioned on the list of recipients are Byron James, UW-River Falls; Duane Kleven, UW-Madison; Larry Lederman, Marquette and UW-Milwaukee; Larry Marchionda, UW-Oshkosh; and John Roberts, UW-Stevens Point.

In addition to his wrestling responsibilities, Myers is a tenured full professor in the Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Coaching.

Willie Myers' Career At UW-Whitewater
Year W L T PCT
*1968-69--9 5 1 .633
1969-70--8 6 1 .567
1970-71--13 5 1 .711
1971-72--14 3 1 .806
1972-73--10 5 0 .667
*1973-74--11 2 0 .846
*1974-75--10 0 0 1.00
*1975-76--9 3 0 .750
*1976-77--8 0 0 1.00
*1977-78--6 1 1 .813
*1978-79--8 2 0 .800
*1979-80--17 0 0 1.00
1980-81--4 3 0 .571
1981-82--4 2 0 .667
1982-83--7 2 0 .778
1983-84--6 2 0 .750
1984-85--7 1 0 .875
1985-86--8 2 0 .800
*1986-87--12 1 0 .923
1987-88--8 4 0 .667
*1988-89--7 6 0 .538
*1989-90--9 1 0 .900
*1990-91--5 5 0 .500
1991-92--6 8 0 .429
1992-93--7 5 0 .583
1993-94--9 6 0 .600
1994-95--6 5 0 .545
1995-96--8 3 0 .727
1996-97--10 4 0 .714
1997-98--8 7 0 .533
1998-99--5 13 0 .321
1999-00--10 5 0 .667
2000-01--7 6 2 .533
2001-02--6 4 0 .600
2002-03--9 5 0 .643
Career (32 yrs) 291 132 7 .685

* denotes conference championship

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WIAC Wrestlers Earn All-Academic Honors

RELEASED: Wednesday, April 2, 2003

Madison, Wis.--Twelve Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) wrestlers have been named to the 2003 NCAA Division III Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic Team.

Individuals receiving recognition included: UW-La Crosse's Troy Fabry (149 pounds), Matt Morris (197), Jeff Pitzenberger (157) and Matt Zwaschka (165), UW-Platteville's John Adler (285), Adam Anderson (141), Roy Forsyth (184) and John Steinhauer (125), UW-Stevens Point's Jared Esala (133) and UW-Whitewater's Ross Babcock (149), Dave Berglund (285), Mike Jankowski (133) and Nick Karls (141).

The NCAA Division III Wrestling Coaches Association requires each of the student-athletes to compile a 3.20 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) over the two most recent semesters (spring 2002, fall 2003), make significant contributions to his team and receive a letter of recommendation from the coach.

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UW-La Crosse Wrestler Called Into Active Duty
by Kirk Bey of the La Crosse Tribune

UW-La Crosse wrestling coach Tim Fader gave Marcus Stefonek a brand new office pen Monday. But there was a catch: Stefonek eventually would have to return it to him. Stefonek hopes he's in a position to do so in the future. It will mean the 174-pound freshman has put in his time in the Army National Guard. And also has returned home safely if and when the United States goes to war with Iraq.

Stefonek, a member of the Charlie 35th Engineering Battalion based out of Toma hawk, Wis., was told last weekend that his reserve unit was being called into active duty. Stefonek, a Rhinelander, Wis., native, will report to his unit on March 12. From there, all Stefonek knows is he will report to Fort McCoy, then to destination unknown.

Stefonek, 19, knows very little about what his future holds. All he knows is that it won't involve wrestling for UW-L for up to two years. ``It (getting called into active duty) was just a matter of when. I got the phone call a month ago telling me to be ready to go,'' said Stefonek, who is red-shirting this season. ``I was thinking that I was going to get the call, and I did. I don't know if I'll have to go to the Persian
Gulf. I'd say my chances are 50-50.''

Stefonek isn't the only UW-L athlete who might join the more than 150,000 troops who are currently in
the Persian Gulf awaiting a possible conflict with Iraq. Dick Lofthouse, a member of the UW-L men's track and field team, was called into active duty in February. Fader knew there was a chance Stefonek might get called into active duty. Still, saying goodbye to Stefonek wasn't easy for Fader.

``They don't tell you much about what's going on. Even Marcus is up in the air as to what's going to happen,'' Fader said. ``It's hard. You're 19 years old, in college and having the time of your life. The next thing you know, you have to go off to who knows where.''

Stefonek is willing to go wherever he is asked to serve his country. He enlisted in the Army National
Guard during his junior year at Three Lakes High School, went through basic training between his junior and senior years, and completed his advanced individual training (AIT) last summer. Stefonek believes he can take care of both on the wrestling mat and off. Still, the thought of possibly having to do in a combat situation is a little unnerving.

``I'm feeling a little uncomfortable right now because I don't know what's going to happen,'' Stefonek said. ``Two years is a long time to be away. It's frustrating not knowing my future.''

Fader hopes Stefonek's future includes a chance to wrestle for UW-L again. ``He's a great kid. He was
a strong wrestler in high school, and he's gotten better every day he's been here,'' Fader said. ``I've been telling the guys that he will be back. And when he does come back, he will be better than ever.''

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Ada, Ohio--University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point finished third and UW-La Crosse eighth following the completion of the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championship on Saturday, March 8 at the Ohio Northern Sports Center on the campus of Ohio Northern University.

The Pointers totaled 71 team points and the Eagles 41.50, while UW-Eau Claire finished 31st with eight points and UW-Platteville 39th with five points.

Wartburg (Iowa) won its second national championship in the last five seasons with a national tournament record of 166.50 points. Augsburg (Minn.), which had won the last three national titles, finished second with 84.50, followed by UW-Stevens Point with 71, Montclair State (N.J.) with 69 and Luther (Iowa) with 56.50.

The third-place finish for UW-Stevens Point was the best in school history, surpassing the best previous finish of fifth in 1997 and 1996.

The Pointers won a pair of individual championships during the two-day meet. Cody Koenig finished off the first undefeated season in school history with the title at 174 pounds, while Brad Marten earned the crown at 184 pounds.

Koenig, who finished the season 36-0, pinned defending champion Eduard Aliakseynka of Montclair State (N.J.) with just three seconds remaining in the second period. Marten finished the season at 14-1 after beating Sonny Alvarez of Wartburg (Iowa) in the title match at 184.

UW-Stevens Point's Yan White, the defending champion at 197 pounds, fell to Upper Iowa's Brent Meyers, 3-1, in this year's title bout. White finished the season with a 30-3 mark. Brady Holtz finished sixth for the Pointers at 133 pounds to capture All-America honors. He finished the year 23-10 overall.

The eighth-place finish for UW-La Crosse represents the ninth top 10 finish in team history, including a school-best second-place showing in 2001.

The Eagles' Ryan Allen, Jason Lulloff and Troy Fabry all earned their first career All-America honors.

Allen lost 3-2 to Leroy Gardner of Wartburg (Iowa) in the 285-pound championship match and finished the season with a 36-2 mark, while Lulloff finished third at 174 pounds with a 4-2 victory over Gary Franck of Coe (Iowa). Lulloff compiled a 35-8 record this year. Fabry placed sixth at 149 pounds to garner his All-America accolade.

UW-La Crosse's Corey Day and Matt Zwaschka lost both of their opening matches at 157 pounds and 165 pounds, respectively. Day finished the season 18-13 overall, while Zwaschka tallied a 16-9 record this year.

UW-Platteville's Zach Chambers and Adam Anderson both won their initial matches, but then lost their next two at 133 pounds and 141 pounds, respectively. Chambers concluded the year with a 31-4 record, while Anderson was 24-5.

UW-Eau Claire's Adam Kolo earned All-America honors with a fifth-place finish at 197 pounds, while his teammate Davey Starks, lost his pair of opening matches at 125 pounds after entering the meet with a 32-0 record.

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UW-Eau Claire's Kolo Claims Wrestling Scholar-Athlete Award

RELEASED: Thursday, February 27, 2003

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Adam Kolo has been named the 2003 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Max Sparger Wrestling Scholar-Athlete, it was announced recently by WIAC Commissioner Gary Karner.

Kolo, a senior from Vesper, Wis. (Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln), is majoring in accounting with a minor in finance and carries a 3.32 grade point average. He was named to the Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American Team in 2001 and is a six-time member of the UW-Eau Claire's Dean's List and a two-time honoree on the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll.

Kolo recently helped the Blugolds to a third-place finish at the WIAC Championship by placing second at 197 pounds and was awarded one of the league's three at-large bids to the NCAA Division III Championship. He also qualified for the national meet last season and in 2000. Kolo is a three-time All-WIAC Second Team selection, earning the honor at 197 the past two seasons and at 184 during the 2000 campaign.

Kolo has been a member of the Student Accounting Society for four years and is the first individual in school history to claim the league's wrestling scholar-athlete honor.

Also nominated for the scholar-athlete award were: UW-La Crosse's Chris Passe and Matt Zwaschka, UW-Platteville's Roy Forsyth and Lawrence's Adam Nickel.

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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Platteville, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse claimed its sixth straight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) wrestling championship at UW-Platteville's Williams Fieldhouse on February 23. The Eagles totaled 133.50 team points, followed by UW-Stevens Point (95.50), UW-Eau Claire (94.00), UW-Platteville (91.00), UW-Oshkosh (85.00), UW-Whitewater (81.50) and Lawrence (45.00).

UW-La Crosse captured four individual titles in the league meet. Troy Fabry defended his conference title at 149 pounds, upending UW-Oshkosh's Joel Dziedzic, 5-4, in the finals. Corey Day, who entered the meet as the No. 3 seed, won the 157-pound title by pinning UW-Platteville's Nick Benvenuto at the 1:57 mark.

UW-La Crosse's Matt Zwaschka won the 165-pound title with a 5-3 triumph over UW-Eau Claire's Derek Sikora. The Eagles' Ryan Allen brought home the 285-pound crown with a 5-2 victory over UW-Whitewater's Brian Mingus.

UW-Eau Claire's Davey Starks became just the sixth wrestler in league history to win four league crowns when he defeated UW-Whitewater's John Romba, 14-5, in the 125-pound finals. Starks joins UW-Oshkosh's Rick Gruber (118 pounds, 1981-84), UW-Superior's Jerry Brusletten (126 pounds, 1971-74), UW-La Crosse's Paul Corner (134 pounds, 1985-86 and 88, 126 pounds, 1989), UW-Whitewater's Tim Carmin (Heavyweight, 1979-82) and UW-Stevens Point's Perry Miller (Heavyweight, 1995-98) as individuals to win four WIAC titles.

UW-Stevens Point had three individuals win league titles. Cody Koenig won the 174-pound crown with a 3-1 decision over UW-La Crosse's Jason Lulloff. The Pointers' Brad Marten earned the 184-pound title with a 4-3 triumph over UW-Platteville's Roy Forsyth.

UW-Stevens Point's Yan White claimed the 197-pound title for the second straight season when he pinned UW-Eau Claire's Adam Kolo at the 6:03 mark. White was named the John Peterson Outstanding Wrestler of the Meet for his efforts.

UW-Platteville Zach Chambers and Adam Anderson each won their weight classes. Chambers, who enter the championship as the No. 4 seed, won the 133-pound title with a 7-5 overtime victory over UW-La Crosse's David Silva, while Anderson captured the 141-pound crown with a 12-5 win against UW-La Crosse's Ben Zwaschka.

UW-Oshkosh head coach Nick Matiash was voted the league's Mertz Mortorelli Coach of the Year.

All of the league's champions will advance to the NCAA Division III Championships on March 7-8 at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. Individuals that received at-large bids based on voting by the conference coaches included: UW-La Crosse's Jason Lulloff (174 pounds), UW-Eau Claire's Adam Kolo (197 pounds) and UW-Stevens Point's Brady Holtz (133 pounds). The league also voted on four alternates for the national meet including: UW-La Crosse's Matt Morris, UW-Platteville's Roy Forsyth and UW-Oshkosh's Joel Dziedzic and Nate Muckerheide.

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Lawrence University To Grapple With The WIAC

RELEASED: Monday, September 23, 2002

Madison, Wis.--The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) announced today that Lawrence University, located in Appleton, Wis., will be joining the WIAC as an affiliate member in the sport of wrestling effective with the 2002-03 season.

“We are extremely pleased and fortunate to have an institution with the academic and athletic reputation of Lawrence University joining our conference”, commented WIAC Commissioner Gary Karner. “The Vikings have a strong tradition in the sport of wrestling which will add excitement and interest to what already is a very competitive conference”, added Karner.

Over the past decade, a number of collegiate institutions have dropped wrestling as an intercollegiate sport, in some cases, in an effort to comply with Title IX mandates. Therefore, Lawrence’s decision to join the WIAC also is viewed by many in the wrestling community as a positive step toward retaining wrestling as a viable intercollegiate sport within the State of Wisconsin.

With the addition of Lawrence, seven institutions will be fielding wrestling teams in the WIAC during the 2002-03 season including UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Platteville, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater.

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