2003-04 WIAC Wrestling Headlines

Five Named To Men's Academic All-District At-Large Team

RELEASED: Thursday, May 27, 2004

Madison, Wis.--Five Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) student-athletes have been named to the 2004 CoSIDA Academic All-District Five College Division Men's At-Large Team. UW-River Falls' Rob Novak and UW-Stout's Lewis Kellin were named to the first team, while UW-La Crosse's Troy Fabry and Jason Lulloff and UW-Stevens Point's Matt Sievers were second team selections.

Novak, a senior ice hockey player from Hayward, Wis., is majoring in elementary education with a minor in health and coaching and carries a 3.91 grade point average. He is a three-time selection on the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) All-Academic Team and was named the WIAC men's ice hockey co-scholar-athlete earlier this year. Novak helped the Falcons to a share of the WIAC championship in 2004 and received honorable mention to the all-league squad in 2002, while claiming All-NCHA honorable mention status in 2003.

Kellin, a senior ice hockey player from Cohasset, Minn. (Grand Rapids H.S.), maintains a 3.92 grade point average, while majoring in business with a minor in applied math. He is a two-time member of the NCHA All-Academic Team and shared the WIAC men's ice hockey scholar-athlete award with UW-River Falls' Rob Novak. Kellin is a two-time All-WIAC honorable mention selection.

Fabry, a senior wrestler from Ashwaubenon, Wis., is majoring in physical education with a minor in adaptive physical education and carries a 3.34 grade point average. He has been named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-Academic Team for three consecutive years and received the WIAC wrestling scholar-athlete award this season. Fabry is two-time All-American and two-time conference champion at 149 pounds.

Lulloff, a sophomore wrestler from Kiel, Wis., is majoring in exercise and sports science-teaching and carries a 3.74 grade point average. He was named to the NWCA All-Academic Team this year and secured All-America honors with a fourth-place finish at 184 pounds after finishing third in the 174-pound bracket a season ago. Lulloff claimed the conference title at 184 pounds in 2004 after finishing second at 174 pounds in 2003.

Sievers, a senior swimmer from Duluth, Minn. (Proctor H.S.), is majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry and psychology. He maintains a 3.58 grade point average and was named the conference's men's swimming and diving scholar-athlete earlier this season. Sievers helped the Pointers to their fifth straight WIAC title this season by winning the 50-yard freestyle and participating on the first-place 200-yard freestyle relay team. He also earned All-America honors in two events this year, as well as honorable mention recognition in three events.

The academic all-district at-large 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). It includes the sports of golf, ice hockey, swimming and diving, tennis and wrestling.

Both Kellin and Novak are now eligible for the Academic All-America squad, which will be announced in mid-June.

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UW-Whitewater's Myers Named Wisconsin State Coach of the Year

RELEASED: Tuesday, May 4, 2004

Whitewater, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling coach Willie Myers was named the Wisconsin State Coach of the Year by the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Association for the 2003-04 season.

Myers, who recently received the Wisconsin College Coach of the Year for being the state's outstanding college wrestling coach, was named the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Association (WWCA) Coach of the Year among the other seven WWCA high school district coach of the year honorees.

Myers coached the team to a 13th place finish in the 2003-04 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III National Championships with Nick Karls and Ross Babcock earning All-American honors. Karls, Tony Wright and Jeff Zastrow also earned Scholar All-American recognition.

A coach, administrator and teacher at the UW-Whitewater since 1968, Myers will retire at the end of the 2003-2004 school year.

In his 36 years of coaching at UW-Whitewater, Myers has led his teams to the most conference championships in any sport, male or female, in school history. UW-Whitewater has won 12 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles under Myers, including seven in a row from 1974-1980. He also directed UW-Whitewater to 17 top 20 finishes in national championships, including fourth place in the 1975 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletic tournament, and seventh in the 1985 NCAA Division III meet. Myers' coaching resume includes 64 conference champions, 53 All-American honors, and 30 NCAA III Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-Americans.

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UW-Whitewater's Myers Named Wisconsin College Coach of the Year

RELEASED: Tuesday, April 27, 2004

Whitewater, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling coach Willie Myers has been named College Division Coach of the Year for the 2003-2004 season by the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Association.

Myer's 2003-2004 wrestling team added to a long string of achievements. The squad helped Myers earn his 300th dual meet victory (January 30 vs. Lawrence University). UW-Whitewater hosted the 2004 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship tournament, where four Warhawks earned league titles, and five wrestlers qualified for the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III championship. Ross Babcock earned the Ben Peterson Award as the WIAC tourney's outstanding wrestler, and Myers was named Mertz Mortorelli Coach of the Year for the fifth time. The Warhawks went on to finish thirteenth in the NCAA III championship, with Scott Karls and Babcock earning All-American honors. Karls, Tony Wright and Jeff Zastrow also earned Scholar All-American recognition.

A coach, administrator and teacher at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater since 1968, Myers will retire at the end of the 2003-2004 school year.

Myers, head coach of the UW-Whitewater wrestling team for thirty-six years, directed UW-Whitewater teams to more conference championships than any coach, of any sport, male or female, in school history. The Warhawks won twelve Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles under Myers, including seven in a row (1974-80). He also directed UW-W to seventeen top twenty finishes in national championships, including fourth place in the 1975 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletic tournament, and seventh in the 1985 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III meet. Before the 2003-2004 season, UW-Whitewater was listed as the sixteenth on the list of most successful, in terms of points earned at national championships, teams in Division III of the NCAA. Whitewater was the only Wisconsin school on the list, more remarkable since many schools ahead of UW-W were affiliated with the NCAA since the Division III tournament began in 1974, while Whitewater was not affiliated with the NCAA until the 1981 championship.

Myers' wrestling resume includes 64 conference champions, 53 All-American honors, and 30 NCAA III Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-Americans.

Myers also coached the 1977 U.S. World University Games freestyle wrestling team that competed in Sofia, Bulgaria, and served as the team administrator for the 1979 World University Games team.

Respect for Myers among his peers has also led to the presidency of the NAIA (1978-1979, 1979-1980) and NCAA III (1985-87, 1989-91) wrestling coaches associations, as well as numerous positions on national tournament, ranking, wrestling rules and executive committees. Myers' retirement will end a four-year stint on the NCAA III wrestling committee.

In addition to the WWCA College Coach of the Year Award and the WIAC Motorelli Award, Myers has been feted two more for his wrestling accomplishments within the last year. In July of 2003 he received the Lifetime Service Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame "in recognition of years of dedication to the development of leadership and citizenship in young people through the sport of wrestling". In November 2003 he was recognized at the WWCA's annual banquet for forty years of service to the sport.

He was previously inducted into the George Martin (Wisconsin wrestling) Hall of Fame (1982), the NAIA District 14 Hall of Fame (1986), the NAIA Wrestling Hall of Fame (1986), and the Eastern Illinois University Hall of Fame (1996). In January 2000 the wrestling gym in Williams Center, on the UW-Whitewater campus, revamped as part of the athletics facilities upgrade, was dedicated in Myers' honor.

Myers time in athletics at UW-Whitewater included fifteen years (1983-98) as the men's director athletics. He will retire from his current positions as head wrestling coach and a tenured professor in the Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Coaching effective June 30, 2004.

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UW-Whitewater's Myers Announces Retirement

RELEASED: Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Whitewater, Wis.--Willie Myers, a coach, administrator and teacher at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater since 1968, will retire at the end of the 2003-2004 school year.

"I have prayed about this, and discussed this with my family," Myers said. "In my experience and contacts in my daily life I wasn't sure that this would be the year, but starting with my dad's passing, the state and national honors that came my way --- then to hold the team to our tradition that hard work yields results, and have the kind of season we did --- maybe God was saying this was a culmination."

"It's a bittersweet moment for all of us," UW-W interim athletic director Bob Lanza noted. "It's sad to have someone of such high caliber, such integrity, so respected in his profession, leave the university. On the other hand, we're all glad that he is going out on a high note and that he will have time to spend with his wife and family. Even though it is hard to see him go, we wish him a long, happy and healthy retirement."

Lanza continued, "Willie has been a good friend and confidant. With my position as interim athletic director he has always been there to lend a helping hand. I can always count on his ability to see what is best for the department. He is a terrific representative of wrestling, of intercollegiate athletics, and of this university."

Myers, head coach of the UW-Whitewater wrestling team for thirty-six years, directed UW-Whitewater teams to more conference championships than any coach, of any sport, male or female, in school history. The Warhawks won twelve Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles under Myers, including seven in a row (1974-80). He also directed UW-W to seventeen top twenty finishes in national championships, including fourth place in the 1975 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletic tournament, and seventh in the 1985 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III meet. Before the 2003-2004 season, UW-Whitewater was listed as the sixteenth on the list of most successful, in terms of points earned at national championships, teams in Division III of the NCAA. Whitewater was the only Wisconsin school on the list, more remarkable since many schools ahead of UW-W were affiliated with the NCAA since the Division III tournament began in 1974, while Whitewater was not affiliated with the NCAA until the 1981 championship.

Myers' wrestling resume includes 64 conference champions, 53 All-American honors, and 30 NCAA III Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-Americans.

When asked to name the highlights of his long career Myers paused for a long time while sorting through years of memories.

"One of my favorite moments was when Rob Llorca won his national championship at the NCAA meet in Ithaca, New York (1990), and he was so excited when he came off the mat he jumped to hug me and knocked me down." Myers remembered. "I think back to Randy Meyers (1989), who was totally blind, earning All-American honors, and maximizing his potential and providing such inspiration; and this year when Ross Babcock showed what people are capable of when they put their heart and soul into a task. Our first national champion, Fred Townsend (126 pounds, 1978) is hard to duplicate, and Wade Fletcher earned All-American honors the same year even though he competed with a very painful injury. And I think of Carmelo Flores, who came from the inner city of Chicago, earned All-American honors here (1978, 1979), and went on to represent Puerto Rico in the Olympics."

"I'm going to miss the interaction with the athletes," Myers noted. "Sitting in my office having a Twizzler (cherry licorice) with them, knowing that there is something that they need me for, to talk about. My door will be open at home, but it won't be the same when they can just walk down the hall."

Myers listed his position as coach of the NAIA exchange team to Japan and Korea in 1980 as a career, and personal, highlight.

"In the early 60's, while I was still competing in wrestling, my dream was to wrestle in the Olympics," Myers said. "The training and competition leading up to the 1964 Games, which were held in Tokyo, put such a strain on my family life that I made a decision to turn my attention to beginning a career and placing family first. Then, more than a decade later, I was honored to coach the first NAIA exchange team. That team competed in the same arena that the Olympics had used for wrestling, and it seemed like God was affirming that I could reach my goals, but in a different way."

Myers also coached the 1977 U.S. World University Games freestyle wrestling team that competed in Sofia, Bulgaria, and served as the team administrator for the 1979 World University Games team.
Respect for Myers among his peers has also led to the presidency of the NAIA (1978-1979, 1979-1980) and NCAA III (1985-87, 1989-91) wrestling coaches associations, as well as numerous positions on national tournament, ranking, wrestling rules and executive committees.

Myers' retirement will end a four-year stint on the NCAA III wrestling committee. Myers was also a key figure in re-defining weight loss and stressing education of "weight management" when a crisis within the sport occurred after several nationally prominent incidents.

"I was on the national committee that studied the problem, and we found that there was a negative connotation on the weight loss aspect of wrestling," Myers observed. "We have been very effective as a sport in addressing that aspect of training, teaching wrestlers the more broad aspect of weight control. I have noticed at national tournaments, it even struck me this year, how good, how strong, the wrestlers look. They can step on a scale and smile."

Within the last year Myers has been feted twice for his wrestling accomplishments. In July of 2003 he received the Lifetime Service Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame "in recognition of years of dedication to the development of leadership and citizenship in young people through the sport of wrestling". In November 2003 he was recognized at the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Association s annual banquet for forty years of service to the sport. He was previously inducted into the George Martin (Wisconsin wrestling) Hall of Fame (1982), the NAIA District 14 Hall of Fame (1986), the NAIA Wrestling Hall of Fame (1986), and the Eastern Illinois University Hall of Fame (1996). In January 2000 the wrestling gym in Williams Center, on the UW-Whitewater campus, revamped as part of the athletics facilities upgrade, was dedicated in Myers' honor.

Myers has numerous people to credit for helping him develop professionally.

"Byron James, the former coach at UW-River Falls, was a hard-nosed, hard working coach. Other wrestling colleagues I've been in contact with, like Dan Gable, I've been able to talk to him even though I'm older than him. More unconsciously, I'm sure my high school coach Oscar Adams at Urbana (IL) High School and my college coach Harold Pinther, taught me that wrestling is hard work, discipline and skill all working together to perform at your best."

Myers has also devoted years to developing young athletes and students.

"There has been a real change in wrestling, in all sports," Myers said. "There is so much specialization, that the two or three sport athlete is less common, even in high school. Technique has increased, and offseason training is more prevalent, concentration of physical development. Athletes are looking for someone to prepare them, rather than preparing themselves. I have seen a trend to identifying more with a team, which is what we try to do at Whitewater. We try to emphasize that a team can be a type of family, and that was part of the feeling we had this year. But wrestling still comes down to one-on-one competition, which is great preparation for life."

At the time the teacher and coach in the Arlington Heights (IL) school district, Myers path led to Whitewater in the late 1960's. Knowing that he needed a change in his life, after changing his goals from competitive wrestling, he looked for a way to use his master's degree in counseling. He wrote to several colleges looking for a hall director's position, and UW-Whitewater replied. He got the job, as hall director for Bigelow Hall, and moved to campus. During that era is wasn't unusual for hall directors to have other assignments, so when he got to campus his wrestling background became known and it happened that Ed Schwager was giving up the head wrestling position to concentrate on other duties. It wasn't too much longer before Myers met Forrest Perkins, UW-W's head football coach from 1956-84, at a Lions club pancake breakfast, and Perkins asked Myers to help coach the freshman football team. Myers' career path moved from hall director into student life, then serving as the administration as campus facilities planner. He left campus administration to take over for Perkins as chairman of the Department of Coaching, an academic of the unit, and has been based in Williams Center full-time ever since.

Myers time in athletics included fifteen years (1983-98) as the men's director athletics, which included some turbulent years in intercollegiate athletics on the national scene.
Myers' tenure at AD included the school's first men's national championships (basketball 1984 and 1989), planning for the remodeling of Williams Center and addition of the Kachel Fieldhouse, and planning and administering the program to meet gender equity mandates.

"Title IX was very prominent when I was AD", Myers said, "and was certainly one of the most difficult times in terms of doing what was right for all students. It was tough, but I think what carried us through was always looking at the result, what was the right thing to do."

"I've seen changes in athletics, but the biggest may be in terms of the funding and facilities available for all sports," said Myers. "Some schools believe in tiers of sports, making a name for the school with a couple of teams, but we don't at UW-Whitewater. We treat each team in a fair and equitable way."

Myer's 2003-2004 wrestling team capped the long string of achievements. The squad helped him earn his 300th dual meet victory (January 30 vs. Lawrence University). UW-Whitewater hosted the 2004 WIAC championship tournament, where four Warhawks earned league titles, and five wrestlers qualified for the NCAA III championship. Ross Babcock earned the Ben Peterson Award as the WIAC tourney's outstanding wrestler, and Myers was named Mertz Mortorelli Coach of the Year for the fifth time. The Warhawks went on to finish thirteenth in the NCAA III championship, with Scott Karls and Babcock earning All-American honors. Karls, Tony Wright and Jeff Zastrow also earned Scholar All-American recognition.

"One of my favorite Bible verses is John 10:10," Myers said. "Jesus says to his disciples; 'The thief came to steal and destroy, I've come so that you might have life and know it more abundantly." Applied to my life, I look at competitive wrestling in the 60's as a thief, stealing my family and what was really important to me. But after 1968, when I accepted Christ, I have been blessed with the abundances. My wife, my children, none of this would have been possible without the sacrifices they've made to my life as a coach."

Myers will retire from his current positions as head wrestling coach and a tenured professor in the Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Coaching.

Myers received his bachelor's degree in industrial arts from Eastern Illinois University in 1964, and his master's in guidance and counseling from the same school in 1966. He earned his doctorate in education administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1977.

-Article written by Tom Fick, UW-Whitewater Sports Information

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UW-La Crosse's Allen Named WIAC Wrestler of the Year

RELEASED: Thursday, March 11, 2004

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Ryan Allen has been named the 2004 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Wrestler of the Year based on a vote of the league coaches.

Allen, a sophomore from Livingston, Wis. (Iowa-Grant H.S.), recently claimed the individual national heavyweight championship to earn All-America honors for the second straight season. He is the sixth wrestler in UW-La Crosse history to win an individual national title and joins Jason Ott (2002) as the only wrestlers in school annals to win the heavyweight bracket.

Allen also won the WIAC heavyweight championship for the second consecutive year this season. He finished the 2003-04 campaign with a 38-2 record (16 pins) and is 74-4 in his career. Allen is 16th in career victories at UW-La Crosse.

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Dubuque, Iowa--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse finished seventh and UW-Stevens Point ninth following completion of the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships on March 6 at the Five Flags Center in Dubuque.

The Eagles totaled 50.50 team points and Pointers 40.50, while UW-Whitewater tied for 13th with 20 points, UW-Eau Claire tied for 20th with 12.50 points and Lawrence tied for 42nd with one point.

Wartburg (Iowa) won its second straight national championship with 156.50 points. Augsburg (Minn.) finished second with 140.50, followed by Luther (Iowa) with 68.50, Delaware Valley with 58 and Simpson (Iowa) with 55.50.

UW-La Crosse was led by Ryan Allen, who won the 285-pound title with a 12-5 decision over Blake Gillis of Wartburg (Iowa). Allen becomes the sixth wrestler in UW-La Crosse history to win an individual national title and joins Jason Ott (2002) as the only wrestlers to win the 285-pound crown. Allen finished the season with a 38-2 record and is 74-4 in his career, including a second-place finish at last year's national championship.

The Eagles also received strong performances from Jason Lulloff, Troy Fabry and Nick Patenaude. Lulloff placed fourth at 184 pounds to earn his second straight All-America honor after placing third last season at 174 pounds. Lulloff was upended, 4-3, by Ken Ware of Coe (Iowa) in the third-place match. Lulloff finished the season with a 36-4 record and is 71-12 in his career.

Troy Fabry finished fifth at 149 pounds to earn his second consecutive All-America honor after finishing sixth a year ago. He defeated Dustin Dahlblom of Ausburg (Minn.), 3-2, in the fifth-place match. Fabry completed the season with a 38-5 mark, and concluded his four-year career second on UW-La Crosse's all-time wins list with a 117-30 record.

Patenaude earned his first career All-America honor after placing seventh at 174 pounds. He defeated Paul Vaccaro of The College of New Jersey, 2-1, in the seventh-place match. Patenaude finished the season 20-18 and his career at 88-48.

UW-Stevens Point's Yan White finished runner-up at 197 pounds for the second straight year after dropping a 4-2 decision to Akeem Carter of Wartburg (Iowa) in the national title match. White finished the 2003-04 campaign with a 20-3 record, losing all three matches to Carter. White is just the second Pointer in school history to reach three straight championship matches.

The Pointers' Cody Koenig, the defending national champion at 174 pounds, finished fourth this season after losing, 4-2, to Mark Hawald of John Carroll (Ohio) in the third-place match. Koenig concluded the season with a 32-4 record.

Brady Holtz earned his second straight All-America honor at 133 pounds by finishing sixth. He was pinned by Mike Troast of York (Penn.) in 2:27 in the fifth-place match. Holtz completed the year with a 21-10 record.

UW-Whitewater matched its best team finish in school history when they also placed 13th at the 1991 national meet. Nick Karls and Ross Babcock led the Warhawk contingent at this year's meet. Karls placed fourth at 141 pounds after losing, 9-7, to Pat Brady of The College of New Jersey in the third-place match. Karls claimed his first career All-America honor and finished the season with a 26-4 mark.

Babcock also earned his first career All-America accolade after placing seventh at 149 pounds. He defeated Zak Kallai of Case Western Reserve (Ohio), 4-2, in the seventh-place match. Babcock ended the 2003-04 campaign with a 18-16 record.

UW-Eau Claire's Derek Sikora defeated Jarald Ridley of Manchester (Ind.), 6-4, in the third-place match at 165 pounds to earn his first career All-America honor. Sikora's third-place finish is the best individual finish by a Blugold at the national meet since Bob Wozniak finished second in 1990. Sikora completed the season with a 29-6 record.

Also representing the conference at the national meet were Lawrence's Ben Dictus (184 pounds) and Nick Morphew (133 pounds), UW-Stevens Point's Joel Burdick (149 pounds) and UW-Whitewater's John Rombca (125 pounds), Tony Wright (157 pounds) and Jeff Zastrow (174 pounds). All six individuals dropped their first two matches at the national competition with the exception of Dictus who won his opening match.

WIAC All-Americans:
133 pounds--Brady Holtz (UW-Stevens Point-6th)
141 pounds--Nick Karls (UW-Whitewater-4th)
149 pounds--Troy Fabry (UW-La Crosse-5th), Ross Babcock (UW-Whitewater-7th)
165 pounds--Derek Sikora (UW-Eau Claire-3rd)
174 pounds--Cody Koenig (UW-Stevens Point-4th), Nick Patenaude (UW-La Crosse-7th)
184 pounds--Jason Lulloff (UW-La Crosse-4th)
197 pounds--Yan White (UW-Stevens Point-2nd)
285 pounds--Ryan Allen (UW-La Crosse-Champion)

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WIAC Wrestlers Earn NWCA Scholar All-America Honors

RELEASED: Tuesday, March 9, 2004

Madison, Wis.--Ten Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) wrestlers have been named to the 2004 NCAA Division III National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-America Team.

Individuals receiving recognition included: Lawrence's Nick Morphew (133 pounds), UW-La Crosse's Troy Fabry (149), Ross Needham (157), Nick Patenaude (174) and Jason Lulloff (184), UW-Stevens Point's Ryan Hansen (149) and Mike Hayes (285) and UW-Whitewater's Nick Karls (141), Tony Wright (157) and Jeff Zastrow (174).

UW-Stevens Point was also one of 20 teams to receive the Scholar Team Award from the NWCA after achieving a 3.190 grade point average as a team. Milwaukee School of Engineering was the top squad with a 3.73 grade point average.

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 2003, fall 2004), make significant contributions to his team and receive a letter of recommendation from the coach.

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UW-La Crosse's Fabry Named Wrestling Scholar-Athlete

RELEASED: Monday, February 23, 2004

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Troy Fabry has been named the 2004 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Max Sparger Wrestling Scholar-Athlete, it was announced recently by WIAC Commissioner Gary Karner.

Fabry, a senior from Ashwaubenon, Wis., is majoring in physical education with a minor in adaptive physical education and carries a 3.34 grade point average. He has been named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic Team for three consecutive years. Fabry is also a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and has been named to UW-La Crosse's Dean's List on two occasions.

Fabry, a two-time team captain, helped the Eagles to their seventh straight conference championship this season by placing second at 149 pounds. He was the league champion at 149 pounds in 2003 and 2002. Fabry earned All-America honors at 149 pounds last season by placing sixth at the NCAA Division III Championship. He was named the team's Most Valuable Player and Hardest Worker a year ago and owns a 112-38 career record, which ranks second on the school's all-time wins list.

Fabry is president of the UW-La Crosse Winner's Council and is also a member of the Physical Education Major Club and WAHPERD. He has volunteered for such activities as Rotary Lights, Octoberfest, Adopt-A-Highway and Kids Night Out.

Fabry becomes the fifth wrestler from UW-La Crosse to win the league's scholastic honor, joining Josh Habeck (2002), Andrew Melton (2000), Dan Dohse (1994) and Dave Mitchell (1993).

Also nominated for this year's scholar-athlete award were Lawrence's Nick Morphew, UW-Stevens Point's Jared Esala and Ryan Hansen and UW-Whitewater's Jeff Zastrow.

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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Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse won its seventh straight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) wrestling championship at UW-Whitewater's Kachel Gymnasium on February 22. The Eagles became just the second team in league history to win seven straight titles, joining UW-Whitewater which won seven straight championships from 1974-80.

The Eagles totaled 138.50 team points to outdistance second-place UW-Stevens Point for the fourth time in the last five seasons. The Pointers finished with 118.50 points, followed by UW-Whitewater (104), UW-Eau Claire (75.50), UW-Platteville (66.50), UW-Oshkosh (65) and Lawrence (61).

UW-La Crosse's Jason Lulloff claimed an 11-2 major decision over Lawrence's Ben Dictus to win the 184-pound championship. Lulloff's teammate, Ryan Allen, defended his conference title at 285 pounds with a 10-5 decision over UW-Stevens Point's Mike Hayes.

UW-Whitewater claimed four individual titles at the league championship. John Rombca claimed the 125-pound crown with a 7-4 decision over UW-Stevens Point's David Davila. Nick Karls secured the 141-pound title with a 7-5 triumph over UW-Stevens Point's Joel Burdick.

The Warhawks' Tony Wright captured the 157-pound championship with a narrow 2-1 decision over UW-La Crosse's Ross Needham, while Ross Babcock claimed the 149-pound title by pinning UW-Eau Claire's Dave Vanevenhoven in 1:11. Bobcock was named the John Peterson Wrestler of the Meet for his efforts.

UW-Stevens Point had three individuals secure titles. Cody Koenig, the defending national champion at 174 pounds, successfully defended his league crown with an 11-6 decision over UW-La Crosse's Nick Patenaude.

The Pointers' Yan White became a three-time conference champion at 197 pounds with a 3-1 decision over UW-Eau Claire's Nick Campbell. Brady Holtz defeated Lawrence's Nick Morphew, 7-2, to win the 133-pound crown.

UW-Eau Claire's Derek Sikora claimed the 165-pound title with a 9-4 decision over UW-La Crosse's Corey Day, who won the 157-pound crown a year ago.

UW-Whitewater head coach Willie Myers was voted the Mertz Mortorelli Coach of the Year by the league coaches, marking the fifth time in his career he has won the award (1990, 1989, 1987, 1986).

All of the league champions, along with six at-large qualifiers, advanced to the NCAA Division III Championships, which will be held March 5-6 at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. Individuals receiving at-large bids based on voting by the conference coaches included: Lawrence's Nick Morphew (133 pounds) and Ben Dictus (184 pounds), UW-La Crosse's Troy Fabry (149 pounds) and Nick Patenaude (174 pounds), UW-Stevens Point's Joel Burdick (141 pounds) and UW-Whitewater's Jeff Zastrow (174 pounds). The league also voted on three alternates for the national meet including: UW-Eau Claire's Nick Campbell (197 pounds), UW-La Crosse's Jim Swanson (197 pounds) and UW-Oshkosh's Nate Muckerheide (285 pounds).

Team Scores:
1. UW-La Crosse 138.50
2. UW-Stevens Point 118.50
3. UW-Whitewater 104
4. UW-Eau Claire 75.50
5. UW-Platteville 66.50
6. UW-Oshkosh 65
7. Lawrence 61

Championship Match Results:
125--John Rombca (WW) dec. David Davila (STP), 7-4
133--Brady Holtz (STP) dec. Nick Morphew (LAW), 7-2
141--Nick Karls (WW) dec. Joel Burdick (STP), 7-5
149--Ross Babcock (WW) pinned Dave Vanevenhoven (EC), 1:11
157--Tony Wright (WW) dec. Ross Needham (LC), 2-1
165--Derek Sikora (EC) dec. Corey Day (LC), 9-4
174--Cody Koenig (STP) dec. Nick Patenaude (LC), 11-6
184--Jason Lulloff (LC) major dec. Ben Dictus (LAW), 11-2
197--Yan White (STP) dec. Nick Campbell (EC), 3-1
285--Ryan Allen (LC) dec. Mike Hayes (STP), 10-5

John Peterson Wrestler of the Meet: Ross Babcock of UW-Whitewater
Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete: Troy Fabry of UW-La Crosse
Mertz Mortorelli Coach of the Year: Willie Myers of UW-Whitewater

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