Women's Basketball

February 26, 2003

The Blue Devils (19-8) overcame a 16 point halftime deficit, 44-28, to tie the game at 51 with 9:39 left where Stout outscored Eau Claire 22-7. The Blugolds (26-1) responded with a 10-0 run to take a 64-53 lead with 5:48 remaining. Eau Claire nailed 10-of-14 free throws in the final minute for the win.

The Blugolds' Janel Soppeland led all scorers with 23 points, including 11-of-12 from the line. Emilee Planert chipped in 14 points coming off the bench. Katie Murphy added 13 and Becca Spaeth and Kristi Channing pitched in 10 points.

Stout got 14 points from Sara Kahl (Jr, Menomonie) before she fouled out with 10 minutes left in the game. Laura Verdegan (Jr, Tony) also had 14 points. Lindsey Erichsen (So, Spring Valley, Minn) finished with 11 points and Tanya Halbach (Sr, Janesville) ended her career with a 10 point effort.

Four Blue Devils fouled out, sending Eau Claire to the free throw line 48 times, of which they knocked down 33. Stout shot 18-of-28 from the line.

UW-Eau Claire will host UW-Oshkosh, Saturday, March 1 in the WIAC Championship game. Oshkosh downed second seeded UW-Stevens Point, 83-76, for the second consecutive year in the semi-finals. Eau Claire went on to win the WIAC tournament with a win over Oshkosh.

February 24, 2003

The Blue Devils (19-7) will advance to the semi-final round, Wednesday, Feb. 25, and will travel to top-seeded UW-Eau Claire.

Verdegan scored 12 of her game-high 18 points in the second half, pulled down six of her game-high 10 rebounds and finished the game with four blocked shots and five steals.

Stout held a slim 40-34 halftime lead, but the Pioneers (15-11) kept Stout off-balance in the first five minutes of the half. Stout ran out to a 49-41 lead, then expanded that to 54-41 on five points by Verdegan in a 40 second span. Stout carried the lead to as much as 19 points late in the game, never seriously letting Platteville back into the contest.

The game was a rugged affair, with Stout getting whistled for 26 fouls, Platteville 25. Stout shot 19-of-31 from the line, the Platteville was 17-of-25 from the stripe. Stout held a decisive edge off the boards, pulling down 45 to Platteville's 36.

Stout had five players in double digits, led by Verdegan. Lindsey Erichsen (So, Spring Valley, Minn) finished with 17 points, Tanya Halbach (Sr, Janesville) 12, Steffanie Nemitz (Fr, Bloomington) 11 and Sara Kahl (Jr, Menomonie) 10. Erichsen and Erin Churchill (So, Plum City) each had eight rebounds.

Platteville was led by Angie Sisson with 14 points. Katie Freis and Heidi Mess each scored 12 points.

February 25, 2003

In the Whitewater game, Verdegan scored eight points during an 18-3 Stout run as the Blue Devils never looked back. Verdegan also blocked two shots in the first half to set a new school career record in blocked shots.

Verdegan added four blocks in a first round WIAC tournament game with UW-Platteville, Monday, Feb. 24. With those blocks, Verdegan broke her own single season record of 36, and her three-year total now stands at 89 blocked shots.

Men's Basketball

February 25, 2003

The Titans (20-6) shot a blistering 67 percent in the game and ran away from a 40-40 tie with two minutes left in the first half.

The Blue Devils' Nate Templer (Jr, Beaver Dam) tried to carry Stout (14-11) on his broad shoulders, knocking down 23 points and getting seven rebounds, but it would not be enough.

Stout never led in the game, and found themselves down by 11 points in the first half, but came back to within one point several times. Stout trailed 47-40 at halftime and after a bucket by Templer to start the second half, never got closer than five points the rest of the way as Oshkosh outscored Stout 38-19 to open the half.

The Titans' leading scorer, Tim Dworak, again feasted on the Blue Devil defense, scoring a game-high 28 points. Scott Sowinski added 22 points - including 4 3-pointers - Nick Scherer tossed in 12 points and Nate Miller finished with 10 points.

Stout got 12 points from Casey Chapman (Sr, Hartland) and Julian Greer (Jr, St. Paul, Minn) and 10 points from Jeff Vandenberghe (Jr, Coon Rapids, Minn).

Men's Ice Hockey

March 2, 2003

Two sets of brothers, Lewie Kellin (Jr, Grand Rapids, Minn) and Mitch Kellin (Jr, Grand Rapids, Minn) and Drew Nichols (Sr, Victoria, Minn) and Derek Nichols (Jr, Victoria, Minn) as well as Dan Riffe (Jr, Byron, Ill) and Dan Moes (Sr, North St. Paul, Minn) were named to the team.

Drew Nichols is a three time recipient of the award, and Moes is a two-time honoree.

Both Kellins, Moes and Riffe are business majors. Derek Nichols is an applied math major and Drew is a vocational rehabilitation major.

Women's Gymnastics

February 28, 2003

OSHKOSH - Tiffany Reber (Sr, Mantorville, Minn) set a new UW-Stout floor exercise record at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) gymnastics championships in the event, Friday, Feb. 28 in Oshkosh.

Reber scored a 9.65 as she placed fourth to earn all-conference honors in the event, breaking Brenna Jones' mark of 9.575 from the 2000-01 season. Brianna Lentz of UW-Oshkosh won the event with a score of 9.80. Reber finished fifth in the all-around with a score of 35.525, scoring an 8.95 on the vault, an 8.625 on the uneven bars, and an 8.30 on the balance beam.

Lacey Schroedl (So, Minneapolis, Minn) placed fourth in the all-around with a score of 35.575. Schroedl scored a team-best 9.05 on the vault, 8.525 on the bars, 8.80 on the beam and 9.20 on the floor.

Cassie Johnston (Fr, Albertville, Minn) scored a 9.525 to place eighth on the floor.

As a team, Stout scored 175.60 points to finish fourth. UW-La Crosse won their seventh consecutive WIAC championship, racking up 182.575 points

Stout will wrap up the regular season by hosting two meets, the John Zuerlein Invitational, Friday, March 7 and the NCGA West Regionals, Friday, March 14.

Women's Track & Field

February 28, 2003

NORTHFIELD, Minn - Laura Verdegan (Jr, Tony) leapt to a school record first place in the triple jump and Ann Schachtner (So, Somerset) tossed her way to a second place finish in the shot put at the Ole Open, Friday, Feb. 28 at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn.

In her first meet of the season, Verdegan, who is also a Blue Devil basketball standout, not only took first in the triple jump, but she set a new school record, breaking her own record from last year by two inches with a jump of 38-feet, 6.75-inches. Verdegan placed third in the long jump with a mark of 17-8.75, just less than three inches short of the school record. Both of her marks were NCAA Division III provisional qualifying marks.

Schachtner took a second place in the shot put field of 46 with a toss of 40-4.25. Marci Schachtner (So, Deer Park) was sixth in the 20-pound weight throw with a toss of 45-5. Kari McWithey (Fr, Ridgeland) was seventh (42-11.50) in the field of 37.

Tracy Oostdyk (Jr, Spooner) was seventh in the 1500 (5-minutes, 1.29-seconds), while Lacey Osuldsen (Sr, Ladysmith) was eighth in the 3000 (11:05.8) and Heidi Bedsted (Sr, Plainview, Minn) was ninth (11:06.8). Camelle Meyer (Fr, Plainview, Minn) was eighth in the high jump (5-1).

Oostdyk was only in the building for a few minutes, long enough to run her race. She squeezed the race in between an interview in Minneapolis and a funeral in Duluth, Minn.

The Blue Devils will be at the WIAC Championships, March 7-8 at UW-Oshkosh.

High jump: 1. Carrie Morschauser (Platteville) 5-3; 8. Camelle Meyer 5-1; Pole vault: 1. Karolien Bastiaens (St. Thomas) 11-9.75; Katie Ploog 8-10.25; Long jump: 1. Jennifer Stafalein (Eau Claire) 17-11.50; 3. Laura Verdegan 17-8.75; Triple jump: 1. Laura Verdegan (Stout) 38-6.75; Ramona Vann 31-11.25; Shot put: 1. Kristin Rather (La Crosse) 42-9.75; 2. Ann Schachtner 40-4.25; Bonnie Nutt 36-9.50; Tabitha Martin 34-3.50; Kari McWithey 34-3; Kim Randt 33-3; 20-lb wt: 1. Kristin Raether (La Crosse) 51-11.25; 6. Marci Schachtner 45-5; 7. Kari McWithey 42-11.50.

March 1, 2003

Mark Kempen (Fr, Kaukauna), Jay Sitek (Jr, Marinette), Adam Burrack (Fr, Shawano), Lewis Cassellius (Jr, Glenwood City) and Matt Schlough (So, Boyceville) collected third place finishes to lead Stout at the six-team, unscored meet.

Kempen clocked a 1-minute, 58.44-second time in the 800-meter run. Burrack finished in 16:29.07 in the 5000-meter and Schlough a 51.02 in the 400-meter.

Sitek cleared 6-feet, 1.50-inches in the high jump and Cassellius pole vaulted 15-1.

Claiming a fourth place finish was Jason Kirch (Sr, Sauk Prairie) in the 5000 (16:54.14).

The meet was the final meet before the WIAC Championships scheduled for March 7-8 at UW-Oshkosh.

High jump: 1. Will Sallee (Hamline) 6-5.50; 3. Jay Sitek 6-1.50; Triple jump: 1. Nick Fix (Platteville) 46-0; Mark Swenson 38-10.25; Pole vault: 1. Adam Teunissen (Platteville) 16-0.75; 3. Lewis Cassellius 15-1p; 6. Nick Neuman 13-7.25; 8. Jason Geiger 13-7.25; 9. Patrick Doty 12-7.50; 9. Justin Feiten 12-7.50; 13. Andy Smith 12-1.50; Long jump: 1. Melvin Carter (Chizel Track Club) 22-7.75; 7. Tony Fitts 20-3.75; Ryan Carpenter 19-7; Mark Swenson 19-4.25; Shot put: 1. Andy Paulsen (Platteville) 56-1.75; 8. Scott Jensen 42-10.75; Jason Hotujec 41-7.75; Matt Delaney 30-0.75; 35-lb wt: 1. Dan Kuehn (Platteville) 56-8.75; Jason Hotujec 40-8.75; Scott Jensen 36-11.50.

March 3, 2003

The Blue Devils lost only one starter from last year's squad, second baseman Sarah Kokke, and return two all-conference performers, first team outfielder Kaela Wold (So, Altoona) and honorable mention infielder Kim Caswell (Jr, Stanley).

Stainer has been pleased by what she has been seeing in practice.

"I don't know if we have pushed a team as hard before," Stainer said. "The bar has been set much higher by this group, first by themselves, but then by us."

Fastpitch softball starts with the pitcher and Stout returns their top pitcher from last year, Molly Kraft (So, St. Louis Park, Minn). Kraft started 19 of 25 games last season, striking out 38 and walking only 18 in 109 innings pitched.

Stainer has liked the attitude Kraft carried with her from the end of the season to this season.

"After our last game, Molly made the comment (to the team) about if we work hard over the summer, we are going to do something this year," Stainer said. Kraft put in her summer work, had a strong fall and has seen Kraft stick to her commitment.

"She has gained three-to-five miles per hour on her pitches," Stainer said to go along with the maturing process. "Last season she saw there were eight players relying on her. That caused her to see that she had some control in the (pitching) circle and on the field."

Kraft will be complemented by freshmen pitchers Megan Donley (Fridley, Minn) and Emily Zahn (Champlin, Minn).

"Our staff in combination will be strong," Stainer said.

Jamie Gorges (So, New London) should pick up where she left off behind the plate. A third baseman in high school, Gorges picked up the catchers' mitt last season and used her rifle arm behind the plate.

"Jamie has that catcher's mentality," Stainer said. "She is smart and can anticipate. She is a good field motivator and a leader that never asks for anything in return."

Gorges batted .304 with 11 RBI and seven doubles.

Tasha Rosenbrook (Fr, Bloomer) may also see time behind the plate, where she possesses great skills, but lacks collegiate experience, Stainer said.

First base is well taken care of with Erin O'Connell (So, Altoona) returning. With only two errors in 162 chances, O'Connell, a team captain, was a steady force at the first corner, hauling in throws from all over.

"Erin has taken it up a notch this year," Stainer said, adding that O'Connell may be the conference's best first baseman.

Caswell will probably slide over from shortstop to second base this year. Caswell brings a vast range to the position, as well as a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Freshman Bethany Johnson (Black River Falls) is a good fit for the shortstop spot, Stainer said.

"Bethany doesn't let anything bother her," Stainer said. "She does a good job on refocusing. She has a strong arm and is consistent both fielding and throwing."

Angie Kliber (Fr, Swanville, Minn) is athletic enough to step in at first, second or shortstop, Stainer said.

Heather Novalany (So, Cottage Grove, Minn), who was injured during the early preseason, has been making strides back and has been hitting well the last few weeks. She could see considerable time as a designated hitter, pinch hitter and back-up at second base.

Courtney Zafft (Fr, Rochester, Minn) may see some time at third base, as well as in the outfield.

Wold will make the switch from left field to right field. Wold has become more aggressive and has improved her speed, Stainer said.

"Kaela is best suited to right field," Stainer said, "because of her arm strength. We have also noticed an improvement in her skills, attitude and leadership capablities."

Wold was the team's leading hitter, hitting both for power and for bases. She batted .409, going 27-for-66, with eight doubles, four home runs and 14 RBI, all team highs.

In center field, Scooter Aspen (Jr, Eau Claire) came up with some key defensive plays last season. Possessing a strong arm, Aspen can also be "an intense player when she needs to be intense," said Stainer.

Molly O'Keefe (Fr, Spooner) could also play center field, in addition to pinch hitting, pinch running or being the designated hitter.

Sara Jensen (Eau Claire), the team's only senior, has demonstrated a quiet leadership and a willingness to work throughout her three year career.

"For three years, she has shown what she is willing to do," Stainer said. "She has worked so hard to overcome her weaknesses. She has to be our most dedicated player."

"Having so many starters back will benefit us," Stainer said. "They know what to expect. We have seen our players grow, we have seen our coaching staff grow. This team is on the cusp of breaking through. The potential is there."

Stout will open their schedule Sunday, March 9 when they face Nebraska Wesleyan in the St. Croix Rec Dome in Stillwater, Minn. Stout will then play 10 games in Florida before opening their home schedule, April 1 against St. Scholastica.

Stout is expecting to play their home games on their newly developed field on the south end of campus. Stout will host one of the WIAC Cluster tournament, April 26-27 when the new field will be dedicated as Alumni Field.