Blue Devil Football

August 30, 1997

PASSING GAME PIVOTAL TO GRIDIRON SUCCESS

Take one look at final statistics of the 1996 UW-Stout football team, and passing seemed to be the name of the game.

And with the top four receivers and the starting quarterback returning, passing seems as if it should be the name of the game again in 1997. But fifth year coach Ed Meierkort said the running game will have to step up for the Blue Devils to improve on their 4-6 overall and 1-6 conference finish.

Stout returns 10 starters on the offensive side and seven starters on the defensive side. Along with the 17 starters, Meierkort said the team returns 44 of their top 50 players.

"We feel by osmosis we should get better," Meierkort said.

"I challenge anyone to have four receivers much better than ours," Meierkort said about Scott Wojcik (Sr, Marshfield), Jim Pillars (So, Chicago, Ill.), Jesse Witcraft (Jr, New Lisbon), and Jesse Diaz (So, Cottage Grove).

While Diaz did not catch a pass last year and was used for kickoff returns, the remaining three accounted for 45 percent of the teams' total yardage, 42 percent of the team's touchdowns, 53 percent of the total receptions and 67 percent of all reception yardage.

Wojcik was the team's top receiver last season, pulling down 41 receptions for 618 yards (15.1 yd/rec) and three touchdowns.

"Scott will get it done," Meierkort said. "He's big and athletic (6-foot-3, 215-lbs) and found his role last season. He is capable of the big play."

Speaking of the big play, Witcraft and Pillars showed their stuff as well.

Witcraft, a numerous All-American for the Blue Devil track team, is probably the fastest receiver in the league, Meierkort said. With two years of collegiate football behind him, Meierkort said Witcraft must take another step forward.

"If he improves as much this year as he did last year," Meierkort said, "he will help us a lot."

Pillars was the top freshman receiver in the conference last season, and finished with 20 receptions, 259 yards (12.9 yds/rec) and tied with Witcraft for a team high four touchdowns.

"Jimmy must be a focal point of this team," Meierkort said. "He is bigger and stronger than most defensive backs and will have to use his size differential."

Diaz showed his speed as a kickoff specialist, averaging 22.1 yards per return, one of the top in the league.

Needless to say, Meierkort is excited about the passing game, but said the Blue Devils will work hard to improve on the running game, which was dead-last in league last year.

Stout will be utilizing a West Coast-style offense for the second season and Meierkort said his team was starting to acquire the needed rhythm to effectively run the offense, minimizing mistakes later in the season.

"When it (the offense) shut down, we shut it down ourselves," Meierkort said. "This offense depends on rhythm and an adjustment to defensive schemes.

"We were fairly productive between the 20s, just not successful in the red zone.

"The running game is very important. Just look at the teams that do well (in the conference) and they are balanced."

The foundation of the offense must be the offensive line, and the Blue Devils return a veteran, but still young, offensive line anchored by potential All-America selection Jason Lehman (Sr, Bruce).

Lehman, a three-time track All-American who is the school record holder in the shot put and discus, moved over to offense last fall and, as the only senior, will be expected to lead the boys in the trenches.

While Lehman has the most years on the team, Ben Leslie (Jr, Altoona), Matt Heinzmann (Jr, Brooklyn Center, Minn.) and Chris Memelink (Jr, Hastings, Minn.) have two years of starting experience on the line. Jason Nesbitt (So, Burlington) saw considerable time last season and will be expected to step up his play.

"We solidified our line last year," Meierkort said. "We have size and good athletic ability. We feel we have nine offensive linemen who can step in and play."

"We need to be more productive from our backfield," Meierkort said. He said the running game had no consistency, with five games gaining more than 100 yards, but the other five more in the 25-40 yard range.

Shawn Lund (So, Ashland) came on late in the season to earn the starting tailback spot and recorded the top Stout individual rushing game, gaining 109 yards in the team's final game with Winona State. Lund finished the season with a 4.1 yd/carry average, top on the team and tallied 371 total yards with three touchdowns.

No other returners come close to Lund's yardage, and Meierkort will be making some changes in the backfield.

Mike Bethke (Jr, Mondovi) moves from tight end to fullback, where he practiced for three games last year.

"Moving Bethke gives us a big lead blocker," Meierkort said. "With him, we will be more deceptive at running back." Also working at fullback will be Ryan Patt (So, Fond du Lac).

Meierkort said a key to the offense will be the tight end position, expected to be handled by veteran Pete Speigel (Sr, Slinger) and Andy Mutch (RsFr, Bloomington, Minn.).

"We have to make a more conscious effort to throw to the tight end," Meierkort said.

Quarterback could be one of the more interesting contests this season. While Matt Bunyan (Jr, Janesville) has had the nod the last two years and is currently seventh on the all-time Stout passing list, Meierkort expects a battle for the starting spot. Bunyan passed for 1803 yards and 14 touchdowns last season.

Marty Goryl (So, Greenfield) saw limited action last season, while John Anderson (RsFr, Bloomington, Minn.) was red-shirted.

"We will treat this position as we do all positions," Meierkort said. "We will go in with everything even. We must put pressure on our quarterbacks. If all things are equal, Bunyan will go, but our two back-ups are very close."

Defense

Defensively, the Blue Devils will have some big shoes to fill with the departure of All-America linebacker LaRue Pierce, all-conference selections Tony Aizupura and Ryan Zeman and team leader Ben Dallman.

The team remains intact up front and that is where Meierkort, who will serve as the defensive coordinator, will begin.

"Our defense played well, despite giving up huge chunks of yardage because of spending so much time on the field," Meierkort said.

Keys to the defensive line will be the two all-conference defensive ends, Mike Olson (Sr, Farmington, Minn.) and Andy Wickstrom (Sr, Menomonie). Both recorded their first career interception last season and together accounted for 17 tackles for losses. Wickstrom had four sacks, while Olson added three.

Jeff Apse (Jr, Oakdale, Minn.) and Jack Nowinsky (Jr, Hatley) both transferred in last year and earned starting roles. Apse matched Wickstrom with four sacks, while Nowinsky recorded two.

Meierkort is expecting his defensive line to be more active this year.

"I like our front, but we have to be more attack oriented up-front with more tackles-for-loss and sacks," said Meierkort. "We need that desire."

Expect Mike Purfeerst (So, River Falls), Bill Berg (Sr, Washburn) and Carl Bunch (RsFr, Racine) to see considerable time.

"We have some good, quality depth walking around here," Meierkort said.

The linebacking corp will have a new look. With Pierce and Dallman gone, two new faces will be stepping in. But Pat Carlson (Sr, Menasha) is not a new face. Carlson sat last season out due to an injury, but Meierkort says he is ready to go in 1997.

Sam Standard (Sr, Indianapolis, Ind.) will be moving up a few steps from his defensive back position to take a linebacking spot.

Don Hagenbart (Sr, Dousman) is the only starter returning. Both Hagenbart and Standard were active last year, with Standard recording 38 tackles, while Hagenbart had 40.

Challenging for time will be Corey Rockweiler (Jr, Reedsburg), Ehrich Shaw (Jr, Menomonie), Tucker Giertz (Jr, Menomonie) and Josh Gawlik (RsFr, West Bend).

"We must be more productive from the linebacker spot, even without LaRue," Meierkort said. "They have to make the day-to-day plays and must stop the drives from continuing."

The defensive backs will have as many changes as the linebacking crew, but Meierkort is not overtly concerned about those changes.

Jeff Opichka (So, Hartford) and Joe Verstegen (Jr, Little Chute) return as starters, with Billy Busch (Jr, Dickeyville) and Corey Morning (Jr, Bloomer) penciled in as the other starters.

Verstegen and Busch are at the corners, and both are members of Stout track relay teams that met national qualifying times last spring. The pair will receive challenges from Eric Aamodt (So, Menomonie) and Chris Puffe (RsFr, Appleton).

Opichka and Verstegen each had two interceptions, and Opichka finished with one sack, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble. Also looking at playing time will be Eric Hansen (So, Eagan, Minn.) and Jeff Jackman (So, River Falls).

Special teams

Nolan Mosher (So, Janesville) returns for the kicking duties and the soccer-style kicker was the Blue Devils leading scorer last season. Mosher missed only one field goal last year and was 16-for-20 in extra points.

Scott Wojcik will take over the punting duties.

Aizupura returned every one of Stout's punts last season, and came up just short of the school record in return average, leaving Stout with a big hole in the return game.

Diaz returned kickoffs last year, as did Bohlsen, Standard, Lund and Busch.

The conference

The biggest change in the conference is the name change. With the merger of the Wisconsin State University Conference (WSUC) and the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WWIAC), the conference now becomes the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC).

But there probably won't be any changes in the top four teams in the conference, Meierkort said.

Meierkort said UW-Whitewater should get the nod, with UW-La Crosse, UW-River Falls and UW-Stevens Point right up there.

"Whitewater is offensively awesome," Meierkort said, "not flashy, but awesome."

"But some of the powers-to-be were hit hard by graduation," Meierkort said. "I'm not saying they are not going to reload."

Year-in and year-out, the conference is one of the top NCAA Division III conferences in the country, and this year is no exception, said Meierkort.

"The top four are tough, and so are the bottom four," Meierkort said. "This team could go anywhere, and do well. The only thing this team lacks is the swagger. When they (LaCrosse, Whitewater, etc.) walk into a stadium, it's a little different. We are looking for that true confidence that says we can't lose this game, and that is only attained by success on the field. We have to knock off one of the big dogs. That's what will get you there."

August 28, 1997

STOUT'S LEHMAN NAMED TO SECOND PRE-SEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM

UW-Stout offensive guard Jason Lehman (Sr, Bruce) has been named a pre-season All-America selection by the USA III Football, a national sports report devoted strictly to NCAA Division III football.

Lehman, at 6-foot-3, 310-pounds, is the Blue Devils' only senior starter in the offensive line. After playing defense for two years, Lehman was moved to offense last season and will be regarded as one of the top linemen in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). Two other WIAC linemen were also selected, with a total of five WIAC picks to the team.

A second team all-conference football pick last season, Lehman is a three-time All-American track performer in both the shot put and discus. Lehman holds the school record in the discus and the outdoor shot put and is the reigning conference indoor and outdoor shot put and discus champion.

The Blue Devils will open their football season when they play host to Bemidji State University, Sat., Sept. 13 at 7 p.m.

Lehman was earlier named to the The College Football Preview pre-season All-America team.

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Blue Devil Volleyball

August 30, 1997

VOLLEYBALL TEAM SEES SEASON AS A YEAR TO MOVE UP

For the UW-Stout volleyball team, the 1997 season will be a fresh start with many familiar faces. With all but one player returning from last season's lineup, the Blue Devils will be looking to not only avenge an 8-20 overall record from a year ago but also to contend for the top spot in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC).

"Obviously, our main goal will be to win the conference championship," fifth-year head coach Jill Jolliff said. "We've got a little revenge to get on some of these teams."

While Stout returns one senior, four juniors and six sophomores, including all six starters, several of the other top teams in the conference will be faced with the problem of rebuilding.

"(This year) is a great opportunity for us," Jolliff said. "River Falls lost a lot; Eau Claire lost a few key players…Whitewater, Oshkosh. The four top teams lost some key players, so this year and next year is going to be the time to rock-n-roll, and the kids know that."

The Blue Devils will be counting on last year's statistical leaders Monica Cyrus (Jr, Farmington, Minn.) and Stacy Stoddard (Jr, St. Paul, Minn.) to come up big again this season. Stoddard, Stout's primary blocker, led the team in both solo and assisted blocks last season, while Cyrus was tops on the team in digs and service aces.

Stoddard set a school record by logging eight solo blocks in a single game last season, and was named the conference player of the week for her efforts. Her 98 career solo blocks is already a school record, and she still has two years to play. Stoddard not only can block the ball, she can knock it down, leading the team in kills with 290.

Jolliff said she is expecting Cyrus to take on a strong leadership role for this still very young Stout team.

"Monica was on the floor a lot last year, so she's really ready to improve on those eight wins we had last year," Jolliff said. "I think she's ready to kick some people and pull them along a little bit.

"I think she felt uncomfortable last year because she was an underclassmen. But now as an upperclassman, she is going to feel more comfortable in that leadership role, and I think she is going to take it and run with it."

Jolliff added that she expects big years from Jamie Esser (Sr, Highland), Nikki Kenyon (So, Rockland), and Karen Hatfield (Jr, Menomonie).

"I think Jamie, Monica, Nikki, Stacy, Karen, and all of those guys who have been playing for the last couple of years are going to work nicely together and get the new freshmen and the sophomores organized, get them going," Jolliff said.

The Blue Devils will also return setter Jenny Kraczek (So, Blaine, Minn.), as well as hitter Tori Feit (So, Rushmore, Minn.).

With no stand-out favorite, early on it appears as if there will be a bottle-neck at the top of the WIAC standings. Perennial favorites River Falls, Whitewater, Eau Claire, and Oshkosh all figure to be in the mix, but Jolliff said that Stout shouldn't be left out of the championship picture this year.

"I hope that we finish up there in the top four or five. It's hard to say right now, but everybody has a lot of experience. I feel like we are still a young team, but we have more experience than any other young team that we will go up against," Jolliff explained.

"It could be a dog-fight. Every year it is kind of up for grabs. You never have those matches where you say, `Oh, we are playing Platteville or LaCrosse today. It's going to be an automatic win.' Anybody can be beaten on any given day."

To add to an already deep bench, the Blue Devils greeted a recruiting class of around 17 new freshmen this year, of which Jolliff whittled her team down to a very workable 13 players with four red-shirted players.

"Recruiting went very well. It's nice because I have three or four local players coming in which will help with fans and everything else," Jolliff said.

Kathy Jahnke (Jr, West Allis), a transfer from UW-Green Bay, is listed as a setter/hitter and could give the Blue Devils a boost.

"I hadn't seen her play before the season began, but obviously, she has experience, so just that in itself is going to help," Jolliff said. "We've got a lot of great athletes. It is going to be interesting to see how they gel," Jolliff concluded.

by Anne Steiner, UW-Stout Sports Information

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Blue Devil Soccer

August 30, 1997

SOCCER TEAM BUILDING TO IMPROVE ON FOURTH PLACE TOURNAMENT FINISH

It's hard to imagine a team having to rebuild in only its third year of existence, but after losing four key players to graduation last season, the UW-Stout women's soccer team is in just that position.

Head coach Lisa Petruccelli expects to bring in at least eight freshmen recruits this fall to fill out a roster made up mostly of underclassmen.

"We will only have one senior, so our team is going to be very young," Petruccelli said. "But there are players from last year who are going to step up (and replace the seniors we lost), and the freshmen will step up into their roles. All of my freshmen and sophomores (from last year) are going to do what they need to do."

Of the 12 returners (11 players, one red-shirted player) from last year's squad, Petruccelli expects them all to step forward and contribute in a greater way this season.

"I expect them to be contributors because they are the leaders now. The players who were on the field last year I expect to be on the field again, and some of the players who were only subs last year will probably step into some of the starting roles," Petruccelli explained.

One of the keys to Stout's success this season will be second year goal tender Nikki Bezak (So, Coon Rapids, Minn.). As a freshman, Bezak started all 20 games in goal for the Blue Devils, stopping 218 shots for a team-best 1.8 goals-against-average. She also broke Stout's school record for most saves in a game, stopping 26 shots against UW-Oshkosh on Sept. 15.

Stout's main goal this season will be to improve on what was a very successful 1996 campaign. Although the Blue Devils finished in seventh place in the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WWIAC) regular season standings, a 4-3, shoot-out win over UW-River Falls gave Stout a fourth place finish in the conference tournament. The team also improved its overall record to 7-10-3 after winning just four games the year before.

"One of our strengths is that we are building upon a successful season from last year. Our goal was to end with a .500 record," Petruccelli said. "We didn't quite reach that, but the other things we did do certainly made up for the fact that we didn't reach our exact goal."

Jessica Unterweger (So, Nashotah) is the Blue Devils' leading scorer of the returners and can lead the offensive charge.

Defensively, Jamie Jester (Jr, Beloit), Becca Carlson (So, Rosemount, Minn.) and Aimee Grimm (Apple Valley, Minn.), the team's only senior, will bolster the backfield.

Petruccelli said that the work ethic and team attitude of her players even during spring practices is what has impressed her the most to this point.

"They are a team; they are working together," the coach said. "They definitely are stepping forward to play and to be a part of things. They are looking toward the future, and they know they have to play as a team instead of having one strong or two strong individuals who are going to make the difference."

Early on it again appears as if UW-LaCrosse will lead the pack in the newly named Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), but Petruccelli also said that an experienced UW-Stevens Point team, which finished in second place a year ago, shouldn't be left out.

"I think LaCrosse is going to hold its own this year. They won the championship last year, and I think their goal is going to be to do that again and to try to get themselves into the national level. Stevens Point is always tough too. They were second in the conference with freshmen and sophomores (last year). They didn't have hardly any seniors on their team, so they are also going to be really tough."

With new coaches taking over in River Falls and Eau Claire, Petruccelli said there may be question marks there.

"It's hard to predict how they will do," the coach explained. "Sometimes new coaching changes things or gives them a year of adjustment where they are down a little bit more than they may have been, but I think those teams are still the top four. The rest of us are just fighting to get in there."

Although she hopes to see her team creep into the first division of the WIAC standings, Petruccelli explained that the Blue Devils may still be a year away.

"Last year, we finished in the top four if you look at the conference tournament by bumping River Falls, but they were two and we were seven until we beat them," Petruccelli stated. "Those teams just have a little bit more history than we do right now, and they are probably going to be up there."

by Anne Steiner, Sports Information assistant

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Blue Devil Men's Cross Country

August 30, 1997

GILLES TAKES TOP HONORS IN INTRASQUAD MEET

MENOMONIE ­ Paul Gilles (Sr, Plum City) took top honors at the UW-Stout Men's Cross Country Intrasquad Meet at the Menomonie High School course, but saw his team edged out by Jason Petersohn's (Sr, Manitowoc) team.

Gilles had little trouble with the five kilometer course, coming in at 21:47.5. Tim Hamill (Jr, Brookfield) placed second in 21:55.4, and Ryan Hill (Jr, Chetek) edged out his captain, Petersohn, for third in 22:00.2. Petersohn was fourth at 22:02.0.

The Blue Devils crank it up for real this Saturday, Sept. 6, when they head to UW-River Falls.

Team scores

Team Petey 25; Team Gilly 30; Team Alumni 64

Individual results

1. Paul Gilles 21:47.5; 2. Tim Hamill 21:55.4; 3. Ryan Hill 22:00.2; 4. Jason Petersohn 22:02.0; 5. Josh Johnson 22:05.5; 6. Mike Schumann 22:22.5; 7. Chris Hill 22:32.2; 8. Josh Webb 22:58.2; 9. Bryan Ott 23:02.7; 10. Joe Anderson 23:09.8; 11. Jamie Block 23:13.3; 12. Eric Hanson 23:20.9; 13. Ethan Webinger 23:21.9; 14. Todd Johnson 23:30.8; 15. Chris Stevens 23:54.6; 16. Jason Donovan 24:37.8; 17. Bryan Walhovd 24:40.7; 18. Chris Heinbuch 25:02.2; 19. Kenin Wojchik (Alumni) 25:13.1; 20. Seth Kaste 25:20.2; 21. Craig Sandbulte (Alumni) 25:50.5; 22. Jeff Gross 26:41.0; 23. Kevin Butler 27:24.7; 24. Matt Roeber (Alumni) 27:46.7; 25. Troy Handy 28:47.7; 26. Jeff Miller 29:13.9

August 30, 1997

TRIO HOPES TO LEAD MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TO NATIONAL MEET

The word triumvirate stands out for the 1997 UW-Stout men's cross country season.

A triumvirate in that three runners ­ Paul Gilles (Sr, Plum City), Jason Petersohn (Sr, Manitowoc) and Tim Hamill (Jr, Brookfield) ­ are expected to lead a talented group, possibly all the way to the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships in Boston, Mass., in November.

"I am confident in all three runners," said sixth year coach Chris Hall. "When they go up to the starting line, I expect they will perform at a real high level. If they all click on the same day, we are in (nationals) as a team."

All three have national level experience at some point in their careers.

Gilles qualified to the national cross country meet last season, placing 48th, and was an all-conference selection. He also placed second at the national track and field championships in the spring in the 3000-meter steeplechase.

Petersohn qualified to the national cross country championships as a freshman, then came up just short of qualifying to the nationals last year as a junior.

Hamill tasted national competition in the spring, joining Gilles at the national track meet in the steeplechase, where he just missed All-America honors.

"All three of these runners have the opportunity to go to nationals as individuals," Hall said. "But, I hope their goals are to get this team to the nationals, not just as individuals."

Gilles and Petersohn are the team captains and Hall said their styles work very well against each other.

"Paul is a grinding individual who is very strong in the third, fourth or fifth mile," Hall said. "He can just take it out of an individual.

"Jason is very physically talented. He is very quick, very strong."

Petersohn is also very versatile, Hall said. He holds the school track record in the indoor 1000-meter, and at the WSUC outdoor meet, ran and scored in the 10,000-meter run and also ran a leg in the 4 X 800-meter relay.

"Hamill is just a great competitor," Hall said. "Last year, he was still maturing. He really started to step up to new levels in track."

On where each will run throughout the year, Hall declined to say, saying each of the three could run No. 1, 2 or 3 at any point in the season.

Hall said he has five returners who should be able to fill the No. 4, 5, 6 and 7 spots, and a couple may join the triumvirate.

Eric Hanson (So, Winona, Minn.) had a good season for a freshman, Hall said. Hanson ran No. 4 at conference and was one of only a couple of Stout athletes who did not have a disappointing conference meet.

"He does see himself as a key component of the team," Hall said. "There will be more pressure."

Jeff Jenson (Sr, Menomonie) has been a steady performer for the Blue Devils, but has had to deal with injuries throughout his career. Injury-free, Jenson will challenge for an upper level spot.

Joe Anderson (Sr, Faribault, Minn.), Mike Schumann (Sr, Schaumburg, Ill.) and Ryan Hill (Jr, Chetek) will figure into the varsity mix.

Hall believes he has a good incoming freshman class, which will give him added depth. He expects good things from Bryan Ott (Fr, Monroe) and Jamie Block (Fr, West Bend).

Chris Stevens (So, New Richmond) is the other letterwinner returning.

"We really want to go to nationals and are talented enough to go," Hall said, "but it will be really tough."

Only five schools from the region are selected to advance to the nationals, and last year the fifth place team from the Midwest Regionals placed ninth at the national meet.

Also advancing to the national meet last year were Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) foes UW-La Crosse, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Oshkosh. Stevens Point won the conference title, but Oshkosh won the regional crown a week later. La Crosse took the big prize by winning the national championship.

"We could rank in the top 10 in the country, and never qualify to the national meet," Hall said. Hall will be assisted by former Blue Devil runner Matt Roeber.

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Blue Devil Women's Cross Country

August 30, 1997

OLSEN, JACOBSON FINISH ONE-TWO AT ST. MARY'S INVITE

WINONA, Minn. ­ When Katy Olsen (Jr, Rice Lake) won the Blue Devil Invitational last season, it was the first time a UW-Stout women's cross country had finished first at a meet in more than a decade.

Olsen repeated the first place feat Saturday, this time at the St. Mary's, Minn., Invitational and had plenty of competition from her teammate, Katie Jacobson (Jr, Eau Claire). Olsen won the hard fought battle with Jacobson.

Olsen recorded a 21:28.34, while Jacobson finished at 21:28.66.

As a team, the Blue Devils finished third with 54 points, with host St. Mary's winning with 51 points and St. Olaf second with 53 points.

Nicole Ernster (Jr, Rochester, Minn.) finished 10th on the hilly course at 22:15.42, while Jen Wucherer (Jr, Edgar) was 17th (22:40.15).

Stout will be at UW-River Falls, Saturday, Sept. 6.

Team scores

1. St. Mary's 51; 2. St. Olaf 53; 3. Stout 54; 4. Eau Claire 80; 5. St. Scholastica 114; 6. Martin Luther College 186

Individual scores (first place, all Stout finishers)

1. Katy Olsen (Stout) 21:28.34; 2. Katie Jacobson 21:28.66; 10. Nicole Ernster 22:15.42; 17. Jen Wucherer 22:40.15; 24. Dana Piper 23:01.00; 26. Tanya Miller 23:18.00; 30. Robin White 23:28.29; 31. Missy Schreiner 23:28.91; 32. Joylyn Jans 23:29.21; 36. Stacy Gaasedelen 23:42.94; 43. Jen Bahr 24:01.09; 57. Jessica Schultz 25:12.94; 73. Heather Kuchinka 26:12.29; 76. Kelly Knaus 26:25.70.

August 30, 1997

TALENTED WOMEN RUNNERS SEEK TO IMPROVE ON FOURTH PLACE FINISH

The 1996 cross country season served as a springboard for success in the 1997 track season. Now second year cross country coach Carlene Hochhalter is waiting to see if the track season will pay dividends to the 1997 cross country season.

"These ladies have a good level of confidence and realize the success potential that they have," Hochhalter, who is also the women's track coach, said. "They left track feeling successful."

With the top eight runners from last year returning, Hochhalter believes this team has a legitimate shot at qualifying to the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships, as well as improving on their fourth place conference finish.

"It's not unrealistic to say they can be at the national meet," Hochhalter said. "Crucial to their success will have been their summer training miles."

While losing only one senior from last year's squad, this team will still be considered young. Captain Melissa Schreiner (Sr, New Richmond) is the only senior on the squad made up of primarily juniors and sophomores. And those sophomores and juniors have collegiate varsity experience.

Katy Olsen (Jr, Rice Lake) leads the Blue Devils on the course. Olsen placed 10th at the conference meet last fall ­ despite sitting out the previous two weeks due to a stress fracture ­ to earn first team all-conference honors, the first time for a Stout runner since the middle 1980's. Olsen three times broke the 19-minute mark with her best time coming in at 18:31 at the UW-Eau Claire Invitational.

Olsen placed ninth last spring in the 5000-meter run at the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships.

Katie Jacobson (Jr, Eau Claire) also tasted national competition last spring in track and was the No. 2 runner behind Olsen. Jacobson's best time was 19:34 at the NCAA Division III Regional meet.

Rounding out the top eight are Nicole Ernster (Jr, Rochester, Minn.), Stacy Gaasedelen (Jr, Kenyon, Minn.), Jen Wucherer (Jr, Edgar), Tanya Miller (So, Green Bay) and Jennifer Bahr (Jr, Forest Lake, Minn.). Along with Olsen and Jacobson, Ernster, Gaasdelen, Schreiner and Wucherer all cracked the 20 minute mark at the regional meet and each did it at some point throughout the season. Hochhalter said Bahr would have broken the mark, except that an injury put her out for the last three meets.

Throw in a couple of promising freshman, and the Blue Devils should be ready to make their move. With one meet behind them (a third place finish at the St. Mary's Invitational where Olsen and Jacobson finished one-two), Stout has already proved they can make a move.

"This group of ladies is focused," Hochhalter said. "I have confidence in what they will do."

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Blue Devil Tennis

August 30, 1997

TENNIS TEAM TO MAKE CHALLENGE FOR TOP CONFERENCE SPOT

With a senior-dominated team, third-year UW-Stout tennis coach Cyndi Raymond expects big things from her 1997 squad.

After two straight years of fourth place conference finishes, Raymond believes her team can effectively challenge perennial front runner UW-Eau Claire.

"With everyone's experience, we are more than capable of taking a conference title," Raymond said.

Raymond will be counting on her doubles teams to provide a big push for the team, a team that finished 6-4 overall in 1996.

The No. 1 team of Amy Jamieson (Sr, Dayton, Minn.) and Lauren Mader (So, Neenah) finished second at the conference tournament last fall.

"Our doubles teams played very well during the spring season," Raymond said.

Jamieson also has a more than legitimate shot at the No. 1 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) singles spot. The multi-sport standout has placed second at No. 1 in the conference tournament twice, including last year.

Jamieson, who also played basketball and softball, used up her basketball eligibility and will be able to concentrate on tennis in the fall, Raymond said, which can only help her tennis game. Jamieson last year finished 12-3 overall and 7-2 in conference play.

Mader looks very strong at the No. 2 spot and played very well at No. 1 during the spring, learning to become more patient as a singles player, Raymond said. Mader went 9-6 overall in her first year of collegiate tennis, bouncing between No. 2, 3 and 4.

Jamieson and Mader came together late in the season, posting a 7-1 record, with their only loss coming in the conference championship final match.

The line-up for the final four singles spots is up for grabs, said Raymond, and will play a vital part of any Blue Devil success.

Eberhart, Hamann, Tami Weiss (Sr, Cottage Grove, Minn.), Carrie Kish (Sr, Anoka, Minn.), Jessica Pfeiffer (Sr, Woodbury, Minn.), Shannon Seppela (So, North St. Paul, MInn.) and sophomore transfer Ann Jackson (Eau Claire) should be in a dogfight for the spots. A few new freshmen could also earn varsity spots.

Kish played at No. 4, going 8-7 and finishing fourth at the confererence tournament. Kish will be counted on in both singles and doubles.

"Carrie (Kish) played so well in the spring," Raymond said. "Her experience at No. 1 doubles will also carry her at the No. 2 spot."

Pfeiffer carries three years of varsity experience and last year finished third in the conference at No. 5. She finished at a very steady 8-6 last season.

Weiss came on during the last half of the season to place third at the conference tournament at No. 6, finishing the season at 6-4. Two years ago, Weiss posted a school record 13-1 record, finishing second at conference.

Seppela played mostly exhibition, going 6-4 in all of her matches. Jackson joined the team in the spring, giving a strong performance.

This team not only succeeds on the court, but in the classroom (with a team GPA of 3.5 last school year) as well, said Raymond, and that will also play into the team's success. Because of class schedules, co-ops and class projects, Raymond isn't sure how often she will have the entire team together at one time during practices and games, and that is where the dogfight will come in handy.

Raymond believes when she is missing someone, she will have no problem finding a more than capable replacement.

The joys of an experienced team.

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