COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo - Behind the play of all-tournament performers Jeremy Preston (Sr, Madison) and Aaron Vachowiak (So, Wausau), the UW-Stout men's basketball team cruised to the championship title of the Colorado College Classic Saturday, Nov. 28 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The Blue Devils (4-1) downed Olivet, Mich, College, 80-65, in the championship game Saturday and started off the tournament by taking care of host Colorado College, 82-70, Friday, Nov. 27.

In the championship game, Stout shot only 31 percent from the floor in the first half and were down by as much as 18-2 at one point. The Blue Devils began a surge midway through the first half and trailed Olivet, 31-28, heading into the locker room. The Blue Devils pulled it all together in the second half, connecting on 64 percent from the floor in the second stanza, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range.

Preston, normally a long ball shooter, was 1-of-4 from beyond the arc, but was 7-fo-15 from the floor to tally a team-high 18 points. Preston took advantage of Olivet's 23 3-point attempts, pulling down a career-high 11 rebounds, 10 of them defensive boards. Olivet shot 8-of-23 from downtown.

Vachowiak scored 15 points, going 5-of-8 from the floor and 5-of-7 from the free throw line. He recorded a game-high three blocks and pulled down four rebounds.

Jeremy Leibfried (Jr, Dickeyville) scored 14 points for Stout and Ben Kuepers (Jr, Dickeyville) scored 13. Olivet's Jeff Bell led all scorers with 25 points.

Against Colorado, Stout used the free throw line and the 3-point line to gain the upper hand, knocking down 21-of-30 free throw attempts and 9-of-16 shots from beyond the arc.

Preston led Stout, which led 35-31 at halftime, with 20 points. Leibfried and Andy Myers (Jr, Eau Claire) each scored 13 points and Vachowiak finished with 12 points.

The Blue Devils will turn their attention to the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) over the next two weeks, traveling to UW-La Crosse Wednesday, Dec. 2, then hosting UW-Whitewater, Saturday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. Stout will be at UW-Eau Claire Saturday, Dec. 12.

November 23, 1998

Andy Myers (Sr, Eau Claire) opened the scoring and Preston carried on the parade by scoring 11 of the Blue Devils' (2-1) first 17 points. The lead ballooned up to as much as 57 points late in the game as every Stout player played and every Stout player scored.

Preston tied with scoring honors with Martin Luther's (0-2) Brandon Wigley with 19 points. Dave Loewe (Fr, Hiles) chipped in 15 points for Stout, with Pat Von Feldt (So, Stevens Point) adding 13.

November 24, 1998

MENOMONIE - The University of St. Thomas turned what was a close game into a different story midway through the second half as the Tommies 19-3 run to hand the UW-Stout women's basketball team their third consecutive loss, 94-70, Tuesday, Nov. 24 at Johnson Fieldhouse.

The relatively young Blue Devils (0-3) stayed with the nationally ranked Tommies (2-0) for about 28 minutes, but a number of timely steals and points off turnovers turned a 51-47 game with eight minutes gone in the second into a 70-50 lead, and the scored ballooned to the final 24 point advantage.

Stout fell behind 37-30 at halftime, but Shannon Berg (Sr, Ellsworth) and Andrea Bresette (Jr, Ashland) combined early in the second half for 16 points to pull Stout within 50-47 before St. Thomas began their assault.

Berg finished the game with 20 points and Rachel Traynor (Sr, Ellsworth) added 14 points for Stout. The Tommies' Molly Hayden led all scorers with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Tara Miller and Paige Olson added 15 points. St. Thomas held a 42-31 advantage on the boards.

The Blue Devils are off until Wednesday, Dec. 2 when they host UW-La Crosse at 7 p.m. to open the conference season.

November 30, 1998

MENOMONIE - For the third consecutive game, UW-Stout will face off against UW-River Falls Tuesday, Dec. 1, this time in a Northern Collegiate Athletic Conference (NCHA) contest at River Falls. The Falcons have won all three meetings so far this season, with the last two games counting in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) and the first in the NCHA.

Football

November 23, 1998

Stout's passing offense was the most potent in the wild WIAC, finishing up with an average of 383.4 yards per game in the seven WIAC games. Bunyan, a three-time pick for WIAC player of the week, was the leader in that offense, throwing for 38 touchdowns, 3220 yards and completing 227-of-389 attempts (.584). Bunyan, who was named to the WIAC second team, recorded nine interceptions.

The sixth annual Gagliardi Trophy will be presented on Thursday, Dec. 10 in Salem, Va., at a luncheon in conjunction with the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl (NCAA Division III championship game) activities. The Gagliardi Trophy is named in honor of St. John's University long-time head football coach John Gagliardi. Gagliardi has been coaching at St. John's since 1953, and is the second winningest coach of all time. Gagliardi had an overall record of 353-104-11 (.763). His undefeated 11-0 team is hosting UW-Eau Claire Saturday, Nov. 28 in the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.

The Gagliardi Trophy was first presented in 1993 to the Outstanding Division III football player of the year by Jostens and the J-Club of Saint John's University. Since that time, the award has become one of the leading collegiate football awards and is widely recognized as the premier individual award in Division III football.

Other players named as finalists are: RJ Bowers, So, fullback, Grove City (Pa) College; Troy Dougherty, Sr, quarterback, Grinnell (Iowa) College; Krishaun Gilmore, Sr, running back, Rensselaer Poly Institute (NY); Scott Hvistendahl, Sr, wide receiver, Augsburg (Minn) College; Tom Lapato, Sr, defensive back, Western Maryland; Guy Leman, Sr, running back, Simpson (Iowa) College; Scott Pingl, Jr, wide receiver, Westminster (Pa); Daniel Ragsdale, Sr, quarterback, Redlands (Calif) College; Chris Stormer, Sr, quarterback, Hanover (Ind) College.

November 21, 1998

MENOMONIE - UW-Stout offensive tackle Ben Leslie (Sr, Eau Claire/Altoona HS) was named to the second team of the GTE/CoSIDA College Division District V All-Academic Team.

Leslie, who had started 36 consecutive games stretching back to his freshman year, graded out at 91.7 percent on the line, recording 11 pancake blocks and allowed only one sack over the last two years on the Blue Devils highly-potent passing attack - a passing game that ranked second in the NCAA Division III this season with 3392 yards and 39 passing touchdowns.

Leslie, a team captain, received the Warren Bowlus/Burger King Academic Achievement Award earlier this season. He is an applied math major, posting a grade point average of 3.33.

Volleyball

November 14, 1998

MENOMONIE - UW-Stout middle hitter Stacy Stoddard (Sr, St. Paul, Minn) returned to theAmerican Volleyball Coaches' Association (AVCA) All-Midwest team.

Stoddard, a 1997 pick, led the Blue Devils to only their second-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III playoffs, and has recorded a school record 529 kills with at least one game remaining in the season. Stoddard is also the team leader in blocks with 49 solo blocks and 60 assisted blocks.

Stoddard holds all of the school records in blocks, including game, season and career blocks and was the WIAC volleyball scholar-athlete recipient.

Stoddard is now eligible for All-America honors.

Updated: November 30, 1998