Men's Basketball

January 29, 2000

EAU CLAIRE - UW-Eau Claire came out of the blocks blazing, running off to a 13-2 lead in the first 3:16 of the game and went on to take an 86-70 win over UW-Stout, Saturday, Jan. 29 at Zorn Arena.

The Blue Devils' Ben Kuepers (Sr, Dickeyville) had one of the his best nights of the season, hitting a season-high 23 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. But Kuepers was overshadowed by Eau Claire's Sherm Carstensen, who scored 33 points.

Stout (8-11, 2-9) did make a charge in the second half, bringing the score to 50-42 with 14 minutes to play.

Eau Claire had a decided advantage at the line, hitting 26-of-37 free throws, while Stout was 13-of-17 from the line.

Aaron Vachowiak (Jr, Wausau) and Jeremy Leibfried (Sr, Dickeyville) each added 14 points. Dave Mellenthin added 14 for the Blugolds (17-2, 9-2) and Jon Wallenfelsz finished with 12 points before fouling out.

Stout will be at UW-River Falls, Wednesday, Feb. 2, then return home Saturday, Feb. 5 to host UW-Oshkosh at 7 p.m. That game will be preceeded by the alumni game at 5 p.m.

Women's Basketball

January 29, 2000

MENOMONIE - UW-Eau Claire lumbered through the opening minutes like a sleeping giant, but the giant awoke to down UW-Stout, 82-66, in a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) contest Saturday, Jan. 29 at Johnson Fieldhouse.

The two teams played relatively even through the first 15 minutes of play, but Eau Claire, ranked third in the latest D3hoops.com poll, went off on an 18-6 run to end the half and take a 45-27 lead into intermission.

Eau Claire (18-0, 10-0) was aided when they found the range at the free throw line in the first half. After missing their first four charity shots, they hit the following 13 in the half, then extended that to 20 consecutive free throws into the second half. They finished up hitting 30-of-39. Stout, by contrast, hit only 9-of-20 free throws.

Even though Stout (11-8, 7-4) held the Blugolds to 36 percent shooting in the second half and shot 54 percent themselves, they never got closer than 12 points.

Andrea Bresette (Sr, Ashland) picked up a double-double, scoring 16 points and pulling down 11 rebounds for Stout. Heather Peterson (Sr, Altoona) added 15 points, Aslynn Johnson (Jr, Clinton) 12 and Stacie Anderson (Jr, Clayton) 11.

The Blugolds were led by Vanessa Schley with 19. Meagan Whatley had 18 points, Jayme Anderson 14 and Jessie Brantner, 11.

The Blugolds fired all night from the outside, connecting on 8-of-23 3-point shots.

Stout will host UW-River Falls, Wednesday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m., then travel to UW-Oshkosh, Saturday, Feb. 5.

January 27, 2000

MENOMONIE - UW-Stout's Stacie Anderson (Jr, Clayton) was named to the D3hoops.com team of the week for her performances in two Blue Devil games for the week of Jan. 17-22.

Anderson scored a total of 62 points, scoring a career-high 32 points against UW-La Crosse, Jan. 20, then scoring 30 points against UW-Whitewater two days later. On the week, Anderson was 22-of-41 from the floor, 14-for-23 from three-point range, had six rebounds, six assists and three steals.

The Blue Devils defeated La Crosse 95-59 but lost to Whitewater 79-64.

D3hoops.com is a national on-line publication that specializes in NCAA Division III level basketball.

Men's Ice Hockey

January 29, 2000

MENOMONIE - St. Norbert College wasted little time getting on the board and went on to a 5-1 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) win over UW-Stout, Saturday, Jan. 29 at the Dunn County Ice Arena.

Stout (5-15-1, 1-8-1) picked their only goal of the night - and the only power play goal of the night - when Steve Holeczy (Sr, Lincolnshire, Ill) scored on a pass from Andrew Fenton (Fr, Russell, Manitoba) four minutes into the third period.

Stout's Justin Wiskie (Fr, Janesville) had 32 saves, while the Knights' Mike Szkodzinski had 24.

Stout will be at NCHA leading UW-Stevens Point Friday, Feb. 4, then will be at UW-Eau Claire Saturday, Feb. 5.

January 28, 2000

MENOMONIE - After a wild first period, it was the second period that determined the outcome as Lake Forest scored three goals in the second to take a 6-3 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) win over UW-Stout, Friday, Jan. 28 at the Dunn County Ice Arena.

The Foresters (13-6-0, 5-4-0) opened the game with two goals in the first five minutes, but it didn't take long for the Blue Devils (5-14-1, 1-7-1) to answer back and tie the game.

Brad Weappa (Jr, Brooklyn Center, Minn) scored six minutes into the game, getting assists from Andy Anderson (Jr, Burnsville, Minn) and Kevin Aube (Jr, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich). Just six minutes later, Brent Cronk (Fr, Calgary, Alberta) recorded his second goal of the season, with assists by Andrew Fenton (Fr, Russell, Manitoba) and Seth Nelson (Fr, Grand Rapids, Minn).

Lake Forest unleashed a torrent of goals in the second period, the first coming less than two minutes into the stanza, which sent Stout goalie Ben Plester (So, Chemainus, BC) to the showers. The Foresters had little mercy on Justin Wiskie (Fr, Janesville), picking up a goal midway through the period and one to close out the period.

Wiskie settled down in the third, stopping 10 shots and allowing no goals. On the night, Wiskie recorded 18 saves. Plester recorded 12 saves. The Foresters' Mason Black notched 30 saves.

Stout added their final goal of the evening with five minutes remaining in the game when Cullen Flaherty (Fr, Duluth, Minn) scored on the power play with assists by Anderson and Drew Nichols (So, Victoria, Minn).

Women's Gymnastics

January 24, 2000

ST. PETER, Minn - Tasha Pasch (Fr, Northfield, Minn) captured the floor exercise and was second on the vault and the balance beam to lead UW-Stout during a dual meet with Gustavus Adolphus Monday, Jan. 24 at St. Peter, Minn.

Gustavus, one of the top NCAA Division III gymnastics schools, took the meet, 176.70-165.10.

Pasch scored a 9.25 on the floor, matching a career-high she set a week ago. Pasch scored a 9.075 on the vault and an 8.95 on the beam. She finished second in the all-around with a career-best 35.725. Pasch also set a personal best on the uneven bars with an 8.45.

Erika Opoien (Fr, Superior) established a career-high in the all-around, tallying a 33.80 to finish third. Opoien set personals bests on the vault (8.85) and the floor (8.70).

Stout will be off until Friday, Feb. 4 when they participate in the Gershon Invitational at UW-La Crosse.

Gustavus Adolphus 176.70, UW-Stout 165.10
(First place, all Stout gymnasts)
Vault: 1. Molly Nemes (GA) 9.45; 2. Tasha Pasch 9.075; 5. Erika Opoien 8.85; Katie Hanson 8.65; Brenna Jones 8.10; Andrea Hassel 8.00; Scarlett Ramey 7.45; Uneven bars: 1. Katie Kortuem (GA) 9.35; 4. Tasha Pasch 8.45; Katie Hanson 8.10; Erika Opoien 7.85; Brenna Jones 7.45; Andrea Hassel 6.50; Scarlett Ramey 5.80 Balance beam: 1. Katie Kortuem (GA) 9.10; 2. Tasha Pasch 8.95; Andrea Hassel 8.45; Erika Opoien 8.40; Katie Hanson 7.85; Brenna Jones 6.95; Lis Carlson 6.20; Floor exercise: 1. Tasha Pasch (Stout) 9.25; 5. Katie Hanson 8.825; Erika Opoien 8.70; Andrea Hassel 8.55; Lis Carlson 8.15; Scarlett Ramey 7.30: All-around: 1. Molly Nemes (GA) 35.80; 2. Tasha Pasch 35.725; 3. Erika Opoien 33.80; 4. Katie Hanson 33.425; 5. Andrea Hassel 31.50.

Men's Track & Field

January 28, 2000

EAU CLAIRE - UW-Stout's Jamie Buchholtz (Jr, Bloomer) assured himself a trip to the NCAA Division III indoor track and field championships by hitting the automatic qualifying height at the Blugold Open/Nike Indoor Classic at Eau Claire, Friday, Jan. 28.

Buchholtz won the pole vault event with a jump of 15-feet, 8.25-inches, matching the automatic qualifying height. Stout's Jeff Rotering (So, Waumadee) placed third in the pole vault (14-8.25) and Bob Cahow (Jr, New Brighton, Minn) was fourth (14-8.25).

As a team, Stout finished third in the meet. The Blue Devils won the distance medley relay (10-minutes, 42.22-seconds) and the 4X400-relay team was just edged by host UW-Eau Claire by two-one hundredths of a second (3:27.58).

Mike Bethke (Sr, Mondovi) picked up a second place in the shot put (47-4.50) and Eric Moe (So, Whitehall) was runner-up in the long jump (21-11.50). Third place finishes went to Josh Johnson (Sr, Oregon) in the 800 (2:00.22), Luke Bundgaard (Fr, Weyerhauser) in the high jump (6-0) and the long jump (21-2.75) and Kevin McCulley (Jr, Fond du Lac) in the shot put (45-10.75).

Stout will be at the Eastbay Invitational Saturday, Feb. 5 in Stevens Point.

Individual Results
(First place, all Stout finishers)
55: 1. Damien Washington (Aug) 6.64; 5. Mike Twining 6.82; 11. Brad Vick 6.83; 12. Dan Reinert 6.87; 13. Sam Werner 6.89; 17. Tim Faber 7.06; 17. Tony Tatman 7.06; 21. Jim Staska 7.10; 200: 1. Scott Whirry (EC) 23.08; 8. Tim Faber 24.04; 11. Tony Tatman 24.24; 15. Sam Werner 24.50; 400: 1. Job Towei (Man) 50.92; 11. Adam Boser 55.11; 800: 1. John Smith (EC) 1:58.60; 3. Josh Johnson 2:00.22; 6. Eric Hanson 2:01.79; 15. Bryan Ott 2:07.48; 17. Jeff Gross 2:11.15; 1500: 1. Steve Sinclair (EC) 4:02.14; 12. Josh Webb 4:23.03; 14. Chris Stevens 4:27.62;

3000: 1. Pete Kreminski (Sup) 9:11.00; 8. Alex Anderson 9:26.10; 9. Dave Huber 9:28.88; 11. Jason Donovan 9:41.10; 12. Ethan Webinger 9:44.44; 5000: 1. James Mullenix (Man) 15:31.34; 6. Jason Kirch 16:44.00; 7. Seth Kaste 16:53.12; 8. Tim King 17:30.00; 55-hurdles: 1. Desman Oakley (Aug) 7.85; 4. David Hanson 8.13; 16. Jeff Miller 9.21; 4X200-relay: 1. Eau Claire 1:31.58; 3. Stout 1:36.39; 4X400-relay: 1. Eau Claire 3:27.56; 2. Stout 3:27.58; Distance medley: 1. Stout 10:42.22;

High jump: 1. Kurt Heilman (EC) 6-6; 3. Luke Bundgaard 6-0; 7. Jay Sitek 5-10.75; Pole vault: 1. Jamie Buchholtz (Stout) 15-8.25a; 3. Jeff Rotering 14-8.25; 4. Bob Cahow 14-8.25; 10. Tyler Severson 12-2.75; Long jump: 1. Scott Whirry (EC) 22-0.25; 2. Eric Moe 21-11.50; 3. Luke Bundgaard 21-2.75; 12. Bob Cahow 17-8.25; Triple jump: 1. Tommy Ngo (EC) 46-11.75; 6. Eric Moe 31-1.25; Shot put: 1. Justin Fritz (Mt. Senario) 48-11.50; 2. Mike Bethke 47-4.50; 3. Kevin McCulley 45-10.75; 35-lb wt: 1. Joe Bilek (St. Thom) 54-6; 10. Dave Luety 29-9.25.

Women's Track & Field

January 29, 2000

RIVER FALLS - UW-Stout's Katie Kuffel (Sr, Minneapolis, Minn) won the 1000-meter run as the Blue Devils finished fourth at the UW-River Falls Coca Cola Classic Saturday, Jan. 29 in River Falls.

Kuffel finished in a time of 3-minutes, 15.66-seconds.

Jen Turner (Sr, Eden Praire, Minn) was second in the 20-lb weight throw (40-2.25) as was Jessie Krejci (Fr, Lakeville, Minn) in the shot put (35-7.75) and Michelle Abramczak (Jr, Stanley) in the 55-meter hurdles (9.60).

The Blue Devils will be at the Eastbay Invitational Saturday, Feb. 5 in Stevens Point.

UW-River Falls Coca Cola Classic
1. Carleton 196; 2. UW-River Falls 173; 3. St. Olaf 117; 4. UW-Stout 78; 5. Bethel 27; 6. St. Catherine 11

High jump: 1. Kady Kleven (RF) 5-2.50; 7. Ann Marie Curtis 4-7.75; Pole vault: 1. Brandi Long (RF) 10.1.25; 13. Dana Rozmenoski 6-8; Long jump: 1. Nicole Pronschinske (RF) 16-5.50; 8. Angela Russo 14-9; Triple jump: 1. Nicole Pronschinske (RF) 34-1.50; 5. Angela Russo 31-10.75; Shot put: 1. Sarah Thull (RF) 36-10.74; 2. Jessie Krejci 35-7.75; 20-lb. wt: 1. Lisa Moore (RF) 41-10; 2. Jen Turner 40-2.25.

January 28, 2000

EAU CLAIRE - UW-Stout's Sarah Pivec (So, Coon Rapids, Minn) tossed the shot put a career-best 40-feet, 4.75-inches and placed second at the Blugold Open Friday, Jan. 28 in Eau Claire.

Pivec's throw was the first time she cleared 40-feet. Pivec placed sixth in the 20-lb weight throw (37-6). Jen Turner (Sr, Eden Prairie, Minn) was third in the event (42-9.75).

Ann Marie Curtis (So, La Crosse) was fourth in the high jump (4-9) and Caroline Myrlie (So, Buffalo, Minn) was eighth in the weight throw (35-4.5) as the Blue Devils had only a limited number of entrants.

January 25, 2000

MENOMONIE - UW-Stout head baseball coach Terry Petrie has announced that this baseball season - his 30th at the university - will be his final season on the diamond.

Petrie, who took the coaching position in the 1971 season, has seen the Blue Devils through good and bad - mostly good - and during the 1998 season reached a longevity milestone in his illustrious coaching career when he topped the 500 career wins mark. Petrie's career record is now at 518-384, with a .574 winning percentage and is currently ranked 16th among NCAA active coaches.

"It's time to go on and do something different," Petrie, 57, said. "I have had the opportunity to coach literally hundreds of student/athletes who have gone on to have productive careers after they finished their baseball and college careers at Stout.

"There will always be the second thoughts (about retiring), but I have seen too many coaches who keep on and get burned out. It's time to bring in someone who is more aggressive and work to keep Stout baseball towards the top of the league."

The Blue Devils had been known through the 1980s and early 1990s as a team that hits the ball hard and long. Petrie has overseen a change in that philosophy the past several years. The base paths will continue to scorch with the young, fast talent scratching for runs.

Since 1980, Petrie's charges have gone over the 20-win mark 11 times, topped off by a 34-win season in 1989 that saw the team place fifth at the NAIA College World Series.

Petrie's teams have won more conference games since 1979 than any other school except UW-Oshkosh. Petrie's conference record since 1979 is 193-135 and overall his teams have won 440 games since 1979.

Stout captured the WSUC title in 1982 and 1990, and have added the Northern Division titles in 1982, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1993 and 1997. Since Petrie took over as Blue Devil coach in 1971, Stout has had only 11 sub-.500 seasons, and eight of those came in the 1970's as Petrie was building the program.

Petrie has been named the College Coach of the Year by the state high school coaches association in 1983 and 1987, WSUC Coach of the Year in 1982 and 1990, and NAIA Area 4 Coach of the Year in 1989.

Petrie was an all-conference athlete at Buena Vista College, earning letters in football, baseball and basketball. Before joining the staff at Stout, he served as head coach at Brainerd, Minn., High School and was also on the staff at Mankato State and at Roosevelt Roads Naval Base in Puerto Rico. He holds a masters degree from Mankato State University.

"I would like to thank the university for the opportunity to work at a great school," Petrie said. "We have had great student/athletes, a great facility and great assistant coaches to work with."

During his 30 years at the university, Petrie was an assistant football and basketball coach, and was a tenured faculty member in the physical education department.