Women's Cross Country

April 22, 1999

MENOMONIE - UW-Stout's Katie Jacobson (Sr, Eau Claire/Altoona HS) was named to the first team of the 1998-99 GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America Women's Fall/Winter At-Large Team.

Jacobson, who runs cross country and track for the Blue Devils, placed 14th at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships last fall and placed sixth in 1997. Jacobson finished fourth at the NCAA Division III regional meet and was fourth at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championships.

The school record holder for cross country, Jacobson was selected as the WIAC co-scholar athlete of the year for cross country last fall as she placed below fourth in meets only twice all season.

Jacobson is a family consumer education major with a grade point average of 3.70 and is a three-time recipient of the UW-Stout Chancellor's Award for academic excellence and is a member of the Student/Athletic Advisory committee.

A standout in track, Jacobson holds the school records for the indoor 600-, 800-, 1000- and 1500-meter runs, as well as the outdoor records in the 800- and 1500-meter runs. Jacobson finished third at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships in the 1500-meter run early in March.

Just last week, Jacobson automatically qualified to the 1999 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, coming up just short of her school record in the 1500.

Jacobson was one of two Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) athletes named to the Academic/All-America first team.

April 21, 1999

EAU CLAIRE - Holding a 5-3 lead into the seventh inning, the UW-Stout softball team saw UW-Eau Claire rally for three runs in the final stanza to take a 6-5 conference win and a sweep Wednesday, April 21 at Carson Park. Eau Claire won the first game, 5-0.

Tanya Petrie (Sr, Menomonie) gave the Blue Devils an offensive edge in the second inning when she smashed a towering three-run homer deep to centerfield to give Stout a 5-1 lead. Earlier in the inning, Bobbie Bailey (Fr, Stillwater, Minn) drove in Rebecca Deuel (Fr, Big Lake, Minn) to give Stout a 2-1 lead.

The Blugolds (24-8, 6-1) added a single run in the bottom of the fifth, then tagged Rebecca Zimmerman (Jr, Fall Creek) for two of the three runs in the seventh.

In the opener, Stout (8-20, 1-5) was limited to three runs by Heidi Bergstrom, who also came on in relief in the second game to pick up both wins. Stout stranded a single runner in four of the last five innings.

The Blue Devils are off until Wednesday, April 28 when they host UW-River Falls at 3 p.m. at Wakanda Park.

April 20, 1999

ST. PAUL, Minn - The UW-Stout pitching staff didn't give up very many earned runs. It was the unearned runs that hurt the Blue Devils as Stout dropped both ends of a doubleheader, 9-1, 10-6, to Concordia-St. Paul, Tuesday, April 20 in St. Paul, Minn.

Rebecca Deuel (Fr, Big Lake, Minn) gave up a total of two earned runs and Rebecca Zimmerman (Jr, Fall Creek) four earned runs, but it was the other 13 runs that snuffed out Stout's opportunities.

The Comets (19-11) outhit Stout 10-3 in the first game, and ended the game in the fifth with the run to end on the eight-run rule.

In the second game, Stout (8-18) held a 6-5 lead heading into the fifth inning, but lost the grip with two runs in the fifth and three in the sixth. Stout had six errors in the second game, three in the first.

Molly Harms (Fr, Norwood-Young America, Minn) delivered a double in the first game and a two-run triple in the second game to lead Stout's offense. Janel Krenz (So, McFarland) went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the second game.

April 25, 1999

STEVENS POINT - UW-Stevens Point had two big innings - one in each game of a doubleheader - to hand UW-Stout two conference losses Sunday, April 25 at Stevens Point. The Blue Devils fell 8-5 and 7-6 to the Pointers.

Stout opened up the first game with a big offensive push, scoring five runs in the top of the first. But the Pointers added four runs in the third, a single run in the fourth, two runs in the fifth and an insurance run in the seventh, while holding Stout scoreless.

Nick Sattler (Fr, Wausau) had a two-run double to key the first. Tony Vitcenda (Jr, Elroy) and Eric Lund (Fr, Ashland) each added an RBI and Tate Cummins (Sr, Austin, Minn) scored on a balk.

Stout (9-19, 1-5) stranded two runners in both the fifth and eighth innings for their best scoring opportunities of the game. Cummins did pick up a stolen base in the game, bringing his career total to 39, four short of the school record of 43.

In the second game, the Pointers (25-6, 6-0) chased starting pitcher Matt Lunde (Fr, Eau Claire) with six runs in the bottom of the seventh.

Down 7-3 heading into the ninth inning, the Blue Devils scored three runs in the when Josh Johnson (So, Oregon) cleared the bases with a three-run, two-out double. A strikeout ended the game.

Stout is off until Friday, April 30 when they host UW-River Falls at 1 p.m. at Nelson Field.

April 24, 1999

OSHKOSH - No. 1 ranked UW-Oshkosh had to work hard in the first game to keep UW-Stout from handing them their first loss of the season as Oshkosh took a pair of conference games from the Blue Devils, 4-3, 9-0, Saturday, April 24 at Oshkosh.

Stout scored an unearned run in the first inning when Ryan Hanson (Sr, Austin, Minn) scored on an error. The Titans retaliated with two unearned runs in their half of the stanza and then took a two-run lead with a single run in the third.

Stout came back to knot the game when Eric Lund (Fr, Ashland) drove in Josh Johnson (So, Oregon) and Tony Vitcenda (Jr, Elroy) eventually scored on a wild pitch after a double.

The Titans (20-0, 4-0) got the game winner in the bottom of the eighth. Zak Arneson (So, Barneveld) took the loss, fanning four.

The teams played scoreless in the second game until Oshkosh socred six runs in fourth, then tacked on single runs in the fifth, seventh and eighth.

Stout's best scoring opportunity came in the second inning when they stranded two. The Blue Devils stranded only four runners in the game.

April 21, 1999

MENOMONIE - Adam Shoberg (Fr, Minnetonka, Minn) pitched a one-hit shutout and faced only one batter over the minimum to lead Stout to a sweep of Martin Luther College, Wednesday, April 21 at Nelson Field.

The Blue Devils (9-15) opened the day with a 5-2 win over the Knights (8-15), then Shoberg struck out eight and allowed only two runners on base in a 9-0 win in the nightcap.

Shoberg walked the first batter he faced, but faced only three batters in each of the following innings. The Knights' David Learman broke up Shoberg's no-hitter bid to lead off the sixth, but he was erased when Shoberg went after him on a pickoff.

Shoberg threw to first baseman JR Dachel (Jr, Bloomer) who threw to shortstop Nick Kalina (Fr, Potosi) who threw back to Shoberg, who put the tag on Learman as he attempted to get back to first.

The Blue Devils apparently found their lost offense, getting 11 hits in the first game, then 10 in the second game.

Andy Guden (Jr, Medford) and Eric Lund (Fr, Ashland) both picked up two RBIs in the nightcap as Stout scored a single run in the first, then batted around to get five runs in the second. The Blue Devils tacked on an insurance run in the third and two more in the fourth.

In the opener, JW Dachel (Fr, Bloomer) led the attack, going 2-for-4 with three RBI. Kalina was 3-for-4, while JR Dachel and Tate Cummins (Sr, Austin, Minn) were both 2-for-4.

Ryan Wolf (Fr, Adrian, Minn) went eight innings to pick up his first collegiate win, scattering six hits, fanning four and giving up one unearned run.

The game was scoreless until the fifth inning when Ryan Hanson (Sr, Austin, Minn) scored on an error. JW Dachel then drove in two runs. Stout added a run in the sixth and seventh.

April 19, 1999

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - It was feast or famine for the UW-Stout baseball team at the plate as the Blue Devils split a doubleheader with Augsburg College, winning the opener, 17-3, then falling to the Auggies, 5-2 in the second contest.

Stout (7-15) ripped off 17 runs on 17 hits in the first game, but then used up their allotment for the day, eking out only four hits in the second contest.

Jake Streich (Fr, Howard Lake, Minn) was the beneficiary of Stout's biggest offensive outburst of the season as he picked up his second win of the season.

JR Dachel (Jr, Bloomer) went 4-for-4 in the contest with three RBIs. Ryan Hanson (Sr, Austin, Minn) was 4-for-5 with two RBIs and Tate Cummins (Sr, Austin, Minn), JW Dachel (Fr, Bloomer) and Nick Sattler (Fr, Wausau) each collected two RBIs. Hanson, Cummins, JR Dachel and Sattler each had doubles, while Eric Lund (Fr, Ashland) had his first home run of the season.

The Blue Devils also collected four stolen bases in the game.

The tide turned in the second game as Augsburg (9-17) got all they would really need with three runs in the third, then added two insurance runs in the sixth.

Stout did rally in the sixth when Josh Johnson (So, Oregon) tripled home Hanson and Nick Kalina (Fr, Potosi).

April 24, 1999

EAU CLAIRE - UW-Stout's Mike Bethke (Jr, Mondovi) may have placed fourth in the shot put at the UW-Eau Claire Blugold Invitational, but his distance ranks as one of the best in Blue Devil history.

Only 1998 shot put national champion Jason Lehman and national qualifier Keith Blake have thrown the shot put further for the Devils' than Bethke's toss of 52-feet, 4-inches.

Stout took no first place finishes at the meet where they placed fifth of 15 teams, but coach Chris Hall was pleased with some of the depth he has been looking for as Stout heads into the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championships April 30-May 1 at River Falls.

Stout got a fourth place finish from Tim Hamill (Sr, Brookfield) in the 800-meter run (1:57.05) and a sixth place finish from John Hanson (Fr, Grantsburg) in the same event (1:57.80). Jason Petersohn (Sr, Manitowoc) was sixth in the 1500-meter (4:02.22), as was Dan Reinert (Jr, Elk Mound) in the 200 (23.01).

The 4X100- and 4X400-relay teams placed second. Corey Knudsen (Fr, Elk Mound) was third in the pole vault (15-5) and Eric Hanson (Jr, Winona, Minn) was fifth in the steeplechase (9:40.40), as was Bethke in the javelin (154-3). Corey O'Donnell (Sr, Chippewa Falls) was sixth in the hammer throw (157-5) and Eric Moe (Fr, Whitehall) was sixth in the triple jump (43-11.25).

Blugold Invitational team results
1. UW LaCrosse, 157.83; 2. UW Madison, 110; 3. UW-Stevens Point, 90; 4. UW-Eau Claire, 82.83; 5. UW-Stout, 64; 6. Gustavus Adolphus, 54.50; 7. UW Oshkosh, 46; 8. UM Duluth, 29.83; 9. Michigan Tech University, 22.50; 10. St. Cloud University, 19; 11. Mankato State Univ., 16; 12. UW-Platteville, 14; 13. UW Superior, 11.50; 14. Augsburg, 7; 15. Mt. Senario College, 4.

Blugold Invitational individual results
(First place, all Stout finishers)
100: 1. Josh Dickerson (Madison) 10.87; 10. Dan Reinert 11.50; 16. Jim Staska 11.68; 32. Eric Moe 12.08; 200: 1. Danny Tutsky (LX) 22.09; 6. Dan Reinert 23.01; 14. Dustin Green 23.55; 400: 1. Steve Holzbauer (Madison) 49.31; 11. Dustin Green 51.61; 800: 1. Josh Bottorff (LX) 1:54.78; 4. Tim Hamill 1:57.05; 6. John Hanson 1:57.80; 19. Aaron Haas 2:03.44; 23. Bryan Ott 2:04.67; 26. Jeff Gross 2:06.27; 27. Eric Hanson 2:08.21; 1500: 1. Vince Jamison (LX) 3:57.14; 6. Jason Petersohn 4:02.22; 17. Bryan Ott 4:12.33; 31. Jason Donovan 4:24.10; 35. Jamie Block 4:27.41; 38. Ryan Hill 4:30.28; 5000: 1. Marty Rosendahl (Mankato) 14:54.84; 17. Josh Webb 16:27.82; 18. Alex Anderson 16:30.41; 110-hurdles: 1. Mason Rebarchek (LX) 14.61; 6. Aaron Scheffer 15.72; 17. Bob Cahow 16.51; 24. Jeff Miller 17.73; 400-hurdles: 1. Brandon Hall 55.14; 11. Jeff Miller 59.43; 3000-steeplechase: 1. Abe Medoza (Osh) 9:09:05; 5. Eric Hanson 9:40.40; 8. Chris Stevens 9:53.90; 9. Clint Latz 9:54.40; 22. Chris Emerson 10:46.20; 4X100-relay: 1. Eau Claire 41.52; 2. Stout 43.16; 4X400-relay: 1. La Crosse 3:21.46; 2. Stout 3:29.64;

High jump: 1. Joe Hensler (LX) 6-5; 7. Aaron Scheffer 6-1; Pole vault: 1. Jesse Mayhard (SP) 16-1.75; 3. Corey Knudsen 15-5p; 7. Jeff Rotering 14-5.25; 9. Bob Cahow 14-5.25; 13. Matt Lausted 13-11.25; Long jump: 1. Scott Whirry (EC) 23-8.25; 7. Sean Fagan 22-0.75; 9. Eric Moe 21-7.25; 16. Luke Cobb 20-4.50; 21. Bob Cahow 19-5.50; Triple jump: 1. Brad King (LX) 47-1.50; 6. Eric Moe 43-11.25; 10. Sean Fagan 41-9.75; Shot put: 1. Aaron Smith (GA) 57-5.75; 4. Mike Bethke 52-4; 22. Kevin McCulley 42-8; 31. Bob Cahow 33-4.50; Discus: 1. Bob Smith (Madison) 165-8; 15. Corey O'Donnell 133-5; 32. Luke Cobb 112-10; 41. Bob Cahow 81-0; Hammer: 1. Aaron Smith (GA) 190-8; 6. Corey O'Donnell 157-1; Javelin: 1. Ben Brousil (SP) 171-5; 5. Mike Bethke 154-3; 9. Kevin McCulley 147-0; 16. Jeff Rotering 134-0.

April 23, 1999

DES MOINES, Iowa - The UW-Stout 4X200-relay team finished fourth in the finals of their event at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, Friday, April 23, while the 4X400-relay team matched a provisional qualifying time, but did not get advance to the finals.

The 4X200 team of Jesse Hunter (So, Hillsboro), Ryan Geier (So, McFarland), Troy Wyatt (Sr, Bryon, Minn) and John Boldt (Sr, Hartland) finished in a time of 1-minute, 28.34-seconds.

The 4X400 team of Billy Busch (Sr, Dickeyville), Geier, Wyatt and Boldt clocked a time of 3:16.85 to finish fourth in their heat.

Women's Track & Field

April 24, 1999

EAU CLAIRE - For the third time this season, Jennifer Turner (So, Eden Prairie, Minn) set a new UW-Stout record in the hammer throw as the Blue Devil women had a number of good performances in placing third at the UW-Eau Claire Blugold Invitational Saturday, April 24.

Turner, who established the initial Stout hammer record last season, placed second with a toss of 147-feet, 4-inches. Turner has increased her throw from the beginning of the season by almost 30 feet and the mark reached the NCAA Division III provisional qualifying distance.

Stout also got firsts from Katie Jacobson (Sr, Eau Claire) in the 800-meter run (2:14.36), Katy Olsen (Sr, Rice Lake) in the 1500-meter (4:49.68) - a career best - and Alison West (Fr, Cadott) in the 400-hurdles (1:06.66). West edged out teammate Michelle Abramczak (So, Stanley) in the event, with Abramczak finishing at 1:06.79.

Jen Wucherer (Jr, Edgar) looks to be back in form after breaking her foot during the cross country season. Wucherer finished second in the 3000-meter (10:51.76).

The Blue Devils also got second place finishes from Andi Schwabenlender (Fr, Bristol) in the high jump (5-3) and from the 4X400-relay team (4:11.08). Finishing third for Stout were Tia Richardson (Fr, Spring Lake) in the 400-meter (1:03.82) and Jen Bahr (Jr, Forest Lake, Minn) in the 1500 (4:59.52).

Stout will be at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championships April 30-May 1 at River Falls.

Blugold Invitational team results
1. Gustavus Adolphus, 166.50; 2. UM Duluth, 123.50; 3. UW-Stout, 115; 4. UW-Eau Claire, 85.50; 5. Michigan Tech University, 74; 6. St. Cloud University, 41.50; 7. UW Superior, 36; 8. Augsburg, 29; 9. UW Platteville, 22; 10. Concordia-St.Paul, 17; 11. Mankato State Univ., 9; 12. Mt. Senario College, 4.

Blugold Invitational individual results
(First place, all Stout finishers)
200: 1. Susan St. Clair (EC) 26.78; 12. Nora Ready 28.47; 19. Jamie Schwabenlender 29.52; 400: 1. Molly Bean (EC) 1:03.32; 3. Tia Richardson 1:03.82; 800: 1. Katie Jacobson (Stout) 2:14.36p; 14. Michelle Beckman 2:40.29; 15. Nora Ready 2:41.82; 1500: 1. Katy Olsen 4:49.68; 3. Jen Bahr 4:59.52; 3000: 1. Shannon Blair (Mich. Tech) 10:39.84; 4. Katie Kuffel 10:59.46; 10. Ellen Everson 11:44.68; 100-hurdles: 1. Holly Janson (St. Cloud) 14.80; 5. Michelle Abramczak 15.80; 8. Alison West 16.64; 12. Jamie Schwabenlender 18.20; 14. Marion Doble 19.54; 400-hurdles: 1. Alison West (Stout) 1:06.66; 2. Michelle Abramczak 1:06.79; 4. Marion Doble 1:14.40; 4X100-relay: 1. Eau Claire 51.34; 3. Stout 54.64; 4X400-relay: 1. Eau Claire 4:08.24; 2. Stout 4:11.08;

High jump: 1. Kirston Blond (GA) 5-3; 2. Andi Schwabenlender 5-3; 5. Ann Marie Curtis 4-7; Pole vault: 1. Erin Buecksler (CSP) 10-4; 7. Jamie Schwabenlender 8-0*; 9. Dana Rozmenoski 7-0; Long jump: 1. Michelle Pekel (GA) 18-2.25; 11. Jamie Schwabenlender 15-6.75; Triple jump: 1. Shiah Damyanovich (UMD) 37-1; 8. Ann Marie Curtis 31-3.25; Shot put: 1. Melissa Ring (GA) 44-7.50; 4. Sara Pivec 38-1.25; 9. Jamie Schwabenlender 34-1.50; Discus: 1. April Felt (GA) 139-2; 15. Sara Pivec 99-9; 16. Amy Lueder 91-0; 17. Caroline Myrlie 89-11; Hammer: 1. April Felt (GA) 155-10; 2. Jennifer Turner 147-4*p; 10. Sara Pivec 120-6; 15. Caroline Myrlie 111-7; 18. Amy Lueder 78-6; Javelin: 1. Jill Peterson (GA) 106-8; 11. Jamie Schwabenlender 70-0.

April 24, 1999

DECORAH, Iowa - UW-Stout's Lauren Mader (Jr, Neenah) won the consolation championship at the Luther Spring Invitational Saturday, April 24 in Decorah, Iowa.

Mader, the No. 3 seed in the Singles A division, dropped her first match, 6-0, 6-2, to Julie Paurrault of Luther, then worked her way through the consolation bracket, downing a player from UW-Oshkosh, UW-La Crosse and UW-Whitewater before taking Hulda Grin of Grinnell in the championship match, 5-7, 6-1, 6-4.

Mader's doubles partner, Lauren Johnson (So, Hamel, Minn) also dropped her first match, the beat Jenny Oelke of UW-Stevens Point before losing to Grin in the consolation semi-finals.

As a double's team, the duo lost their first match, then defaulted their second.

Individual Results
Lauren Mader lost, 6-3, 7-5, to Julie Perrault (Luther); def. Sara Fischer (Osh); def. Sarah Mashack (LX) 6-3, 7-6 (6); def. Heather Hearn (WW) 7-9 (11-9), 6-3; def. Hulda Grin (Grinnell) 5-7, 6-1, 6-4. Tournament record: 4-1; Lauren Johnson lost to Heidi Hingeveld (Luther) 6-1, 6-1; received bye; def. Jenny Oelke (SP) 7-6, 6-3; lost to Hulda Grin (Grinnell) 6-1, 6-2. Tournament record: 1-2.

Doubles Results
Lauren Mader/Lauren Johnson received bye; lost to Marlie Miller/Leslie Reeder (Luther), 6-1, 6-0; defaulted to Jenny Pekulik/Sara Fischer (Oshkosh).

April 19, 1999

MENOMONIE - The UW-Stout tennis team finished out the 1998-99 season on a winning note by nipping Martin Luther College, 5-4, in the Blue Devils' final match of the season.

Stout got wins by Lauren Mader (Jr, Neenah) at No. 1 singles, Megan Schwanbeck (Fr, Lake City, Minn) at No. 3 singles, Molly Litchfield (Fr, Eau Claire) at No. 5 singles and Dana Rozmenoski (Fr, Black River Falls) at No. 6 singles. Mader teamed up a No. 1 doubles with Lauren Johnson (So, Hamel, Minn) for Stout's only doubles win.

Schwanbeck, Litchfield and Rozmenoski each needed tie breakers to win their matches.

UW-Stout 5, Martin Luther College 4
Singles: No. 1: Lauren Mader (Stout) def. Heather Wilcox, 6-1, 6-1; No. 2: Rochelle Horn (MLC) def. Lauren Johnson, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1; No. 3: Megan Schwanbeck (Stout) def. Sarah Staude, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (10-8); No. 4: Kristen Sharf (MLC) def. Jodi Anderson, 6-4, 6-2; No. 5: Molly Litchfield (Stout)def. Val Stehetimina, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3); No. 6: Dana Rozmenoski (Stout) def. Cindy Krause, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3); Exh: Rochelle Lotito (MLC) def. Kate Berry, 8-6; Carrie Pasko (Stout) def. Rebecca Greenlee, 6-3;

Doubles: No. 1: Johnson/Mader (Stout) def. Wilcox/Horn, 8-3; No. 2: Staude/Sharf (MLC) def. Schwanbeck/Jodi Anderson, 8-4; No. 3: Stehetimina/Krause (MLC) def. Jenny Anderson/Molly Litchfield, 8-4; Exh: Litito/Greenlee (MLC) def. Berry/Pasko, 8-6.

April 15, 1999

MENOMONIE - Fourteen transfers, a class of speedy running backs and a quarterback who led his high school to the Minnesota State Championship highlight the 1999 UW-Stout football recruiting class.

The 14 transfers is the largest group coach Ed Meierkort has had in his six years with the Blue Devils.

"Taking 12 mid-semester transfers took a lot of pressure off the recruiting class," Meierkort said, "and that allowed us to concentrate on the freshmen. We recruited by need and not by volume. This class fit our needs which included quarterbacks, offensive and defensive line and immediate impact wide receivers."

Scott Kirchoff, a 6-foot, 3-inch, 190-lb quarterback, led Hutchinson, Minn., High School to the Minnesota AAAA state championship, engineering a 15-play, 70-yard drive in the final minutes of the game to down Owatonna, 21-20. Kirchoff quarterbacked the team to a perfect 14-0 record.

Kirchoff finished the 1998 season with four school record performances, tossing four touchdowns in a single game, 19 touchdown passes on the season, 1845 passing yards and had a completion rate of 59 percent.

Local speedsters Jesse Wendt of Chetek and Luke Bundgaard of Bruce lead the incoming running back class.

Wendt ran wild for the Bulldogs in a trouncing of Ladysmith when he rushed for a single game state record 419 yards. He also scored six touchdowns in the game.

Bundgaard put together more than 4000 career rushing yards and tallied more than 50 career touchdowns.

Aaron Knutson of Colfax is expected to move to the defensive side of the ball, but on offense he led the Vikings to their first playoff game since 1984. Knutson twice rushed for more than 1000 yards in a season and this year scored 13 touchdowns.

Offensive lineman Scott Polkoski, a transfer from St. Cloud State, played his high school ball at Maple-Northwestern High School and as a junior could have immediate impact on a line that lost three starters.

North Dakota State College of Science will provide the Blue Devils with defensive lineman Bill Gavin and offensive lineman Derek Branch.

Transfers Wes Lewis, from Lenoir-Rhyne College, Andy Bogenhoom from Hibbing Community College, and Matt Wirth, a native of Barron, who is transfering from Minnesota-Mankato, will lend speed as well as experience. Bogenhoom was the most valuable player in the junior college all-star game last fall.

In this first installment of the 1999 recruiting class, Meierkort has five quarterbacks, four running backs, three tight ends, eight wide receivers, seven offensive linemen, 13 defensive linemen, seven linebackers and eight defensive backs.

"We are extremely happy with our efforts," Meierkort said.

The Blue Devils finished the 1998 season at 5-5, but their passing game ranked second in the NCAA Division III. Stout opens their season Sept. 11 when they host Minnesota-Morris at 7 p.m.