UW-W Makes DIII Football Tournament - First Game at Home on Sat. [Updated]

Updated 11/13/23 @ 8:40 p.m. – WIAC section added at end of article.

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

At the NCAA DIII Selection Show on November 12, UW-W (9-1 overall) was selected for the tournament and slated to play the first round at home vs. Bethel (MN) on Saturday, November 18 at 12 p.m. CST.

The Warhawks finished the regular season with five wins against nationally ranked opponents under first-year head coach Jace Rindahl.

UW-Whitewater is a six-time national champion (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014).

The championship field consists of 32 teams in a single-elimination tournament. Twenty-eight of the 32 spots are filled by teams that win their conference, earning an automatic bid. The remaining four spots are given to at-large teams. UW-W was granted one of those at-large spots, as it was the runner-up in the WIAC conference.

The Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, the national championship, will be played on Dec. 15, 2023 at Salem Stadium in Salem, Virginia.

North Central (IL) is the reigning champion. The Cardinals have played in three straight Stagg Bowls (the DIII national championship game), winning two of them.

From WIAC:

INDIANAPOLIS–For the third consecutive season, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and UW-Whitewater have received bids into the NCAA Division III Football Championship.

UW-La Crosse (9-1) earned an automatic bid into the 32-team field by winning the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title, while UW-Whitewater (9-1) claimed one of four at-large bids.

UW-La Crosse is making its 14th NCAA appearance and will host University of Minnesota Morris (7-3) in the first round. The winner will face either Aurora University (Ill.) (10-0) or Coe College (Iowa) (9-1) in the second round.

UW-Whitewater, appearing in the NCAA championship for the 19th time in program history, will host Bethel University (Minn.) (8-2) in its first round contest with the winner meeting either Wheaton College (Ill.) (9-1) or Mount St. Joseph University (Ohio) (9-1) in the second round.