Sports

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has announced its 61st class to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Former student-athletes Dana Thompson Askey ’11 (women’s basketball/track and field), Brian Butzler ’12 (cross country/track and field), Karla Eggerson (track and field), Emily Gerber-Kluck ’11 (women’s basketball), Ron Haidinger ’76 (wrestling/football), Aubrey Lewis-Byers (men’s basketball), Jessica Stang Markgraf ’11 (softball), Caitlin Hogan Perry ’10 (volleyball), AJ Raebel ’09 (football) and Travis Van Zile ’03 (baseball) will be inducted. Frank Barnes, the illustrious head coach of the Warhawk men’s and women’s tennis programs, will be inducted under the category of staff/coach, while longtime UW-Whitewater supporter Ken Dahnert will be inducted for his distinguished service to the institution.

All 12 individuals will be recognized for their contributions to Warhawk Athletics as part of the UW-Whitewater football team’s game against UW-Stevens Point on Saturday, October 24, at 1 p.m. Inductees will be honored at halftime of the football game and at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet, which begins following the contest at 4:30 p.m. at the University Center’s Hamilton Room.

Biographies for all the recipients may be found here.
 
More information on the Hall of Fame Banquet, including registration, will be posted in August.

Frank Barnes is one of the most decorated coaches in the history of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and UW-Whitewater. Barnes grew the men’s and women’s teams into a model of consistency and competitiveness accumulating more than 800 career wins over the course of 23 seasons at the helm of the Warhawk Tennis program. From 2010 through the 2025 campaign, the UWW men’s program was unbeaten in league play. On the women’s side, Barnes led the Warhawks to a streak of 130 consecutive victories against WIAC opponents leading to a streak of 18 straight league titles.

On the national scene, Barnes guided the Warhawk women to qualification and participation in the NCAA Division III Team Championship 17 seasons while the men made the national tournament 16 times from 2007-25. The Warhawks went on to advance to the Sweet 16 eleven times in that span. Over the course of his career, Barnes coached more than 45 individual national qualifiers, 33 All-Americans, 11 Academic All-Americans, 12 WIAC Judy Kruckman Scholar Athletes and 76 Chancellor Scholar Athletes. Barnes was named the ITA National Coach of the Year in 2023-24 and was the Professional Tennis Registry National College Coach of the Year, across all divisions, in 2010. He has earned regional and conference coaching accolades 17 times and was selected as the Women’s Tennis Coach on the WIAC’s All-Time Team in 2012.

Barnes’ legacy goes well beyond the court. He has been lauded for his commitment to the sport of tennis and engagement in the community. Barnes has received multiple honors for outreach and has served on numerous committees. Additionally, Barnes created and continues to help maintain one of the top tennis camps and clinics in the nation, welcoming more than 700 youth tennis players to campus each summer.

Ken Dahnert has exemplified the spirit of service, generosity, and community partnership through more than 25 years of unwavering support for Warhawk Athletics. As the owner of Rocky Rococo’s in Whitewater, Dahnert has become a trusted friend and dedicated advocate for countless UW-Whitewater student-athletes, coaches, and programs.

His impact extends far beyond financial contributions. Dahnert regularly provided team meals during academic breaks, sponsored hospitality rooms throughout the year, and worked closely with coaches to ensure camps and clinics were well supported with food and resources. His commitment to the success of Warhawk Athletics has been evident in every aspect of his involvement.

A steadfast supporter of the annual Warhawk Auction & Raffle, Dahnert has consistently been one of the event’s leading donors and supporters, helping generate critical resources that benefit student-athletes across multiple sports. He has also provided employment opportunities to numerous UW-Whitewater students and student-athletes, offering valuable work experience while supporting their educational pursuits.

Known for his generosity and hospitality, Dahnert routinely went above and beyond to assist visiting teams and guests, helping create a welcoming experience for all who came to Whitewater. His selfless dedication, loyalty, and lasting contributions have left an indelible mark on Warhawk Athletics and the university community.

Editor’s note: Shawn Eichorst began his athletics career as Director of Athletics at UW-Whitewater (1999-2003), where he graduated from in 1990 with a degree in business. He was an all-conference defensive back and three-time football letterwinner for the Warhawks. This article has been copied from uwbadgers.com. Additional information about Eichorst, including a video of him introducing himself, may be viewed there.

Updated 7/5/26 @ 9:30 p.m. Here’s a Badgernotes article “Why Wisconsin chose Shawn Eichorst to lead Badger athletics”

Veteran college athletics administrator Shawn Eichorst appointed University of Wisconsin Director of Athletics – Wisconsin Badgers

MADISON, Wis.  – A proven and respected college sports executive, attorney and former collegiate athlete, Shawn Eichorst has been appointed as the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Director of Athletics, UW-Madison interim Chancellor Eric M. Wilcots announced today [July 1].

A native of Lone Rock, Wisconsin, and a graduate of UW-Whitewater where he played football, Eichorst returns to Wisconsin after serving as the Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Operating Officer at the University of Texas at Austin and as the Director of Athletics at the University of Nebraska and at the University of Miami. From 2006-2011, he served in several executive leadership roles within Wisconsin Athletics.

“We began this process seeking to identify a new leader who would build on our excellence and continue to elevate our program for the future in the rapidly evolving landscape of college athletics,” said Wilcots.

“We have found that person in Shawn Eichorst, who brings incredible experience, a history of innovation and success at the highest level, and a commitment to student-athletes’ welfare. The fact that he is a native of Wisconsin, and understands our university and state, is a tremendous bonus.”

“It is truly an honor to return home to the State of Wisconsin and to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a place and an institution that has meant so much to me and to our family for many years,” said Eichorst.

“Wisconsin represents everything that is great about higher education and college athletics—academic and competitive excellence, integrity, and a commitment to serving others. I am deeply grateful to interim Chancellor Wilcots and to the search committee for the confidence and trust that they have placed in me and in my vision for the future of Wisconsin Athletics.”

“Athletics is at its best when it advances the entire university enterprise and fulfills its mission for our student-athletes. That principle will guide every decision we make as we work together to serve our student-athletes, strengthen this remarkable institution, and represent the people of Wisconsin with pride,” said Eichorst.

Eichorst joined UT-Austin in 2018, where he has provided executive oversight for the department’s core business and operational functions, including day to day administration, football program, strategic planning, fiscal management, business operations and analytics, human resources, policy development, legal affairs, capital planning and construction, facilities and maintenance, game operations, fan services, and information technology, among other responsibilities. 

During his tenure, UT-Austin produced sustained competitive excellence, as it re-emerged as a national power in football, earning College Football Playoff Semifinal berths in 2023 and 2024. The Longhorns won 87 Conference Championships; 17 NCAA Championships; 15 NCAA Runner-Up finishes; 56 top-5 NCAA finishes; and 79 top-10 NCAA finishes; they have captured the Learfield Directors’ Cup (best all-around athletics program) for the fifth time in the last six years and won 14 SEC titles in their first two years of membership in the conference – a league best. Texas earned three-straight Women’s Capital One Cup titles (best all-around women’s athletics program) from 2021-2024; won 87 Conference Championships; 17 NCAA Championships (Women’s Volleyball, Men’s Swimming & Diving, Women’s Rowing, Women’s Tennis, Men’s Tennis, Men’s Golf, Softball, Women’s Outdoor Track & Field, Men’s Indoor Track & Field); 15 NCAA Runner-Up finishes; 56 top-5 NCAA finishes; and 79 top-10 NCAA finishes.

Over the last six years, 16 of 21 programs have achieved NCAA top-3 finishes, including: two NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four appearances (2025 & 2026); five NCAA Women’s Basketball Elite Eight appearances (2021, 2022, 2024, 2025, 2026); one Men’s NCAA Basketball Elite Eight appearance (2023); four MCWS Baseball appearances (2018, 2021, 2022, 2026); and four WCWS Softball appearances (2022, 2024, 2025, 2026).

At Texas, Eichorst led and facilitated the department’s facility master planning, overseeing more than $1.335 billion in capital projects across planning, design, construction, renovation, and operations and successfully implemented numerous creative revenue generation strategies. He guided and assisted with the strategic planning, governance, and operational structure of the department’s Student-Athlete Name, Image, and Likeness program, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities, competitive positioning, and within the regulatory framework established under the House settlement.

Eichorst played a key role in the strategic planning, negotiation, and execution of the department’s transition from the Big 12 Conference to the Southeastern Conference. He supported cross-functional coordination, competitive and financial modeling, operational readiness, and stakeholder engagement to ensure a seamless and strategically advantageous move for the institution.

“Shawn is an incredible leader and even better person, and I’m so happy he is getting the opportunity to return home,” said UT-Austin Vice President and Athletics Director Chris Del Conte. “We were very fortunate that he joined us eight years ago. Shawn brought tremendous passion, dedication and vision to his role and helped our athletics department achieve record-setting success both athletically and academically.”

Prior to Texas, Eichorst served as Director of Athletics at both the University of Miami (2011-2012) and the University of Nebraska (2012-2017). 

During his tenure at Miami he delivered broad-based competitive success, highlighted by the hiring of Hall of Fame men’s basketball coach Jim Larrañaga, who led Miami to the NIT second round in year one and to the ACC regular-season and tournament championships and the NCAA Sweet 16 in year two.  

During Eichorst’s tenure at Nebraska, the department achieved sustained success across competitive performance, academics, financial stewardship, facilities development, student-athlete support, and national governance leadership. Nebraska teams won three NCAA Team National Championships and 14 Big Ten Conference titles. During his tenure, 13 teams advanced to NCAA post-season competition, with six finishing in the national top 10. Student-athletes captured three individual NCAA Championships and 55 Big Ten individual titles, reinforcing Nebraska’s broad-based athletic success across multiple sports. In total, 28 teams finished in the Top 10, 63 teams qualified for NCAA post-season play, 120 student- athletes earned Athletic All-America honors, 24 student-athletes earned Academic All-America honors, and one earned the prestigious NCAA Top 10 Award. The football program participated in bowl games in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Eichorst helped strengthen the department’s academic profile, delivering the highest student-athlete outcomes in school history. In 2016–17, every Nebraska team achieved an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 977 or higher, and the department recorded a Graduation Success Rate of 88%, its fourth consecutive all-time high. Student-athletes posted a record cumulative GPA of 3.218, marking the fifth straight year above 3.100.

He enhanced the student-athlete development and performance infrastructure, expanding resources across academics, facilities, athletic medicine, mental health, life skills, nutrition, sports psychology, strength and conditioning, travel, apparel, footwear, equipment, and marketing. Eichorst also strengthened the holistic development model and enhanced academic, athletic and life-skills preparedness across all programs.

Eichorst also pioneered innovative student-athlete development initiatives, becoming one of the first athletics departments nationally to provide four-year, full cost-of-attendance scholarships across all 24 sports. He launched the MacBook Pro laptop program to enhance academic resource access and learning and created the first-of-its-kind Post-Eligibility Opportunities (PEO) program, offering up to $7,500 for graduates to pursue internships, study abroad, or graduate/professional school. He also established the department’s first Service Abroad program, providing global engagement and cultural-competency experiences in Guatemala (2015), the Dominican Republic (2016), and Nicaragua (2017).

He grew revenue and fundraising, made significant improvement in the facilities, operated the department without university subsidies while eliminating long-term debt service obligations, enhanced campus partnerships, strengthened donor and alumni engagement, and maintained a strong culture of integrity and compliance.

Eichorst worked in Wisconsin Athletics between 2006-2011, rising to the position of Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Operating Officer, managing the department’s day-to-day operations, including legal affairs, risk management, strategic planning, government relations, academic services, and compliance. He served as the sport administrator for Men’s Basketball and acted as the primary liaison to the Chancellor’s Office, the Athletic Board, the NCAA, and the Big Ten Conference, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and regulatory expectations.

Wisconsin appeared in a football bowl game and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament each year of his tenure. UW was the only institution in Division I to participate in a bowl game and in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament every season from 2002-03 to 2010-11, reflecting exceptional program stability and competitive consistency.

“Shawn brings the perfect combination of understanding what it means to be successful at Wisconsin while adding experience and wisdom from other top collegiate programs,” said Men’s Basketball Coach Greg Gard, who worked closely with Eichorst while he oversaw the program. “He’s extremely bright and a man of great integrity and passion. He’ll be able to hit the ground running in Madison and guide us into the future of collegiate athletics.”

Over his career in athletics, he has been selected to serve on the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee, the NCAA Division I Competition Committee, the NCAA Division I Football Recruiting Ad-Hoc Working Group (Co-Chair), NCAA Division I Football Oversight Camps/Clinics Subcommittee (Chair), NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee, and the Rose Bowl Management Committee.

Eichorst began his athletics career as Director of Athletics at UW-Whitewater (1999-2003), where he graduated from in 1990 with a degree in business. He was an all-conference defensive back and three-time football letterwinner for the Warhawks.

Eichorst also holds a Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School, where he taught sports law as an adjunct professor while also practicing law.

Wilcots expressed his appreciation for Marcus Sedberry, who stepped into the role of Interim Athletic Director following the departure of former Athletic Director Chris McIntosh, providing a steady and seasoned hand during a time of transition.

Throughout the search process, he was advised by a nine-member search committee, chaired by Lauren Bishop, an associate professor in the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work and one of the university’s Faculty Athletics Representatives to the Big Ten Conference and NCAA. The search committee included a current student-athlete, former varsity letterwinners, distinguished alumni, and senior university and athletic department leadership.

“Our process was comprehensive and deliberate. We heard directly from coaches, student-athletes, staff, and alumni through listening sessions, and that input shaped our search from the start,” said Bishop. “We were impressed by the quality of candidates interested in leading our athletics program. Ultimately, Shawn stood out as the right person to lead the Badgers during this transformational era in college athletics.”

The Director of Athletics will report directly to Wilcots; serve on his executive committee; and provide oversight for all aspects of the university’s varsity athletic programs, with a strong emphasis on student-athlete health, wellbeing, academic success, finance and facilities, fundraising, and excellence in competition.

Eichorst will be formally introduced at an upcoming event at Camp Randall Stadium.

Bio
• Education: B.B.A. (Magna Cum Laude), Wisconsin-Whitewater (1990)
• Juris Doctor, Marquette University Law School (1995)
• Family: Kristin (wife); three children (Jack, Joseph and Bennett)

The WIAA State Track & Field Meet has concluded, and two Whippet athletes gave it their all in the final competition of the season.

First up was Langdon Coburn in the pole vault. Gaining valuable experience on the state’s biggest stage, Langdon cleared the opening heights of 12′ 6″ and 13′ 0″ with ease before encountering difficulty at 13′ 6″, the height at which he exited the competition. Although it was not his best performance of the season, the experience provided an important opportunity for growth. He got to experience an extra week of training, travel to an overnight meet, and compete on the infield at UW-La Crosse. Despite finishing 10th overall, it does not diminish the outstanding season Langdon put together. Not only did he break the school record this year, but he raised it again at sectionals with a personal-best clearance of 14′ 6″. Langdon leaves the season hungry for bigger heights next season.

Sydney Schilt was next in action in the 100-meter dash preliminaries. Running into a headwind, Sydney placed 13th overall with a time of 12.93 seconds. She narrowly missed advancing to Saturday’s final, which was reserved for the top ten qualifiers.

While awaiting her 200-meter preliminary later that evening, officials suspended the meet due to lightning in the area, forcing the entire facility to be cleared. As athletes and spectators waited for word on whether competition would resume, the clock ticked past 9:45 p.m. With several hours of events remaining, officials ultimately postponed the remainder of Friday’s competition until Saturday morning and pushed back the start of the Saturday session by one hour.

Fortunately, Sydney’s 200-meter dash remained in its usual late-afternoon spot in the schedule. After an extra day to recover, regroup, and refocus following the 100 prelims, she settled into the blocks at 5:00 p.m. under ideal racing conditions. In the final race of her Whippet career, Sydney made the most of the opportunity, running a lifetime-best 25.87 to place 12th overall. The performance strengthened her hold on third place on the Whippet all-time top ten list in the 200 meters and will make it even more difficult for future Whippets to move past her mark.

Sydney concludes her remarkable career as a three-time state qualifier. Her accomplishments include being a member of the state champion 4×200-meter relay team as a freshman—a performance that still stands as the school record—as well as recording top-three times in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes in Whippet history.

Congratulations to both Langdon and Sydney on outstanding seasons culminating at the WIAA State Track & Field Championships!

Article Submitted by WHS Track Staff

Competing in McFarland at the WIAA Track and Field Sectional on Friday in perfect conditions, the Whippets had a strong day that included several PRs and two state qualifiers.

The day started with Langdon Coburn in the pole vault. Having a superb day on the runway, he blew right past his previous best and the school record he set on Tuesday, clearing 14’6″ on his second attempt. When the bar moved to 15 feet, he had three strong attempts but was unable to clear it, along with Cole Kiefenheim from Winnebago Lutheran. Due to clearing 14’6″ on his second attempt while his competitor needed three attempts, Langdon won the sectional title on fewer misses and punched his ticket to state. This will be Langdon’s first trip to LaCrosse as a competitor. 

Next up were Sydney Schilt and Emery Kachel in the 100-meter prelims. Emery competed in heat one and ran her best when it counted, posting a season-best time of 13.15. Running 12.62 in the prelims, Sydney found herself seeded fifth entering the finals. After about a 25-minute break, the 100-meter final was back on the track. Staying cool, calm, and collected, she stormed down the track like a lightning bolt and finished runner-up with a time of 12.42. Her time is now the third-fastest ever run by a Whippet in the event, passing Jane Bailey’s 12.54 from 1977.

Virginia Nelson was next on the track in the 1600. With a bold race strategy in mind, she went for it and came away with a new lifetime PR of 5:39.11. The performance was a nine-second personal best as she placed 11th overall.

Emery Kachel appeared again in the 400-meter dash, running in heat two. Competing in a strong, savvy race, she finished just .18 seconds off her lifetime best with a time of 61.67 and was one spot short of state qualification, placing fifth overall. Emery has grown tremendously in this event, and her performance at this level of competition is indicative of that growth.

Tyler Carollo made his sectional debut in the 1600 as a freshman and gained valuable experience while also earning a few more days of training and seeing what the next level looks like. Tyler finished 16th with his second-best time of the season at 5:05.62. Within a 72-hour period, Tyler ran his lifetime best to qualify and then followed it up with his second-best performance of the year. A very solid freshman season.

Next up were Ty Bucholtz and Cason Boudreau in the 300-meter hurdles. Cason competed in heat one and, much like Tyler, gained incredible experience competing at sectionals as a freshman. Running to a lifetime best on the day, Cason stopped the clock at 43.48 and placed 15th. A tremendous freshman campaign. Ty competed in heat two and, although he did not have the race he was hoping for, still finished with the second-best time of his career at 41.91 and placed ninth overall.

Sydney Schilt was back on the track again as she stepped into the blocks for the second heat of the 200-meter dash. Absolutely slinging off the curve, Sydney looked strong down the home stretch as she finished third overall with a new personal best of 25.41. This not only punched her ticket to the state meet in another event, but also moved her ahead of Maddie Buehler on the all-time top-10 list for another top-three mark in Whippet track and field history.

Ty Bucholtz had little time to rest after his 300H race as he doubled back in the 200. As he came out of the blocks, he competed well in his heat and stopped the clock in 23.55, nearly beating his lifetime best in the event. He placed 12th overall. 

Virginia returned in the 3200 to run the distance double for the first time in her young sophomore career. Looking to set two new personal bests on the day, she accomplished just that as she closed in 1:24 on her final lap to finish 15th with a new lifetime best of 12:52.91, a seven-second PR. Advancing in one event last year to the sectional meet and now doubling while running lifetime bests in both events is a strong sign of growth.

To wrap up the evening, the girls’ 4×400 relay team of Emery Kachel, Emma Maas, Emy Islas, and Sydney Schilt gave it everything they had. The relay battled throughout all four legs and ran a season-best time of 4:12.85, improving by more than two seconds from Tuesday’s regional performance. The group placed sixth overall. This relay is the fastest girls’ 4×400 team the program has seen in several years and restored the excitement that this event brings to the sport of track and field.

Langdon and Sydney will compete at the WIAA State Meet on Friday, June 5, at UW-La Crosse. Division 2 competition will take place during the second session, with Langdon competing on Friday in the pole vault and Sydney running prelims in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes, looking to earn a spot in Saturday’s finals on June 6.

Full sectional results: https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/667518/results/all

Article and Photos Submitted by WHS Track Staff

Saturday, May 30 features a Community Youth Sports Day at Whitewater High School from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The event is free to all children with soccer games, a bike rodeo and more.

This event is sponsored by Whitewater United FC, the Whitewater Police Department and the Immigrant Support Coalition.

Written by Abigail Dotzler | Photos by Joe Kusumoto/USOPC,  Craig Schreiner

With a supportive community at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater behind him, John Boie has achieved his dreams. 

Boie — a UW-Whitewater alum, academic advisor at the Academic Advising and Exploration Center and two-time Paralympic gold medalist — shares his success with the friends, family and teammates that have spurred him to achieve. 

On July 8, the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame will welcome Boie into its ranks during a ceremony at the Marcus Performing Arts Center in Milwaukee. Because of his monumental achievements in wheelchair basketball, Boie will be the first Paralympic athlete to be inducted. 

Boie was first introduced to wheelchair basketball at a camp held by UW-Whitewater when he was 11 years old. He played through a season the next fall and fell in love with the sport. Boie still returns to that camp every summer — now as a camp coach. 

Boie felt the love as soon as he arrived at UW-Whitewater as a college student.

“[Wheelchair basketball provided] a big community [for me] to have coming into college and friends that I still have today,” Boie said.  

In 2014, following an illustrious career on the Warhawk men’s wheelchair basketball team, he graduated from UW-Whitewater with a bachelor’s degree in human resource management.  He continued his education at UW-Whitewater with a master’s degree in human resource management and a master’s degree in accounting. 

Boie has remained on campus as an academic advisor, working with students during their academic journey to ease their path to a degree and their intended profession.

“UW-Whitewater has such a strong tradition of wheelchair basketball, and we’re really excited to have someone who is a continuous and long-time member of our community just really excel at a state level, and national level, and global level,” said Marissa Gruel Hainstock, director of Academic Advising and Success and Boie’s supervisor. 

Boie continued in his basketball journey, competing in the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, earning his first gold medal and recognition at the White House. He tried out for Team USA for nine years before finally making the cut for the 2020 Paralympics. 

Boie almost never left the court at his first Paralympics.

“[It felt] like I’d finally reached the goal I set when I was 11 years old,” he said. 

The time, effort and dedication Boie puts into his sport give him the skills to achieve his dreams. He won gold again at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. 

Boie credits part of his success to Jeremy “Opie” Lade, his long-time friend, coach and fellow Warhawk. Lade, who led the UW-Whitewater men’s wheelchair basketball team to six national championships, coached Boie during his time on the UW-Whitewater wheelchair basketball team and has encouraged Boie through his entire basketball career.  

“He’s kinda always been in my corner since I was little. He gave me my first basketball chair when I was a little kid,” Boie said. “Opie was a heck of a coach. [He] prepared me for Team USA… and we even play on different club teams in the U.S., so he and I get the opportunity to play against each other.”

Boie continues to pour himself into the wheelchair basketball community — both on and off campus. He officiates tournaments, scrimmages with the Warhawk men’s wheelchair basketball team, and serves as a role model to all student-athletes. Preparing the next generation of gold medalists and Hall of Fame inductees, Boie inspires students to compete, to work hard and to succeed. 

“I can still connect with students — especially student athletes,” Boie said about his role as an academic advisor. “Because I know what it takes to compete at a college level and beyond.” 

While this latest recognition from the Wisconsin Hall of Fame is “still pretty surreal” for Boie,  he’s incredibly excited. 

“I’m thankful for all the people that have helped me get there: family, friends, and community — and that includes the Warhawk community of our campus.”

He’ll represent Team USA again this September at the 2026 International Wheelchair Basketball Federation World Championships in Ottawa.

Editor’s note: This article was provided by UW-Whitewater.

Molly Griep-Popowski recently earned Northeast Region Girls’ Track and Field Coach of the Year honors in North Dakota.

Molly’s team had 24 athletes qualify for the state track and field meet, which will take place May 21–23 in Bismarck. Reflecting on the achievement, Molly said, “I have a great staff of coaches that dedicate a lot of their time and are selfless in helping get this track team where it is today.”

Molly has served as the head coach at Hatton-Northwood High School for the past three years and has been involved with the program for six years overall. She is currently a K–6 physical education teacher at Northwood Public School.

A 2012 graduate of Whitewater High School, Molly is the daughter of Pete and Lisa Griep. During her time at Whitewater, she became — and remains — the school record holder in both the shot put and discus. She also captured the state championship in the shot put in 2012. She earned High School All-American Honors in that event as well as discus.

Congratulations, Molly!

Article Submitted by Chad Carstens
Whitewater High School Assistant Track and Field Coach
ccarstens@wwusd.org

UWW Finishes 2026 Season 43-6

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team fell in extra innings to Bethany Lutheran College in the Regional Final of the NCAA Tournament. The heartbreaker came to an end in the bottom of the 11th, with the Vikings hitting a walk-off sacrifice fly to score the winning run. 

The Warhawks struck first in the game, scoring at the top of the first as the designated away team. Andy Thies (Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles) scored the first run of the game off a single from Jackson Spring (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North). 

From there, it was the Vikings quieting the Warhawks’ offense, keeping UWW at just one run until the 8th inning. On the offensive end, Bethany Lutheran piled on some runs to take the lead. A 2-run homer in the third put a crooked number on the board. The Vikings added one run in the fifth, and a solo home run plus an RBI double in the 7th to build a 6-1 lead. 

Entering the last two down by five, the Warhawks’ time was running out. Leyten Bowers (Mineral Point, Wis./Mineral Point) was able to spark some momentum with a solo home run over the right field scoreboard to get the first run on the board since the first inning.

The four-bagger from Bowers kick-started the Warhawks’ offense. Dominik McVay (Mineral Point, Wis./Mineral Point) got a hold of one for his own three-run homer with Wyatt Jensen (Luck, Wis./Luck) following up McVay’s at bat with another solo shot to tie the game up at 6-6. 

Still in the top of the 8th, the Warhawks kept the inning going with a single from Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine). Hopper moved up 180 feet, getting second on a wild pitch & third from an errant throw down by the catcher. Hopper came in for the go-ahead run off a deep double by Aaron Holland (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North). With just one inning, the Warhawks had flipped the script & took a one-run lead heading into the bottom of the 8th. 

Bethany Lutheran was able to tie up the game from a wild pitch in the 8th, but no scores in the ninth sent the game to extras. In the 10th, the Warhawks had just a single base runner, but couldn’t move him past second. The Vikings were able to get runners on second & third, but the UW-Whitewater defense escaped the frame to send it into the 11th. 

UW-Whitewater was retired in order on the 11th as the side flipped back to the Vikings. A single, sacrifice bunt, and a single put runners on the corners with just one out. A fly ball to right field did the job for the Vikings, as they scored the winning run after 3-hours & 40-minutes of game time. 

The Warhawks 2026 campaign came to a close with a 43-6 record, the second-highest winning percentage in Warhawk history. The 2026 season included a school-record 36-game win streak as well as a perfect 28-0 record in conference play, the first time a team has done so in WIAC history. 

Editor’s note: The above is from the UW-W Athletics website. Attendance was 632.