Patzka Breaks School Record to Win Augustana Interregional; UWW Places 3rd overall
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men’s cross country teams competed in the Augustana Interregional alongside multiple regionally-ranked teams. The Warhawks finished 3rd overall in the men’s “Gold” race, led by Christian Patzka (Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) and Gunner Schlender (Brillion, Wis./).
Patzka completed the 8k with a personal best of 23:52.7 to finish first overall. Patzka’s PR also breaks a 56-year old school record. In 1968, Tom Hoffman recorded a 23:55 in Salina, Kansas. Patzka joins Hoffman and David Fassbender (23:57 in 2021) to run under 24-minutes.
Gunner Schlender (Brillion, Wis./) joined Patzka in the top-5, with a 24:14 to place fourth overall.
Chris Allen (Downers Grove, Ill./North) also recorded a personal best, running a 24:53.5 to finish 38th overall.
Wrapping up the scorers in the Gold Race, Tucker Johnson (Poynette, Wis./), 25:30 and Alex Metko (Brillion, Wis./), 25:34.
Brandon Gang (Waukesha, Wis./West) and Keegan Bratt (Waukesha, Wis./West) also recorded personal bests in the Men’s “Gold” Gang finished in 25:46.9 and Bratt with 25:46.9.
Other Warhawks in the men’s gold race include Dan Anderson (Eau Claire, Wis./McDonell) (25:48), Tommy Conklin (West Bend, Wis./East) (25:49), Conner Murphy (26:03), Jonah Block (Whitefish Bay, Wis./) (26:37) and Brandon Massman (Belvidere, Ill./North) (26:45).
In the Men’s “Blue” race, the Warhawks finished 5th overall with 160 team points.
Featured in the “Blue” race, Matt Andreano, Andrew Beyer (Algonquin, Ill./Jacobs) and Aiden Johnson all competed personal bests. Andreano (26:10), Beyer (26:42), and Johnson (26:51) all finished in the top 55 runners. Joining them was Bryce Faith (Oconomowoc, Wis./) with a 26:45 for 49th overall.
Nick Wendl (Milwaukee, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) (26:55), Landen Bratt (Waukesha, Wis./West) (26:56), Ryan Van Dam (Glen Ellen, Ill./Glenbard East) (27:08), Jordan Loferski (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Hamilton) (28:02), Adrian Ahuatl (St. Charles, Ill./East) (28:08), Will MacCudden (Slinger, Wis./) (28:23), James Belus (Oconomowoc, Wis./) (28:26) also competed in the “Blue” race.
The Warhawks return to their home course for the Warhawk Open next Friday, October 25. The men’s race is set to begin at 12:45 on the UWW Campus Course.
The Whippet Girls’ Swim Team had two meets this past week. First up was a dual meet against Delavan-Darien on Tuesday, October 15, where the Whippets beat the Comets 87 – 77. The girls placed 1st in 8 of 11 events. Maya Davis took on the 200 Freestyle for the 1st time this season going an impressive time of 3:07.04. Zoe Zei had a great day in the water; she dropped nearly 2 seconds in her 50 freestyle and dropped 8 seconds in her 500 freestyle. Atreya Wilson continues to improve her time in the 100 Breaststroke going a season best time of 1:35.65. Laken DePorter continues to get faster and faster in the 100 freestyle!
Whippet Girls’ Swim Team
Later that week, the girls traveled to Germantown on Saturday, October 19th to compete in a Sprint Invite which was lots of fun, and the girls got to do some really fast racing. The competition was tough as there were many division 1 schools to go against, but the girls all swam great! Makayla Bazeley put on a gutsy performance in the 200 Freestyle to just out touch the competition by .17 milliseconds to secure the win. She ended up going a season best time of 1:58.70. The 200 Medley was compromised of 8 swimmers each swimming a 25. The Medley team of Kendra Serrano, MJ Verduzco, Atreya Wilson, Maya Davis, Grace Coleman, Lucy Davis, Caitlin Alford, and Laken DePorter absolutely crushed their seeded time by over 16 seconds! Emerson Dunham had a top 10 finish in the 200 IM going a season best time of 2:40.85 and placed 8th overall! Caitlin Alford crushed her goal of going under 40 seconds in the 50 Freestyle!
Makayla Bazeley
The Whippets are back in action for their last home and conference dual meet on Tuesday, October 22 against Beloit Memorial. We will be celebrating our three seniors so be sure to stop by and watch them and all the Whippet swimmers compete in their final home meet of the season!
Article and Photos Submitted by Sarah Reynolds Whitewater High School Head Swim Coach ReynoldsSM07@uww.edu
By Broderick Frye Asst. Sports Information Director
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team [D3football.com #19] bounced back in a big way with a 66-0 romp of UW-Stevens Point. The Warhawks put up over 600 yards of total offense, while holding UW-Stevens Point to less than 150.
After winning the coin toss, the Warhawks elected to receive. It turned out to be a good decision, as Tyler Vasey (Crystal Lake, Ill/Prairie Ridge) took the opening kick-off 88-yards to the house.
The Pointers opening drive only lasted three plays before the Karsten Libby (Wheaton, Ill./North) intercepted a pass to get the Warhawks back on offense. Tamir Thomas (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) capitalized on the turnover, rushing it in from the one yard-line to finish off the Warhawks’ drive.
The Warhawks added one more touchdown before the end of the first quarter, with Jackson Chryst (Orinda, Calif./Palo Alto) connecting with Brian Wilterdink (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) for a 36-yard touchdown pass.
With a 21-0 lead after the first frame, the Warhawks kept on the gas and added three more touchdowns in the second quarter. Chryst recorded two touchdown passes in the second quarter, including a 61-yard catch-&-run from Steven Hein (St. Charles, Ill./North) on the opening drive.
Jackson Fox (Kirkland, Wash./Lake Washington) connected on a 21-yard field goal to end the half, putting the UWW up 45-0 over UW-Stevens Point.
In the second half, the Warhawks focused on controlling the pace of the game, draining time off the clock with the run game. In the second half alone, UW-Whitewater accounted for 194 rushing yards.
The Pointers started to put together a drive in the third quarter, looking to get their own points on the board, but Mason Stepanski (Appleton, Wis./Kimberly) intercepted the pass in the end zone to put a stop on the drive.
The Warhawks finished off the night after a long 8-minute drive. Ty Schultz (Lockport, Ill./Lockport) punched it in from six-yards out as the Warhawks hit the 60-point mark.
On the ground, Schultz and Thomas each had two touchdowns with over 100 yards. The Warhawks gathered a total of 353 yards on the ground.
Through the air, Jackson Chryst (Orinda, Calif./Palo Alto) went 11-13 with 266 yards and three touchdowns. Nick Wind (Downers Grove, Ill./Montini Catholic) led the receiving corps with three catches for 95 yards.
The Warhawks are on the road next Saturday against UW-Platteville in the 29th-annual George Chryst Memorial Bowl. Kick-off is set for 1 PM in Platteville.
Christian Patzka (Left) and Gunner Schlender leading the pack at the Tom Hoffman Invitational – Photos by Olivia Zinanni, Craig Schreiner
Written by Lalaina Chandanais [UW-W sophomore majoring in English]
In his hometown of Brillion, Wisconsin, Gunner Schlender began running in early middle school when he decided to join the track team, and it soon became what he now refers to as his “first love.” His father was a track coach as well, so the passion for competitive running is deeply rooted in his family.
Schlender, now a fifth-year senior studying physical education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, is a big part of the sudden bloom of immense talent and growth of the Warhawk men’s cross country team in recent years.
“To really encapsulate the growth, we have to go back to before I joined,” said Schlender, a 2024 recipient of the NCAA Elite 90 award.
In 2020, Schlender started his first year at UW-Whitewater. After a year away from competitive cross country due to the pandemic, he was itching to jump back into the sport he loved. He and his friend and fellow All-American student-athlete, Christian Patzka, helped the program to a new level.
“When I committed, we were ninth in the region, fifth in the conference,” Schlender said. He went on to explain how the team rose to fifth in the nation and second in the conference within his first year on the team, signifying only the beginning of what would be the team’s most immense growth period yet.
This season, the team is poised to compete for championships and individual awards at all levels.
Warhawk cross country head coach Jeff “Mills” Miller, left, was presented with a t-shirt bearing his own trademark image by assistant coach RJ Soderman. The annual Tom Hoffman Invitational cross country meet at UW-Whitewater was perfect for honoring Miller for his 40 seasons of coaching and mentoring Warhawks, on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. (UW-Whitewater photos/Craig Schreiner)
Patzka, a fifth-year history education major, joined the team at the same time as Schlender, and his talent was already apparent to Jeff Miller, the head coach for more than 40 years.
Patzka credits one of his first defining experiences with running to be back in his hometown of Black Earth, Wisconsin, where he ran a community 5-kilometer race with his father when he was in middle school. It was from there that his love for running only grew.
After he committed to UW-Whitewater, Patzka went on to win back-to-back regional races in cross country and national titles in track and field. Both he and Schlender have qualified for every national cross country meet and have achieved All-America status each year since they arrived.
Schlender and Patzka have been crucial in getting the team to where it is today, contributing what is, according to Miller, a “once-in-a-lifetime sort of talent.”
“They were All-Americans as freshmen. That has never happened before, and they both have done it. They have qualified for every national meet since they have gotten here, so it’s the stuff of legends,” said Miller. “They have reached well beyond what I think they even thought they could do.”
When asked to name some highlight moments of the team’s success, there was a moment of deliberation shared by all — the team’s vast number of achievements surely made it difficult to only name a few.
“The Blugold Invite in Eau Claire in 2021 was our first real meet as a team, our first real test. We knew what we were capable of, but had yet to prove it,” said Schlender. “We went out there and raced incredibly well. It was our first time that our potential as a team was tapped into. After that, we knew we could beat teams that are nationally ranked, and that we wanted to be in the top 10.”
Patzka recalled the aftermath of some of the team’s first wins, stating how the shared feeling of pride and accomplishment amongst every teammate was a highlight in itself.
“Everyone’s got a big smile, a tear comes down. You know it was all worth it,” said Patzka.
Head cross country coach Jeff Miller, third from right, embraces Schlender and Patzka, on his immediate right and left, respectively, and the men’s team’s other seniors following the Tom Hoffman Invitational on Sept. 21, 2024, outside of the Williams Center. The Warhawk senior class was recognized at the meet. (UW-Whitewater athletics photo/Olivia Zinanni)
A resilient, close-knit program
For Miller, one of the largest achievements in his eyes was the resilience that shone through after a year of stagnancy and uncertainty.
“Our athletes got to train more with the extra time they had, and it just helped them get stronger,” Miller said. “We took a bad situation and made the most of it.”
Still, there is another layer of the cross country team’s success that cannot be defined by the digits of a new record time or a medal around a neck. Another factor that further emphasizes the strength of their unique bond with each other.
Patzka was made aware of his teammates’ unwavering support when he was suffering from Achilles tendonitis during the summer after his freshman year and into his sophomore year. Even when he could not compete, his teammates made it known that they unconditionally valued him.
“The guys would still check in on me,” said Patzka. “It was nice knowing that even though it was really painful, I still have those guys there for me. I felt supported.”
Schlender shared the same positive sentiment towards the support and long-lasting connections made within the team, stating how he met some of his closest friends through UW-Whitewater cross-country. Justin Krause, currently a graduate assistant for UW-Whitewater’s Campus Tutorial Services and a volunteer assistant coach for the cross country teams, was a sophomore on the team when Schlender joined. Krause served as a consistent role model for his new teammates each year.
“He has been my best friend since my first visit and is the best leader I’ve ever seen in my life. I’ve lived with him for three years now.” said Schlender. “He is the hardest worker, the nicest person, and when he does something, you just follow it. When you are around him, you work harder, and you care more.”
Gunner Schlender, at right, and Christian Patzka, are also decorated members of the Warhawk men’s track and field team — they’ve each earned multiple conference All-America honors. The duo is shown competing at the Karl Schlender Invitational at Kachel Fieldhouse on Jan. 20, 2024. The meet is named for Schlender’s grandfather, who coached the men’s and women’s programs for nine years. (UW-Whitewater athletics photo/Olivia Zinanni)
Warhawk family and tradition
The deep gratitude within the team extends in all directions, especially toward the faculty and staff that have had a positive impact on getting the team to where it is today. One faculty and team member connection that is particularly special is the one between Schlender and Miller — it’s rooted in the history of the UW-Whitewater athletic department and of a longtime friendship.
“I coached with Gunner’s grandfather, Karl Schlender. I shared an office with him. He was a great coach and person, and everyone who knew him knows that,” said Miller. “Gunner never met his grandfather, so it is kind of an interesting dynamic — I talk about what kind of person he was to him, and he learns more about him through that.”
It is acknowledged among the members of the team that they would not be where they are without the footsteps left by previous athletes to follow. Patzka even states that the university’s rich athletic history is a large reason why he was drawn to it.
“There are so many people who go through our athletics, so being associated with UW-Whitewater athletics and being associated with past athletes through the years is a great honor.”
A bright present and future
When considering the team’s future, there is an overall sense of high hopes for the continuation of this great era of achievement.
Junior business analytics major and teammate, Dan Anderson, has shown great growth and potential. Miller said the Eau Claire native has taken the positive influences of Schlender and Patzka and grown into his potential.
The Warhawks are currently ranked second in the North Region and fourth in the nation among NCAA Division III teams by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA). Schlender and Patzka finished first and second, respectively, in a field of more than 400 runners to lead the team to a runner-up finish at the Pre-National Meet on Oct. 4 in Terre Haute, Indiana, the site of this year’s NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship.
The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Cross Country Championship is set for Nov. 2 in Stevens Point, with the NCAA regional and national meets to follow on Nov. 16 and Nov. 23, respectively.
With the sheer amount of talent displayed and learned from within recent years — and the promising outlook for the 2024 team — this great bloom in the men’s cross country team’s success is set to continue for years to come.
Thursday, October 17 was a good day for the Whippet Cross Country teams as they raced their guts out at the 2024 Rock Valley Conference Meet.
In this eleven-team meet, the girls finished in 3rd overall, just a few points from second. A tight pack of Whippets played a large role in the team’s success. Carley Boudreau emerged as the top runner in this meet, as she was one of four Whippets that earned honorable mention all-conference honors. Carley finished in 19th with a time of 23:16. In 20th was Athena Soto in 23:22. Mady Hefty was 21st in 23:32, and Virginia Nelson was 22nd in 23:35. The top 24 runners earned all-conference honors. Nola Coburn placed 25th in 23:49. This wave of red was very thrilling to watch race around the course and pass other runners as a pack of Whippets together. Ema Aranda was the team’s sixth runner today and placed 32nd with a time of 24:37. Sami Van Daele was the team’s 7th runner and placed 37th with a time of 25:03.
Athena Soto, Mady Heft, Carley Boudreau, Virginia Nelson
In the JV race, Delaney Hammack placed 13th in 26:59. Mya Graves-Koran placed 15th in 27:17. Lucy Troxel placed 19th in 27:45. Payton Brautigam placed 23rd and stopped the clock in 30:26. The JV team did not have a team score.
The boys’ team replicated its runner-up finish from a year ago against a very strong Monroe team. Jack Hefty took the lead from the gun and never looked back as he sailed to his second conference title in as many years and finished in 16:50. Xavier Zei earned first-team all-conference honors placing 5th in 17:51. Miles Nickelsburg earned second-team all-conference honors in 9th with a time of 17:56. Luc Pomazac also earned second-team honors in 13th with a time of 18:41. Andrew O’Toole earned honorable mention honors in 19th with a time of 18:49. Rounding out the varsity squad were Onyx Thompson in 27th with a time of 19:22 and Isaac Straight in 48th in 20:20.
Xavier Zei, Jack Hefty, Luc Pomazac, Andrew O’Toole, Miles Nickelsburg
In the JV race, Quinton O’Toole led the team and secured a top 10 finish to place 8th with a time of 20:29. Isaiah Mendez was the team’s second runner and placed 12th in 21:08. Wyatt Esch placed 20th in 22:04. Alex Clarksen placed 44th in 24:36. Wrapping up the team scoring was Angel Kilar who placed 58th with a time of 26:49. The JV team finished in 5th with 129 pts.
Next up for the team will be the WIAA Sectional meet hosted on this same course at UW-Whitewater on Friday, October 25th. The top two teams and the top five individuals not on those teams will earn a trip to the WIAA State Meet. The girls’ race will begin at 4:00, followed by the boys at 4:45.
Whitewater Volleyball closed its regular season with a non-conference win against Johnson Creek on Thursday, October 17. It was a special night for the Whippets, as they recognized their parents for their constant support all season and honored the program’s six very special seniors (Ava Alvarado, Falyn Krahn, Zoe Kohl, Calli Grosinske, Ella Spear, and Ayden Clark) who played in their final home volleyball match. The Whippets started the match strong and never looked back. The Whippets took the match in three straight sets – 25-11, 25-23, 25-16.
This Saturday, October 19 is the 29th Annual Wally & Rod’s Raffle/Auction event. This event supports Warhawk football, men’s basketball, and baseball. Doors open at 5:00 with the live auction starting at 6:30. Tickets and tables are still available for purchase. Contact Jarod Wichser, WichserJJ08@uww.edu for more information.
Alayna Jansky goes up for an attack against UW-Stevens Point Wednesday (Michael Gouvion)
The No. 5 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team fell to UW-Stevens Point in a tight five-setter 3-2 (25-19, 11-25, 22-25, 25-23, 15-11) Wednesday night.
The loss in Russell Arena broke a 20-match home win streak for UWW. Over the last four seasons, the Warhawks are 57-3 on their home court.
The Pointers jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the first set. The Warhawks battled to within one, 18-17, but a late run gave UWSP the 1-0 match advantage.
UW-Whitewater dominated set two taking a 10-2 lead of their own. Another big run in the middle of the set had the Warhawks enjoying a 20-6 lead before evening the match with a 25-11 win. UWW hit .583 in the set hammering down 14 kills without committing a single attack error.
The Warhawks jumped out to a 6-2 lead in set three before the Pointers battled back to knot the set 7-7. The teams traded points and small runs until a string of three kills for UWW sparked the Warhawks. Alayna Jansky pounded down the first two and Hannah Proctor added the third to give UW-Whitewater a 22-17 lead. Abbie Dix put the finishing touches on the set with a kill to make it 25-22.
UWW looked to have the fourth set in hand with an 18-11 lead before UWSP came flying back. The Pointers rattled off five straight to narrow the gap to two. Jansky stopped the run with a kill, but UW-Stevens Point responded with three more to tie the set 19-19. The squads traded points with UWW taking a 23-22 lead when the Pointers notched three consecutive kills to force a decisive fifth set.
The Warhawks had an early lead and held an 8-6 advantage at the side-switch. UWSP evened the score 10-10 and then took the lead with a pair of kills, 12-10. Jenna Weinfurt found the floor on an attack to cut the margin to one, 12-11. The Pointers had the response once again with three straight points to take the set and match.
Both teams registered 62 kills in the match with the Warhawks holding the advantage in efficiency hitting .301 compared to .224 for UWSP. UW-Whitewater also tallied a 16-6 advantage in blocks.
Outside hitters Jansky (20) and Weinfurt (17) combined for 37 kills in the contest. From the middle Proctor and Abbie Dix tallied 13 kills in 20 attempts with just a pair of attack errors.
Defensively at the net, Dix registered 11 blocks for the second consecutive contest. Now averaging 1.43 blocks per set this season, Dix is the second-best blocker in the nation. Proctor, a top-10 blocker in Division III added five more to her season total Wednesday. Libero Jaedynn Evans had a game-high 17 digs while Weinfurt joined her double digits with 15.
Setter Aubrie Krzus posted 50 assists adding six blocks and four kills.
With three matches left in the conference slate, the Pointers lead the WIAC with a 4-0 record. UW-Oshkosh is second at 3-1. Four teams are tied for third at 2-2 including UWW, UW-Platteville, UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stout.
The Warhawks return to the court with a pair of matches this weekend. UWW will host Carthage Friday at 7 and Saint Mary’s (Minn.) Saturday at noon. Due to other events on campus, fans will have to pay for parking for these matches. Click here for more information.
Whitewater Volleyball hosted East Troy in the final conference match-up of the season – in a Dig Pink Event – on Tuesday, October 15. Whitewater came out fighting and was looking for redemption from the first match-up. Whitewater battled back from down late in set 1 to take it 28-26. East Troy rebounded well in set 2 and won it 11-25. Sets 3 and 4 were a back-and-forth battle with East Troy eventually winning 20-25 and 19-25.
The Whippets close out the regular season Thursday night at home when they host Johnson Creek for Parents and Senior Night. The Whippets (12 seed) will open post-season play on Tuesday, October 22nd at Edgerton High School (5 seed). The match is set to begin at 7 pm.
Article and Photo Courtesy of Caitlin Dowden Whitewater High School Head Volleyball Coach dowca01@wwusd.org
Brianna Zimdars from Whitewater, who is studying Business Administration at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, has earned a roster spot on the Warhawk women’s swimming and diving team for the 2024-25 season.
The Warhawks finished fifth at last year’s Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships. UW-Whitewater is coached by Elise Knoche, who enters her seventh season at the helm of the program. The team garnered the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Scholar All-America Award for the 11th straight season in 2023-24.
The Warhawks won their season-opening meet on Saturday, October 12 at Illinois Tech. They continue competition this Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Wisconsin Invite in Milwaukee. For the full 2024-25 schedule, visit uwwsports.com.
