Sports

UW-W Wins Men’s Tennis Championship

WHITEWATER, Wis.–University of Wisconsin-Whitewater secured the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Tennis Championship (presented by Culver’s) with a 5-2 triumph over The College of New Jersey at Warhawk Outdoor Tennis Complex on May 4.
 
Both teams secured a spot in the title match by winning their respective divisions during the regular season.
 
UW-Whitewater (18-2) also earned the conference’s automatic NCAA bid with the victory, while the Lions dropped to 13-3 on the season.
 
It was the first men’s tennis championship in the conference since the 1994-95 academic year.
 
Singles:
No. 1–Matthew Michibata (TCNJ) def. Luke VanDonslear (WW) 6-3, 6-3
No. 2–Reuben Giorgio (WW) vs. Adrian Tsui (TCNJ) 6-1, 5-6 (did not finish)
No. 3–Tyler Nelson (WW) def. Aayush Kishore (TCNJ) 6-0, 6-4
No. 4–Theo Billson (WW) def. Alberto Thomas (TCNJ) 7-6(7), 6-2
No. 5–Drew Van Fossen (WW) def. Harrison Maitland-Carter (TCNJ) 1-6, 6-1, 6-2
No. 6–Giovanni Vitali (WW) vs. Brett Schuster (TCNJ) 6-3, 1-6, 4-3 (did not finish)
 
Doubles:
No. 1–Michibata/Maitland-Carter (TCNJ) def. VanDonslear/Giorgio (WW) 8-7(5)
No. 2–Van Fossen/Billson (WW) def. Schuster/Thomas (TCNJ) 8-6
No. 3–Nelson/Payton Adkisson (WW) def. Kishore/Nathan Chan (TCNJ) 8-3

UW-W Wins Baseball Title

Editor’s note: The following announcement was posted to the WIAC website.

WHITEWATER, Wis.–­­­University of Wisconsin-Whitewater claimed the 2024 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) baseball title with an 8-7 victory over UW-Stevens Point at Prucha Field at James Miller Stadium on May 3.

It is the 22nd regular-season crown in program history and ninth in the last 11 seasons. The Warhawks (32-6 overall, 19-3 WIAC) also secured the top seed for the WIAC Tournament (presented by Culver’s) and will host the four-team, double-elimination event May 9-11.

Against the Pointers (23-15, 13-9), the Warhawks opened up scoring right away, with a lead-off homer by Aaron Holland. UW-Stevens Point answered back with their own run in the top of the second, before going on their own hitting rally in the 3rd. 

The Pointers scored five runs on six hits in the third inning for a 6-1 lead, highlighted by Matt Baumann’s three-run homerun. It was his third straight game with a home run.

Matt Scolan closed the gap with a RBI single, but the Warhawks found themselves down 7-2 heading into the 7th inning. 

The Warhawks put up four runs in the bottom of the seventh. Scolan’s hit followed the foul line, but stayed fair to drive in two runs, a batter latter, Sam Paden singled bringing the Warhawks within one.

Bennett Frazer hit in the tying run in the bottom of the eighth, after the Warhawk defense had a shutout inning. In the top of the ninth, the Pointers got one runner on, but Holland made a great throw to catch him stealing and set-up the walk-off opportunity. 

The first two Warhawk runners got on base and it was Wyatt Hanse who finished it off with the walk-off single.

Holland and Eli Frank both had three hits for UW-Whitewater, while Logan Kottmeyer threw the final four innings to record his first win of the season.

UW-Stevens Point’s Bradley Comer, Connor Olson and Logan Holmolka each had two hits.

Soccer Continues Winning Ways Against Edgerton

Whitewater traveled to Edgerton for a conference game against the Crimson Tide on Thursday, May 2.

Marina Linos

The Whippets won the game 3-2 after taking an early lead with two goals by Molly Donner (6’, 9’). Edgerton tied the game with goals by Claudia Jenny (28’) and Holly Hazeltine (47’), before Belle Peterson scored the game winner, assisted by Mayte Navejas in the 55th minute.

Marina Linos had 12 saves in goal for Whitewater. Audreanna Conant had a great game in the net for Edgerton with 8 saves. 

Article Submitted by Maddy Blain
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Soccer Coach
mblain@wwusd.org
File Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka

UW-W Baseball & Softball Coaches Reach 700 & 750 Win Milestones

In his 21st season as the Warhawks baseball head coach, on April 8 John Vodenlich recorded his 700th win at the helm of the program. With a total record of 700-221-1 at UW-Whitewater, Vodenlich is the winningest coach in Warhawk history and ranks 2nd in the WIAC for wins all time. Vodenlich, a 2024 ABCA [American Baseball Coaches Association] Hall of Fame Inductee, also holds a spot on the national leader board. Out of active NCAA DIII coaches (min. 5 seasons), Vodelinch is 23rd in total wins (700 at UWW, 29 at Edgewood), and third in win percentage (0.736). All time, he ranks 43rd in total wins and 8th in winning percentage. [From an article by Broderick Frye, Asst. Sports Information Director.]

Warhawks pose with the coaching staff after winning the first game against Rockford Thursday (Credit: Olivia Zinanni)

Warhawks softball head coach Brenda Volk reached the 750 career win milestone on April 25 as the No. 22 softball team swept Rockford in a twinbill at the van Steenderen Softball Complex Thursday. UWW won game one 3-1 and took the nightcap 10-6. 

Volk, already the WIAC leader in career wins, is now ranked 19th in NCAA Division III history for career wins. [From a press release by Angela Kelm, Asst. Athletic Director for Sports Information.]

A Few Athletes Compete Before Fort Invite Halted

The Whitewater Track and Field team went to Fort Atkinson to compete in a large nine school competition on Friday, April 26. The competition was rained out for the second straight year after the handful of events were able to take place. Attached are photos of two athletes who got a chance to compete before the competition was halted.

David Rubio
Emy Islas

Senior David Rubio had a 37’3″ Triple Jump for a fourth place before the rain came and, freshman Emy Islas ran the 100 Meter race in a heavy downpour for an 11th place finish.

Article and Photos Courtesy of Bob Mischka

Soccer Secures Two More Victories

Whitewater hosted the Monroe Cheesemakers in a conference match on Tuesday, April 23. Whitewater won 4-0 with goals by Mayte Navejas (2) and Belle Peterson (2). Marina Linos had 7 saves in goal for Whitewater, and Monroe’s keeper, Kaelyn Welch, had 18 saves. 

Mayte Navejas

Whitewater and Cambridge-Deerfield played a rainy non-conference game Friday night, April 26. Whitewater won 2-1 with goals by Belle Peterson and Mayte Navejas. Marina Linos played in goal for Whitewater and had 9 saves. The Cambridge-Deerfield keeper had 23 saves. 

Article Submitted by Maddy Blain
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Soccer Coach
mblain@wwusd.org
Photo courtesy of Bob Mischka

UW-W Names Jarod Wichser as Warhawk Men’s Basketball Head Coach

Jarod Wichser

By Angela Kelm
Asst. Athletic Director for Sports Information

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Athletic Department has announced the hire of Jarod Wichser as the next head coach of the Warhawk men’s basketball team. Wichser served as the interim coach last season. 
 
 
“I would like to thank Chancellor King, Athletic Director Ryan Callahan, and the search committee for trusting me to lead the men’s basketball program,” said Coach Wichser. “It is a privilege to be a part of the Warhawk family, and I will work hard to build upon the rich tradition of success here at UW-Whitewater.”
 
“We are excited for Jarod to lead our men’s basketball program,” said Athletic Director Callahan. “Jarod holds character in high regard and his work ethic and ability as a teacher are never in question.”
 
Prior to taking over as the interim head coach a year ago, Wichser served as an assistant coach under longtime head coach Pat Miller for six seasons. The Warhawk men’s basketball program has a history of longevity of its head coaches – Wichser is just the third to take on the role since 1978. 
 
“We’ve been fortunate with two of the nation’s most decorated coaches at the helm since 1978 – Dave “Augie” Vander Meulen and Pat Miller – that led with integrity and passion for the sport and the university. Working under Coach Miller for six years has put Jarod in a position to continue the legacy of Augie and Pat while building his own,” added Callahan. 
 
Wichser takes the helm of a program with a long history of success at the conference and national level. UW-Whitewater has won 15 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships and five WIAC Tournament titles – second-most in the league. UW-Whitewater’s 22 NCAA appearances is more than any other team in the conference while the program’s four NCAA Division III titles is tied for the most in the WIAC. The Warhawks boast a record of 42-19 in NCAA tournament play. 
 
“The standard of success in men’s basketball at UW-Whitewater is very high because of the many elite student-athletes and coaches who built this program,” added Wichser. “We are going to be relentless in our pursuit to meet and maintain the standard of excellence they established.”
 
“I am thrilled for him and his family as he leads us into a new era of men’s basketball,” concluded Callahan.
 
In his interim campaign, Wichser led UWW to a 17-9 overall record and a 7-7 mark in WIAC play. 
 

Wichser is a 2012 graduate of UW-Whitewater. He earned a degree in elementary/middle education before completing a master’s program in professional development at UWW in 2018. 

Whippet Track & Field Hosts Triangular

Whitewater hosted a Triangular Track & Field Competition on April 22 which included East Troy and Monroe. The Whitewater Boys beat East Troy 108-27, but the Whippet Girls lost to East Troy 91-41. Monroe, a much bigger school than both Whitewater and East Troy, won over both of the smaller schools.

The Whitewater Boys dominated the shorter races, winning the 100 Meter, 200 Meter, 400 Meter, and 800 Meter Races. Ethan Dugan won the 100, Traysen Thomason won the 200, Nate Holden won the 400, and Jack Hefty won the 800.

Junior A’lani Ross won the Girls’ Triple Jump competition with a jump of 33′ 1.2″.

Article and Photos Courtesy of Bob Mischka.

Girls’ Soccer Tops Jefferson 7-0

Whitewater Soccer traveled to Jefferson for a conference game on Monday, April 22.

Ema Aranda

The Whippets won 7-0 with goals from Belle Peterson, Emma Valadez-Morales, Mayte Navejas, Aubrey Mendoza, Karlee Villegas-Korbel, Berma Vubumuh, and Sophia Garcia.

Marina Linos played in goal for Whitewater and had four saves. Sam Ganser and Rachel Simonson played in goal for Jefferson and had a combined total of 25 saves. 

Article Courtesy of Maddy Blain
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Soccer Coach
mblain@wwusd.org
File Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka