Sports

The Whippet Boys Swim Team closed out an incredible season at the WIAA State Meet on Friday, February 20th with outstanding performances and fast swims across the board!

State Highlights:

• Cruz Aranda placed 10th in the 200 Freestyle with a time of 1:48.99 — now 2nd all-time on the Whippet Top 10 List.
• Langdon Coburn finished 15th in the 200 IM with a strong time drop to 2:04.45 — now 4th all-time on the Whippet Top 10 List.
• Mateo Bazeley swam a quick 22.58 in the 50 Freestyle to place 13th.
•  Langdon Coburn earned a 5th place finish in the 100 Butterfly with a time of 52.47 — now 3rd all-time in school history.
• Cruz Aranda added a 9th place finish in the 100 Freestyle with a fast 48.93 — now 4th all-time on the Whippet Top 10 List.

 NEW SCHOOL RECORD!
The 200 Freestyle Relay team of Langdon Coburn, Caleb Kluck, Cruz Aranda, and Mateo Bazeley broke the school record with an incredible time of 1:30.61, finishing 8th overall!

The 400 Freestyle Relay team of Langdon Coburn, Mateo Bazeley, Wyatt Esch, and Cruz Aranda capped off the meet with a 12th place finish in 3:25.28.

We are extremely proud of the way these athletes represented Whitewater on the biggest stage. Thank you to all of our fans for the tremendous support throughout the season!

A special thank you to our seniors for your dedication, leadership, and commitment to the program — you will be greatly missed. 

Article and Photos Submitted by Sarah Reynolds
Whitewater High School Head Swim Coach
ReynoldsSM07@uww.edu

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater will host a NCAA women’s basketball regional for the sixth consecutive championship this weekend. The Warhawks are set to host the four-team regional with games scheduled for Friday and Saturday. 

UW-Whitewater (19-8) will take on Transylvania (24-4) at 7:15 PM Friday evening in Kachel Gym. The Warhawks, an at large selection, are making their 10th straight and 17th overall appearance in the NCAA Championship under Head Coach Keri Carollo. UWW is ranked 10th in the final NPI (NCAA Power Index) list. The Warhawks are 39-23 in the program’s 23 total postseason appearances. 

Transy punched their berth into the 2026 championship with their eighth consecutive Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament title. The Pioneers, ranked 44th in the NPI, are making their seventh straight appearance in the postseason. 

The first game of the regional will feature the University of Chicago and Gustavus Adolphus College at 4:45 PM Friday evening. The Maroons (17-7) claimed an at-large bid into championship to make the program’s 11th trip to NCAA action. Back in the postseason for the first time since 2023, Chicago comes into the regional ranked 21st according to NPI.

Gustavus Adolphus (18-8) also received an at-large bid into the postseason. The Gusties are making their fifth consecutive and 12th overall appearance in the NCAA tournament. GAC is ranked 36th in the NPI. 

The winners of Friday’s contests advance to the regional final slated for 7:15 PM Saturday in Kachel Gym. Stay tuned for more information on the Whitewater Regional including tickets, media coverage and more.

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse has named Michael Zweifel as its 15th head football coach in school history. A native of Whitewater, Wisconsin, Zweifel completed his fourth year as an assistant coach at UW-La Crosse during the 2025 season. He replaces Matt Janus, who was announced as head football coach at Northern Michigan University on January 5.

“My family and I are extremely honored and excited to be the next head coach at UW-La Crosse,” said Zweifel.  “To be a part of the proud history and standard of excellence here at UW-La Crosse is a dream come true.”  

Zweifel served as UW-La Crosse’s defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach in 2025. He has coordinated the Eagles’ defense and special teams to a 36-11 record the last four years as UW-La Crosse won two Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championships and made four appearances in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Playoffs. 

“The mindset and standard of our football program is not to maintain what we’ve accomplished the past few years; I was hired to elevate and take this program to the next step,” added Zweifel.  “The expectation is to win championships, and we plan to do that by developing competitive, connected, accountable and resilient young men. 

This football team will value competition, being selfless, and seeking out challenges every day.  Our staff and I are fully committed to building champions in school, sport and life.”

He has coached 15 All-WIAC selections on defense, including 10 first team choices. UW-La Crosse led the league in passing defense (188.9 yards per game) and punting net yards per game (39.4) in 2025. The Eagles led the WIAC in quarterback sacks (28) and fumble recoveries (9) in 2024 while ranking third in interceptions (13).

“Michael has displayed his football intelligence while leading our defense for the last four years, but he also brings experience as a player and coach on the offensive side of the ball which is unique,” said UW-La Crosse Director of Athletics Kim Blum.   “He has made an impression on our players as someone who engages with them and brings a lot of energy, but also as a strong family man who cares about making an impact on young men on and off the field.”

 In 2022, UW-La Crosse ranked second in the conference in scoring defense (17.8), sacks (67), interceptions (13), opponents’ third-down conversions (32.2%) and red-zone defense (66.7). The Eagles led the conference in kickoff returns (23.8) while finishing third in punt returns (9.3) and second in punting (35.4). 

Zweifel was the wide receivers and quarterbacks coach at the University of Dubuque (Iowa) from 2012-21. A 2011 graduate of Dubuque (Iowa), Zweifel earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science while graduating Summa Cum Laude. He earned his master’s degree in Kinesiology from the University of Texas at Tyler in 2015. Zweifel owned Building Better Athletes, LLC from 2013-22.

He was named the winner of the 2011 Gagliardi Trophy, awarded annually to the top NCAA Division III football player. Zweifel led the nation in receiving yards (1,915), receiving yards per game (174.1), receptions (140), receptions per game (12.7), and receiving touchdowns (25). He also recorded 29 tackles in 2011 with 2.5 tackles for loss, nine pass breaks-ups, one interception and one fumble recovery.

Zweifel set a NCAA III record with his 140 catches in 2011 and ended his career as the all-time NCAA leader (all divisions) with 463 receptions. He was a three-year team captain at Dubuque (Iowa).

Selected the 2011 Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) Offensive Most Valuable Player, Zweifel was named to six All-America teams. He was an All-IIAC First Team selection in 2009 and 2011, helping lead the Spartans to their first conference championship in 31 years in 2011.

“I appreciate Michael’s commitment to UW-La Crosse and his unique vision for the future of UW-La Crosse football as a contributor to the overall athletic program,” noted Blum.  “Michael was able to demonstrate his ability to lead the program by pulling from his experience as a business owner, and he clearly understands the incredible opportunity he has to write the next chapter of the Eagles’ football program.” 

Zweifel attended the Green Bay Packers Rookie Minicamp and Fall Camp in 2012. Voted the 2011 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-American® of the Year, he was named a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete finalist. 

Zweifel was formally introduced as the Eagles’ head coach at a press conference held in Hetzel Fieldhouse on the UWL campus, scheduled for 11 a.m. on Tuesday, February 17. The press conference may be streamed here.

UW-La Crosse has won two (1992, 1995) NCAA Division III Championships and one (1985) National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) title while making 16 appearances in the NCAA Division III Championships, including the last five seasons, and seven trips to the NAIA Playoffs. The Eagles have captured 35 conference championships in school history.

Zweifel lives in Holmen, Wisconsin with his wife, Jennifer, and two daughters, Ainsley and Sienna.

Editor’s note: This press release was provided by UW-La Crosse.

Blackhawk Technical College will host an exciting, high-level wheelchair basketball game featuring some of the nation’s most talented adaptive athletes, including Paralympians, as the Wisconsin Adaptive Sports Association (WASA) Marquette Golden Eagles defending national team takes on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks Men’s wheelchair basketball team.

The game is free and open to the public and promises a fast-paced, competitive showcase of elite athleticism, teamwork, and inclusion. Fans of all ages are encouraged to attend and experience the intensity and skill of wheelchair basketball at its highest level.

“This event is about more than just a game,” said Emily Oberst, WASA Community Outreach Director. “It’s an opportunity to celebrate inclusion, challenge perceptions of disability, and showcase the incredible athleticism of wheelchair basketball. Whether you’re a lifelong sports fan or brand new to adaptive sports, this is an experience you won’t forget.”

The event also serves as an educational and community-building opportunity, exposing spectators to adaptive athletics and reinforcing the message that sport is for everyone.

Event Details: WASA Champ Marquette Golden Eagles v. UWW Warhawks Wheelchair Basketball Exhibition Game
Where: Blackhawk Technical College, 6004 S County Rd G, Janesville WI
When: Saturday, February 28, 6:30 pm – Admission: Free

About WASA – WASA’s mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals with physical or sensory disabilities through the power of adaptive sport, recreation, fitness, and education. WASA programs impact health, independence and rehabilitation – transforming lives and empowering individuals in their daily living.

About University of Wisconsin-Whitewater – We inspire, engage and transform lives. Founded in 1868, we serve more than 12,000 students and celebrate more than 100,000 alumni around the world. Our faculty and staff are devoted to student success on our Whitewater campus, our Rock County campus, and our vibrant online environment. We prepare innovative, resilient students with outstanding skills that make them strong candidates for 21st-century careers and community leadership. We embrace our priority mission to serve students with disabilities. Home to the Warhawk family, UW-Whitewater delivers a supportive, caring culture with an entrepreneurial spirit and championship drive.

About Blackhawk Technical College – Blackhawk Technical College, one of 16 colleges under the Wisconsin Technical College System, serves students and employers in Rock and Green counties with campuses in Janesville and Monroe, Wisconsin. The College has more than 6,000 credit and noncredit students enrolled in more than 70 programs. Based in Janesville, Wisconsin, it has provided education and training to area students and employers since 1912. Find out more at blackhawk.edu.