Sports

The Whippets are gearing up for the end of the season, which can only mean one thing… it’s Conference territory! On Tuesday, October 28th, a group of our athletes competed at the JV Conference in Elkhorn and put together an incredible team performance — finishing 6th overall!

The Whippets kicked off the night strong with a 6th-place finish in the 200 Medley Relay, featuring Caitlin Alford, Maya Davis, Jalayne Hanson, and Storm DePorter. Their effort set the tone for an evening full of great swims, positive energy, and big time drops!

Best Times & Highlights:
• Caitlin Alford – 200 Medley Relay backstroke split: 35.44
• Maya Davis – 200 Medley Relay breaststroke split: 42.60
• Storm DePorter – 200 Medley Relay free split: 34.52
• Jalayne Hanson – 1:27.45 in the 100 Freestyle
• Caitlin Alford – 1:38.75 in the 100 Backstroke
• Jalayne Hanson – 36.75 split in the 200 Freestyle
• Maya Davis – 7:25.06 in the 500 Freestyle (17-second drop!)
• Storm DePorter – 7:44.58 in the 500 Freestyle (over 40-second drop!)

Medal Finishers:
• 200 Freestyle Relay – Caitlin Alford, Maya Davis, Jalayne Hanson, and Storm DePorter — 6th place
• 500 Freestyle (Maya Davis) – 6th place – 7:25.06
• 500 Freestyle (Storm DePorter) – 8th place – 7:44.58
• 200 Freestyle Relay – Storm DePorter, Caitlin Alford, Jalayne Hanson, and Maya Davis — 6th place

It was an exciting night for the Whippets! Their teamwork, energy, and spirit were on full display as they wrapped up a fantastic JV season.

Next up: the Varsity Conference Championship on Saturday, November 1st at Beloit Memorial!
Swimming starts at 11:00 am — hope to see you there! 

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

The Whippet Volleyball Program recently held its annual end-of-year banquet, recognizing the hard work, growth, and dedication of athletes across all levels — JV2, JV1, and Varsity. Each team was celebrated for their commitment to learning, improvement, and teamwork throughout the season.

JV1 and JV2 coaches, Coach Miller and Coach AJ, highlighted their teams’ strong work ethic, selfless play, and consistent progress. Every athlete was honored with a word symbolizing their unique contribution to the team, reflecting the character and effort they brought to the program each day. The coaches shared their excitement for the bright future ahead with this promising group of athletes.

Varsity Head Coach Lippens expressed heartfelt gratitude to the families, administration, and athletes for their continued support throughout the season. Together with Coach Kilar, she recognized the perseverance and commitment shown by this year’s varsity team. Although the win-loss record did not reflect the team’s full potential, their growth, resilience, and unity were undeniable.

This year’s varsity squad was led by five outstanding seniors — Peyton Clark, Danika Larson, Kaia Jones, Mya Graves-Koran, and Sydney Schilt — each leaving a lasting legacy on the Whippet Volleyball Program:

• Kaia Jones – the quiet leader with immense heart and determination.
• Danika Larson – a model of commitment and personal growth.
• Mya Graves-Koran – a steady setter who anchored the team.
• Peyton Clark – a versatile athlete who embodied perseverance.
• Sydney Schilt – a hardworking and passionate leader on offense and defense who set the tone on and off the court.

Together, these seniors set a standard of excellence and leadership that will continue to inspire future Whippet athletes.

2025 Whippet Volleyball Awards were presented to:

• Team Captains: Mya Graves-Koran, Kaia Jones, and Sydney Schilt
• Whippet Heart Award: Kaia Jones
• Most Improved Players: Junior Maddi Morton, Senior Danika Larson, and Sophomore Emery Kachel
• Offensive Player of the Year: Senior Sydney Schilt
• Defensive Player of the Year: Freshman Jasmine Kilar
• All-Conference Honorable Mention: Senior Kaia Jones and Senior Sydney Schilt
• Second Team All-Conference: Freshman Jasmine Kilar
• American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Phenom Watchlist: Freshman Jasmine Kilar

The Whippet Volleyball Program is proud of the achievements, character, and growth of its athletes and looks forward to continued success in the seasons ahead. The banquet was a true celebration of dedication, teamwork, and community — a reflection of the heart and effort that define Whippet Volleyball. As we say goodbye to our incredible seniors, we thank them for the leadership, passion, and legacy they leave behind, and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors. As the program closes one chapter and looks ahead to the next, the Whippet Volleyball family remains united in purpose — striving for excellence, supporting one another, and playing with pride in every set, every match, and every season.

Article and Photos Submitted by Mary Kilar

The Whippets capped their 2025 campaign on a high note Friday evening, October 24, at the WIAA Sectional Meet in Cambridge. In what many would consider perfect fall racing conditions — 52 degrees, sunny, calm, and on a fast, runner-friendly course — the team delivered its best collective effort of the season. The rolling, wooded trails of Cam Rock Park produced season-bests for many and lifetime bests for others.

Boys’ Recap
Freshman Tyler Carollo once again led the Whippets, finishing 42nd in 17:57 in his first postseason race. The pack of the team’s 2–5 runners ran together deep into the race. Wyatt Esch emerged as the No. 2 runner, placing 76th in 19:12. Seniors Quinton O’Toole and Isaiah Mendez went head-to-head one final time, crossing nearly together — Quinton 82nd in 19:33.1 and Isaiah 83rd in 19:33.8. Marcus Roselle battled to 85th in 19:35.

Sam Nickelsburg turned in the race of his life with a 94th-place finish in 21:31. Angel Kilar rounded out the lineup in 95th with a time of 21:49. The boys placed 14th overall.

Girls’ Recap
As she has all season, Virginia Nelson led the girls’ squad and matched Tyler’s team placing — 42nd — finishing in 21:17. Melody Smith, racing in spikes for the first time, dropped a significant chunk of time to place 66th in 22:13. Ema Aranda surged late, passing numerous runners en route to 68th in 22:19. Senior Delaney Hammack ran strong and steady to finish 75th in 22:49.

Running together for much of the race, Peyton Comfort placed 88th in 24:28, senior Payton Brautigam closed her career with a lifetime PR of 24:38 for 90th, and Madelyn Taylor, filling in as the alternate, finished 91st in 24:53. The girls placed 13th out of 15 teams.

With no athletes advancing to the WIAA State Meet, the sectional meet concludes the season for the Whippets.

Full results: https://my.raceresult.com/368477/results

Article Submitted by Chad Carstens
Whitewater High School Head Cross Country Coach
ccarstens@wwusd.org
Pictures Courtesy of Heather Hammack

The Whippets finished out their last conference dual meet of the season with a big win over Edgerton/Evansville on Tuesday, October 21st — Senior Night! It was a fantastic evening celebrating our seniors and their incredible contributions to the program. The team showed up strong across the board, closing out conference duals with great swims and tons of best times!

 Senior Highlights:

• Atreya Wilson dropped 2 seconds in her 200 IM with a time of 2:58.54 and won the 100 Breaststroke in 1:28.00!
• Lucy Davis swam a lifetime best 30.87 in the 50 Free and a smooth, well-paced 500 Free in 7:00.73.
• Georgia Esch was right on her lifetime best in the 200 Free with a 2:53.48 and had a great 100 Backstroke at 1:40.62.
• Grace Coleman earned a new best time in the 100 Fly with 1:37.56 and was right on her best in the 100 Backstroke (1:30.70).
• Charlotte Hajewski dropped 2 seconds for a season best 1:22.31 in the 100 Fly and hit a lifetime best 1:20.51 in the 100 Backstroke.

 Other Meet Highlights:

• Grace Smith went 2-for-2 on best times!
  • 200 Free – 2:22.73 (7-second drop!)
  • 100 Free – 1:05.57 (2-second drop!)
• Emma Maas went 2-for-2 on best times!
  • 200 IM – 2:55.15 (12-second drop!)
  • 100 Breast – 1:32.28 (2-second drop!)
• Laken DePorter went 2-for-2 on best times!
  • 50 Free – lifetime best 32.83
  • 500 Free – 8-second drop to 5:57.41!
• Jalayne Hanson went 2-for-2 on best times!
  • 50 Free – 36.58
  • 100 Free – 1:29.35
• Paige Kollwelter went 2-for-2 on best times!
  • 50 Free – 34.69
  • 100 Free – 1:22.04
• Maggie Maas hit a lifetime best 1:16.34 in the 100 Fly.
• Maya Davis dropped an impressive 14 seconds in her 500 Free with a new time of 7:42.22!

It was an incredible night for the Whippets — tons of time drops, lifetime bests, and a strong finish to the dual meet season! 

The Whippet swimmers now enter Championship Season! First up: JV Conference on Tuesday, October 28th (swimming starts at 6:00 pm). Then it’s on to the Southern Lakes Conference Championship Meet on Saturday, November 1st at 11:00 am!
We hope to see you there! ‍️

Article and Photo Courtesy of Sarah Reynolds
Whitewater High School Head Swim Coach
ReynoldsSM07@uww.edu

The Whippets traveled to Milton on Saturday, October 18th to compete in the Red Hawk Relays! The girls had a phenomenal day in the water, placing 4th overall as a team and bringing home multiple medals! 

 Top 5 Relay Finishes:

• 850 Free Relay (50–100–200–500) – 5th place, 10:54.20
  • Maggie Maas swam the 200 leg in 2:22.37
  • Lucy Davis closed the relay with an impressive 6:50.97 in the 500, a season best!
• 300 Breaststroke Relay (50–100–50–100) – 5th place, 4:26.61
  • Maya Davis – 1:34.10 (best time)
  • Emma Maas – dropped 5 seconds with a 40.81 50 split
  • Atreya Wilson – lifetime best 1:24.77 for her 100
• 200 Free Relay (Juniors/Seniors) – 4th place, 2:13.72 
  • Grace Coleman, Georgia Esch, Paige Kollwelter & Charlotte Hajewski earned the first medals of the day!
  • Georgia, Paige & Charlotte all swam season-best splits.
• 200 Medley Relay – 5th place, 2:22.12
  • Emma Maas – 39.14 (Back)
  • Atreya Wilson – lifetime best 36.91 (Breast)
  • Lucy Davis – 35.63 (Fly)
  • Grace Smith – 30.44 (Free)
• 400 Free Class Relay (FR–SO–JR–SR) – 5th place, 5:27.43
  • All swimmers went best times!
  • Georgia Esch – 1:20.61
  • Paige Kollwelter – 1:21.11 (4-second drop!)
  • Caitlin Alford – 1:27.52
  • Storm DePorter – 1:18.19
• 4×100 IM Relay – 4th place, earning medals with a fantastic team effort!
  • Maggie Maas – 1:15.12
  • Atreya Wilson – 1:18.69 (6-second drop!)
  • Emma Maas – 1:20.40 (5-second drop!)
  • Charlotte Hajewski – 1:20.26 
• 200 Fly/Back Relay – 4th place, 2:24.04 
  • Lucy Davis, Grace Coleman, Charlotte Hajewski & Maggie Maas brought home another set of medals!
• 200 Reverse IM Relay (FR–BR–BA–FLY) – 5th place, 2:42.69
  • Laken DePorter, Maya Davis, Georgia Esch & Jalayne Hanson rounded out an impressive team performance!

The Whippets continue to show depth, teamwork, and steady improvement across every event — an incredible showing at a fun and competitive meet! 

Next up, the Whippets are back in the water on Tuesday, October 21st for their final dual meet of the season against Edgerton/Evansville — it’s Senior Night!  Come celebrate our seniors and cheer on the team! Swimming starts at 5:30 pm at home!

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

WOMEN’S SOCCER: Warhawks pick up first WIAC win of the season at Eau Claire

https://uwwsports.com/news/2025/10/18/womens-soccer-uww-picks-up-first-wiac-win-of-the-season-against-blugolds.aspx

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL: Warhawks win battle of the birds topping Firebirds in five

https://uwwsports.com/news/2025/10/18/volleyball-warhawks-win-battle-of-the-birds-in-five.aspx

SWIM/DIVE: UWW finishes strong in D1-dominated Wisconsin Showcase

https://uwwsports.com/news/2025/10/18/mens-swimming-diving-warhawk-swim-dive-finishes-strong-at-wisconsin-showcase.aspx

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY: Anderson leads Warhawk men at Augustana Interregional

https://uwwsports.com/news/2025/10/18/mens-cross-country-anderson-leads-uww-men-at-augustana-interregional.aspx

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY: UWW women finish 18^th in 40-team field at Augustana Interregional

https://uwwsports.com/news/2025/10/18/womens-cross-country-warhawk-women-compete-in-renowned-augustana-interregional.aspx

Women’s Tennis Sweep Two on Saturday

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s tennis team went 14-0 on the day with two sweeps over WIAC opponents. The women started the day with a 7-0 win over UW-Stout, followed by another 7-0 victory over UW-River Falls in the afternoon.

In the double flights, the Warhawks set an early tone in both matches by sweeping the three to get the team point. Against UW-Stout, Crystina Lee (Downers Grove, Ill./Timothy Christian) & Molly Asfeld (Waukesha, Wis./West) blanked their opponents at the second flight for a 6-0 victory. Abby Weaver & Gracie Ha (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) did the same in the later match against UW-River Falls at the top doubles flight.

The Warhawks had a dominant performance on the singles side in both matches. No Warhawk dropped over three games in a single set, with the total game scores sitting at 72-26. Ashley Adkisson (Licolnshire, Ill./Stevenson) highlighted the first match against UW-Stout with a 6-0, 6-0 victory at the #5 singles draw. Against UW-River Falls, Gracie Ha (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) took the top singles flight 6-1, 6-1. Abby Weaver took the second flight 6-0, 6-2, & Kaitlyn Remke (Johnsburg, Ill./Marian Central) took the third at 6-0, 6-1. 

Note: Recap for men’s soccer will be posted later this evening on uwwsports.com

Editor’s note: The above recap was provided by UW-Whitewater Athletics.

A huge second half carried the UW-Whitewater football team in a lop-sided 34-2 win over UW-Stout Friday night. The Warhawks scored 31 points bolstered by three takeaways in the second half. 

The Warhawk defense was stifling Friday night under the lights at Perkins Stadium. UW-Whitewater allowed just a single rushing yard bolstered by eight sacks for a loss of 51 yards. The Warhawks also won the turnover battle with three interceptions and a fumble recovery while the Blue Devils had a single interception. 

After a scoreless first quarter, UWW broke the stalemate with a Seth Adams 24-yard field goal early in the second quarter. The Warhawks would carry the 3-0 lead into the break. 

On the other side of halftime, UWW needed less than three minutes to find the endzone. Brian Stanton had a big workload in the drive with three carries on five plays including the final burst up through the middle and to the house for the 45-yard touchdown scamper and a 10-0 Warhawk advantage. 

UW-Whitewater nearly added another score after forcing the Blue Devils to punt on an 87-yard return, but a flag was thrown for an illegal block to pin UWW deep in their own territory. Three plays later, UW-Stout got on the board with a safety. 

Another big special teams play led to a Warhawk response on offense. Kaden Sleets blocked another UW-Stout punt as the ball caromed out of bounds at midfield. A Justin Klinkner – Tyler Vasey connection for 42 yards put UWW in the redzone and the Warhawks capitalized as Colin Fritts hauled in a pass from three-yards out. At the end of the third UW-Whitewater had extended the lead to 17-2. 

Early in the fourth, UW-Stout opted for a deep fade into the back corner of the endzone. Deven Magli had the coverage and read the route perfectly, elevating for a phenomenal pick in the endzone. That interception, his second two games, led to a huge fourth quarter. Ty Schultz broke off a 75-yard touchdown run, Klinkner found paydirt with his feet, a strip sack forced by Carson Clausen was recovered by Noah Moris and Hunter Liszka drilled a field goal from 36-yards. The Warhawk defense capped the in perfect fashion as Dylan Rogers hopped a passing lane for the interception allowing UW-Whitewater to kneel out the clock. 

Klinkner was 8-16 for 116 yards and a touchdown pass while adding a second on the ground. Schultz registered a 100-yard rushing game bolstered by the 75-yard scoring run to lead the running back corps. Fritts was the top target with a pair of catches including the touchdown. 

Defensively, Karsten Libby paced UW-Whitewater with 10 tackles including six solo. Ben Bielawski got to the quarterback twice for a pair of solo sacks adding a quarterback hurry. Ethan Gallagher joined Magli and Rogers with a tally in the interception column. 

UW-Whitewater will host UW-Platteville for the 32nd George Chryst Memorial Bowl next Saturday. The game will also be the team’s annual Homecoming and Hall of Fame game with the 2025 inductees receiving recognition at halftime. 

Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by UW-Whitewater Athletics.

The Whitewater Whippets Cross Country Teams toed the line at the Rock Valley Conference Championships on Thursday, October 16, turning in several standout performances on a notoriously difficult course at UW-Whitewater.

Led by freshman Tyler Carollo, the boys’ team placed 10th overall in the conference and fifth in the Valley Division. Carollo earned Second Team All-Conference honors, finishing 14th overall with a time of 18:50. The freshman showed exceptional composure and grit, racing his way into the top 16 to secure all-conference recognition in his first varsity season.

Marcus Roselle delivered his strongest race of the year, running a lifetime personal best of 20:26 to finish 52nd overall. Wyatt Esch followed close behind in 20:32 for 55th place, while Isaiah Mendez clocked 20:47 for 60th, just 13 seconds shy of his all-time best. Quinton O’Toole rounded out the top five in 21:47, placing 67th.

Also competing for the varsity squad were Angel Kilar (72nd, 22:44) and Carson Miller, who capped off his season with a personal best of 23:39 to finish 74th.

In the junior varsity race, Sam Nickelsburg led the Whippets with a career-best 23:25, good for 35th overall. All four JV runners recorded lifetime bests, including Jameson Rothwell (24:07), Ian Agen (26:22), and Steinar Truesdale (30:29), who completed his first race of the season after battling injuries.

On the girls’ side, Virginia Nelson led the way once again, earning Honorable Mention All-Conference honors with a 19th-place finish in 22:56, improving on her 22nd-place finish from last year.

Freshman Melody Smith had a breakthrough performance, taking nearly a minute off her previous best to finish 34th in 24:35. Ema Aranda (35th, 24:36) and Delaney Hammack (40th, 24:54) weren’t far behind, providing steady depth for the Whippets.

Payton Brautigam and Noelia Villegas-Korbel crossed the line nearly together, with Brautigam edging ahead for 57th in 28:19 and Villegas-Korbel following in 28:20. Madelyn Taylor rounded out the varsity lineup in 28:47 for 61st.

The girls’ team placed sixth overall out of 11 schools, finishing third in the Valley Division.

In JV action, Peyton Comfort highlighted the day with a massive personal best of 27:00 to take 14th. Kelly Mayorga finished 23rd in 32:31.

Head Coach Chad Carstens praised the team’s effort and progress over the season, saying, “We’re really proud of how our athletes competed today. It’s always rewarding to see so many lifetime bests and strong finishes at the conference meet. Tyler and Virginia led with outstanding races, but what stood out most was how much grit not only Tyler and Virginia have, but the team as a whole. Competing in cross country is not easy, and they rose to the challenge and gave it their all.”

Full results: https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/259066/info

Next up will be the WIAA Sectional CC meet in Cambridge at Cam Rock Park #2.

Article and Photos Submitted by Chad Carstens
Whitewater High School Head Cross Country Coach
ccarstens@wwusd.org

The Whitewater Whippet Girls’ Tennis team concluded its season with its tennis banquet. Taryn Rothwell received 2nd team All Rock Valley Conference in Singles, and Lillian Navejas Ortiz received Rock Valley Conference Honorable Mention based upon her play this year at #2 singles. Izzy Lawton and Serina Soto received the Most Improved Player. Kiani Aranda and Natalia Casillas received the Sportsmanship Award, and Ruth Lopez won the Heart Award for 2025.

Article and Photos Submitted by Greg Stewart
Whitewater High School Head Girls’ Tennis Coach
gstewart@wwusd.org

The Whitewater Girls’ Swim Team traveled to Beloit on Tuesday, October 14th to take on Beloit Memorial — and the Whippets brought home another strong 106–58 victory! 

Meet Highlights:

• All 200 Freestylers went best times!
  • Charlotte Hajewski – 2:31.59
  • Emma Maas – dropped 6 seconds for a new best of 2:40.39
  • Storm DePorter – 2:52.24
• Lucy Davis went a lifetime best in the 200 IM, swimming the event for the first time this season!
• In the 50 Freestyle, Grace Smith dropped more time with a 30.82, while Atreya Wilson joined her with a new PR of 31.28.
• In the 100 Butterfly, Charlotte Hajewski dropped 3 seconds to post a 1:24.17, and Lucy Davis also dropped to a 1:30.60!
• The 100 Freestyle saw more personal bests — Caitlin Alford cut 3 seconds for a 1:26.86, Storm DePorter dropped 3 seconds with a 1:16.85, and Maya Davis improved to a 1:19.12!
• In the 500 Freestyle, Atreya Wilson dropped a huge 7 seconds to finish with a 7:08.85, and Laken DePorter dropped 2 seconds for a new best of 8:06.01.
• Paige Kollwelter dropped time in the 100 Backstroke, swimming a 1:43.11.
• In the 100 Breaststroke, both Maya Davis and Emma Maas had great swims — Maya dropped 3 seconds for a 1:34.82, and Emma dropped 2 seconds for a 1:35.20!

The Whippets continue to make waves each week, showing hard work, steady improvement, and great team spirit! 

The Whippets are back in action on Saturday, October 18th as they take on the Milton Relays! Swimming starts at 10 am — hope to see you there!

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