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UW-Whitewater Career Services is collecting professional attire for our Warhawk Success Closet, a free resource for students to use for interviews and work wear. We are accepting donations of gently-used professional clothes, specifically suit jackets & blazers, dress pants, dress shoes, ties, belts, and dress shirts/blouses. Please consider cleaning out your closet to help the Warhawk community! Our drive runs through December 13th, although donations can be made any time of year. Visit https://tinyurl.com/WarhawksDonateUWW to learn how to donate.
Editor’s note: The Banner appreciates having permission to use the image on the homepage by Ribhav Agrawal from Pixabay,
The Greater Whitewater Committee (GWC) is set to host Gallery Director Kim Adams from the Whitewater Arts Alliance (WAA), at the upcoming December meeting. Kim Adams will be providing an update on the Whitewater Arts Alliance (WAA).
Kim Adams has served as the Gallery Director for the Whitewater Arts Alliance (WAA) since December 14, 2023. As a lifelong learner and advocate for the arts, she believes that creativity resides in everyone.
One of the standout achievements in Kim’s career has been her instrumental role in developing and supervising The Center Art Gallery and Roberta’s Art Gallery, at the UW-Whitewater University Center. Her collaborative efforts with the UW-W Art Department, alongside engagement with student artists, local, regional, national, and international talents, have been pivotal in fostering a vibrant artistic community. Kim has also been actively involved with local organizations such as the Whitewater Arts Alliance, Studio 84, Fairhaven Senior Services, Optimist International, Association of College Unions International, and the Whitewater Unified School District, among others.
Kim’s impact extends beyond gallery curation and collaboration. She played a crucial role in the development of the permanent art collection at the University Center, orchestrating collaborative projects that bridged the gap between professional artists and students. Her commitment to education and outreach is further exemplified by her previous involvement in the “Warhawk Experience Camp,” assisting with Warhawk Dual Enrollment research, and serving as the Community Outreach Specialist for the Chancellor’s Office (in fall 2023).
“The Whitewater Arts Alliance (WAA) is an essential part of our community,” said GWC President, Jeffery Knight, “I am looking forward to Kim’s presentation to learn more about the incredible work she does.”
The GWC’s upcoming monthly meeting is Thursday, December 12th at 7 a.m. at 841 Brewhouse: 841 E Milwaukee St, Whitewater, WI 53190. The public is more than welcome to attend this meeting to hear more about the Whitewater Arts Alliance. If interested in attending, you must RSVP. To reserve your spot, contact Jeff Knight at jpk@knightpublicaffairs.com or 920.728.0662 by Wednesday, December 11th.
About the GWC
The GWC is an action-oriented group committed to working with citizens, elected officials, and policymakers to identify, craft, and implement a pro-business agenda. The agenda advances the economic, education, and social policies required to energize and secure the Whitewater area’s economic future, as well as protect Whitewater’s quality of life.
The Whippet Boys’ Swim Team had a great meet at the Tom Lieder Invite in Milton on Saturday, December 7th. The boys finished 3rd out of 11 teams and brought home 6 medals!
Top 16 finishes include:
- 200 Medley (3rd – 1:54.72) Langdon Coburn, Jack Hefty, Cruz Aranda, Myles Morse
- 200 Freestyle –
- 2nd – Cruz Aranda (1:55.97)
- 6th – Miles Nickelsburg (2:11.39)
- 9th – Myles Morse (2:16.25)
- 50 Freestyle –
- 4th – Mateo Bazeley (24.83)
- 8th – Jack Hefty (25.26)
- 100 Freestyle –
- 4th – Mateo Bazeley (56.16)
- 8th – Jack Hefty (57.66)
- 100 IM –
- 2nd – Langdon Coburn (1:02.82)
- 5th – Miles Nickelsburg (1:11.08)
- 13th – Andrew O’Toole (1:17.11)
- 14th – Caleb Kluck (1:20.97)
- 500 Freestyle –
- 2nd – Cruz Aranda (5:19.11)
- 3rd – Myles Morse (6:03.70)
- 200 Freestyle Relay (6th – 1:47.52) – Wyatt Esch, Miles Nickelsburg, Andrew O’Toole, Mateo Bazeley
- 100 Backstroke –
- 5th – Langdon Coburn (1:03.06)
- 100 Breaststroke –
- 13th – David Enns (1:27.09)
- 400 Freestyle Relay (This race is a little different at this meet it is an 8×50) 2nd place finish with a time of 3:27.59 – Cruz Aranda, Miles Nickelsburg, Langdon Coburn, Wyatt Esch, Myles Morse, Mateo Bazeley, Caleb Kluck, Jack Hefty
There were many best times on the day! Angel Kilar dropped nearly 10 seconds off his seeded time in the 50 Freestyle going a 35.62. Isaac Straight started right where he left off last season crushing the 100 Breaststroke! Xavier Ortiz got to experience some individual racing for the first time; he had a great 100 Breaststroke time.
The Boys will have their first home meet on Tuesday, December 10th against Edgerton/Evansville. The meet starts at 5:30 pm. We hope to see you there!
Article and Photos Submitted by Sarah Reynolds
Whitewater High School Head Swim Coach
ReynoldsSM07@uww.edu
The Whitewater High School Boys’ Basketball team traveled to Delavan-Darien High School on Friday night to open up the Rock Valley Conference season. The Whippets won 82-70 in overtime. Whitewater High School was led in scoring by Reece Condon with 27 points; none were bigger than his three pointer to open up overtime. The Whippets outscored the comets 15-3 in overtime, and sophomore Connor Brummeyer added six of those.
Matthew Carollo opened up the game with 5 of his 6 threes in the first half and handled the ball against a very physical DDHS team. The second half was more of a fight than a basketball game. The Whippets built a 17-point lead and withstood a late game charge from the Comets.
Senior Ty Hagedorn had huge rebounds in the second half!
The Whippets play Monroe on Thursday night, December 12.
Article Submitted by Michael McCabe
Whitewater High School Head Boys’ Basketball Coach
mccmi01@wwusd.org
Photo Courtesy of Bob Mischka
Warhawks celebrate a point during the match against Juniata (Keith Lucas)
Salem, Va. – The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrapped up a phenomenal 2024 campaign as the NCAA Division III National Runner-Up Saturday. The Warhawks fell to undefeated Juniata 3-2 (25-19, 25-19, 15-25, 26-28, 15-10) at the Cregger Center in Salem, Virginia. UWW pushed a fifth set for the first time in nine seasons in the national title match – the previous eight were 3-0 sweeps.
UW-Whitewater battled back to force the decisive fifth after trailing 0-2 in the match. The Warhawks turned it around in set three as the best blocking team in the country lived up to its reputation. UWW registered seven blocks in the set, holding the Eagles to a negative attack percentage. Meanwhile the offense picked up the pace hitting .235 with 13 kills. The offense-defense combination led to a lop-sided 25-15 win in the set.
The fourth set was arguably one of the most thrilling of the season. UW-Whitewater trailed early until Jenna Weinfurt took over. The powerful outside hitter posted UWW’s next five points – all on kills – to tie the set 10-10. From there, the teams traded points, battling it out as the set continued on. Juniata claimed the first set and match point, 25-24, but the Warhawks had the response on an Alayna Jansky kill.
The Eagles forced another match point and setter Aubrie Krzus pushed the ball back to this outside, this time for Weinfurt. She drove the ball on a dart toward the endline and the line judge lifted his flag to signal out. Juniata rushed the floor as Head Coach Stacy Boudreau immediately grabbed the green challenge card. The officials went to the monitor and quickly returned to the floor indicating the ball was in, the call overturned for a UWW point and the set now tied 26-26.
On the next play, the Eagles’ set drifted over the net and Weinfurt put it back down for a UW-Whitewater set point. In a rare feat for a title match, the Warhawks won the set on a bad set as the Juniata setter pushed the ball to the outside pin as the hitters all collapsed toward the middle. The error sent the squads into a fifth.
Following the brief intermission, the Eagles came out on fire scoring the first eight points. The Warhawks did not fold and continued to battle pulling to within four, but the deficit was too much to overcome in the shortened fifth set.
Weinfurt had a phenomenal match with 25 kills while Jansky posted 16 in the contest. The pair combined for 99 kills over the three matches in the championship and were named to the NCAA Division III Championship All-Tournament Team for their performances. Krzus tallied 38 assists in the match.
Defensively, Jaedynn Evans led UWW with 19 digs while Weinfurt added 18 and Jansky posted 12. At the net, Hannah Proctor had 10 blocks, Krzus and Abbie Dix each registered eight and Chloe Werner added four.
The Warhawks wrap up the 2024 campaign with a 31-4 record, the first 30-win season since 2015. The trip to the national title match is UWW’s first since 2007. Juniata has won 97 consecutive matches including three straight titles.
The Whippet Boys’ Swim Team had an AMAZING night of racing at the Southern Lakes Conference Relays Championship Meet on Thursday, December 5th. The Boys placed 3rd overall as a team, with all relays finishing in the Top 10, and 4 of them brought home some hardware!
Top 10 finishes include:
200 Medley Relay A (5th – 1:56.23) Langdon Coburn, Jack Hefty, Cruz Aranda, Myles Morse
200 Medley Relay B (10th – 2:25.86) Xavier Ortiz, David Enns, Sam Nickelsburg, Angel Kilar
200 Free Relay (5th – 1:54.98) Andrew O’Toole, Caleb Kluck, Sam Nickelsburg, Wyatt Esch
4×100 IM Relay (3rd – 4:27.00) Jack Hefty, Langdon Coburn, Myles Morse, Cruz Aranda
1000 Free Crescendo Relay (3rd – 12:20.74) Mateo Bazeley, Wyatt Esch, Miles Nickelsburg, Andrew O’Toole
200 Butterfly Relay (6th – 2:13.97) Miles Nickelsburg, Sam Nickelsburg, Caleb Kluck, Myles Morse
100 Free Relay A (1st – 46.54) Langdon Coburn, Jack Hefty, Mateo Bazeley, Cruz Aranda
100 Free Relay B (10th – 1:02.32) Xavier Ortiz, Angel Kilar, David Enns, Isaac Straight
500 Free Crescendo Relay (2nd – 4:56.16) Myles Morse, Jack Hefty, Langdon Coburn, Cruz Aranda
400 Backstroke Relay (4th – 4:50.98) Mateo Bazeley, Andrew O’Toole, Wyatt Esch, Miles Nickelsburg
400 Breaststroke Relay (5th – 6:29.49) Caleb Kluck, Xavier Ortiz, Isaac Straight, David Enns
400 Freestyle Relay A (6th – 4:09.66) Miles Nickelsburg, Andrew O’Toole, Wyatt Esch, Mateo Bazeley
400 Freestyle Relay B (8th – 4:45.62) Sam Nickelsburg, Caleb Kluck, Xavier Ortiz, David Enns
We are excited to see what the rest of the season has in store! The boys also traveled to Milton on Saturday, December 7th for the Tom Lieder Invite.
Article and Photos Submitted by Sarah Reynolds
Whitewater High School Head Swim Coach
ReynoldsSM07@uww.edu
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater will celebrate the achievements of its graduates at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, as proud families and friends gather for the 2024 December commencement ceremony.
Approximately 815 students will be earning their degrees. The ceremony, about two hours long and presided over by Chancellor Corey A. King, will be held at Kachel Fieldhouse in the Williams Center.
This year’s commencement speaker is Monica Kelsey-Brown, an alumna who has devoted her career to creating equitable educational opportunities and inspiring young minds. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at UW-Whitewater, building the foundation for her impactful career, and later completed her doctorate at UW-Madison. Kelsey-Brown currently serves as superintendent of the Waunakee Community School District, where she leads with a focus on innovation, inclusion, and student success.
The student speaker is Jordyn Robinson, a Milwaukee native who is earning his Bachelor of Arts in journalism with an emphasis in advertising and a minor in sports management. A first-generation college student, campus leader and passionate community advocate, on campus he worked to create inclusive spaces where all students could feel a sense of belonging and thrive academically and socially in his roles as president of the Black Student Union and student affairs director in Whitewater Student Government. He is the founder and owner of The GRINDmke, which provides athletic apparel, sports management, college recruitment and athletic training services in track, football and basketball.
83% percent of the graduating students come from Wisconsin, and 24 states and two countries other than the United States are represented in the graduating class.
The graduating class includes three international students, 58 military veterans and 138 nontraditional students, defined as undergraduate students who are 25 years of age or older. In addition, 80 self-identified students with disabilities — about 10% of the students graduating — will receive degrees.
Commencement will be broadcast live online by UWW-TV, the university television station. Access to the livestream will be posted at uww.edu/commencement.
“Genie”
Tuesday, December 10, 1 pm
(Holiday/Comedy); Rated PG; 1hour, 33 minutes (2023).
Flora (Melissa McCarthy), a genie trapped in an antique jewelry case, is accidentally called into service by a workaholic Dad to win his family back before Christmas. Written by Richard Curtis (“Love Actually“) also stars Alan Cumming, host of “PBS Masterpiece Mystery.”
Seniors in the Park is located in Starin Park, 504 W. Starin Road. Although there is no charge to attend, regular participants are encouraged to join Seniors in the Park. The annual fee for residents of the Whitewater Unified School District is $10 and non-residents is $15. The funds support about half of the cost of our front desk staff person for 15 hours per week. The rest comes our of our fundraising monies. If you cannot afford the fee, we have a fund that will cover it for you. Fees are accepted at the Starin Park Community Building or online at https://schedulesplus.com/wwtr/kiosk/
Obituaries
William J. “Bill” West, 75, of Whitewater passed away on Tuesday, December 24, 2024 at Fort Memorial Hospital in Fort Atkinson. Bill was born on September 8, 1949 to John and Bessie (Sutherland) West in Fort Atkinson. He worked at the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater for twelve years. Bill enjoyed watching the Packers and NASCAR. He is survived by his girlfriend, Sandy Hahn; and many friends and family. A memorial visitation will take place on Thursday, January 16, 2025 from 11 AM until 1 PM at Nitardy Funeral Home, 550 N. Newcomb St., Whitewater, WI 53190. Inurnment will take … Read more
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David Harold Baker Jr., beloved husband, father, stepfather, son, and brother, passed away on December 16, 2024, in Portland, Oregon, at the age of 61. Born on August 10, 1963, in Beaufort, South Carolina, David was the firstborn child of David Baker Sr. and the late Betty Jean Baker (née Wickham) while his father served in the United States Marine Corps. David spent his early years in Wyoming, where the family lived until his parents divorced. In 1976, David moved to Oregon with his father, and he graduated from high school in 1982. Shortly after, he moved to Wisconsin to … Read more
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Allen C. Hicks, 85 of Whitewater passed away on Saturday, January 4th, 2025 at Huntington Memory Care in Janesville. Al, the oldest of seven boys, was born on July 5th, 1939, in Belvidere, Illinois to Walt and Laura (Keller) Hicks. A few years later, the family bought a dairy farm in Whitewater and became very active in the Whitewater community. There was always work to be done or something to be repaired on the farm which led to Al’s lifelong love of tinkering. He was very active in high school sports which continued on into his adult years playing in … Read more
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Jeanette Ila Hansen, 91, Whitewater passed away on December 24, 2024 at Rainbow Hospice Inpatient Center in Johnson Creek, WI, having lived independently almost all her later life. Jeanette was born on May 12, 1933 in Whitewater, WI to Alvin and Maybell (Maasz) Cox. She married Norman Hansen on November 2, 1950 and they were married for 59 years. Jeanette enjoyed fishing, reading, indoor gardening, collecting dolls, and cooking; and she made many beautiful items with crocheting, knitting, and sewing. She was generous and seemed to have a good word to say about almost everyone she met. She especially loved … Read more
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Isaac Richard Unger left the field on Christmas Day, and is now at peace. He was born in Whitewater, WI on April 1st, 1993 to Paul and Mary Jo (née Peiffer) Unger. Isaac was born ten days late on a silly holiday, and lived his life as such–never rushed, and with a lighthearted sense of humor. Isaac graduated from Madison East High School in 2011, and then attended UW-River Falls from 2011-2016, where he studied English and philosophy. Isaac was a sports lover, not only as a spectator, but as a participant. Isaac grew up playing soccer, basketball (Badger Sporting … Read more
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John George Mack passed away into eternal glory on December 24th, 2024. John was born December 1, 1963, in Fort Atkinson, WI to Ronald and Mary Alice (Hanson) Mack of Whitewater. John was a 1982 Whitewater High School graduate. In 1983 just out of high school John started his first wood company selling wholesale through all the major gift markets including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and New York. At the time his clients included 8 out of the 10 retail chains and several thousand independent stores nationwide. John had so many wonderful customers and associates. As the wholesale gift market shifted to cheaper overseas … Read more
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Clifford Maynard Witte, age 103, of Whitewater, WI completed his earthly journey on December 24, 2024 in his home surrounded by his loving family. Clifford was born on September 13, 1921 on a farm in Mount Horeb, WI, and was the third child of Ella and Eli Witte. Clifford served his country by joining the Navy in 1942 during WWII, and served alongside his two brothers. Later he used the GI bill to attend Palmer Chiropractic College in Davenport, IA. There he met the love of his life, Beulah (Billie) Ohrberg, and they married on Nov 7, 1946. Shortly after … Read more
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Mary Ann Burkhardt, 79, passed away December 24, 2024, at Edgerton Hospital, surrounded by loved ones following a brief illness. Mary was born on September 14, 1945, in Chicago, IL, to Raymond and Helen (Pasternak) Burkhardt. She attended elementary school in Chicago and Good Counsel Catholic Girls High School, before her family moved to Whitewater where she graduated from WHS in 1963. She worked at Gus’s Pizza Palace, Whitewater Products, and finally, Jones Dairy Farm until her retirement 33 years later. She enjoyed bowling, snowmobiling, boating, golf, riding her motorcycle, and playing softball for the Long Branch Saloon. She was … Read more
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Jean Lucile Zuill, 98, of Whitewater passed away on Thursday, December 19, 2024 at Hearthstone Memory Care. Jean was born on April 20, 1926 in the Town of Lima to Howard and Florence (VanDuser) Hunt. Along with her brother Van, she grew up on their family farm in Lima. She graduated from Whitewater High School in 1944. For a short time, Jean worked at the Parker Pen Company in Janesville. She married David “Dave” Zuill on August 9, 1947 in Whitewater. Upon marriage and having their two daughters, Janet and Mary, Jean undertook the meaningful job of mother and homemaker. … Read more
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Helen Ruth Delaney, 94, of Whitewater, WI, passed away peacefully into the arms of her Heavenly Father on Friday, December 20, 2024. She was born in Bellwood, West Virginia on August 8, 1930, daughter of Henderson C. and Bertha J. (Skaggs) Hamby. She attended Leedwood High School in West Virginia. She attended Cornell University in New York studying economics and business. On April 8, 1978, Helen married Laurence W. Delaney in Rockton, IL. Helen retired as the Manager of a Hallmark gift shop in Greenville SC and previously managed the Stop ‘N Go in Whitewater, WI. Helen was a member … Read more
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