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By Kristine Zaballos
Asst. Director of University Marketing & Communications
UW Whitewater at Rock County is offering 10 scholarships worth $1,000 each to encourage both current and prospective students to enroll full-time or part-time (at least 6 credits) for fall 2025 classes at URock. For students enrolled by June 16, 2025, five scholarship recipients will be selected at random and the winners notified by June 20. For students enrolled by July 28, another five will be selected at random and notified by Aug. 1.
“Enrollment for this fall is already strong, and it’s important that students who have already enrolled know they are also eligible for these scholarships,” said Tricia Clasen, assistant vice chancellor of the Rock County campus and dean of the College of Integrated Studies. “With our affordable tuition and 100% acceptance rate, URock is a great option, and we hope this incentive just sweetens the pot.”
UW-Whitewater at Rock County, with an enrollment of more than 700 students, has a 100% acceptance rate for all new freshman and transfer students with official transcripts, and no application fee is required. Students at URock campus find a friendly, welcoming campus, located in Janesville, that embraces a wide range of students, including 61% of our new students — and 73% of our transfer students — who are first-generation. The college offers small class sizes, an affordable tuition and flexible scheduling options for their academic programs.
The Rock County campus continues to grow its academic programs with the introduction of the collaborative nursing BSN program in 2023 and, just this spring, the new Bachelor of Science in medical sciences program, with an emphasis in diagnostic sonography or radiologic technology.
Also recently added to the list of academic offerings are two new emphases in the online Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) program: education (FoTE to K-9) and operations and supply chain management. Designed for working adults, the BAAS program offers a flexible degree completion pathway for students who hold an applied associate degree from a technical college.
For more information and to apply, visit the admissions and enrollment website.
Danny Hopper After 3-Run Homer in 3rd inning Photo credit Molly DeNucci
By Broderick Frye
Asst. Sports Information Director
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater baseball team defeated Denison 11-4 to advance to the Pod Final at the NCAA Division III World Series. With their 46th win of the season, the Warhawks set a new record for wins in a season.
The Warhawks got on the board quickly, capitalizing on some misplays by the Denison defense. Andy Thies (Tallahassee, Fla./Lawton Chiles) brought in the first runner to give the Warhawks a quick 1-0 lead in the first.
Denison kept the Warhawks off the base in the next inning, but UWW didn’t stay quiet for long with a four-run third inning.
Adam Cootway (DePere, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) hit his 20th home run of the season to start the inning. The senior broke the single season Warhawk record, held since 2008 by Kevin Zalnis. Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) added the next three runs with his own jack, putting the Warhawks up 5-0 over Denison.
The Big Red connected on their own solo homer, scoring their first run of the game. The Warhawks reclaimed the run, with Aaron Holland (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton North) hitting a sacrifice fly. Cootway added another run with an RBI single.
The Warhawks pitching kept working through the Denison hitters, but another solo home run added to the board for the Big Red in the bottom of the 5th. Matt Scolan (Downers Grove, Ill./South) cancelled it out the next inning with a RBI double forcing a change on the mound.
In the Top of 7, Danny Hopper (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) led the inning off with a double to spark another rally for the Warhawks. Four consecutive hits added a run and loaded the bases. Holland hit his second sacrifice fly of the day, with Scolan adding another RBI single to break the double-digit mark on the scoreboard.
Denison added two more runs in the final three innings, but the Warhawks pitching and defense closed the door on the Big Red leading to the 11-4 victory.
The Warhawks are next out to the field in the Pod Final against the winner of Sunday’s night cap of Rowan/Denison. First pitch is set for 1:15 PM (ET)/12:15 PM (CT) on Monday, June 2nd. Now scheduled for 12:30. Link for livestream Sportshttps://www.ncaa.com/game/6449675
The Whippets competed in the Track and Field Sectional Friday evening, May 30, and will be sending two athletes to the State Meet!
The boys’ 4x800m relay started things off on the track and ran to a 7th place finish overall from the first heat, easily winning their heat, after they were seeded 12th going into the meet. The all-senior relay of Onyx Thompson, Miles Nickelsburg, Luc Pomazak and Xavier Zei stopped the clock in 8:40.80 and earned 2 points for the team.
Traysen Thomason then ran a solid 100m prelim in 10.97 to earn his spot into the final. After a short break, he came back and placed third in the final in 10.80, his second-best time of his career, to earn a return trip to state in this event.
While the track was heating up, so were the field events as sophomore pole vaulter Langdon Coburn was soaring to new heights. He entered the meet with a personal best of 11′ 6″ from regionals and continued to go over that bar again and set a new personal best of clearing 12′! His new personal best helped him finish in fifth place, one spot short of qualifying for state. Although close to adding another meet to his schedule, he has a lot to be proud of as he has made tremendous gains in such a short time and picked up on the event quickly. He is eager to work hard in the off season to continue learning as much as he can to go even higher next year.
Ty Bucholtz competed in his second 110 high hurdle event of the season as he returned from an injury that held him out of competition for nearly the entire season. His first hurdle race was at regionals when he qualified for the sectional meet. He placed fourth in his preliminary heat and was 8th seed in the final. Unfortunately, in the final Ty false started and was unable to run his 110H final. Also a sophomore, we are eager to see what a full healthy season will look like as he continues to grow as an athlete on the team next season.
Jack Hefty was up next in the 1600 as he looked to qualify in his signature event, and his fourth trip to the state track and field meet. The winds picked up as the flag stood straight out but that wouldn’t stop Jack from controlling the race after the first 250m. He cruised to a victory by running nearly even splits for all 4 laps and won the sectional title in 4:27.24.
The boys 4×200 quartet of Kennan Sheffield, Ty Hagedorn, Christian Minett and Vinnie Juette competed in heat one and had smooth exchanges and powered their way around the track to run their best time of the season by far. They finished 8th overall and scored one point for the team in the meet. Their time of 1:33.94 was significantly faster than this group had run before, which was 1:36.14.
Makayla Bazeley was now underway in her pole vault competition. She entered the competition with a personal best of 9′ 6″ from regionals. She had some good attempts but was unable to match her best from regionals and went out at 9′. Makayla is an athlete that joined late in her HS career but picked up a very technical event quickly and made a strong attempt to vault her way to state in limited time. She leaves her mark in the program as she is in the top 10 in this event in WHS history.
Miles Nickelsburg competed in heat one of the 800 and took control of his final race in a Whippet uniform in dominant fashion. He led from the gun and ran a new lifetime best in the event in his solo effort as the rest of the field couldn’t keep up. He stopped the clock in 2:06.99 and placed 7th overall in the event.
Traysen Thomason once again eased himself into the blocks for one final time in heat 2 in the 200m final (there are no prelims for this event at sectionals). Running a great curve and giving the crowd something to cheer about, he finished second with a new lifetime best of 22.15 and a second event to add to his state meet itinerary. His new personal best also moved him to #4 all time in Whippet history in this event.
Freshman Virginia Nelson got her first taste of sectional track competition in the 3200m event. By far the strongest field she had competed in all year, she rode the back of the train for as long as she could before some separation occurred. She gained valuable experience running in this field and gave it her all and placed 14th with a time of 13:50.11.
The 3200m proved to be an exciting race as three senior Whippets competed in this event. Jack Hefty rode the shoulder of New Berlin West’s Isaac Kryzaniak for much of the race while Xavier Zei made a strong push in the later stages of the race. Xavier injected some pace into the field and he got within 5 meters of Jack and Isaac as the field began to stretch out. Meanwhile, Luc Pomazak continued to grind out a strong effort as he passed through the mile faster than he had ever before. With less than two laps to go, Hefty took the pole position and never relinquished it as he earned his second sectional title on the night and punched his ticket to state in this event as well. His time was 9:41.24. Xavier ran a gutsy race and finished ninth overall in 10:13.75, his second-best time of his career. Luc also mirrored Xavier and gutted out a tough second mile and finished 14th, just missing his lifetime personal best and stopped the clock in 10:30.82
Traysen and Jack will now prepare to compete at the WIAA State Track and Field meet which is held at UW-La Crosse on Friday June 6th and Saturday June 7th.
Boys’ Results: https://www.wiaawi.org/Portals/0/PDF/Results/Track/2025/bigfootsectionalb.pdf
Girls’ Results: https://www.wiaawi.org/Portals/0/PDF/Results/Track/2025/bigfootsectionalg.pdf
State Meet Information:
https://www.wiaawi.org/Tournaments/State-Tourney-Central
Article and Photo Submitted by Chad Carstens
Whitewater High School Assistant Track and Field Coach
ccarstens@wwusd.org
Editor’s Note: The following was provided by Be Kind and Whitewater Unites Lives.
Steve Watson writes, “By the skate park.
Northern flicker lapping up water.
Their tongue is about 2″ long,
past the tip of its bill.
It’s a woodpecker.
They eat mostly ants, so a long
tongue that’s sticky and barbed.”
Our thanks to Steve Watson for sharing another beautiful photo together with the interesting description.
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On Saturday, May 17th Studio 84 opened its doors to the community with a night of kindness and sharing and had its annual Gala event. Studio 84 is a non-profit Art Studio, Gallery and Gift Shop in downtown Whitewater that provides fully accessible opportunities in the arts. There were artists proud to share their work, themed raffle baskets, and the room was filled with laughter and the telling of wonderful stories. Even though it was chilly outside it was nice and toasty warm inside listening to the delightful sounds of the Vox Quartet playing a whimsical medley of light-hearted tunes. The Co-Directors Ben Kelly and Lynnette Gmur were introduced, along with the board members in attendance. Karina Pittro, the Artistic Mentor, even made it there after appearing at her own graduation ceremony. She graduated with a BFA (Bachelors of Fine Arts) earlier in the day from UW-Whitewater. Another notable attendee was the recently retired founder of Studio 84, Deborah Blackwell. She was honored and appreciated for her innovation and many years of dedication to the studio and its artists. Everyone was sad to see her go, but excited for the continued success and growth of Studio 84.
Studio 84
121 W Center Street
Whitewater, WI 53190
Studio, Gallery and Gift Shop Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Friday 10-5
Thursday 10-2
262-473-9845
www.studio84inc.org
info@studio84inc.org
facebook.com/Studio 84, Inc.
Photo credit: Tom Ganser
BLOOMINGTON, IL — Brooke Mason, of Whitewater, Wisconsin, was named to the Dean’s List for the spring semester of the 2024-25 academic year at Illinois Wesleyan University. Mason is a first-year majoring in Music Theatre.
Mason was among 812 students from 29 states and 27 countries named to the spring 2025 Dean’s List.
To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must earn a GPA of 3.50 or better during the semester, based on 4.0 for straight As.
Founded in 1850, Illinois Wesleyan is a nationally recognized, highly selective liberal arts university. The University is exclusively undergraduate and enrolls approximately 1,700 students from across the nation and around the globe. Illinois Wesleyan prides itself on producing graduates who are well-rounded, broadly educated individuals with a spirit of inquiry who can successfully adapt to the demands of a rapidly changing, complex world.
Obituaries
Marion Jauch Burrows (Feb. 2, 1930 – June 5, 2026) Her sparkling eyes, warm laugh, and generous ways were gifts Marion brought into this world, touching family members and friends alike over the ninety-six years of her life. She was born and raised in Lombard, IL, and in the course of her life lived with her husband and growing family in Abilene, TX, St. David’s, PA, Arkadelphia, AR, Ada, OK, and Colorado Springs, CO, before settling in Whitewater, WI, in 1965. Generosity of heart, compassion toward those in need in and beyond her community, and an unwavering commitment to fairness … Read more
Patricia “Pat” Lynn Bailey, age 70, passed away peacefully on June 1, 2026 with her daughter by her side. Pat was born February 21, 1956 in Ann Arbor, Michigan to John and Ruth (Hudock) Prentice. After a brief time in Ann Arbor, the Prentice family moved to Whitewater, Wisconsin, where Pat grew up as part of the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater community, where her father served as University Registrar. Pat attended the University School and later graduated from UW Whitewater with a degree in Elementary Education. Although she did not pursue teaching, she built a meaningful career in Human … Read more
Gemelino Paris Esperante, 83, long time resident of Whitewater, passed away on Thursday, June 4th, 2026. He was born on January 10, 1943, to his late father and mother, Evaristo and Carmen in Spain. In 1973 he moved to the United States as a sheep herder. On August 21, 1981, he was united in marriage to Cyndie Esperante in Colorado. Gemelino also worked in Mining and construction for many years. He enjoyed the outdoors, fishing, raising sheep and growing things in his garden, and flowers. He will be missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his wife … Read more
Mary Ann Warner died peacefully on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at Crestridge Assisted Living in Dodgeville. Her physical heart failed, but her actual, loving heart never did. Ann was born June 28, 1939 to Mary and Charles Kearns in Iowa. She moved to Whitewater, Wisconsin and graduated with many dear friends in the class of 1957. Ann married John Warner on September 19, 1959. They lived in Whitewater, Sturgis Michigan, and finally settled in Janesville where they built a beautiful life and raised their family. Together, they ran a business, traveled, played cards, and enjoyed their lives. When they became … Read more
Patricia Ann Jacobson (Bureau), age 81, of Whitewater, WI, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, WI. Born on September 2, 1944, in Marquette, MI, to the late Donald and Margaret Bureau, Pat grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She graduated from Graveraet High School, attended Michigan State University, and later earned her bachelor’s degree from Northern Michigan University. Pat dedicated her professional life to shaping young minds, working as an elementary and junior high school teacher in both Flint, MI, and Whitewater, WI. At the heart of Pat’s life was a beautiful, … Read more
In loving memory of Lois Lauritzen, age 92, who passed away on June 1, 2026 at Lakewood Memory Care in Brookfield. Lois led an active life full of devotion to family and friends. Born July 14th, 1933 in Silvis, IL, daughter of Harry and Elsie Wilson, she grew up in the Quad Cities with older brother Harry Wilson Jr. Lois graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL with a degree in physical education. She met her husband Paul Lauritzen on the college tennis team. Their marriage on June 12th, 1955 lasted 59 years until Paul’s death on September 26th, … Read more
Donald Walter Triebold passed on to his eternal home on May 21, 2026. Don was born on April 23, 1935, in Evanston, IL, to the late Frederick W. and Mildred (nee Stecher) Triebold. Through his teen years, Don lived and worked on the family’s dairy farm, where he developed a life-long work ethic. His first eight years of education were in a one-room country schoolhouse, in which all eight grades were taught by one teacher. He graduated from Whitewater City High School in 1953 and then graduated from UW Whitewater in 1958 with a degree in Business Education. He continued his education, and earned a Master’s … Read more
William Kincaid Davis, age 84, passed away on Tuesday, May 19 at Agrace Hospice Center in Fitchburg. He was born on November 1, 1941, in Madison, Indiana, the second son of Salvation Army Officers Agnes (Dixon) and William C. Davis. He attended several schools in Indiana and Illinois, including University of Illinois Experimental High School (Champaign), and graduated from Galesburg High School in 1958. He earned his bachelor’s degree from UW-Eau Claire in 1964 and his master’s degree from UW-Whitewater in 1972. He had an expansive career in education, beginning as an English teacher in Whitehall, Thornton Township (IL) and … Read more
Magdalene “Maggie” Stetter (nee Fritz), 79, of Whitewater, Wisconsin passed from this life onto the next on Monday, May 4, 2026. She was born on January 16, 1947, to the late John and Mary (Presser) Fritz in St. Stefan, Austria. Maggie immigrated from Austria with her parents and brother, became a US citizen, and grew up and attended school in West Allis, WI and then graduated with a teaching degree from University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. Maggie served as a substitute, English, and German language teacher in the Whitewater, Elkhorn, Delavan, and Palmyra schools and at Divine Word Seminary. Maggie … Read more
Lawrence “Larry” C. Hartung, a proud Marine Veteran of the Vietnam War, and longtime resident of Fort Atkinson, WI, passed away peacefully at his home on May 1, 2026. Larry was born June 7th, 1949, to Levon and Charles Hartung in Chicago, IL. Larry enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1968 and served 3 consecutive tours in the Vietnam War. During this time, he became pen pals with his future wife, Candy, via a connection through his father. In 1970, he came home on leave to marry Candy. They celebrated 55 years of marriage on October 31st, 2025. During … Read more
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