Today is Friday, May 3, 2024
By Angela Kelm
Asst. Athletic Director for Sports Information
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team will open the 2023 NCAA Football Playoffs at home in Perkins Stadium as the Bethel University Royals come to Whitewater for round one. Kickoff is slated for 12 p.m. on Saturday, November 18.
The winner advances to play the winner between Wheaton (IL) and Mount St. Joseph Saturday, November 25. Location of the round two contest will be announced following the completion of all round one games.
TICKETS/PARKING
Tickets are $14 for Adults, $10 Over 65 / Students and youth 5-18
Free kids under 5 (no ticket needed)
Advance Ticket Purchase: Click Here
Tickets will also be available for purchase on Saturday at Perkins Stadium.
Parking: All parking is cashless this season. To purchase in advance, click here. Fans can purchase on the day of but must go through the online purchasing portal to do so and will not be allowed into a lot until purchase is complete.
IN THE POLLS
UWW: #5 D3football.com (Prev: 5) / #5 American Football Coaches Association (Prev: 6)
BU: Receiving Votes / Receiving Votes
UWW’S PATH TO PLAYOFFS
The Warhawks wrapped up the regular season with a 9-1 record despite boasting one of the toughest schedules in Division III this season. UW-Whitewater’s lone loss came at the midway point of the season to then-No. 14 UW-La Crosse. UWW finished as the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference runner-up to the now-fourth ranked Eagles. That strength of schedule was a vital piece of the Warhawks receiving an at-large bid into the playoffs this season.
UW-Whitewater is making its 16th playoff appearance since 2005. UWW is 58-12 in postseason play with six national titles in program history.
UWW’s first six games of the 2023 campaign were against ranked opponents including contests against then-top five’s Saint Johns (week two) and UW-River Falls (week six). The Warhawks picked up back-to-back wins at home over UW-Stout and UW-Platteville before wrapping up the season with shutouts over UW-Stevens Point and UW-Eau Claire.
In the final two weeks of the regular season, UWW outscored their opponents 107-0 including a 59-0 route of the Blugolds last week.
HOW BETHEL GOT HERE
The Royals claimed their sixth MIAC Championship last week to secure the league’s automatic bid into the postseason. Bethel is making its third consecutive playoff appearance and 12th overall.
Bethel enters the postseason on a seven-game win streak – the longest for the Royals since 2013. BU made a run to the quarterfinals last season and is 13-11 in postseason play in program history.
ON THE AIR
Saturday’s game will air live online on the WIAC Network. The contest can be heard on 105.9 FM The Hog in the Whitewater area, or online at www.1059thehog.com.
SERIES
The Warhawks and Royals have met just one other time in the teams’ storied histories – and it was another postseason matchup. UW-Whitewater defeated Bethel 26-12 in the NCAA Quarterfinal at Perkins Stadium on December 1, 2018.
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By Angela Kelm
Asst. Athletic Director for Sports Information
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s volleyball team will head to Mount Vernon, Iowa for NCAA Regional action this week. The eight-team regional hosted by Cornell College will run Thursday through Saturday.
The Warhawks (26-4) will take on Coe College (21-11) to open their 34th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The first match of the day Thursday will feature Washington-St. Louis against St. Olaf at 11:30 followed by UWW and Coe at 2 p.m. At 4:30, Northwestern (MN) will face Edgewood with Cornell hosting Millikin in the final match of the evening at 7 p.m.
REGIONAL INFORMATION
Location: Mount Vernon, Iowa
Facility: Small Athletic & Wellness Center
Click here and select UWW Match Notes (PDF) for further details.
More information will be posted on the online preview story as it becomes available
UWW’S PATH TO REGIONALS
The Warhawks finished as the runner-up in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference standings but rolled through the league tournament to claim the WIAC’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. UWW swept UW-River Falls in the semifinal, beating the Falcons for the second time in less than a week. In the WIAC Tournament Championship, UW-Whitewater was phenomenal in handing UW-Oshkosh its first loss of 2023 on the Titans’ home court. The Warhawks won in straight sets to take down the No. 2 team in the nation and punch their ticket to regionals. UWW has won 18 WIAC Tournament titles.
HOW COE QUALIFIED
Coe, the number three seed in the American Rivers Conference Tournament, knocked off top-ranked Dubuque 3-1 in the title match to claim the ARC’s automatic bid into the postseason. The win is Coe’s second straight ARC tournament championship.
ALL-LEAGUE LEADERS
The Warhawks swept all major player awards in the WIAC this season. Outside hitter Jenna Weinfurt (Waukesha, Wis./Catholic Memorial) was named the league’s Offensive Player of the Year while libero Morgan Jensen (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) secured Defensive Player of the Years honors for the second time in her career. Setter Aubrie Krzus (Wheaton, Ill./Warrenville South) was named the WIAC Newcomer of the Year. In addition, the nation’s top blocker, Kirsten Anderson (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie), garnered First Team All-WIAC recognition.
The Kohawks were represented by middle hitters Grace Lueken and Gracie Urbatsch, setter Maddy Maahs and pin Madi Parson on the ARC’s All-Conference listing this season.
BATTLE OF THE HAWKS
The Warhawks lead the all-time series against Coe 9-4 since 2006. UWW has won the last six and eight of the last 10. Five of the last six meetings have resulted in the Warhawk sweep. Coe has won the lone two five-setters since 2006. Thursday’s match will be the second meeting between the two squads this season – UWW won 3-0 on September 9 on the road.
By Angela Kelm
Asst. Athletic Director for Sports Information
Seven Warhawk runners have earned All-Region recognition from the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Honorees include Dan Anderson (Eau Claire, Wis./McDonell), Nick Hardin (Greenfield, Wis./Whitnall), Justin Krause (Ixonia, Wis./Pewaukee), Christian Patzka (Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights), Gunner Schlender (Brillion, Wis./Brillion), Ari De La Cerda (Milwaukee, Wis./Pewaukee) and Paige Fassbender (Slinger, Wis./Slinger).
Patzka claimed the North Region title for the second consecutive season last week. The junior posted a time of 24:02.0. Schlender added a top 10 finish crossing the line in 24:40.5 followed by Anderson in 13th with a time of 24:45.7. Krause was 17th in the regional meet with a time of 24:52.3 followed by Hardin’s 25:02.9 for 30th.
De La Cerda was the top finisher for the Warhawk women. Her time of 22:35.8 was good for 28th in the North Regional last week. Fassbender finished 35th with a time of 22:45.7.
Patzka, Schlender and Krause are now three-time All-Region honorees while Anderson picked up his second-straight honor. De La Cerda is also a two-time All-Region selection.
The Warhawk men finished as the North Region runner-up and received an at-large bid into the NCAA Division III Championships. Dickinson College will host the championship meet at Big Spring High School in Newville, Pennsylvania on Saturday, November 18. The 32-team race that includes an additional 70 individual entrants is slated to start at 10 a.m.
By Angela Kelm
Asst. Athletic Director for Sports Information
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s basketball team defeated Ripon College 79-55 in the team’s home-opener in Kachel Gym Wednesday.
Box Score
In the Hoops for Hunger campaign put on by the Warhawk men’s and women’s basketball teams and sponsored by Ketterhagen Ford Wednesday, UW-Whitewater collected nonperishable food donations that will go to The Community Space in Whitewater to help those in need.
UW-Whitewater jumped out to a quick lead scoring the first ten points of the game. The UWW defense held Ripon off the board for more than five minutes to start the game.
The Warhawks extended the gap in the second quarter, doubling up the Red Hawks with a 22-11 second period. UWW held a 40-21 lead at the break and never looked back.
Five UWW players registered double digits in the scoring column led by Aleah Grundahl’s (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) 15. She was 7-14 from the field adding five rebounds and a game-high five assists.Maggie Trautsch (Sun Prairie, Wis./DeForest) added 13 points on 6-10 from the floor.Katie Hildebrandt (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) also registered 13 points and led the Warhawks with eight rebounds.Kacie Carollo (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) andMallory Oloffson (Normal, Ill./Normal Community) rounded out the double figure scorers with 11 each as Carollo hauled in seven boards.
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