TMJ4 broadcast this story on March 1. Please click this link to view the video.

With spring ball on the horizon for UW-Whitewater, the Warhawks football team has been ramping up the competition this offseason.

However, it’s not by getting in extra lifts or field work at Perkins Stadium.

The program spent an afternoon at Fairhaven Senior Services playing bingo with its residents.

“We’ve been doing this since I’ve been a freshman,” senior fullback Drake Martin smiled. “It’s a whole lot of fun. Just, you know, the conversations you have and the people you meet.”

UW-Whitewater’s relationship with Fairhaven’s residents spans more than a decade.

“It’s good to connect with the community because they always come out and support us,” senior defensive end Cole Yocum expressed. “Usually in the fall, they always come out to practice, come watch us practice and they love it. It gives them something to do.”

Over the years, the two groups have participated in a variety of activities together including dog treat making, and various arts and crafts.

“Sitting back and being able to see the interactions between the residents, that’s what it’s all about,” Fairhaven Director of Marketing and Leisure Services Brian Robinson shared. “Whether they’re a student athlete, a student, just being able to see and hear these engagements, it’s what I come to work for, what coach allows them to come here for. It just warms [the heart].”

While the Warhawks Football team has built their program on serving others, bingo is just a small token for the residents who have given them so much in return.

“It just gives you something to play for,” Yocum added. “(It’s a) little extra motivation to have their support and everything.”

Fairhaven’s relationship with UW-Whitewater stretches even farther than just with the Warhawks’ Football team.

More than a dozen different groups stretching from athletic teams to even academic departments engage with Fairhaven’s residents on a regular basis.

For more information on how to volunteer at Fairhaven Senior Services, contact Brian Robinson at robinsonb@fairhaven.org.

By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com

In the Elite 8 of the NCAA women’s DIII basketball tournament on March 9, defending champions Transylvania University (KY) extended their winning streak to 64 games with a score of 62-48. The Warhawks entered halftime ahead by one point but seemed to run out of steam in the second half.

Transylvania met its match in the semifinals the following weekend, however, in a battle of the unbeatens. New York University extended their own streak to 30-straight with a 57-42 victory.

On March 16, NYU clinched the DIII title in Columbus, Ohio with a 51-41 win over Smith College (MA). NYU’s last title was in 1997.

Warhawk Women Earn Recognitions

According to press releases from UW-Whitewater: 

Grundahl, Carollo Earn All-America Honors

Aleah Grundahl and Kacie Carollo have earned All-America honors from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association for the second straight season. 

Grundahl was recognized with First Team honors for the second consecutive season. The senior forward is now a five-time All-American after claiming Honorable Mention honors from the WBCA in 2021-22 and adding a pair of honors from D3hoops.com – Second Team in 2021-22 and Third Team in 2022-23. Only two other players in Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference history have earned five All-America honors. 

The sixth-highest scorer in Division III this season, Grundahl registered 613 points, a UWW record for points in a season. She ranks fifth in the nation in field goals (236) and seventeenth in points per game (20.4). Her average scoring output in 2023-24 also ties a program record. This season, Grundahl broke both the UWW and WIAC’s all-time scoring records. She also holds the UWW record for points in a game, 39, which was also accomplished this season. A finalist for the Jostens Trophy – awarded to the top player in Division III – Grundahl was named the WIAC Player of the Year for the third consecutive season and also garnered the league’s Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor. 

Carollo is now a three-time All-American after securing Honorable Mention honors from the WBCA and Fourth Team recognition from D3hoops.com a year ago. The junior guard ranks among the top 30 in Division III in assists averaging 4.5 per contest with a total of 122 on the season. Her 7.1 defensive rebounds per game is among the top 60 nationally. Carollo is one of just 27 players on more than 400 Division III squads and the only player in the WIAC to have recorded a triple double this season. 

The pair led the league in numerous statistical categories this season including assists, field goals, free throws, total points, scoring per game, defensive rebounds and steals. 

The Warhawks made a run to the Elite 8, finishing the season with a 25-5 record. 

Aleah Grundahl Named Finalist for Jostens Trophy (DIII Player of the Year)

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater senior forward Aleah Grundahl has been selected as a finalist for the 2024 Jostens Trophy. Grundahl is one of ten finalists for the award that will honor the top women’s basketball player in Division III.

The Jostens Trophy honors are national awards created by the Rotary Club of Salem (Va.) and sponsored by Jostens, Inc., to recognize the most outstanding men’s and women’s Division III basketball players of the year. The awards focus on three major criteria: basketball ability, academic prowess and service to one’s surrounding communities. The Jostens Trophy models the Rotary International motto of “Service Above Self” by recognizing those who truly fit the ideal of a well-rounded Division III student-athlete. The 2024 season marks the 26th edition of the Jostens Trophy honors. The winner will be announced on March 18. 

Grundahl is a paragon of the Division III philosophy. The senior has amassed a number of individual accolades that are unsurpassed in Warhawk basketball history while leading UW-Whitewater to team success on the hardwood. In the classroom, she works just as hard earning academic accolades throughout her career that will culminate with a degree in Elementary Education with a licensure in Adaptive Education. Grundahl was the recipient of the highest Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors, both athletically and academically, this season all while student teaching in the fall and substitute teaching this semester. 

This season, Grundahl was named the WIAC Player of the Year for the third consecutive time, becoming the first player in conference history to earn the honor three times. She also garnered WIAC Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors which considers academic achievement and community service in addition to athletic accomplishments. 

Grundahl continues to write her name in both UWW and WIAC history. In addition to becoming the league’s all-time leading scorer this season, Grundahl holds every scoring record for UWW including career points, points in a season and points in a single game — all marks she set during the 2023-24 campaign. She is a four-time All-American, two-time All-Region (Player of the Year in 2023) and five-time All-WIAC honoree. 

Despite the numerous individual accolades, UW-Whitewater’s team success has always been the driving factor for Grundahl. The two-time Warhawk captain has led the Warhawks to four NCAA Division III Tournament appearances including a run to the national title game in 2021-22, three WIAC regular season titles and a league tournament championship. 

Off the court, Grundahl is active in the community as a four-year member of the UW-Whitewater Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She has also volunteered with Fairhaven Senior Services throughout her career. 

Just two players representing the WIAC have been awarded the Jostens Trophy since its inception in 1998 — Kay Mikolajczak (UW-Oshkosh) in 2004 and Julia Hirssig (UW-Stout) in 2010. The winners are chosen by a national selection committee consisting of college coaches, former athletes, college administrators and selected members of the media. 

Aleah Grundahl Earns WIAC Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Aleah Grundahl has been named the recipient of the 2024 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete Award.

A senior from DeForest, Wis. (DeForest), Grundahl sustains a 3.506 grade point average and is majoring in elementary education with a minor in adaptive education. She is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and has been recognized on UW-Whitewater’s Dean’s List and Honor Roll numerous semesters. She is also a recipient of UW-Whitewater’s Chancellor’s Scholar honor.
 
Grundahl secured WIAC Player of the Year distinction this season for the third consecutive year to become the first individual in conference history to accomplish the feat. She is a four-time All-WIAC first team selection and received Newcomer of the Year distinction in 2020. A two-time D3hoops.com (2022-Second, 2023-Third) and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) All-American (2022-Honorable Mention, 2023-First), she has helped the Warhawks earn NCAA tournament bids four times, including a national championship appearance in 2022 followed by a Sweet 16 showing in 2023. Grundahl was chosen the D3hoops.com Region 9 Player of the Year in 2023, as well as a participant in the WBCA All-Star Game and the UW-Whitewater Athlete of the Year. In 2022-23, her uniform was hanging in the Ring of Honor at the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Grundahl set the program’s single-game scoring record with 39 points against UW-La Crosse on Feb. 10, 2024, and owns the WIAC all-time scoring mark with 1,864 points.
 
Grundahl has been a member of UW-Whitewater Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for four years and has volunteered at Fairhaven Senior Services. She has served as an administrative assistant for UW-Whitewater Recreation Sports, as well as a student teacher and substitute teacher.
 
The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Judy Kruckman who served as Assistant Commissioner for the WIAC from 1996-98. Prior to this appointment, she was Commissioner of the Wisconsin Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WWIAC) from October 1984 – September 1996. Kruckman was the women’s athletics director at UW-Eau Claire from 1974-84, and one of the original representatives to the WWIAC when it formed in 1971. She was inducted into the WIAC Hall of Fame in 2012.

In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average. In addition, she must be in her last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years. The award is based on academic achievements, athletics accomplishments and involvement in other campus activities, organizations and community service projects.

Aleah Grundahl Named WIAC Player of the Year for Third Time

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater senior forward Aleah Grundahl (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) has been named the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year for the third consecutive season to headline a contingent of three Warhawks named All-WIAC this season. Junior guard Kacie Carollo (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) added First Team and All-Defensive Team honors while junior forward Katie Hildebrandt (McFarland, Wis./McFarland) received honorable mention recognition. 

Grundahl is the first women’s basketball player in conference history to be named the league’s top player three times. The feat has been accomplished just one other time in WIAC basketball history with Mike Ratliff (UWEC) earning the honor on the men’s side from 1969-72. This season, Grundahl has paced the Warhawks breaking numerous records along the way. She became the UWW all-time leading scorer in the second game of the season. On February 14, she became the all-time leading scorer in the WIAC, surpassing a mark that had stood since 1995. Her 39 points against UW-La Crosse broke the UW-Whitewater single game scoring record and is the most by a player in the league this season. Grundahl leads the WIAC in scoring this season averaging 20.2 points per game while adding 2.1 steals per outing, ranked second in the league. She adds top 12 marks in total points (525), rebounds per game (6.2), field goal percentage (.520), free throw percentage (.781) and assists per game (1.9). 

Carollo is now a three-time All-WIAC honoree and two-time All-Defensive Team selection with the pair of honors in 2024. She ranks second in the WIAC in rebounding, averaging 8.1 per game. Carollo adds 4.1 assists and 1.9 steals per outing ranked third and fourth in the league respectively. Also, one of the conference’s top scorers, Carollo’s 14.4 points per game is a top-10 mark in the league. The junior hauled in the second-most rebounds by a player in the league this season with 16 at UW-Oshkosh and tops the list for steals in a single game with six against UW-Stout. 

Hildebrandt received honorable mention recognition in her first season as a Warhawk. The junior is one of the league’s top three-point shooters, hitting over 35-percent of her shots from long range. Her 1.4 blocks per game is ranked third in the WIAC this season. Hildebrandt adds top 20 marks in points per game (9.2), rebounds per game (4.7) and field goal percentage (.417). 

Grundahl was also named the WIAC Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete of the Year this season. She is the fourth Warhawk to earn the honor and second under Head Coach Keri Carollo. A full release on the scholar-athlete award will be posted this week. 

Kacie Carollo named all-region

Kacie Carollo, a Integrated Science and Business major from Whitewater, WI, and member of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s basketball team, has been selected to the All-Region Teams announced by D3hoops.com.

Aleah Grundahl (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) and Kacie Carollo (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) each garnered first team accolades. Grundahl was named the Region 9 Player of the Year for the second straight season.

The Warhawks’ dynamic duo led UWW to the Elite 8 this season and have combined for five All-Region honors in the last three seasons.

Now a three-time First Team All-Region honoree, Grundahl is also the first player in conference history to earn Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors in her career. The senior forward led the league in scoring averaging 20.4 points per game this season – a mark that ties the UWW record and 13th in WIAC history. Her 613 points in 2023-24 is the most in UWW history and fifth-most in a season in league history. She registered top 10 marks in the conference in rebounding (6.2 per game), field goal percentage (52.9), free throw percentage (76.2), blocked shots (30), steals (64) and minutes played per contest (30.7).

Carollo garnered First Team recognition for the second consecutive season. Also a First Team All-WIAC selection and All-Defensive Team pick, Carollo was consistent on both ends of the floor. The junior guard ranked sixth in the league in scoring averaging 14.7 points per game while hauling in 8.1 rebounds per outing, ranked third. She led the WIAC in assists with 122 on the season and added top 10 marks in free throw percentage (78.9), 3-point percentage (33.8), steals (53) and minutes played per game (31.6). Carollo’s 122 assists ranks seventh in program history while her rebound total, 219, is a top 20 mark.

By Angela Kelm
Asst. Athletic Director for Sports Information

 The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s phenomenal season came to a close in the Elite 8 Saturday following a 62-48 loss to undefeated Transylvania University. 

The Warhawk faithful showed up in droves and provided a fantastic atmosphere in Kachel Gymnasium for the game Saturday night. As the contest got underway, it was clear the first half was going to be a defensive battle from the opening tip. The stifling defenses on both sides limited scoring through the first two quarters and kept the game close. 

Late in the first, Lunden Alexander knocked down a triple that gave UWW a 12-9 advantage with 3:29 left. The Pioneers hit a layup at the 1:54 mark for the last bucket of the period.

The second quarter went back-and-forth until TU went on a 7-2 run to open up a six-point lead, 22-16, halfway through the period. The Warhawks responded on both sides – the offense put up seven points including four from Aleah Grundahl and another three from Alexander, while the defense blanked the Pioneers for the final 5:46 of the quarter. That 7-0 run gave UW-Whitewater all the momentum heading into the break despite the one-point difference, 23-22. 

A big third quarter run for Transylvania saw the Pioneers build a double figure margin by the midway point. The Warhawks refused to fold and went on a tear late in the quarter. With the score 42-29 in favor of TU, Kacie Carollo fed Grundahl on a beautiful pass for the layin. A quick Pioneer turnover gave the Warhawks the ball under their own basket and Carollo capitalized drilling a three-pointer in the corner in front of the UWW bench. The play was a perfect catch and shoot off the inbounds pass from Renee Rittmeyer and the crowd erupted. 

Less than 30 seconds later, Carollo struck again from long range to cut the margin to five. On the other end, Carollo hauled in a defensive board, one of her nine on the night, and pushed the pace up the court. The ball found its way into Katie Hildebrandt’s hands, and she knocked down a jumper to send Kachel into pandemonium as the UWW had cut the lead to three, 42-39, with less than 30 seconds remaining in the quarter. With all of the momentum going the Warhawks’ way, Transylvania called a timeout. Following the break in action, the Pioneers got off a last second shot to push the lead back to five, 44-39, by the end of the third. 

The margin was still at five at the 6:17 mark in the fourth before Transylvania hit a couple of big shots and the Warhawk offense went cold. TU hit a three and a layup while UWW had multiple shots circle the rim and pop out. The swing had Pioneer advantage back into double digits with less than four to play. The Warhawks were forced to foul, but TU hit their free throws down the stretch for the final. 

Grundahl led UWW with 17 points on 6-12 from the floor. She added six rebounds and tallied three blocks. Hildebrandt posted 10 points while Carollo went 9-9-7 in scoring, rebounds and assists respectively.  

The Warhawks closed the 2023-24 campaign with a 25-5 mark after making the team’s 22nd appearance in the NCAA tournament and fifth trip to the Elite 8.

Warhawks celebrate late in the game against Hope Friday. (Michael Gouvion)

By Angela Kelm
Asst. Athletic Director for Sports Information

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s basketball team defeated Hope College 72-61 in Kachel Gym to advance to the Elite 8 for the fifth time under Head Coach Keri Carollo. The Warhawks will host unbeaten Transylvania University Saturday, March 9 with tipoff slated for 7 p.m. and a ticket to the Final Four on the line. 

Doors to Kachel Gym will open at 6 p.m. Tickets (cash only) can be purchased at the ticket window in the Williams Center near the gym entrance. No presale tickets will be available. Parking is free in the Williams Center or Perkins Stadium parking lots.

• $15 for adults
• $10 for students with a valid college ID, seniors and youth
• Free for children 3 years old and under

UWW got off to a good start for the third NCAA postseason game in a row. Late in the first, Aleah Grundahl converted on an offensive board and followed up the bucket with a steal that turned into a Katie Hildebrandt layup to give the Warhawks a 20-11 advantage. Hope made the final basket of the first quarter to cut the margin to seven. 

UW-Whitewater dominated the second quarter shooting 62-percent (8-13) from the floor and 63-percent (5-8) from three-point range to widen the gap to 18, 41-23, by the intermission. Bri McCurdy and Kacie Carollo paced UWW with six points each – both knocked down a pair of threes in the period. 

After an even third quarter, Hope put together a run in the fourth, but the Warhawks held them off. A 7-0 spurt early for HC narrowed the gap to 11, 61-50, with seven minutes left. UWW responded with a 9-2 run bolstered by seven points from Carollo to push the lead back to 19 with four left to play. 

The margin fell to 10 with under a minute to go but Carollo sealed the game from the free throw line for the final. 

A major advantage for UW-Whitewater Friday came on the glass as the Warhawks enjoyed a 41-27 sway in the rebound column. 

Grundahl led the way with 25 points on 12-20 from the floor. She was a single rebound shy of a double-double while adding three assists and three steals. Carollo dropped in 19 with four assists in the game. Lunden Alexander knocked down three clutch triples to get the crowd going. She had 13 points off the bench for UWW. 

Saturday’s Elite 8 matchup with Transylvania will be the first time the two teams meet. The Pioneers (30-0) hold the longest active win streak across all sports in NCAA competition with their 63rd consecutive win earlier Friday – a 63-58 victory over UW-Stout.