UW-W's Schumacher Named All-American in Strength & Conditioning

By Chris Lindeke, UW-W

Rebekah Schumacher, a native of Whitewater, and student-athlete at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, is one of six Warhawks who have been named All-Americans by the National Strength and Conditioning Association for their commitment to strength and conditioning and athletic accomplishments during the 2021-22 academic year.

David Fassbender (Slinger, Wis./Slinger) of the men’s cross country and track and field teams, baseball’s Eric Hughes (Janesville, Wis./Craig), golf’s Jessica LaBerge (Bonduel, Wis./Bonduel), football’s Ryan Ponick (Stanley, Wis./Stanley-Boyd), women’s basketball’s Rebekah Schumacher (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) and softball’s Hannah Wusterbarth (Oconto, Wis./Oconto) garnered the NSCA All-America accolades.

Fassbender has earned three All-America medals so far in 2021-22, finishing sixth at the NCAA Cross Country Championships and placing among the top five in both the 3,000-meter run and 5,000-meter run at the NCAA Indoor Championships. He will compete this Thursday at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 10,000-meter run, an event he broke the school record in earlier this spring.

Hughes has appeared in 13 games for the baseball team, which won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season championship and the NCAA Whitewater Regional. The team will compete in the NCAA Whitewater Super Regional this weekend.

LaBerge played in 13 rounds during the 2021-22 season, averaging a score of 96.7 per 18-hole round. She recorded her best score of the season (91) in two rounds at the WIAC Championship. LaBerge helped the Warhawks claim their fifth straight conference team title and reach the NCAA Championship.

Ponick was named first team All-WIAC for special teams and served as a captain for the football team in 2021, helping UW-Whitewater win the WIAC championship and reach the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Playoffs. As a running back, he totaled 18 carries for 102 yards and two touchdowns.

Schumacher helped the Warhawk women’s basketball team win the WIAC regular season championship and reach the 2022 Final Four, where the team finished as national runner-up. She averaged 8.8 points per game and led the team with 58 made 3-pointers and added 52 steals on the other end. Schumacher was one of three UW-W players to start all 33 games.

Wusterbarth appeared in 10 games for the softball team primarily as a pinch hitter. She helped the Warhawks post the program’s 16th consecutive 20-win season and reach the WIAC Tournament.