Four Earn Men's Track and Field/Cross Country Academic All-America Honors

RELEASED: Thursday, June 19, 2003

Madison, Wis.--Four Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) student-athletes have been named to the 2003 Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-America Men's Track and Field/Cross Country Team. UW-La Crosse's Doug Connor and Andrew Rock and UW-Oshkosh's Eamon McKenna received first team honors, while UW-La Crosse's Derek Toshner was a second team selection.

Connor, a senior from Onalaska, Wis., is majoring in biology and biochemistry with a 3.92 grade point average. He was named the 2003 WIAC Max Sparger Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete. Connor earned All-America honors with an eighth-place finish in the 800-meter run at the outdoor championships and was a member of the Eagles' winning 4x800-meter relay team at the 2003 conference meet.

Rock, a junior from Stratford, Wis., is a business management major with a 3.60 grade point average. He was named the United States Track Coaches Association Male Athlete of the Year for the second straight season earlier this month was named the Runner of the Meet at the 2003 NCAA Division III Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Rock is a 13-time All-American and two-time national champion in the 400 meter indoors and has won 13 conference titles (four relays and nine individual). He also qualified for the United States Olympic Trials in the 400 meter dash with a time of 45.29 at the outdoor national meet this year.

McKenna, senior from Ashippun, Wis. (Oconomowoc H.S.), is majoring in secondary education/Spanish and carries a 3.96 grade point average. He was a Verizon Academic All-America Second Team selection last year and was named the 2002 WIAC Max Sparger Cross Country Scholar-Athlete. McKenna is a four-time All-American (two indoor, two outdoor) and won the league title in the 5,000-meter run at the 2003 outdoor league meet.

Toshner, a senior from Fond du Lac, Wis. (Campbellsport H.S.), is a fitness major with a 3.47 grade point average. He is a two-time outdoor national champion in the 400-meter hurdles and has won seven All-America honors. Toshner has earned eight All-WIAC honors, including four individual conference championships.

The academic all-america team is comprised of all NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA athletes from around the country. It is selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

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Four Named To Academic All-District Men's Track and Field/Cross Country Team

RELEASED: Tuesday, June 3, 2003

Madison, Wis.--Four Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) student-athletes have been named to the 2003 Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-District Five Men's Track and Field/Cross Country First Team. Receiving first team honors were UW-La Crosse's Doug Connor, Andrew Rock and Derek Toshner and UW-Oshkosh's Eamon McKenna.

The team is comprised of all NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA track and field/cross country athletes from Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota and voted on by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Connor, a senior from Onalaska, Wis., is majoring in biology and biochemistry with a 3.92 grade point average. He was named the 2003 WIAC Max Sparger Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete. Connor earned All-America honors with an eighth-place finish in the 800-meter run at the outdoor championships and was a member of the Eagles' winning 4x800-meter relay team at the 2003 conference meet.

Rock, a junior from Stratford, Wis., is a business management major with a 3.60 grade point average. He was named the United States Track Coaches Association Male Athlete of the Year for the second straight season earlier this month was named the Runner of the Meet at the 2003 NCAA Division III Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Rock is a 13-time All-American and two-time national champion in the 400 meter indoors and has won 13 conference titles (four relays and nine individual). He also qualifed for the United States Olympic Trials in the 400 meter dash with a time of 45.29 at the outdoor national meet this year.

Toshner, a senior from Fond du Lac, Wis. (Campbellsport H.S.), is a fitness major with a 3.47 grade point average. He is a two-time outdoor national champion in the 400-meter hurdles and has won seven All-America honors. Toshner has earned eight All-WIAC honors, including four individual conference championships.

McKenna, senior from Ashippun, Wis. (Oconomowoc H.S.), is majoring in secondary education/spanish and carries a 3.96 grade point average. He was a Verizon Academic All-America Second Team selection last year and was named the 2002 WIAC Max Sparger Cross Country Scholar-Athlete. McKenna is a four-time All-American (two indoor, two outdoor) and won the league title in the 5,000-meter run at the 2003 outdoor league meet.

Connor, Rock, Toshner and McKenna are now eligible for the Academic All-America Team, which will be announced later this month.

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UW-Oshkosh's McKenna Named Finalist For NACDA Directors' Cup Postgraduate Scholarship

RELEASED: Wednesday, March 12, 2002

Cleveland, Ohio--University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh's Eamon McKenna has been named one of forty finalists for the 10th annual NACDA Directors' Cup Postgraduate Scholarship Awards by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).

There are 10 finalists each from the NCAA Division I, Division II, Division III and the NAIA. They will now be reviewed by the Finalist Committees, which will select the final winner per division (four total) who will each receive a $5,000 scholarship to be used toward postgraduate studies. In addition, a second $5,000 scholarship per division will be awarded to a student from each of the four institutions (one per division) that win the 2002-03 NACDA Directors' Cup trophies. The winners will be announced at the end of April.

Student-athletes are eligible for these prestigious scholarships. Students are required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale); have demonstrated leadership abilities within the institution or community; have been awarded athletics honors, along the lines of all-conference or all-America, in the varsity sport in which the student-athlete is nominated; and be in their final year of athletics eligibility.

Members of the NACDA Directors' Cup Committee were responsible for selecting the finalists. The list of committee members can be found on NACDA's web site at www.nacda.com.

The NACDA Directors' Cup Award, developed as a joint effort between NACDA and USA Today, honors the "all-sports" champion in each of the NCAA's three divisions -- I, II and III -- and the NAIA, and includes both men and women's sports. To determine the champion, points are awarded based on each institution's finish in a predetermined number of sports. Previous winners have included -- Division I -- University of North Carolina (1994) and Stanford University (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002), Division II -- University of California-Davis (1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002), California State University-Bakersfield (1998) and Adams State College (1999); Division III -- Williams College (Mass.) (1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002) and the University of California-San Diego (1998); and NAIA - Lindenwood University (2002), Pacific Lutheran University (1996) and Simon Fraser University (BC, Canada) (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001).

The NACDA Directors' Cup Division I Postgraduate finalists include:

Student (Institution), Sport, Major, GPA
Matthew Crawford (North Carolina), Soccer, Biology, 3.70
Melanie Hagewood (Baylor), Golf, Mechanical Engineering, 3.97
Katja Karrento (San Diego State), Tennis, Cell & Molecular Biology, 3.98
Theresa Kulikowski (Utah), Gymnastics, Exercise & Sport Science/Psychology, 4.00
Kara Lawson (Tennessee), Basketball, Finance, 3.77
Jeff Leise (Nebraska), Baseball, Psychology, 3.80
Stephen Mohr (North Carolina), Swimming, Business Administration/Economics, 3.96
Kacey Montgomery (Tennessee), Rowing, Biology, 4.00
Laura Pilakowski (Nebraska), Volleyball, Marketing, 3.95
Jaime Sanger (Tennessee), Diving, Exercise Science, 3.69

Finalists from Division II include:

Christina Ball (Presbyterian), Soccer, Biology, 3.78
Susan Churchwell (UC-Davis), Softball, Economics, 3.88
Kelli Dudley (Truman State), Swimming, Exercise Science/Exercise Physiology, 3.92
Sopagna Eap (UC-Davis), Cross Country/Track & Field, Psychology, 3.79
Melissa Hobson (North Dakota State), Softball, Psychology, 3.65
Liz Hug (Truman State), Swimming, Nursing, 3.86
Julianne Lovejoy (Long Island-C.W. Post), Softball, Digital Arts Design, 3.84
Michelle Newman (Lynn), Basketball, Biology, 4.00
Alfred Rugema (Abilene Christian), Cross Country, Agribusiness, 3.28
Matthew Spector (Quincy), Soccer, Biology/Chemistry/Mathematics, 3.99

Division III finalists include:

Jesse Harris Simpson (Iowa), Basketball, History & Political Science, 3.96
Lisa Havas (St. John Fisher), Lacrosse, Sport Studies, 3.96
Christeen Hodge (Randolph-Macon), Swimming, Biology & Chemistry, 3.82
Titus Martin (LaGrange), Baseball, Math, 3.98
Eamon McKenna (Wisconsin-Oshkosh), Cross Country/Track & Field, Secondary Education/Spanish, 3.97
Brandon Roberts (Washington (Mo.)), Football, Biomedical Engineering, 3.60
Laura Rosenberger (Eastern Mennonite), Track & Field, Biology/Pre-medicine, 3.75
Rebecca Rotello (Washington (Mo.)), Volleyball, Biology, 3.60
Benjamin Tuck (South), Football, Latin, 3.90
Megan Woodruff (Wilmington (Ohio)), Basketball, Athletic Training, 4.00

Finalists from the NAIA include:

Bethany Bauman (Oklahoma Baptist), Cross Country/Track & Field, Exercise Science, 3.96
Sally Cole (Oklahoma City), Soccer, Mathematics Education, 3.98
Abigail Odom (Embry-Riddle (Fla.)), Soccer, Aviation Business Administration, 3.92
Sarah Payne (Baker), Golf, Sociology, 3.87
Jonathon Peterson (Northwestern (Minn.)), Football, Mathematics/Bible, 4.00
Sarah Phillips (Oklahoma Baptist), Track & Field, English Education, 3.96
Alyson Pontbriand (Maine-Farmington), Soccer, Biology, 3.93
Scott Prater (Oklahoma Baptist), Basketball, Biology/Pre-medicine, 3.91
Jason Robinson (Sioux Falls), Basketball, Business Administration, 3.96
Brandon Woudstra (Northwestern (Iowa)), Basketball, Business Education, 3.79

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Indoor Track & Field Teams End Season On Top of National Power Rankings

The UW-Stevens Point men's indoor track and field team finished the 2003 season as the nation's top-ranked team in the NCAA Division III power rankings.

The rankings, compiled by M&F Athletic Company, measure a team's overall depth through a different scoring process than a national meet. Rather than determining the national champion based on the number of qualifiers and top performers at the national meet, the rankings examine a team's overall quality throughout the lineup based on performances throughout the season.

UW-Stevens Point won the title with a power ranking of 154.07, edging UW-La Crosse by eight-hundredths of a point. UW-Oshkosh was third in the rankings, giving the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference the top three teams. The Pointers were recognized at last weekend's national meet in Greencastle, Ind. for their accomplishment.

On the women's side, Williams (Mass.) was No. 1, UW-La Crosse was No. 2 and UW-Stevens point was No. 3. The WIAC had four of the top six teams with UW-Oshkosh fifth and UW-Eau Claire sixth.

Men's Rankings
1. UW-Stevens Point 154.07
2. UW-La Crosse 153.99
3. UW-Oshkosh 152.04
4. Nebraska Wesleyan 149.31
5. College of New Jersey 148.71
6. M.I.T. 145.77
7. Monmouth (Ill.) 143.02
8. Loras (Iowa) 141.53
9. Augustana (Ill.) 141.46
10. St. Thomas (Minn.) 140.20

Women's Rankings
1. Williams (Mass.) 150.68
2. UW-La Crosse 145.61
3. UW-Stevens Point 143.13
4. Wartburg (Iowa) 138.57
5. UW-Oshkosh 138.13
6. UW-Eau Claire 136.02
7. Nebraska Wesleyan 134.00
8. Monmouth (Ill.) 132.76
9. St. Thomas (Minn.) 131.73
10. Loras (Iowa) 131.10

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Greencastle, Ind.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse won its third straight NCAA Division III Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship following completion of competition on March 14-15 at the DePauw University (Ind.) Indoor Tennis and Track Center.

The Eagles, who claimed their 10th indoor title in school history, captured the crown with a meet record 71.0 points. UW-Oshkosh finished second with 34 points, giving UW-La Crosse the widest winning margin in Division III championship history. Nebraska Wesleyan finished third (27), followed by Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.) (23) and The College of New Jersey (22). UW-Stevens Point tied for seventh with 15 points, while UW-Whitewater tied for 16th (10) and UW-Eau Claire and UW-Platteville tied for 21st (9).

This marks the fourth straight season that the WIAC has had three or more teams place in the top 10 at the national meet.

The 10 national indoor titles for UW-La Crosse are the most in NCAA Division III history. UW-La Crosse has now won 17 national track and field titles overall, more than any other Division III institution. The Eagles have won seven outdoor championships, also the most in Division III history.

UW-La Crosse claimed two individual national titles as Andrew Rock and Hans Schmidt won their events. Rock won the 400-meter dash for the second straight season with a NCAA Division III season-best time of 46.96, while Schmidt captured the pole vault title with a height of 17-1. Rock was named the meet's male runner of the meet by the United States Track Coaches Association.

The Eagles also won the 4 x 400-meter relay crown as Rock, Charlie Wittleder, Kris Smith and Derek Toshner combined for a time of 3:13.68.

UW-Oshkosh's Matt Groose helped the squad to a second-place finish by winning the 800-meter run for the second consecutive year with a time of 1:52.01. The Titans also won the distance medley relay as Paul Brown, Kevin Klueger, Pat Seger and Grosse teamed to win the event with a time of 10:10.07.

UW-Stevens Point's Noah Eschenbauch captured the league's fourth individual crown by winning the 35-pound weight throw with a toss of 62-5.

Also claiming All-America honors (top eight finish in each event) from the WIAC were:
55-Meter Dash: Matt Pagel (UW-La Crosse--6th)
400-Meter Dash: Andrew Rock (UW-La Crosse--Champion), Charlie Wittleder (UW-La Crosse--5th)
800-Meter Run: Matt Groose (UW-Oshkosh--Champion), Jesse Baumann (UW-Stevens Point--5th)
1,500-Meter Run: Steve Gillespie (UW-Stevens Point--8th)
55-Meter Hurdles: Derek Toshner (UW-La Crosse--4th), Ryan Dahmen (UW-Oshkosh--6th)
High Jump: Kevin Deering (UW-Oshkosh--3rd)
Long Jump: Herc Hyland (UW-La Crosse--2nd)
Triple Jump: Aaron Henderson (UW-Whitewater--5th)
Pole Vault: Hans Schmidt (UW-La Crosse--Champion), Jon Wagner (UW-Oshkosh--4th), Scott Ubert (UW-Platteville--7th)
Shot Put: Andy Paulsen (UW-Platteville--4th), Jim Nelson (UW-La Crosse--5th), John Schuna (UW-Eau Claire--6th)
35-Pound Weight Throw: Noah Eschenbauch (UW-Stevens Point--Champion), Jeremy Wendt (UW-Whitewater--3rd), Mike Turgeon (UW-La Crosse--4th), Phil Whitesitt (UW-La Crosse--5th), Dan Kuehn (UW-Platteville--7th)

4 x 400 Meter Relay: UW-La Crosse (Andrew Rock, Charlie Wittleder, Kris Smith, Derek Toshner--Champion)
Distance Medley Relay: UW-Oshkosh (Paul Brown, Kevin Klueger, Pat Seger, Matt Groose--Champion), UW-La Crosse--(Andy Grupa, Eric Schmidt, Dan Haumschild, Mark Creger--2nd), UW-Eau Claire (Matt Goertz, Jordan Klein, Zach Severson, Ben Schmiege--3rd)

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UW-La Crosse's Sutton Captures Men's Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete Award

RELEASED: Tuesday, March 11, 2003

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Dan Sutton has been named the 2003 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Max Sparger Men's Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete, it was announced recently by WIAC Commissioner Gary Karner.

Sutton, a senior from West Bend, Wis. (East H.S.), is majoring in physics with an optics emphasis and is minoring in mathematics, while maintaining a 3.67 grade point average. He received the conference's scholar-athlete award in men's cross country earlier this year and is a five-time member of the UW-La Crosse Dean's List. Sutton has received numerous scholarships while attending UW-La Crosse, including an undergraduate research grant for study at Oxford University.

Sutton recently helped the Eagles to their second straight conference championship by winning the 3,000-meter run with a time of 8:22.35. He earned All-America honors in the distance medley relay in 2000 and also holds the school record in the event.

Sutton is a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society, Optical Society of America and the America Physical Society. He has volunteered in a hospital emergency room and as a peer advisor for physics freshman students at UW-La Crosse. Sutton also serves as a computer lab consultant and as vice president for the Society of Physics Students.

Also nominated for the scholar-athlete award were: UW-La Crosse's Patrick Lantzy and Nicholas Madsen, UW-Oshkosh's Nick Hietpas and Eamon McKenna and UW-Platteville's Luke Boehnlein.

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is sponsored by Culver's. In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.25 grade point average, be in their last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years.

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Oshkosh, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse captured its second straight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) men's indoor track and field championship at Kolf Sports Center on Saturday, March 8.

The Eagles, who have won 22 of the last 25 league titles, totaled 189 team points to win this year's crown. UW-Oshkosh finished second with 168 points, followed by UW-Stevens Point (127), UW-Platteville 85, UW-Whitewater (58), UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stout (26) and UW-River Falls (21).

UW-La Crosse captured six individual titles during the league gala. Matt Pagel won the 55-meter dash with a time of 6.48. Andrew Rock won the 200-meter dash for the third straight season with a conference record time of 21.34.

The Eagles' Kris Smith claimed the 400-meter dash crown with a time of 49.17, while Dan Sutton won the 3,000-meter run with a time of 8:22.35.

Hans Schmidt and Jim Nelson won titles in the field events for UW-La Crosse. Schmidt became a two-time league champion in the pole vault with a winning height of 17-0 1/4. He also won the conference crown in 2001. Nelson won the shot put title for the second straight season with a heave of 55-0 3/4.

UW-Oshkosh also captured six individual crown at the conference meet. Matt Groose won a pair of titles for the Titans. He won the 800-meter run for the second straight year with a time of 1:51.58 and also captured the 1,500-meter run title with a time of 3:55.70. He also won the 1,500-meter crown during the 2001 championship. Groose was voted the Outstanding Track Performer of the Meet for the second straight season for his efforts.

UW-Oshkosh's David Cisewski won the 5,000-meter run with a time of 14:47.51, while Kevin Deering claimed the high jump for the second straight season with a height of 6-7 1/2. Curtis Gerrits won the long jump title for the Titans with a distance of 22-9 1/4 and Jon Zweiger captured the 55 meter hurdles title with a time of 7.49.

UW-Whitewater's Aaron Henderson and Adam Lendowski both won league titles. Henderson won the triple jump with a distance of 46-10, while Lendowski claimed the heptathlon title for the second straight year with a conference record 4,915 points.

UW-Stevens Point's Noah Eschenbauch won the 35-pound weight throw with a toss of 61-11 and was voted the Most Outstanding Field Performer of the Meet for his efforts.

UW-La Crosse's 4 x 200 meter relay team of Nate Olson, Eric Schmidt, Andrew Buchberger and Chris Sellers won with a time of 1:29.37, while the Eagles' 4 x 400 meter relay squad of Doug Connor, Nolan Hietpas, Schmidt and Sellers took first with a time of 3:21.41.

UW-Oshkosh's distance medley relay squad of Paul Brown, Kevin Klueger, Pat Seger and Groose won with a time of 10:02.12.

UW-La Crosse head coach Mark Guthrie was voted the league's Coach of the Year. It mark the third time in his career he has won the indoor honor. He also won the award in 2002 and 2000.

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Josh Buchholtz Vaults To UW-Stout's Men's Track/Cross Country Job

RELEASED: Tuesday, December 31, 2002

Menomonie, Wis.--After conducting a national search, UW-Stout needed to only look out the back door to find their next men's head track and field/cross country coach.

Josh Buchholtz, a native of Bloomer and UW-La Crosse graduate, was named to head the Blue Devil track and field and cross country programs, athletic director Steve Terry announced today.

"We are pleased to have someone with the enthusiasm, knowledge and familiarity of our programs and conference that Josh brings to UW-Stout," Terry said.

Buchholtz has been an assistant coach at UW-La Crosse for the last four seasons, working with the high jump, sprinters and the pole vault. Prior to beginning his coaching career, Buchholtz earned two Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) pole vault titles (1998 indoor and outdoor), and three times earned All-America honors in the event, placing third in 1998.

During Buchholtz's coaching career, he has had a hand in producing eight individual All-America athletes and five WIAC individual champions.

Familiarity with UW-Stout is not a problem for Buchholtz.

"I know where the Stout program has been," Buchholtz said, "and want to get us back to that point. I competed when it was La Crosse and Stout. I will use what I have learned at La Crosse to help us up here."

The facilities are not new to Buchholtz either.

"We did some counting the other day," Buchholtz said, "and I have either competed or coached at Stout's complex at least 30 times, either in high school or college."

Buchholtz's brother, Jamie, was a standout for the Blue Devils, and the two competed against each other several times while in college. The Buchholtz family also left a legacy at Bloomer High School. Their father, Bill, set the high school record in the late 1960s. Josh, who won the Wisconsin state pole vault title his senior year, broke the Bloomer mark, and Jamie, two years younger than Josh, set a new mark.

Buchholtz intends to use his competitive experience as an aid in his coaching.

"I struggled at times through those years," Buchholtz said. "I learned from that and know what a struggling athlete is going through."

Buchholtz also worked with the Eagles' cross country programs, including administrating the prestigious Jim Drews/Tori Neubauer Invitational.

Buchholtz sees the cross country program as his biggest challenge, a challenge he is more than willing to tackle.

"Cross country will be my biggest learning experience here," Buchholtz said, "but I am excited about that challenge."

Buchholtz earned his degree from La Crosse in physical education in 2001. In addition to his coaching duties, Buchholtz will be an instructor in the physical education department.

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Schneider Named UW-Eau Claire Men's Track and Field Coach

RELEASED: Wednesday, August 21, 2002

Eau Claire, Wis.--Chip Schneider has been named the new head men's track and field coach and assistant women's track and field coach at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Schneider comes to Eau Claire after spending the past year as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. At La Crosse Schneider coached hurdles, long jump, triple jump and sprints for the 2002 indoor and outdoor NCAA Division III men's national champions. This past spring Schneider was also the lead instructor for the UW-La Crosse High School Learn-By-Doing Track Clinic where he was the lead clinician for sprints and hurdles.

From 1995-96 and again from 1999-01 Schneider was an assistant men's and women's track and field coach at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville where he coached sprints, hurdles and all jumps.

In 2001 Schneider served as an instructor for the Madison High School Learn-By-Doing Track Clinic. Schneider was an assistant clinician for sprints and hurdles.

Schneider was a national champion in the long jump and in the 400-meter hurdles while becoming an eight-time All-American at UW-Platteville. A four-time UW-Platteville track and field most valuable athlete from 1992-95, Schneider was a three-time team captain from 1993-95 and earned Wisconsin State University Conference (WSUC) Academic All-Conference honors in 1994 and 1995. Schneider was named the UW-Platteville Student Athlete of the Year in 1994.

In 1996 Schneider served as an assistant coach for the River Valley High School boy's and girl's track and field teams in Spring Green, Wisconsin.

Outside of coaching Schneider served as a middle school and high school physical education/health instructor for the Galena School District in Galena, Illinois from 1999-2001.

Schneider replaces Scott Steuernagel who will remain at UW-Eau Claire as the head men's cross country coach and assistant track and field coach who will work with the distance events. During his four seasons as head coach Steuernagel totaled 10 All-Americans including 2002 indoor national shot put champion John Schuna.

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Glover Named UW-River Falls Men's Track and Field Coach

RELEASED: Thursday, May 30, 2002

River Falls, Wis.--Don Glover has been named the UW-River Falls men's and women's track & field coach for the 2002-03 school year. He will remain as the Falcon men's and women's cross country coach.

The Falcon men's track & field team will return to intercollegiate competition in 2002-03. The sport was added back to the UWRF sports module in April after being dropped after the 1994-95 season. Kristi Wagner resigned as the women’s track & field coach in April.

In 2001 the Falcon men's cross country team placed ninth and the women's team finished seventh in the WIAC Meet. Both teams competed in the 2001 NCAA Midwest Regional and the women placed eighth. Both teams also ran in the Regional in 2000.

Glover was the Concordia, Minn., University men’s and women’s track and field coach during the 2000 season where he coached the school’s first track All-American.

Before coaching at Concordia, Glover coached in the White Bear Lake, Minn., school system for several years before retiring in 1999. He began his high school track coaching at White Bear Lake in 1969. In 1972 he was named the head track coach at Mariner High School in White Bear Lake and helped lead that team to the State Championship in 1975. In 1982 when Mariner and White Bear Lake High Schools were combined, he became the head cross country coach and assistant head track coach. Glover also taught and coached in the Winona, Minn., School system from 1967-69.

From 1984-99 Glover’s cross country teams reached the Minnesota State Meet 13 times out of a tough Region 4AA. Every year of his career the Bears were ranked in the state’s Top 10. His teams brought home State trophies five times during his tenure. Several of Glover’s high school runners continued their success at the collegiate level by being named All-Americans. One was a Big 10 Conference champion.

Glover was named the Minnesota Teacher of the Year in 1981 and the Minnesota Adapted Physical Education Teacher of the Year in 1989. He was the president of the MAHPERD in 1996. He has written three books: Teambuilding Through Physical Challenge; More Teambuilding Challenges and Cooperation – Competition Making the Link. He has also had several track articles published in The Athletic Journal.

He earned his undergraduate degree in physical education and elementary education from Winona, Minn., State in 1967. He earned his master’s degree in physical education from Winona in 1971. His daughter, Leigh, earned her undergraduate degree from UW-River Falls and competed with the Falcon women’s basketball team for four seasons (1987-91). She was twice named to the first All-WIAC team and once received honorable mention as the Falcons won two WIAC championships (1988, 1989).

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