Whitewater's Fendrick Earns NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship

RELEASED: Monday, July 22, 2002 (Written By: Tom Fick, UW-W Sports Information)

Whitewater, Wis.--Tabitha Fendrick, All-American shot put and discus athlete for the University of
Wisconsin-Whitewater, has been selected to receive a National Collegiate Athletic Association postgraduate scholarship.

Fendrick is one of 29 women participating in spring sports to receive the award, with nine student-athletes from Division III of the NCAA. An equal number of scholarships were awarded to male athletes, with ten of those earned by Division III representatives. Fendrick was the only student-athlete from the state of Wisconsin to receive a scholarship. The scholarship award is for $5,000, and may be used for full- or part-time study at the institution of the recipient's choice.

"Ms. Fendrick is an extremely intelligent and athletically gifted individual", UW-W director of athletics Shawn Eichorst said. "Moreover, she is a wonderful citizen, representative, and role model for our institution. Tabitha is one off the best students this institution has to offer, and is very deserving of a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship."

Fendrick, a native of Marinette, Wis., graduated in May with a major in social work with a 3.86 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale. She was named First Team Verizon College Division Cross Country/Track and Field Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America, following First Team Verizon College Division Women's Track/Cross Country All-District for District 5. This past season she also received the WIAC's Judy Kruckman Scholar Athlete Award for Women's Outdoor Track and Field for 2002. Fendrick was an UW-Whitewater Chancellor Scholar Athlete this spring and made the Dean's List every year at Whitewater, as well as the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. She was also a member of the Golden Key Honor Society, Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society (freshman honor society), Beta Zeta (social work honor society), and Alpha Delta Mu (national social work honor society). For the 2001 season, Fendrick earned All-Academic honors from the United States Track and Field Coaches Association for both the indoor and outdoor seasons.

Tabitha Fendrick has also performed well athletically as evidence by her six All-American honors she has received (three in the shot and three in the discus). In spring 2002 she placed third in the discus at the NCAA DIII outdoor track and field championships, an event in which she placed second in 2001 -- and won the national title in 2000. During this year's WIAC outdoor track and field championship, Fendrick placed in all four throwing events (shot put, discus, javelin, hammer throw). She also owns UW-Whitewater's school records in the shot put, both indoors and outdoors, and in the discus.

"Tabitha is simply the best thrower in the history of UW-Whitewater track and field," Warhawk women's coach Brian Borland noted. "Her overall performance and level of accomplishment is unparalleled. I believe what makes her great, and separates her from all her contemporaries, is the outstanding initiative and character she displays in all areas of her life. She truly embodies the words 'student-athlete'."

Fendrick has earned All-American honors from four organizations. Mentioned above are the Verizon academic team and the honors earned at the NCAA III championships, and she also was a United States Track and Field Association Division III Scholastic All-American in 2000, and was named a National Strength and Conditioning Coaches All-American this spring.

While excelling in the classroom and in the athletic arena, Fendrick also worked two part-time jobs, twenty hours per week at Wendy's restaurant and eight-ten hours in the main athletic office at UW-Whitewater. She was also a youth baseball and softball volunteer for three summers, while working full-time.

Fendrick is the sixth UW-Whitewater student to receive the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, and the third this school year. Peter Katz (football) and Allison Erickson (volleyball) were among the 2001 fall sport honorees. Scott Hawig (football) was the first UW-W student-athlete to earn a scholarship, in 1996; followed by Lynn Olsen (volleyball) in 2000, and Kara Krumenauer (cross country, track) in spring 2001.

In addition to the spring sport honorees, the NCAA also awards 116 postgraduate scholarships to student-athletes participating in fall and winter sports in which the NCAA conducts championships, for a total of 174 postgraduate scholarships annually.

To qualify for an NCAA postgraduate scholarship, a student-athlete must have an overall grade-point average of 3.200 (on a 4.000 scale) or its equivalent and must have performed with distinction as a member of the varsity team in the sport in which the student-athlete was nominated. The student-athlete must have behaved, both on and off the field, in a manner that has brought credit to the student-athlete, the institution and intercollegiate athletics. The student-athlete also must intend to continue academic work beyond the baccalaureate degree as a full-time or part-time graduate student.

Nomination forms are sent to faculty athletics representatives for fall sports in September, for winter sports in late November and for spring sports in February. Selections are made three times each academic year. Candidates are screened by seven regional selection committees and the winners are selected by the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Committee.

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Six Earn Academic All-America Women's Track/Cross Country Honors

RELEASED: Thursday, June 20, 2002

Madison, Wis.--Six Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) student-athletes have been named to the 2002 Verizon Academic All-America Women's Track and Field/Cross Country Team. La Crosse's Ellen Findlay and Jocelyn Loe received first team honors, while Whitewater's Tabitha Fendrick and Oshkosh's Susan Hardtke were named to the second team. Stevens Point's Jody Butkowski and Oshkosh's Jessica Marx captured third team recognition.

The Verizon Academic All-America Team includes all female track and field and cross country athletes from Division II, Division III and NAIA.

Findlay, a senior from Whitewater, Wis., is a therapeutic recreation major and psychology minor with a 3.98 grade point average. She was named to the Verizon Academic All-America Second Team last year and is a five-time USTCA scholar-athlete. Findlay was named the WIAC Judy Kruckman Women's Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete earlier this year.

Findlay is a five-time All-American in the pole vault, including a fifth-place finish at the 2002 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships. She placed second at the 2001 indoor national meet and fifth at the outdoor meet. Findlay was fourth indoors and third outdoors in 2000.

Loe, a junior from Oshkosh, Wis. (West), is a chemistry major with a 4.00 grade point average. She was one of three individuals on the 15-member first team to achieve a perfect grade point average.

Loe is an eight-time All-America honoree, including a third-place finish as a member of the 4x100 meter relay at the 2002 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships. She has earned all eight of her All-America honors as a member of the Eagles' relay squads.

Fendrick, a senior from Marinette, Wis., is majoring in social work with a 3.86 grade point average. She received the WIAC Judy Kruckman Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete Award this season.

Fendrick is a six-time All-American, having earned the honor three times in discus and three times in the shot put. She finished third in the discus at the 2002 outdoor championships after winning the national crown in 2000.

Hardtke, a senior from Kewaunee, Wis., is majoring in elementary education with a 3.97 grade point average. She helped the Titans to a second-place finish at the 2002 national indoor meet by running a leg on the winning distance medley relay team. Hardtke was also a member of the distance medley relay team that finished first at the conference meet this season.

Butkowski, a senior from Stevens Point, Wis. (SPASH), carries a 3.82 grade point average in english and was an All-American in the triple jump for the Pointers at the 2002 outdoor national championships with a sixth-place finish. It was her third career All-America honor.

Butkowski is a two-time indoor All-American in the triple jump, placing second at the 2001 championships and eighth at this year's indoor national meet.

Marx, a senior from Mukwonago, Wis., is majoring in elementary education with a 3.91 grade point average. She helped the Titans to a second-place finish at the 2002 national indoor meet by running a leg on the winning distance medley relay team. Marx was also a member of the distance medley relay team that finished first at the conference meet this season.

The Verizon Academic All-America Teams are selected by a vote of the 1,800-member CoSIDA. To be eligible, an athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.20 on a scale of 4.00. Sports information directors nominate eligible athletes from their schools who are named to district teams prior to being voted upon the national level.

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Eight Earn Academic All-District Women's Track/Cross Country Honors

RELEASED: Wednesday, May 29, 2002

Madison, Wis.--Eight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) student-athletes have been named to the 2002 Verizon Academic All-District V Women's Track and Field/Cross Country Team. UW-La Crosse's Ellen Findlay and Jocelyn Loe, Oshkosh's Susan Hardtke and Jessica Marx, Stevens Point's Jody Butkowski and Whitewater's Tabitha Fendrick were named to the first team. Stevens Point's Becky Lebak and Stout's Laura Verdegan earned second team recognition.

Findlay, a senior from Whitewater, Wis., is a therapeutic recreation major and psychology minor with a 3.98 grade point average. She earned Verizon Academic All-America Second Team honors last year. Findlay was named the 2002 WIAC Judy Kruckman Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete.

Findlay is a five-time NCAA Division III All-American in the pole vault. She placed fifth at the 2002 NCAA Outdoor Championships, second at the 2001 indoor national meet and fifth at the outdoor meet. Findlay was fourth indoors and third outdoors in 2000. Additionally, she is a two-time league champion in the pole vault, winning the indoor and outdoor titles in 2001.

Loe, a senior from Oshkosh, Wis. (West), is a chemistry major with a 4.00 grade point average. She is an eight-time NCAA III All-American and has earned all eight of her All-America honors as a member of the Eagles' relay squads. She won the 400-meter dash conference outdoor title this season and was a member of the winning 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay teams.

Hardtke, a senior from Kewaunee, Wis., is majoring in elementary education with a 3.97 grade point average. She helped the Titans to a second-place finish at the 2002 NCAA Indoor Championships by running a leg on the winning distance medley relay team. Hardtke was also a member of the distance medley relay team that finished first at the conference meet this season.

Marx, a senior from Mukwonago, Wis., is also majoring in elementary education with a 3.91 grade point average. She helped the Titans to a second-place finish at the 2002 NCAA Indoor Championships by running a leg on the winning distance medley relay team. Marx was also a member of the distance medley relay team that finished first at the conference meet this season.

Butkowski, a senior from Stevens Point, Wis. (SPASH), has a 3.82 grade point average with an english major. She earned All-America honors at the 2002 NCAA Outdoor Championships with a sixth-place finish in the triple jump. Butkowski is a two-time indoor All-American in the triple jump, placing second at the 2001 championships and eighth at this year's national meet.

Fendrick, a senior from Marinette, Wis., is majoring in social work with a 3.86 grade point average. She received the WIAC Judy Kruckman Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete Award this season.

Fendrick is a six-time All-American, having earned the honor three times in discus and three times in the shot put. She finished third in the discus at the 2002 NCAA Outdoor Championships after winning the national crown in 2000.

Lebak, a senior from Burlington, Wis., is majoring in dietetics with a 3.47 grade point average. She finished sixth in 10,000-meter run at the 2002 NCAA Outdoor Championships after finishing fourth in the same event last season. She is a six-time league champion, winning outdoor titles in the 5,000 and 10,000-meter runs each of the last two seasons, and winning the indoor titles in the 3,000 and 5,000-meter runs in 2001. Lebak placed seventh at the 2001 NCAA Cross Country Championship after winning the individual conference crown.

Verdegan, a sophomore from Tony, Wis. (Flambeau), posts a 3.97 grade point average in dietetics. She placed fifth in the triple jump at the 2002 NCAA Outdoor Championships and finished third in the same event at the indoor national meet. Verdegan was the WIAC champion in the outdoor triple jump this season and placed second at the indoor league meet.

The academic all-district teams are selected from all Division II, Division III and NAIA schools in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Indiana. Individuals on the first team will advance to the national ballot.

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Ada, Ohio--The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh women's track and field team finished second at the NCAA Division III Championship Saturday at the Ohio Northern University Sports Center. The Titans finished with 37 points. UW-La Crosse finished third with 30.50 points. UW-Stout finished 11th (12), UW-Superior tied for 20th (8), UW-Stevens Point tied for 27th (7), UW-River Falls tied for 40th (4), UW-Eau Claire tied for 47th (3) and UW-Whitewater tied for 57th (1).

The third-place showing for Oshkosh is its best since the 1997 season when they finished third. The Titans claimed three-consecutive national crowns (1994, 1995, 1996) prior to the 1997 season.

La Crosse has now had six top-three team finishes in school history. The Eagles have been runner-up three times (1993, 1999, 2001).

Oshkosh's Carrie Danielewicz and Elizabeth Woodworth each captured individual national championships. Danielewicz captured the high jump national title with a height of 5-7 1/4. She earned All-American honors in the same event last season when she finished sixth. Woodworth won the 800-meter run with a time of 2:12.41. She finished fourth in the event last year.

Oshkosh's distance medley relay team of Jackie Munoz, Jessica Marx, Jill Hardtke and Woodworth finished first with a time of 11:46.19. It was the first distance medley relay national title for the Titans in school history.

Also claiming All-American honors from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference were:

55-Meter Dash: Angela Klatt (La Crosse--8th)
800-Meter Run: Jessica Dober (La Crosse--3rd), Jessica Marx (Oshkosh--6th)
5,000-Meter Run: Becky Lebak (Stevens Point--3rd), Jane-Marie Ovanin (Eau Claire--7th)
55-Meter Hurdles: Breanna McMullen (Eau Claire--8th)
Pole Vault: Bethany Renner (La Crosse--5th), Niki Riemer (Oshkosh--7th), Heather Kleckner (La Crosse--8th)
Long Jump: Sarah Moravchik (Superior--2nd)
High Jump: Kady Kleven (River Falls--5th)
Triple Jump: Laura Verdegan (Stout--3rd), Jill Kincaid (Oshkosh--7th), Jody Butkowski (Stevens Point--8th)
Shot Put: Jenney Luer (Stout--3rd), Tabitha Fendrick (Whitewater--8th)
Weight Throw: Kristen Raether (La Crosse--5th), Sonja Peterson (La Crosse--6th)
4x400-Meter Relay: La Crosse (2nd)
Distance Medley Relay: La Crosse (5th)

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Findlay and Marx Share Women's Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete Honor

RELEASED: Tuesday, March 5, 2002

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Ellen Findlay and UW-Oshkosh's Jessica Marx have been named 2001-02 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women's Indoor Track and Field Co-Scholar-Athletes, it was announced recently by WIAC Commissioner Gary Karner.

Findlay, a senior from Whitewater, Wis., is currently majoring in therapeutic recreation and minoring in psychology with a 3.98 grade point average. She has been named the Verizon Academic All-American selection last season and USTCA Academic All-American for the past two years. Findlay is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and UW-La Crosse's Dean's List for seven semesters.

Findlay, a team captain this season, helped the Eagles to third consecutive WIAC title last weekend. She earned All-America honors the last two seasons in the pole vault, placing second at the national meet last year and fourth in 2000. Findlay claimed the conference pole vaulting crown last season and also holds the indoor school record 12-2.

Findlay is a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society, Therapeutic Recreation Club and Rho Phi Lambda Honor Sorority. She has also served as a Special Olympics volunteer.

Marx, a senior from Mukwonago, Wis., is majoring in elementary education with a minor in spanish and carries a 3.92 grade point average. She was an Indoor Track and Field Academic All-American last season and was named to the National Dean's List in 1998-99. Marx has received her institution's Jane Ives Albee Scholarship and earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average in three semesters.

Marx was a member of the winning distance medley relay team at the WIAC championship last weekend. She also took second in the 400-meter dash and was a member of the 4x400-meter relay team that also placed second. Findlay earned All-America honors last season as a member of the 4x400-meter relay team. She is also a school record holder in the indoor 4x400-meter relay and distance medley relay.

Marx has volunteered at ADVOCAP, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Badger State Track and Field, the Salvation Army and local elementary schools. In addition, she is a member of the University Honors Program, Campus Crusade, the Student Athletic Advisory Board and the Peer Resource Organization.

Also nominated for the award were: La Crosse's Amanda Barttelt, Janelle Curtis, Sara Johnson, Heather Kleckner, Cheryl Langrehr, Julie Ravet and Ali Trudeau, Oshkosh's Susan Hardtke and Nichole Riemer, River Falls' Krystin Bodenburg, Stevens Point's Jody Butkowski and April Raykowski and Stout's Jenny Luer.

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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UW-La Crosse Captures Third Consecutive
Women's Indoor Track and Field League Crown

Whitewater, Wis.--The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's indoor track & field team won its third straight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championship Saturday in Kachel Fieldhouse. The Eagles finished with 209.00 points. UW-Oshkosh was second (143.00) followed by UW-Stevens Point (115.00), UW-Eau Claire (103.00), UW-Whitewater (58.00), UW-Stout (22.00), UW-River Falls (21.00), UW-Platteville (16.00) and UW-Superior (11.00).

La Crosse had three individual champions and captured two relays titles during the two-day event. Heather Kleckner won the pole vault with a league record height of 12-6 3/4. Jocelyn Loe claimed the 400-meter dash with a time of 58.66 and Angela Klatt the 200-meter dash in 25.36.

The Eagles also won the 4x200-meter relay in 1:44.75 and the 4x400-meter relay in 4:00.88. It was the 11th-consecutive season that La Crosse has won the 4x400-meter conference crown.

Oshkosh had five individual champions in four events and one relay title. Carrie Danielewicz won the high jump with a height of 5-3 3/4 and the pentathlon with 3,305 points. Elizabeth Woodworth became a two-time league champion in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:11.35. Her time set a new conference record. Jackie Munoz won the 1,500-meter run with a time of 4:40.36, while Jill Kincaid won the triple jump for the third consecutive season with a distance of 38-6. The Titans' distance medley relay team won in 11:57.01.

Eau Claire's Jane-Marie Ovanin won the 3,000-meter run with a time of 10:11.05 and the 5,000-meter run in 17:34.38. The Blugolds' Breanna McMullen won the 55-meter high hurdles with a time of 8.55.

Whitewater's Tabitha Fendrick won the shot put crown for the third consecutive season with a distance of 47-0 1/4. The Warhawks' Jessica Janson won the 55-meter dash in 7.28.

Stevens Point's Megan Lundahl won the 20-pound weight throw with a toss of 52-4 1/2. She also won the event in 2000.

Superior's Sarah Moravchik won the long jump with a distance of 18-5, becoming the first Yellowjacket in school history to win a conference indoor women's title in any field event.

Eau Claire's Jane-Marie Ovanin was named the Track Performer of the Meet, while Oshkosh's Carrie Danielewicz was named the Field Performer of the Meet.

La Crosse head coach Pat Healy was selected the Coach of the Year for the third consecutive year. It is Healy's fifth conference indoor championship to go along with six outdoor titles.

Many of the competitors in the WIAC championship will travel to Ohio Northern University next Friday and Saturday, March 8-9 for the NCAA III Indoor Championship.

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