Juniata College (Pa.) ended UW-Oshkosh's postseason run for the second consecutive year as the Eagles defeated the Titans, 3-0, in a semifinal round match of the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship held Friday (Nov. 20) in University Heights, Ohio.

Juniata College, which ousted UW-Oshkosh in the quarterfinal round of last year's national event, posted winning set scores this time around of 25-23, 25-18, 26-24.

Friday's contest featured the top two teams in the country as Juniata College was ranked first in the NCAA Division III by the American Volleyball Coaches Association and UW-Oshkosh second. It was the second contest in less than a month between the squads, with UW-Oshkosh winning the first meeting by a 3-2 (22-25, 25-23, 18-25, 25-18, 15-13) score on Oct. 31 in San Antonio, Texas. (More)

The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association has named UW-Oshkosh's Ayla Mitchell (Sr. • New Richmond) as its NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Midwest Region Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Mitchell was one of eight award winners, with the others being Wendy Pavlus of St. Lawrence University (N.Y.) in the Atlantic Region, Marie Borner of Bethel University (Minn.) in the Central Region, Katie Navarre of Denison University (Ohio) in the Great Lakes Region, Jenn Cronin of Lebanon Valley College (Pa.) in the Mideast Region, Jacqui Wentz of Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the New England Region, Caitlin Masse of Trinity University (Texas) in the South/Southeast Region and Alicia Freese of Pomona-Pitzer Colleges (Calif.) in the West Region. Pavlus and Borner were also honored for the second straight year.

Mitchell is unbeaten in her last four races, including runs at the WIAC Championship held Oct. 31 and the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional held Nov. 14. She also won the Notre Dame Invitational on Oct. 2 and the UW-Oshkosh Invitational on Oct. 17. Mitchell finished second at the Carroll University Invitational held Sept. 12 and the Roy Griak Invitational held Sept. 26. (More)

One of the major players in the history of the NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championship is back as UW-Oshkosh competes at the national spectacle for the 21st time in 24 years and 23rd time overall.

UW-Oshkosh received one of 16 at-large bids to this year's meet that will be held Saturday (Nov. 21) at the Highland Park Golf Course in Highland Hills, Ohio.

UW-Oshkosh's success at the meet in unprecedented. The Titans captured national titles in 1987, 1988, 1991 and 1996, while finishing second in the country in 1989, 1990 and 1995 and third in 1986, 1994 and 1998. UW-Oshkosh placed 18th at last year's championship with 405 points.

UW-Oshkosh earned its invitation to this year's NCAA Division III Championship by finishing fourth at the Midwest Regional held last Saturday (Nov. 14) at the Lake Breeze Golf Club in Winneconne. (More)

Nate Stymiest (So. • Oconto Falls) will be UW-Oshkosh's lone representative at the NCAA Division III Men's Cross Country Championship on Saturday (Nov. 21) at the Highland Park Golf Course in Highland Hills, Ohio.

Stymiest earned an automatic selection to the national meet following an 11th-place finish at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional held last Saturday (Nov. 14) at the Lake Breeze Golf Club in Winneconne.

Stymiest, who finished 59th in the country a year ago, was one of seven runners receiving an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Championship from the Midwest Regional. Other automatic qualifiers were Aaron Kehoe of UW-Whitewater, Jason Lindelof of UW-Superior, Nick Schaefer of UW-Stevens Point, Josh Williams of Edgewood College, Brian Wurtz of Wheaton College (Ill.) and Chris Zook of Augustana College (Ill.).

North Central College (Ill.) and UW-La Crosse earned automatic team selections to the NCAA Division III Championship from the Midwest Regional, while UW-Eau Claire, UW-Platteville and Washington University (Mo.) received at-large bids. State University of New York-Cortland is the defending national champion. (More)