Three UW-Oshkosh student-athletes have been selected to participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Career in Sports Forum. The conference will be held June 7-10 in Indianapolis, Ind.

Representing UW-Oshkosh are women's soccer player Katie Berkopec (So. • Apple Valley, Minn.), women's basketball player Rebekah Sittig (So. • Sturtevant) and women's softball player Celes Zaragoza (Fr. • San Antonio, Texas).

The three Titans are the only student-athletes chosen from a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference school. The only other school from Wisconsin with a participant is Carthage College.

The NCAA Career in Sports Forum is a four-day event through which selected student-athletes explore and are educated on careers in sports, with a primary focus on intercollegiate athletics. The participants are given an educational opportunity to learn and gain valuable exposure to careers in sports, specifically in the areas of coaching, administration and sports entertainment. They examine key functions of a coach or administrator within athletics, including foundational skills such as communication, networking, recruiting, managing culture and budgeting. Additionally, the Forum dispels myths about careers in athletics, as well as facilitates the opportunity to obtain information from current and future athletics professionals.

This year's forum will feature 300 of the 650 NCAA student-athletes who completed an application.

2012 UW-Oshkosh John Taylor Scholar-Athlete Award Winners (L-R): Brittany Walder, Tyler Morey

Tyler Morey (Combined Locks) and Brittany Walder (Waukesha) have been named the 2012 winners of the UW-Oshkosh John Taylor Scholar-Athlete Award. The awards were presented at the UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame & Senior Awards Banquet held Sunday (May 6).

The John Taylor Scholar-Athlete Award is presented annually to the outstanding male and female senior student-athlete who owns a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 or higher. The award reflects not only individual athletic achievements, but also the ideals of team contribution, scholastic endeavor and school and community involvement.

Morey has competed in men's cross country and track and field for the Titans since graduating from Clemson University (S.C.) in 2010. At UW-Oshkosh, Morey owns a 3.72 cumulative grade-point average while pursuing a master's degree in business administration. A member of Beta Gamma Sigma International Honor Society, he is also involved with Athletes in Action and Campus Crusade for Christ.

Last fall, Morey earned All-America honors at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship with his 32nd-place time of 24:43. At the WIAC Cross Country Championship, he placed seventh with a time of 25:07 to help UW-Oshkosh to the team title.

Morey is a two-time letter winner in track and field. He placed third in both the 3,000-meter run at the 2012 WIAC Indoor Championship and the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2011 WIAC Outdoor Championship. Morey finished 11th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2011 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championship.

A double major in elementary and special education, Walder holds a 3.46 cumulative grade-point average. She studied abroad in Australia in 2001 and is a member of the Student Council for Exceptional Children. Walder has been a volunteer for the Special Olympics and a coach in youth soccer camps.

Walder received All-WIAC first team honors in 2011 after helping the Titans reach the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship. Walder played 1,590 minutes as UW-Oshkosh's goalkeeper and compiled 97 saves with a 0.91 goals against average. The four-year letter winner tallied 300 saves, 13 shutouts and a 1.41 goals against average during her 63-game career. Walder's 5,362 career minutes as a guard for the UW-Oshkosh goal are the most in school history.

UW-Oshkosh created the John Taylor Scholar-Athlete award in 1976. Since then, it has rewarded 37 men and 32 women for their excellence.

The UW-Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame increased its roster to 166 members on Sunday (May 6) with the inductions of Tiffany (Speckman) Ebensperger, Jamie Ford and Braugeor Zeitler. The induction ceremony was held in UW-Oshkosh's Reeve Memorial Union.

The UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame was established in 1974 to give tribute and deserved recognition to former athletes, coaches and friends of the university. It is also intended to enhance school tradition by honoring those people who have shown exceptional ability while on the UW-Oshkosh campus and since graduation.

In the 34-year history of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Cross Country Championship, only one woman has run to three individual titles. That person is Tiffany (Speckman) Ebensperger, who also led UW-Oshkosh to six national championships and 10 conference titles in cross country and track and field from 1994-98.

Ebensperger's senior year, the 1997-98 campaign, was an outstanding one. In the fall, she captured her third WIAC cross country title with a time of 18:01. Ebensperger was named the league's Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and UW-Oshkosh earned its fourth straight WIAC championship. The Titans placed fourth at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championship as Ebensperger won the individual crown with a time of 18:29. Laura Horejs (1991) is the only other person in UW-Oshkosh history with a national cross country title.

When the indoor track and field season came around in 1998, Ebensperger led UW-Oshkosh to the WIAC championship with individual titles in the 3,000- and 5,000-meter runs. She also won both of those events at the WIAC outdoor meet. At the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championship, Ebensperger was victorious in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 17:16. She nearly gained two more national titles when she finished second in both the 3,000- and 5,000-meter runs at the outdoor competition.

Ebensperger received the 1998 Honda NCAA Division III Woman Athlete of the Year Award, becoming the first winner from the WIAC. She was also a three-time selection to the Successful Farming All-American Team. Ebensperger's national awards contributed $6,000 to UW-Oshkosh's general academic scholarship fund.

In cross country, Ebensperger was part of four WIAC championship teams. In three of those years (1994, 1996, 1997), she won the individual conference title and earned NCAA Division III All-America status. UW-Oshkosh also took the team crown at the 1996 national championship.

UW-Oshkosh captured NCAA Division III indoor track and field titles in 1995 and 1996. Ebensperger helped the Titans to WIAC indoor crowns in 1995, 1996 and 1998, while also winning the 3,000-meter run in 1995.

Outdoors, Ebensperger achieved a three-peat (1996-98) in the 3,000-meter run at the WIAC Track and Field Championship. The Titans then won the WIAC title and the NCAA championship from 1995-97.

Ebensperger, a four-time Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America, was named to both the WIAC Women's Cross Country and Track and Field All-Centennial Teams in 2012. She was inducted into the Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2005.

The Juda High School graduate still races competitively and has completed 13 marathons. At the 2012 Boston Marathon, she finished in 3:24:29 to lead all women from Wisconsin.

Ebensperger graduated from UW-Oshkosh in 1998 and is currently a science teacher at Albany High School. She lives in Juda with her devoted husband, Eric.

Jamie Ford played only two years at UW-Oshkosh, but her impact on the women's volleyball program was immense. She was a NCAA Division III All-American both seasons, while leading the Titans to a 75-18 record and their first Final Four appearance.

The St. Charles (Ill.) High School graduate started her collegiate volleyball career at Elgin Community College (Ill.). Ford guided that team to a 91-12-4 record over two years while earning National Junior College Athletic Association All-America honorable mention status in 1990.

Ford transferred to UW-Oshkosh for the 1991 season and helped the Titans compile a 42-8 record. The record, which included a 19-game winning streak, established the second-highest victory total in school history. UW-Oshkosh won both the WIAC championship and the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional to reach the Final Four in St. Louis, Mo.

At the Final Four, UW-Oshkosh fell to eventual national champion Washington University (Mo.) by a 3-1 score. Ford, a setter, posted 40 assists in that semifinal match. During the third-place contest, she totaled 45 assists as Juniata College (Pa.) defeated UW-Oshkosh, 3-1. For the season, Ford compiled 1,526 assists, 352 digs and 30 service aces to collect NCAA Division III All-America first team honors.

Ford missed the 1992 season with an injury. When she returned in 1993, UW-Oshkosh tallied a 33-10 record and made another national postseason appearance. In the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship, UW-Eau Claire ousted UW-Oshkosh in a five-set battle. Ford compiled 44 assists in that match as the Titans finished 17th in the nation. An All-America second-team pick, Ford finished with 1,422 assists, 230 digs, 57 service aces and a .378 hitting percentage.

In 93 career matches, Ford counted 2,948 assists, 582 digs and 87 service aces. The 1995 UW-Oshkosh graduate was also named twice to the NCAA Division III All-Central Region and All-WIAC first teams.

Ford lives in Milwaukee, where she has been a professional nail technician for the last 13 years. Ford currently owns a nail business in Wauwatosa while working as a national educator. Each summer, she returns to UW-Oshkosh to work as a clinician at the school's volleyball camps.

Braugeor Zeitler didn't have the traditional four-year college career. Playing men's tennis for UW-Oshkosh in 1957, 1960, 1961 and 1963, his performance on the court was also anything but ordinary.

Zeitler graduated from Fond du Lac Goodrich High School and immediately thrived at UW-Oshkosh. During his freshman season, he tallied an 11-2 singles record and was named the Titans' Most Valuable Player. Although Zeitler was defeated in the WIAC Tournament, he would not lose again for the next six years.

Zeitler didn't compete during the 1958 and 1959 seasons because of work obligations. Returning to the court in 1960, he was unstoppable. Zeitler played No. 1 singles and finished the season with a perfect 10-0 record. Due to WIAC restrictions, Zeitler could only play in one bracket at the league tournament. He chose No. 1 doubles, where Bill Simon joined him for a 6-1, 6-4 victory over a tandem from UW-La Crosse in the title match. Zeitler and Simon went 11-0 for the season as the Titans captured the WIAC championship.

In 1961, Zeitler captured the WIAC No. 1 singles title. He rolled through a flawless regular season and gained the league championship with his 12-0 record. Zeitler also played on UW-Oshkosh's top doubles team that qualified for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Championship.

The Wisconsin National Guard called Zeitler to active duty in 1962. While stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington, he was still able to display his talents. Zeitler won the base's individual championship with a 6-2, 6-0, 6-1 decision over Roman Jimenez.

Zeitler's senior year of 1963 featured another perfect regular season. At the WIAC Tournament, he defeated his first four singles opponents by a combined score of 48-7. Zeitler then topped UW-La Crosse's Jim Stenson, 6-1, 6-3, in the final. That victory sent him to the NAIA Championship, where he compiled a 1-1 record. For his career, Zeitler owned a 53-3 record in singles play.

After earning his bachelor's degree from UW-Oshkosh in 1964, Zeitler obtained two more degrees in art. He was an art teacher at Oshkosh West High School from 1972-99, while also spending time as a tennis pro at several local clubs.

Zeitler utilized his experience as the Oshkosh West High School tennis coach. He led the boys team from 1972 to 2003 and the girls squad from 1987 to 2003. During that time, each squad won two Fox Valley Association championships. In 1999, The Appleton Post-Crescent named Zeitler as its Boys Tennis Coach of the Year.

Zeitler continued to play after college, winning the Wisconsin Open Doubles Tournament with Kip Whitlinger in 1967. He remains a lifetime member of UW-Oshkosh's Alumni Association, Titan Booster Club and National "O" Club. Earlier this year, Zeitler was named to the WIAC All-Centennial Men's Tennis team.

Zeitler and his wife, Donna, live in Pine River. They have two children, including daughter Jancee who played women's tennis for the Titans.

Jamie Ford, Tiffany (Speckman) Ebensperger and Braugeor Zeitler will join a prestigious club when they are inducted into the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Hall of Fame on Sunday, May 6.

These three former Titans will be honored at the annual Hall of Fame & Senior Awards Banquet in UW-Oshkosh’s Reeve Memorial Union. Tickets for the 5 p.m. event are $20 and can be purchased by contacting Susie Gustke at (920) 424-1383 or gustke@uwosh.edu before May 1.

The UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame was established in 1974 to give tribute and deserved recognition to former athletes, coaches and friends of the university. It is also intended to enhance school tradition by honoring those people who have shown exceptional ability while on the UW-Oshkosh campus and since graduation. This year’s class will increase the member count to 166.

Ford ('95) played women’s volleyball for the Titans in 1991 and 1993. She was named to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III All-America First Team during 1991, while making the second team in 1993. UW-Oshkosh made the national tournament both years, including a Final Four appearance in 1991. Ford’s career numbers include 2,948 assists, 582 digs and 87 service aces. The two-time All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) selection is a graduate of St. Charles (Ill.) High School.

A two-time national champion, Ebensperger competed in women’s cross country and track & field from 1994-98. She won WIAC cross country titles in 1994, 1996 and 1997, and remains the only woman with three individual crowns. Ebensperger is one of two Titans to win the national championship, scoring her gold in 1997.

Ebensperger ('98) helped UW-Oshkosh to national outdoor track & field titles from 1995-97 and indoor crowns in 1995-96. On the indoor track, she won the 5,000-meter run at the 1998 NCAA Division III Championship. At the 1998 outdoor meet, Ebensperger placed second in both the 3,000 and 5,000-meter runs. The Juda High School graduate received the Honda NCAA Division III Woman Athlete of the Year award as a senior.

Zeitler ('64) ranks as one of the greatest players in the history of UW-Oshkosh men’s tennis. He played in 1957, 1960-61 and 1963. While compiling an overall record of 53-3, Zeitler won the WIAC No. 1 singles championship in 1961 and 1963. The Fond du Lac Goodrich High School graduate added a No. 1 doubles title during the 1960 campaign.

At the national level, Zeitler qualified for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Championship as a singles player in 1963 and a doubles contestant in 1961. Zeitler then coached boys tennis (1972-2003) and girls tennis (1987-2003) at Oshkosh West High School, leading the Wildcats to four Fox Valley Association titles.

UW-Oshkosh will honor girls and women in sports on Saturday (April 21) at the Oshkosh Sports Complex.

The event begins at 11:30 a.m. with speaking engagements by 18-time national championship coach Deb Vercauteren and three-time Olympian Suzy Favor Hamilton in the Russ Young Building. Both individuals will share their successful experiences in athletics.

Following their speeches, fans are encouraged to attend the women's softball doubleheader at YP.com Softball Park between UW-Oshkosh and defending WIAC champion UW-River Falls. Favor Hamilton will be in attendance to throw out the first pitch of the 2 p.m. contest.

Free admission will be given to all girls and women, and everyone in attendance for the speakers will receive a meal voucher for a hot dog, chips, and drink. After the games, bring your blankets to J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium and watch a movie on the videoboard (weather permitting). 

Throughout her 29 years as the women’s cross country and track and field coach at UW-Oshkosh, Vercauteren’s teams won 18 NCAA Division III titles and 36 WIAC championships. Her student-athletes also earned 58 national individual crowns and 331 All-America honors. Vercauteren is the only coach in NCAA Division III history to win national titles in women’s cross country, women’s indoor track and field, and women’s outdoor track and field.

Favor Hamilton's achievements include appearances at the Summer Olympics in 1992, 1996 and 2000. She is the owner of seven U.S. national championships and nine NCAA Division I titles. In 2000, the former University of Wisconsin standout ran the fastest 1,500-meter run time in the world. Favor Hamilton has been featured on the cover of numerous sport and fitness magazines and published a book titled Fast Track, which aims to help young female runners avoid common mistakes and perform at their best.

National Girls and Women in Sports Day began 25 years ago to honor Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman for her accomplishments and her efforts to attain equality for women’s sports. This day has continued to grow and is celebrated in all 50 states by various organizations, companies and universities. 

Former UW-Oshkosh national champion Tiffany (Speckman) Ebensperger was the top finisher among Wisconsin women at the 116th Boston Marathon held Monday (April 16) in Boston, Mass.

Ebensperger finished with a time of 3 hours, 24 minutes and 29 seconds in the 26.2-mile challenge. That performance placed her 228th in the overall women’s standings. The race featured 80-degree temperatures and a total of 22,426 participants.

Ebensperger competed for the UW-Oshkosh women's cross country and track and field teams from 1994-98. The Juda High School graduate took first place at the 1997 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship, while winning the 5,000-meter run at the 1998 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championship.

In addition to Ebensperger, UW-Oshkosh cross country and track and field alumnae Rachel (Milligan) Paape and Stephanie (Speckman) Ross also completed the Boston Marathon. Paape took 354th place with a time of 3:28.27, while Ross finished 7,006th in 4:59.05.

Three men with UW-Oshkosh ties were in the field as well. Former cross country and track and field athletes Eamon McKenna placed 339th with a time of 2:55.17 and Ted Shue 3,419th in 3:37.34. Former UW-Oshkosh head men's cross country and track and field coach John Zupanc finished 9,941st in 4:46.28.

Wesley Koirr of Kenya crossed the finish line first with a time of 2:12.40. The women's title went to Sharon Cherop of Kenya after she finished in 2:31.50.

In the month of April, hundreds of events around the nation will mark the 25th annual National Student-Athlete Day, including an activity sponsored by UW-Oshkosh.

Sodexo will honor all UW-Oshkosh student-athletes with a voucher for a free lunch at Alumni Stadium on Wednesday (April 11) during the Titans’ baseball game against UW-Stevens Point. The first pitch of the doubleheader will be at 1 p.m.  UW-Oshkosh faculty and staff are also invited to attend the event.

The menu will feature traditional tailgate food such as burgers and brats.

The 25th celebration of National Student-Athlete Day pays tribute to high school and college student-athletes nationwide for achieving excellence in the classroom and on the field, while making significant contributions to their schools and communities. National Student-Athlete Day is celebrated annually and has seen 3,180,498 student-athletes honored since 1997. It has become one of America’s strongest endeavors promoting the positive virtues of sport and student-athletes as a whole, and the positive affect they both have on society.

The day, established by the National Consortium for Academics & Sports, is co-sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the National Federation of State High School Associations and Northeastern University's Sport in Society. The event coincides with Division III week, which is April 9-15.

The UW-Oshkosh Athletics Department still has tickets available to the 21st Annual Titan Booster Club Final Four Extravaganza Party that will be held Monday (April 2) at 7:30 p.m. in Reeve Memorial Union (748 Algoma Blvd.).

Each $100 ticket admits two people to the Final Four Extravaganza Party, where they can watch the title game of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship on a choice of several big screen televisions. In addition to watching the game, all attendees will be able to enjoy plenty of food and refreshments and be eligible to win a portion of the $10,000 that will be given away as cash prizes.

Several raffles will also be held at the event. The prizes include two round trip airline tickets to any destination in the continental United States, four tickets to this fall's football game in Madison between the University of Wisconsin and the University of Illinois, one suite for 10 guests to a Wisconsin Timber Rattlers baseball game in Grand Chute and one night's lodging and breakfast brunch for two at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton.

Since 1992, 3,835 tickets have been sold for this event, with all proceeds going to support the UW-Oshkosh athletics program.

For ticket information, contact UW-Oshkosh Sports Information Director Kennan Timm at (920) 424-0365. Tickets will also be sold at the door on the night of the event.

UW-Oshkosh’s Kennan Timm has been selected for induction into the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Hall of Fame. The induction takes place on June 25 at the organization’s annual convention in St. Louis, Mo.

This Hall of Fame honor is presented to members of CoSIDA who have made outstanding contributions to the field of college athletic communications.

Other members of this year’s induction class are Debbie Copp (Director of Athletic Publications at the University of Oklahoma), Thomas DiCamillo (current CoSIDA president who serves as both the Director of Public Relations at Central Arizona College and Assistant Commissioner for the Pacific West Conference), Sue Edson (Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications at Syracuse University), Lawrence Fan (Athletics Media Relations Director at San Jose State University), Fred Huff (former Sports Information Director at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale) and Charles “Chuck” Prophet (former Sports Information Director at Mississippi Valley State University).

Timm joins former UW-Eau Claire sports information director Tim Petermann as Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference representatives in the CoSIDA Hall of Fame. Other inductees from the state of Wisconsin have been Ted Carpenter (Marquette University, 1969), Tam Flarup (University of Wisconsin, 2007), Art Lentz (University of Wisconsin, 1969) and Jim Mott (University of Wisconsin, 1979).

Just the 15th inductee from a NCAA Division III school, Timm is part of the organization’s 44th class. The CoSIDA Hall of Fame opened in 1969 and will have 178 members after this year’s ceremony.

Timm has been the host media relations director for 19 NCAA Division III championship events in six different sports, as well as over 50 NCAA Division III regional tournaments. Timm began his career as a student at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and took over as the school’s full-time sports information director in 1982. Timm returned to his hometown in 1985 to become the sports information director at UW-Oshkosh, a position he has held since.

Timm already owns one major CoSIDA award, receiving the Warren Berg Award at the 2009 convention in San Antonio, Texas. He has also collected 12 CoSIDA publication awards.

In 2007, Timm became the first sports information director to host two NCAA Division III national championship events on the same weekend.  That spring, UW-Oshkosh hosted the finals for both baseball and track and field. In all, Timm served as the host media coordinator for the finals of NCAA Division III Championships in baseball (2000-2009), women’s basketball (1996), men’s and women’s cross country (1999, 2011), men’s and women’s indoor track and field (1994, 1997, 2001), men’s and women’s outdoor track and field (2007-08) and women’s volleyball (1996).

While at UW-Oshkosh, Timm has been in charge of publicizing one of the most successful athletics programs in the country.  UW-Oshkosh has captured 28 NCAA Division III titles since Timm’s arrival. His tenure at UW-La Crosse included the promotion of three national championship teams.

Timm has organized and chaired three major fundraising activities at UW-Oshkosh, including the Titan Extravaganza Party, which has raised over $190,000 for the athletics department in 20 years. A Titan Getaway Raffle he created brought in more than $57,000 from 1991-97.

Timm has seen five of his former student assistants continue in the sports information profession. Among them are Becky Bohm, former University of Minnesota Associate Sports Information Director, Todd Clark, former UW-La Crosse Sports Information Director and current Director of Communications for the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, and Dan Lukes, current St. Norbert College Sports Information Director.

In 1984, Timm was a member of the media relations staff for wrestling at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Calif. He has been the official statistician for the Wisconsin high school football all-star game since 1985 and the official scorer for the state’s high school baseball tournament since 1998. Timm also served three years as a spotter for WBAY-TV when the station broadcasted Green Bay Packer preseason football games. He is presently a member of CoSIDA’s NCAA Media Advisory Board.

Timm and his wife, Janis, reside in De Pere with their children, Jennifer (14) and Cory (11).

UW-Oshkosh will hold a "Play 4Kay" event during the men's and women's basketball doubleheader against UW-Stout on Saturday (Feb. 18). Proceeds from the event will support the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

Play 4Kay, formerly known as WBCA Pink Zone, is an initiative that allows a nation of coaches to raise awareness and funds for cancer research on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond.

The late Kay Yow, former North Carolina State University head women's basketball coach, served as the catalyst for Play 4Kay after her third recurrence of breast cancer in 2006. Yow was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987 and passed away on January 24, 2009.

Play 4Kay at UW-Oshkosh kicks off with the women's game at 4 p.m. followed by the men's game at 6 p.m. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a Play 4Kay lanyard and Walgreens discount card compliments of Wild Impact Marketing and Walgreens of Oshkosh. In addition to the activities, UW-Oshkosh athletics will donate $2 from every ticket sold to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

Throughout the games, fans will have many ways to support the cause through games and raffles. Fans who make a donation will receive a pink Titan head, which, with their name and/or personal message included, will be displayed in the UW-Oshkosh Athletic Department during the month of February. T-Shirts will also be on sale during the event.

Since 2006, thousands of supporters have joined Coach Yow's team in the fight against breast cancer and have raised over $1.5 million for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2011 sales of $72 billion. The company operates 7,786 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Each day, Walgreens provides nearly 6 million customers the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice in communities across America.
 
Wild Impact Marketing (www.wildimpact.com) has delivered brand building results by incorporating strategic thinking into creatively designed and executed marketing campaigns.  Our "Community Get Connected" program is creating new local partnerships with universities.  The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Play 4 Kay event is one example of Walgreens becoming more integrated into their local communities and we are very excited to be part of the team.

For more information about Play 4 Kay and all UW-Oshkosh athletic news and events please visit, www.titans.uwosh.edu.

Nominations are currently being sought for the Russ Young Leadership and Achievement Award.

The award was established in 2009 in honor of Russ Young, who served as the head football coach at UW-Oshkosh from 1963 to 1976. Coach Young left a legacy of leadership and commitment to excellence, both on and off the field. He embraced the values of fair competition, mentoring others, leading by example, and leaving a positive impact on student athletes at UW-Oshkosh long after they left the playing field.

This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated the ideals of Russ Young's legacy through their record of accomplishments in their career or cause, community involvement, moral character, and positive contributions to the world of sports.

The award recipient must be a former UW-Oshkosh football player or coach who left the university more than 10 years ago. The recipient will be selected from the following criteria: lifelong sports involvement, career achievements, community service, meaningful contributions to the advancement to the football program, and character.

Anyone can nominate a candidate by completing a nomination for online at www.titantouchdownclub.com or in writing and submitting it to the Titan Touchdown Club Board of Directors, c/o UW-Oshkosh Athletic Department, 800 Algoma Blvd, Oshkosh, WI 54901. Letters of recommendation in support of a person's candidacy ar encouraged.

The deadline for submissions is December 1.

The recipient will be honored at the Russ Young Award Banquet on Saturday, February 18, 2012, at the Hilton Garden Inn of Oshkosh. Featured guest speaker will be former Green Bay Packer William Henderson. Ticket information will be available after January 2, 2012.

Cousins Subs President and COO Christine Specht will be at UW-Oshkosh homecoming festivities on Saturday (Oct. 22) to serve up samples of a special-edition, 50-foot Titan Sub and help collect donations to the UW-Oshkosh Athletic Department’s “Titans Take Down Cancer” fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.

Specht and Oshkosh Cousins Subs owner Shelley Hurzeler will present the 50-foot sub – freshly baked Italian bread loaded with turkey, pepperoni, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and a fiery chipotle mayo – to UW-Oshkosh Director of Athletics Darryl Sims at 11:30 a.m. at Tent City (450 Josslyn Street). After the presentation, they’ll serve up samples of the sub, voted by fans in 2010 as the Official Sub of the UW-Oshkosh Titans. The school's football team then takes on UW-Whitewater at 1:30 p.m. at J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.

“This is what Cousins Subs is all about – making terrific subs, supporting local teams and organizations and having a lot of fun in the process,” said Specht, who appears in television, radio and print advertising for the sub sandwich chain founded by her father and his cousin. “We’re looking forward to a great homecoming celebration – firing up fans with the Titan Sub and raising lots of money to help UW-Oshkosh's 'Titans Take Down Cancer' campaign."

Fans can also support the fundraiser at the two Oshkosh Cousins stores – 2231 Westowne Avenue and 1508 S. Koeller – throughout the month of October. Anyone donating $1 or more will receive a coupon to save $1 off a 7 1/2-inch sub or large salad on their next visit, Hurzeler said.

Cousins Subs, based in Menomonee Falls in suburban Milwaukee, is a restaurant specializing in East Coast-style submarine sandwiches made with the finest ingredients served on a variety of freshly baked breads, along with salads, soups, chips and soft drinks.

For more information about “Titans Take Down Cancer” and all UW-Oshkosh Athletics news and events, please visit: www.titans.uwosh.edu.

Fans attending UW-Oshkosh home football games can catch a ride on the Titan Shuttle beginning Oct. 1.

The free shuttle service will be from Reeve Memorial Union (748 Algoma Boulevard) to J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium (450 Josslyn Street).  Shuttles will depart one hour before game time and run continuously until kick-off.  The shuttle service begins three hours prior to the start of the Homecoming contest.  Buses will operate for one hour after the game.

“This is a great way for UW-Oshkosh students, faculty and staff to go to the game,” said UW-Oshkosh Director of Athletics Darryl Sims.  “I hope that everybody gets on board and leaves the driving to us.”

The shuttle service kicks off with UW-Oshkosh’s football game on Oct. 1 (2 p.m.) against UW-River Falls.  The Titans then play UW-Whitewater in their Homecoming contest on Oct. 22 (1:30 p.m.) before concluding their home schedule with games against UW-La Crosse on Oct. 29 (6 p.m.) and UW-Stout on Nov. 12 (2 p.m.).

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Director of Athletics Darryl Sims announced Friday (July 29) that Victoria Stimac has been named the school's Assistant Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator.

Stimac, who was selected from a pool of over 100 candidates, begins her position at UW-Oshkosh on August 1. She replaces Deb Vercauteren, who retired as Assistant Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator in January.

"Victoria is an excellent fit for UW-Oshkosh," said Sims. "She possesses outstanding management skills and builds outstanding working relationships. The variety of her experiences in intercollegiate athletics, her enthusiasm and her work ethic will make an immediate impression on our staff as well as our student-athletes."

Stimac comes to UW-Oshkosh from Western New Mexico University, where she served as the Assistant Director of Media Relations and Senior Woman Administrator since 2007.

During her tenure at Western New Mexico University, Stimac assisted in the daily operations of the school's 11-sport, NCAA Division II athletics program. She chaired the department's Gender Equity, Graduation Success and Student-Athlete Advisory committees while serving as a member of the school's Marketing and Institutional Advancement committees. Stimac also solicited corporate sponsorships, assisted in event management and directed all aspects of the sports information office.

At UW-Oshkosh, Stimac will work with Sims in operating the school's 21-sport, NCAA Division III athletics program. She will represent UW-Oshkosh at conference and national meetings while organizing the Titans' marketing and Inclusive Excellence plans. Her assignment also involves compliance and eligibility, fund raising and event management.

Stimac held a variety of positions in the athletics department at NCAA Division III Finlandia University from 2003 to 2007. In addition to being the Assistant Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator, she also worked as the sports information director, budget manager, compliance coordinator and head women's volleyball coach.

"I am extremely excited about this opportunity at UW-Oshkosh," said Stimac. "UW-Oshkosh has so much to offer to both its employees and students. I look forward to the move back to Division III and the values the NCAA emphasizes. It has been a good run at Western New Mexico University, but my husband (Mike) and I can't wait to return to the Midwest."

Stimac, a Cedar Grove (Wis.) native, earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Cardinal Stritch University (Wis.) in 2001. Stimac worked as an admissions counselor during her last three years at Cardinal Stritch University. She also was a three-year starter for the school's volleyball team.

Following graduation, Stimac spent a year in Japan teaching English as a second language. She then served as the marketing communications coordinator at Ottawa University from 2002 to 2003.

Stimac obtained a master’s degree in business administration from Western New Mexico University in 2010.

Stimac is actively involved in the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators and the College Sports Information Directors of America.

The UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame increased its roster to 163 members with Sunday's (May 1) inductions of Dave Luedtke (’86), Pat McDonald (’90), Christina Southward (‘03), Holly Spoo (’99) and Richard Toby Bares. The induction ceremony was held in UW-Oshkosh's Reeve Memorial Union.

The UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame was established in 1974 to give tribute and deserved recognition to former athletes, coaches and friends of the university.  It is also intended to enhance school tradition by honoring those people who have shown exceptional ability while on the UW-Oshkosh campus and since graduation.

If there’s one thing that Dave Luedtke did well at UW-Oshkosh, it would have to be winning. He posted at least 30 total victories in each of his four collegiate seasons. And during his last two years as a Titan, Luedtke racked up 37 singles wins and 49 doubles triumphs.

Luedtke’s win count ended up at a nice round number – 150 – when he graduated from UW-Oshkosh in 1983. Just four years later, Luedtke advanced to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I as Baylor University’s women’s tennis coach. Not much changed there, as Luedtke’s Bears won 212 matches from 1987 to 2002.

A man who never had a losing record in singles or doubles play, Luedtke began his UW-Oshkosh career in 1980. He compiled a 16-14 mark as an individual and an 18-15 ledger on the doubles courts. During his sophomore campaign, Luedtke went 16-12 and was a finalist in the first singles flight at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championship. He also teamed up with Kevin Reichenberger to place third at the league meet in #1 doubles.

The Titans won the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) District 14 championship in 1982 as Luedtke continued to improve his game. He tallied a personal-best 19 singles wins and 25 doubles victories. The duo of Luedtke and Chris Weils captured the #1 conference title as well as the district doubles crown. Luedtke’s season was impressive enough to qualify him for the NAIA Championship in both the singles and doubles brackets. UW-Oshkosh also made its first appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament, with Luedtke qualifying for the doubles competition.

Luedtke hit all those benchmarks and more in his senior season (1983). He boasted a winning percentage of .823 in doubles play and .600 in singles. As the team’s #1 singles player, Luedtke won the WIAC Championship and the NAIA District 14 title. He earned a spot in both the NAIA and NCAA Championships. Nationally, Luedtke ranked 21st in the NAIA and 23rd in the NCAA Division III.

With UW-Oshkosh ranked eighth in the country, Luedtke achieved a 24-5 record in doubles. He and Weils took home the top prize at both the league meet and the district championship. Luedtke’s doubles flight was ranked fourth in the Midwest Region, as it advanced to the NAIA meet and the NCAA Qualifier.

Luedtke changed roles from player to teacher, but he continued to gain national recognition. As Baylor’s head coach, he made six consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division I Championship from 1996-2001. Along with his .603 winning percentage, Luedtke was named Southwest Region Coach of the Year in 1996, 1997 and 2000. He shared the Big 12’s Coach of the Year honor in 1997 after going 9-2 during conference play. Luedtke coached 10 league champions, along with one All-American singles player and doubles group.

Still living in Texas, Luedtke is the athletic director and a physical education teacher at Waco Montessori School. He and his wife, Cindi, have four children.

Pat McDonald not only made the NCAA Division III All-America Team three times, but he did it at three different positions. That versatility, along with his consistency, made McDonald the key to four WIAC baseball championships from 1986-89.

Most players would be thrilled with one season that features a .389 batting average, six home runs, 39 runs scored and 37 runs batted in. McDonald met or exceeded those totals during each season from 1987-89. Those impressive years make him just one of three WIAC players (all Titans) to earn the All-American distinction three times. McDonald was on the national team as a designated hitter in 1987, a third baseman in 1988 and an outfielder in 1989.

UW-Oshkosh made a trip to the NCAA Division III World Series in each of McDonald’s first three seasons. He appeared in 23 games and batted .361 as the Titans went 35-7 in 1986. UW-Oshkosh placed fourth in the country, but it would improve on that finish the next two years.

McDonald broke out in 1987, marking a .437 batting average with 42 RBI and 41 runs scored in 41 games. That production was good enough to place him on the NCAA Division III All-America Third Team. The Titans’ 37-5 record included a 12-0 start to the season and a 21-game win streak late in the year. UW-Oshkosh lost a 13-12 heartbreaker in the national championship game to finish with the second-place trophy.

The 1988 squad finished second again, totaling 28 wins and eight losses. McDonald crushed a personal-best nine home runs, to go along with a .389 batting average, 40 runs scored and 37 RBI. He earned the first of his back-to-back All-WIAC selections. In the Midwest Regional championship game, McDonald posted three hits and three RBI to lead the Titans to the NCAA Division III World Series.

During his senior season, McDonald was named Second Team All-America after hitting .413 with seven homers, 41 RBI and 39 runs scored in 40 games. UW-Oshkosh won 28 times again, improving its overall record with McDonald to 128-32. Individually, he compiled 129 runs scored and 129 RBI while blasting 22 round-trippers. McDonald owns a career batting average of .409, the seventh-best mark in league history.

Remaining in the area, McDonald coached the Oshkosh Giants semi-pro baseball team in 1990. He then became a hockey coach in 1993, and he’s remained on the ice ever since. McDonald guided River Falls High School for five years, making an appearance in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) State Tournament. At Wisconsin Rapids High School, McDonald has led his team to seven WIAA State Tournaments and four Wisconsin Valley Conference titles in 14 seasons. The 2003 Wisconsin Hockey Coaches Association Coach of the Year is also the head boys golf coach.

McDonald, a graduate of Eau Claire North High School, and his wife, Doreen, have four children – Kaiden, Kennedy, Matt and Mitch.

Who says a volleyball player has to choose between being an attacker and a facilitator? Christina Southward was able to do both, and she remains the WIAC’s all-time leader in both hitting percentage (.436) and assists (6,122).

Southward was an All-WIAC First Team pick during all four of her seasons (1998-2001), making her one of two Titans to achieve that feat. In her sophomore campaign, Southward earned a spot on the NCAA Division III All-America Second Team. Her next two years, Southward was a First-Team All-American as UW-Oshkosh won 62 of its 76 matches and placed ninth in the country twice.

Southward’s freshman season saw her rack up 222 kills, 280 digs and 1,333 assists. She would better those numbers in each of the next three years. Recording a hitting percentage of .378, Southward also booked 78 service aces in 37 matches.

The 1999 season was Southward’s first on the All-Midwest Region First Team. She posted 245 kills with a hitting mark of .464 that led the NCAA Division III. UW-Oshkosh booked nine consecutive wins late in the year to finish 20-14. Southward rounded out the season with 1,478 assists, 406 digs and 63 service aces.

Topping the nation once again, Southward compiled a .472 hitting percentage in 2000. The Titans obtained their first winning conference record in four years to reach postseason play. Capturing two tournament victories, UW-Oshkosh marked a record of 30-9. Southward’s All-American statistics included 305 kills, 74 service aces, 442 digs and a career-high 13.8 assists per game.

Southward concluded her run in style, winning WIAC Player of the Year and leading the Titans to the league title in 2001. UW-Oshkosh opened the year 11-0 en route to a 32-5 mark. During October, the Titans were victorious in all 17 of their contests. Southward booked personal bests in digs (506), kills (309) and service aces (106). She also compiled 1,465 assists and a .425 hitting percentage. The Titans won one match in the NCAA Division III Tournament to earn ninth place.

After her 508 career sets, Southward owns 1,634 digs, 1,081 kills and 321 service aces. Her hitting percentage ranks fourth in NCAA Division III history, while her assist figure stands eighth. During 2005, the NCAA celebrated 25 years of women’s championships and selected Southward as one of six players for its Silver Anniversary Volleyball Team.

Southward, a St. Anthony High School (Minn.) graduate, is a staff accountant at Trident Medical Center in North Charleston, S.C.

Holly Spoo may have played only three seasons at UW-Oshkosh, but in two of those years the Titans booked a 16-0 WIAC record. During Spoo’s first season in 1996, she was part of the 31-0 squad that captured the NCAA Division III Championship. To sum it all up, Spoo’s basketball career was just about perfect.

UW-River Falls was lucky enough to have Spoo during her freshman season, when she scored 20 points per game and made the All-WIAC First Team. Spoo then took her talents to UW-Oshkosh and won 80 games over the next three seasons. That 1996 campaign concluded with a 66-50 victory over Mount Union College (Ohio) for the national title inside Kolf Sports Center.

Spoo started all 27 games in 1997, recording averages of 13 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. She also knocked down 35 three-pointers, dished out 78 assists and grabbed 43 steals to make the all-league squad. UW-Oshkosh continued its impressive winning streak by opening the season 10-0. During a victory over UW-Superior, Spoo tallied a career-high 29 points. UW-Oshkosh finished 23-4 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament.

In her senior campaign, Spoo became just the second Titan to win WIAC Player of the Year. She was also named a First-Team All-American, one of five UW-Oshkosh players to earn the distinction. Spoo topped the nation with 89 percent free throw shooting, while racking up 408 points and a career-best 93 assists. She also established the school record by sinking 37 consecutive foul shots. Though the Titans lost their first and last games of 1998, they captured all 26 in between.

Spoo’s UW-Oshkosh career included 1,063 points, helping her rank as the 14th-leading scorer in WIAC history (1,582). With the Titans, she posted 235 rebounds, 231 assists, 127 steals and 94 three-point baskets.

One year after graduating, Spoo became an assistant women’s basketball coach at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She spent six years there while earning her master’s degree in exercise science. Spoo later served as an assistant coach at Wayne State College (2005) and UW-Milwaukee (2006).

Helping high school players reach their potential, Spoo is currently the director of Recruit Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Impact Basketball Club. The New Richmond High School graduate lives in Burlington.

Not many people can say that they built an athletic program, but Richard Toby Bares can say he built the UW-Oshkosh men’s soccer program from scratch and turned it into a national powerhouse.

In 1984, Bares became the first head coach of the Titans. He then stayed for 26 years – the last 25 all featuring a winning record. His .755 winning percentage ranks ninth all-time in the NCAA Division III, while his 344 wins are the most in WIAC history. Over a span of 17 years, UW-Oshkosh made 11 postseason visits and reached the NCAA Division III Final Four three times.

Bares was named National Coach of the Year in 1994 as the Titans tallied an undefeated record of 18-0-3. UW-Oshkosh captured its first 14 matches of the year and finished with a scoring margin of 68 goals to 14. That run came to an end with a double-overtime tie to Bethany College (W.V.) in the NCAA Division III semifinal.

UW-Oshkosh made two other Final Four appearances under Bares, as he earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Regional Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2003. The 2000 squad put together wins in 17 consecutive matches on its way to a 20-2 overall mark. During 2003, the Titans’ lone defeat came in their 22nd and final contest of the season. UW-Oshkosh recorded three postseason shutouts on its home field to reach the national semifinal.

There were four other seasons in which the Titans lost two matches or less. Bares led UW-Oshkosh to a 15-1-2 mark in 1988, 11-2-4 in 1990, 14-2-3 in 1991 and 17-2-1 in 1999. The 1999 version reached the third round of the NCAA Tournament – one of six teams to achieve a Sweet Sixteen berth under Bares.

With all the team success came individual accolades. Bares coached five NSCAA All-Americans, including 2000 National Player of the Year Scott Deopere. The Titans also had 33 players obtain a total of 50 NCAA Division III All-Region awards. Roberto Gutierrez (1993-95), Brad Haga (2001-03) and Will Howell (2007-09) each earned the distinction three times. Bares’ squads were consistently recognized with the NSCAA’s Team Academic Award, while seven Titans were named Academic All-Americans.

Bares served as president of the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association from 1991-92. The Merrill High School graduate has received 10 coaching awards from the WSCA, and he was inducted into its Hall of Fame this year. Bares is currently the assistant director of operations at UW-Oshkosh’s Student Recreation and Wellness Center.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree from UW-Stevens Point in 1976, Bares earned his master’s at Bowling Green State University (Ohio) in 1977. He and his wife, JoAnn, are the parents of daughters, Ellie and Katie, and son, Ricky.

Jack Borski (Madison) and Holly Ozanich (Green Bay) were recognized for their success both on and off the field when they received the 2011 John Taylor Scholar-Athlete Award at the UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame & Senior Awards Banquet on Sunday (May 1).

The John Taylor Scholar-Athlete Award is presented annually to outstanding male and female senior letter winners who own a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or higher. The award reflects not only individual athletic achievements, but also the ideals of team contribution, scholastic endeavor and school and community involvement.

Borski has a 3.79 cumulative grade point average as a geology major. The four-year letter winner received NCAA Division III All-America third team honors last fall after helping UW-Oshkosh to a 20-1-3 record and a third-place national finish. The 2010 WIAC Men's Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year was a second team selection on the 2010 ESPN Academic All-America College Division Men's Soccer Team.

Borski, a defender, compiled one assist this season during a 1-0 victory over The College of St. Scholastica (Minn.). In 2009, he totaled one goal (game-winner) and three assists for five points. His freshman and sophomore campaigns included a total of seven assists. A starter in 72 of his 73 career games, Borski finished with one goal and 11 assists for 13 points.

A four-time NCAA Division III champion, Ozanich is a four-year letter winner in both indoor and outdoor track and field. She was a crucial component of the Titans’ indoor national title in 2011, second-place showing in 2010 and third-place result in 2009. Outdoors, Ozanich helped UW-Oshkosh to second-place national finishes in 2009 and 2010.

Ozanich, who won NCAA Division III titles in the 20-pound weight throw (2010 & 2011 indoor), shot put (2011 indoor) and hammer throw (2010 outdoor), owns a 3.611 cumulative grade point average as a biology major. She is a five-time indoor and outdoor event champion.

UW-Oshkosh created the John Taylor Scholar-Athlete award in 1976. Since then, it has rewarded 36 men and 31 women for their excellence.

The UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame welcomes five new individuals when Dave Luedtke (’86), Pat McDonald (’90), Christina Southward (‘03), Holly Spoo (’99) and R. Toby Bares are inducted into the prestigious club on May 1.

These four former athletes and one coach will be honored at the school’s annual Hall of Fame & Senior Awards Banquet in Reeve Memorial Union. Individual tickets to the 5 p.m. event are available for $20. To purchase tickets, contact Susie Gustke at (920) 424-1383 by April 27.

Luedtke, a men’s tennis standout from 1980-83, took the skills he refined at UW-Oshkosh and passed them along as a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I coach. During his four years at UW-Oshkosh, Luedtke won a total of 150 singles and doubles matches and qualified for postseason activity in both the NCAA Division III and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). He captured Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) doubles titles in both 1982 and 1983 while winning the league’s singles championship in 1983. Luedtke then coached the Baylor University (Texas) women’s tennis squad to six NCAA Division I postseason tournaments and a record of 212-136 from 1987-2002. Luedtke was named the Big 12 Conference Co-Coach of the Year in 1997. The Green Bay Preble High School graduate is teaching physical education classes and serving as the director of athletics at Waco Montessori School in Texas.

One of three WIAC baseball players to accomplish the feat, McDonald was a three-time NCAA Division III All-American from 1987-89. McDonald helped UW-Oshkosh to a 128-32 record, four WIAC championships and second-place finishes at the NCAA Division III World Series in both 1987 and 1988. He played in 140 games for the Titans and compiled a career batting average of .409 with 22 home runs and 129 runs batted in. His career batting average is the seventh-highest in WIAC history. McDonald, a graduate of Eau Claire North High School, is the head coach of the boys golf and hockey teams at Lincoln High School in Wisconsin Rapids. At Lincoln High School, McDonald has guided the hockey program to four Wisconsin Valley Conference titles and seven appearances in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association State Tournament.

Southward is the WIAC’s all-time women’s volleyball leader in assists (6,122) and hitting percentage (.436). Her 508-set career from 1998-2001 featured three NCAA Division III All-America selections, including a pair of first-team mentions. The four-time All-WIAC first team honoree was named the league’s Co-Player of the Year in 2001. Southward helped UW-Oshkosh to a 90-57 record, including marks of 30-9 in 2000 and 32-5 in 2001 when the Titans finished ninth in the country. In 1999 and 2000, she led the NCAA Division III in hitting percentage with marks of .464 and .472, respectively. In 2005, the St. Anthony High School (Minn.) graduate was selected to the NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Silver Anniversary Team. Southward is a member of the accounting staff at Trident Medical Center in North Charleston, S.C.

Spoo transferred to UW-Oshkosh from UW-River Falls and played three seasons of women’s basketball for the Titans from 1996-98. She was a member of the Titans’ 1996 squad that posted a 31-0 record and captured the NCAA Division III title in front of fans in Kolf Sports Center. The best of Spoo’s three seasons at UW-Oshkosh was 1998, when she was named the WIAC Player of the Year and collected NCAA Division III All-America first team honors. Spoo, who helped the Titans to an 80-6 record, counted 1,063 career points at UW-Oshkosh and 519 at UW-River Falls to rank as the 14th-leading scorer in WIAC history. Following her playing career, Spoo went on to serve as an assistant women's basketball coach at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, Wayne State College (Neb.) and UW-Milwaukee. The New Richmond High School graduate lives in Burlington, where she is the director of two basketball services, Recruit Wisconsin and Wisconsin Impact.

Bares coached the UW-Oshkosh men’s soccer team for 26 seasons after beginning the program in 1984.  Bares guided the Titans to a 344-99-38 record and a .755 winning percentage that ranks him among the all-time coaching leaders in all NCAA soccer divisions.  UW-Oshkosh made 11 NCAA Division III postseason appearances under Bares, including Final Four visits in 1994, 2000 and 2003. The 1994 NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year led UW-Oshkosh to a winning record in each of his last 25 seasons at the helm and mentored five All-Americans, seven Academic All-Americans and 50 all-region performers. The Merrill High School and UW-Stevens Point graduate is currently the assistant director of operations at UW-Oshkosh’s Student Recreation and Wellness Center.

The UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame, established in 1974, gives tribute and deserved recognition to former athletes, coaches and friends of the University. It is also intended to enhance school tradition by honoring people who have shown exceptional ability while on the UW-Oshkosh campus and since graduation. UW-Oshkosh’s Hall of Fame grows to 163 members with this year’s induction of Luedtke, McDonald, Southward, Spoo and Bares.

	Photo courtesy of nydailynews.com	Photo courtesy of totalpackers.com

The UW-Oshkosh Titan Touchdown Club will be sponsoring the 3rd Annual Russ Young Award Banquet on Saturday, February 19.  The event will be held at The Hilton Garden Inn (1355 West 20th Street) with registration beginning at 5 p.m. and dinner served at 6:30 p.m.

The guest speaker will be former Green Bay Packer great Jerry Kramer.  Kramer played right guard for Coach Vince Lombardi and was a member of five NFL championship teams while playing for the Packers.

The Titan Touchdown Club will also present the Russ Young Leadership and Achievement Award. The award was established in 2009 in honor of Russ Young, who served as the head football coach at UW-Oshkosh from 1963 to 1976. Coach Young left a legacy of leadership and commitment to excellence, both on and off the field. He embraced the values of fair competition, mentoring others, leading by example, and leaving a positive impact on student athletes at UW-Oshkosh long after they left the playing field.

This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated the ideals of Russ Young’s legacy through their record of accomplishments in their career or cause, community involvement, moral character, and positive contributions to the world of sports.

This year’s recipient is Coach Dave Hochtritt.  Coach Hochtritt held many college and professional coaching and scouting positions throughout his career.  He was an assistant coach for Coach Russ Young in which they lead the Titans to three conference championships.  From 1977 – 1983 he was head coach for the Titans.  Following his years at UW-Oshkosh Coach Hochtritt was involved with the NFL and the CFL (Canadian Football League) as a coach and scout in which he earned two Grey Cup championship rings with the Edmonton Eskimos.

Tickets for the event are $55 each and are available at Bergstrom Chevrolet in Oshkosh and Unversity Books & More in UW-Oshkosh's Reeve Memorial Union.

Come support the Titans at their doubleheader against UW-Stout on Saturday (Jan. 15). The exciting day will begin with a men's basketball contest tipping off at 4 p.m. at Kolf Sports Center. The UW-Oshkosh women will follow that game and are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.

UW-Oshkosh will be hosting its annual Take A Kid to the Game Day. Area youths in attendance will receive a free ticket with the purchase of a full-priced adult ticket. Youths will have the opportunity to experience the college game-day atmosphere and some exciting action as they watch the Titans compete for a pair of wins over the Blue Devils.

The Titans are hosting two of more than 700 games that will be played across the nation as part of the Take A Kid to the Game (TAKG) program, which is in its 13th season. The project is a grass-roots initiative that attracts the nation’s youth and encourages adults to take kids to area college basketball games.

“We are thrilled to invite area youth to our campus and have them help as we cheer on the Titans to victory," said Darryl Sims, Director of Athletics at UW-Oshkosh. "It is our hope that adults in the community will bring their children out to experience a collegiate athletic event at UW-Oshkosh. We’re expecting a great crowd to take part in the intense basketball action at our men’s and women’s games!”

Tickets can be purchased at the UW-Oshkosh ticket office. For more information, contact UW-Oshkosh Athletics at (920) 424-1034 or www.titans.uwosh.edu/

Throughout the month of January, fans will have a chance at all Titans home athletic events to purchase Miracle Balloons in support of the Children’s Miracle Network. The fundraising efforts kick off on Saturday (Jan. 8), when the Titans wrestling team takes the mat. Each balloon is $1. Miracle Balloons will be available throughout the month, for those who can’t make it to an event, in the athletic department offices during normal business hours (8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.). For more information or a schedule of January events, contact UW-Oshkosh Athletics at (920) 424-1034 or www.titans.uwosh.edu/

January will feature two promotional games highlighted with activities and giveaways for all kids in attendance. UW-Oshkosh will host its annual Take a Kid to the Game Day on Jan. 15, when the Titans hold a doubleheader against the UW-Stout Blue Devils. The UW-Oshkosh men will tip off at 4 p.m., while the women's game will follow at 6 p.m. in Kolf Sports Center. All kids in attendance will receive a FREE ticket with the purchase of an adult ticket. In addition, the Titans and the Oshkosh Northwestern have partnered for Community Day on Saturday (Jan. 22). That basketball doubleheader will start with the men's contest at 1 p.m. and continue with the women's game at 3 p.m.

Children’s Miracle Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children’s hospitals. The 170 Children’s Miracle Network hospitals provide the finest medical care, pediatric research and preventative education to help millions of children overcome diseases and injuries of every kind. Your contribution goes to the Children’s Miracle Network hospital to help kids in your community.

By a slim margin of  2 percentage points, a combination of turkey, pepperoni and pepper jack cheese squeaked by the competition in the UW-Oshkosh Titan Sub Challenge.

With 41 percent of the vote, the new Cousins sandwich, which also contains lettuce, tomato, onion and chipotle mayo, won the title of Official Sub of the UW-Oshkosh Titans, beating out hard-hitting ham, salami and provolone at 39 percent and crunchy vegetarian at 20 percent.

Following three weeks of polling, the winning sub was announced Oct. 2 during the UW-Oshkosh football game against UW-La Crosse at J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.

UW-Oshkosh alumni, faculty, staff and students who voted for the fiery turkey combo heartily endorsed their choice as follows:

• “Sounds like a sandwich with punch!”
• “A hot meal for a hot University.”
• “You gotta spice it up at a football game.”
• “Turkey and pepperoni are a perfect combination, and it sounds like a sub I would like to eat.”

A percentage of sales of the Official Titan Sub sold through Oct. 24 will benefit the UW-Oshkosh Foundation. The sub will be available at Oshkosh Cousins stores at 2231 Westowne Drive and 1508 S. Koeller Road throughout the remainder of the 2010-11 academic year.