University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Titans

2001 Highlights

McKenna Named Verizon Academic All-America

Eamon McKenna of the UW-Oshkosh men's cross country and track and field teams has been named to the 2002 Verizon College Division Academic All-America Men's Track and Field/Cross Country Team. McKenna, a first-time honoree, was a second team selection.

The College Division of the Verizon Academic All-America Men's Track & Field/Cross Country Teams includes schools belonging to the NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III or the NAIA.

McKenna, a junior from Ashippun, owns a 3.95 cumulative grade point average as a major in both elementary education and Spanish. McKenna has recorded nine varsity letters during his three years at UW-Oshkosh, three each in the sports of cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field. McKenna was a member of UW-Oshkosh's 2001 indoor track and field team that claimed the WIAC title.

This past year, McKenna placed eighth in the 5,000-meter run at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championship, 12th in the 10,000-meter run at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championship and 46th at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship. He also placed second in the 5,000 and 10,000-meter runs at the 2002 WIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championship.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Verizon Academic All-America program, which was founded by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) in 1952 to recognize collegiate student-athletes for their outstanding achievements in the classroom and on the playing field. Over the past 50 years, the Verizon Academic All-America program has grown into one of the most recognized and prestigious collegiate scholar-athlete awards in the country.

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 grade point average of at least 3.20 on a scale of 4.00.

Since the inception of the Verizon Academic All-America Program, 26 UW-Oshkosh student-athletes have combined for 34 awards, including four-time honoree Laura Nelson in women's track and field/cross country. In WIAC listings, UW-Oshkosh ranks second to the 35 Verizon Academic All-America mentions totaled by UW-La Crosse.

Titans Cited For Academic & Athletic Excellence

Jon Peterson The NCAA Division III National Cross Country Coaches Association has recognized the UW-Oshkosh men's cross country team and two of its student-athletes for their performance last fall on the terrain and in the class room.

UW-Oshkosh was one of 66 schools cited for its athletic and academic accomplishments last fall, coupling a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Division III Championship with a 3.146 cumulative grade point average. Earlham College (Ind.) and Gordon College (Mass.) led the honorees with cumulative grade point averages of 3.67 and 3.56, respectively.

Individually, UW-Oshkosh had two athletes receive Academic All-American honors by the NCAA Division III National Cross Country Coaches Association. Junior Eamon McKenna led the UW-Oshkosh honorees with his fall semester cumulative grade point average of 3.952, while senior Jon Peterson followed at 3.549. McKenna finished 46th at last fall's NCAA Division III Championship, while Peterson was 140th. In all, 75 athletes were honored for their combined athletic and academic prowess, including eight who registered a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade point average.

Titans Finish Sixth At NCAA Championship

John LeRoy Wes Shaughnessy The UW-Oshkosh men's cross country team finished sixth at the NCAA Division III Championship held Saturday (November 17) in Rock Island, Ill. The top-10 finish was the 10th for the Titans during their 14 appearances at the national event.

UW-La Crosse, which entered the meet as the top-ranked team in the country, totaled 80 points to win its second NCAA Division III title. The Eagles, who also finished first in 1996, were followed in the 24-team event by second-place and defending champion Calvin College (140 points).

Rounding out the top-six teams were third-place Nebraska Wesleyan University (193 points), fourth-place North Central College (210 points), fifth-place University of St. Thomas (249 points) and sixth-place UW-Oshkosh (252 points). The Titans were ranked second heading into the meet.

UW-Oshkosh was led by senior Wes Shaughnessy, who completed the 8,000-meter course in a 40th-place time of 25:08. Following Shaughnessy for the Titans were junior Eamon McKenna, who finished 46th in 25:13, sophomore John LeRoy, who finished 55th in 25:20, sophomore Matt Groose, who finished 56th in 25:20, senior Jon Peterson, who finished 140th in 26:13, freshman Nick Boehlke, who finished 161st in 26:26, and freshman Paul Brown, who finished 196th in 27:17. Senior J.B. Haglund of Haverford College won the individual title with a time of 24:16.

UW-Oshkosh, which won NCAA Division III titles in 1988, 1989 and 1990, finished third in the country a year ago.

Titans Qualify For NCAA Championship

Nick Boehlke Wes Shaughnessy UW-Oshkosh will compete at the NCAA Division III Men's Cross Country Championship for the 14th time following the Titans' second-place finish at the Midwest Regional held Saturday (November 10) in Rock Island, Ill.

UW-La Crosse won the 34-team event with 44 points, while UW-Oshkosh finished second with 68 points, North Central College third with 94, UW-Stevens Point fourth with 126 and UW-Platteville fifth with 222. The top-five teams at the Midwest Regional join qualifiers from seven other regions at next Saturday's (November 17) NCAA Division III Championship, also in Rock Island.

UW-Oshkosh had all five of its scorers place in the top-24 finishes, including a pair in the top eight. Freshman Nick Boehlke led the Titans with a third-place time of 24:45, while senior Wes Shaughnessy finished eighth with a time of 25:02. Other scorers for UW-Oshkosh were junior Eamon McKenna, who finished 12th with a time of 25:11, sophomore John LeRoy, who finished 21st with a time of 25:21, and sophomore Matt Groose, who finished 24th with a time of 25:26.

Also competing at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional for UW-Oshkosh were senior Jon Peterson (51st place) and freshman Paul Brown (89th place). Senior Tyler Foos of UW-La Crosse won the 8,000-meter race with a time of 24:36.

UW-Oshkosh, which won NCAA Division III titles in 1988, 1989 and 1990, finished third in the country a year ago.

Peterson Named WIAC Scholar-Athlete

UW-Oshkosh's Jon Peterson has been named the 2001 Max Sparger Cross Country Scholar-Athlete.

Peterson, a senior from Schofield (D.C. Everest High School), is majoring in secondary education and carries a 3.52 grade point average. He was named to the 1999 Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Team in 1999 and is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. Peterson has also been named to UW-Oshkosh's Dean's List and Honor Roll five semesters.

Peterson, who is a team captain this season, finished eighth at the WIAC Championship (Oct. 27) with a time of 25:15.02 to help the Titans to a second-place finish. He placed 19th at last season's conference championship and also placed 46th at the NCAA Division III Championship to help the Titans to a third-place finish. In addition, he is a three-year letter winner.

Peterson is a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and has served as a volunteer for ADVOCAP. He had also volunteered in various elementary and middle schools, and is a note taker for visually disabled students on the UW-Oshkosh campus.

Peterson becomes the first UW-Oshkosh athlete since Dan Kramer in 1995 to win the conference's scholar-athlete award in men's cross country.

Also nominated for the scholar-athlete award were UW-La Crosse's Chris Byrnes, UW-Oshkosh's Nick Konopa, UW-River Falls' Pat Lorentz and UW-Stout's Jason Kirch.

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.

Eagles Nip Titans For WIAC Title

Despite having four of the top-eight individual finishes, the UW-Oshkosh men's cross country team fell three points short in successfully defending its title at the WIAC Championship held Saturday (October 27) in Colfax. UW-Oshkosh, the second-ranked team in the NCAA Division III, has now lost to UW-La Crosse, the top-ranked team in the NCAA Division III, three times this season by a total of just 14 points.

UW-La Crosse scored 34 points to win its third WIAC title in four years. UW-Oshkosh finished second with 37 points, while UW-Stevens Point finished third with 89 points and UW-Eau Claire fourth with 128.

UW-La Crosse senior Tyler Foos won the individual title, covering the 8,000-meter terrain in a time of 24:46. UW-Oshkosh senior Wes Shaughnessy finished second with a time of 24:51, while teammate Nick Boehlke, a freshman, finished fourth with a time of 25:02. UW-Oshkosh's scoring was completed by sophomore John LeRoy finishing seventh with a time of 25:10, senior Jon Peterson eighth with a time of 25:15 and freshman Paul Brown 16th with a time of 25:29.

Other participants for UW-Oshkosh at the WIAC Championship were junior Eamon McKenna (20th place), freshman Brian Butzler (22nd place ), sophomore Matt Groose (28th place), sophomore Jason Fast (31st place), junior Dave Rudey (36th place), freshman Kirk DeWindt (54th place) and sophomore Mike Wehrley (67th place).

In addition to receiving All-WIAC first team accolades, Peterson was also named the WIAC's Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

The next competition for UW-Oshkosh will be the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional on November 10 in Rock Island, Ill. The NCAA Division III Championship will also be in Rock Island, Ill., on November 17.

Pointers Outrun Titans In WIAC Dual

With both squads resting its top runners, the UW-Stevens Point men's cross country team defeated UW-Oshkosh, 17-42, in a dual meet held Friday (October 19) in Stevens Point. The runners were rested in preparation for next Saturday's (October 27) WIAC Championship.

UW-Stevens Point swept the top-four finishes and seven of the top 10, with Steve Tingum winning the 8,000-meter race with a time of 27:08. UW-Oshkosh had three runners place in the top 10 as freshman Paul Otteson finished fifth with a time of 27:24, senior Nick Konopa sixth with a time of 27:29 and freshman Derek O'Connell eighth with a time of 27:46.

Other UW-Oshkosh scorers were freshmen Sean Meehan in 11th place (28:06) and Shelby Anderson in 12th (28:07).

UW-Oshkosh, ranked second in the NCAA Division III, enters the upcoming WIAC Championship in Colfax as the defending champion. The Titans also won league championships in 1966, 1967, 1989, 1990, 1992 and 1995.

Titans Place Third At Jim Drews Invitational

One of only two combatants to have three runners in the top-13 finishes, the UW-Oshkosh men's cross country team placed third at the Jim Drews Invitational held Saturday (October 13) in West Salem.

The University of Wisconsin, the other squad to place three runners in the top 13, won the 33-team event with 41 points, while UW-La Crosse finished second with 90 points and UW-Oshkosh third with 92. The University of Wisconsin entered the meet as the fourth-ranked team in the NCAA Division I, while UW-La Crosse and UW-Oshkosh were ranked first and second, respectively, in the NCAA Division III.

Senior Jon Peterson led UW-Oshkosh with a 10th-place time of 25:38 on the 8,000-meter course. The Titans also benefited from senior Wes Shaughnessy, who finished 11th with a time of 25:39, and freshman Nick Boehlke, who finished 13th with a time of 25:43. University of Wisconsin freshman Matt Tegenkamp won the race with a time of 25:04.

Also scoring for the Titans were sophomores Matt Groose in 28th place and John LeRoy in 29th.

Titans Finish Ninth At Notre Dame Invitational

The UW-Oshkosh men's cross country team finished ninth in the Blue Division of the University of Notre Dame Invitational held Friday (October 5) in South Bend, Ind.

UW-Oshkosh, ranked third in the NCAA Division III, scored 254 points to finish behind eight NCAA Division I schools. The University of Notre Dame, ranked fifth in the NCAA Division I, won the 18-team meet with 28 points, while Utah State University finished second with 47. Among the schools UW-Oshkosh finished ahead of were 12th-place Truman State University and 14th-place Edinboro University, the seventh and eighth-ranked teams in the NCAA Division II, respectively.

The Titans were led individually by the tandem of senior Wes Shaughnessy and freshman Nick Boehlke. Shaughnessy finished 34th with a time of 25:21 on the 8,000-meter course, while Boehlke finished 36th with a time of 35:23. Boehlke was the fourth freshman to finish the race, a race won by Luke Watson of the University of Notre Dame in 24:06.

Other UW-Oshkosh scorers were senior Jon Peterson in 56th place (25:41), junior Eamon McKenna in 62nd place (25:48) and sophomore Matt Groose in 68th place (25:58).

Eagles Edge Titans For Roy Griak Crown

The UW-Oshkosh men's cross country team ran to a second-place finish at the University of Minnesota's Roy Griak Invitational held Saturday (September 29) in St. Paul, Minn.

UW-La Crosse, the top-ranked team in the NCAA Division III, won the 41-team event with 98 points, while UW-Oshkosh finished second with 107. The Titans entered the meet ranked fourth in the NCAA Division III. Rounding out the top-five teams were third-place NCAA Division II South Dakota State University (112), fourth-place NCAA Division II Central Missouri State University (120) and fifth-place NAIA Black Hills State College (141).

Freshman Nick Boehlke, competing in only his second high school or collegiate cross country meet, paced UW-Oshkosh with a seventh-place time of 25:26 on the 8,000-meter terrain. Senior Wes Shaughnessy finished eighth with a time of 25:28. A total of 364 runners completed the race, with Rob Marney of Black Hills State College posting a winning time of 24:46.

Other scorers for the Titans were senior Jon Peterson in 19th place (25:51), sophomore John LeRoy in 25th place (26:06) and junior Eamon McKenna in 48th place (26:31).

Titans Place Second At UW-Whitewater Invite

Despite resting its top runners, the UW-Oshkosh men's cross country team still captured a second-place finish at UW-Whitewater Invitational held Saturday (September 22) in Whitewater. The Titans' top contingent took the meet off after competing in the UW-Oshkosh Invitational held earlier in the week (September 17).

UW-Whitewater won the nine-team meet, narrowly defeating UW-Oshkosh, 42-48. Wheaton College finished third with 105 points, Illinois Wesleyan University fourth with 113 and Beloit College fifth with 158.

Individually, UW-Oshkosh was led by junior Nick Konopa, who placed eighth with a time of 27:28 on the 8,000-meter course. Tim Hachmeister of Illinois Wesleyan University won the individual title with a time of 26:59.

Rounding out UW-Oshkosh's scoring were freshman Derek O'Connell in 10th place (27:50), junior Dave Rudey in 13th place (28:03), freshman Kirk DeWindt in 14th place (28:06) and freshman Shelby Anderson in 16th place (28:15).

Titans Win Season Opening Performance

The UW-Oshkosh men's cross country team got the 2001 season off to a fast start by winning a triangular held Monday (September 17) at the Lake Breeze Golf Course in Winneconne. The meet was scheduled for last Friday (September 14), but was postponed due to the national tragedy that hit our country earlier in the week.

The Titans, ranked third in the NCAA Division III, had five of the top-eight finishers to win the event with 23 points. UW-Stevens Point, ranked ninth in the NCAA Division III, finished second with 35 points and Carthage College third with 82.

Senior Wes Shaughnessy won the individual title, completing the 8,000-meter course in a time of 24:40. Freshman Nick Boehlke, running in his first high school or collegiate cross country meet, finished third with a time of 24:45.

Other scorers for the Titans were fourth-place Jon Peterson (25:02), seventh-place Matt Groose (25:32) and eighth-place Paul Brown (25:36). Peterson is a senior, Groose a sophomore and Brown a freshman.