University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Titans

Mitchell Earns CoSIDA Academic All-America Honor

A pair of national track and field titles, an All-America performance in cross country and outstanding success in the classroom helped UW-Oshkosh’s Ayla Mitchell (Jr. • New Richmond) receive third-team status on the 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® Women’s College Division Track and Field and Cross Country Team.

The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) selected 45 student-athletes to its College Division squad, with 15 placed on each of the three teams. The College Division team features NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA student-athletes.

This past season, Mitchell ran her way to NCAA Division III track and field titles in both the indoor one-mile run and the outdoor 5,000-meter run. She also placed second in the nation in the outdoor 1,500-meter run.

Mitchell picked up another All-America prize with her third-place NCAA Division III finish in cross country. The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association named her the 2008 NCAA Division III Midwest Region Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year.

In WIAC competition, Mitchell captured four track and field titles while finishing second in cross country. She was the league’s indoor track and field champion in the one-mile run and 3,000-meter run indoor and conference’s outdoor track and field champion in the 1,500-meter run and 5,000-meter run.

Mitchell is the owner of two UW-Oshkosh track and field records, the indoor one-mile run with a time of 4:44.0 and the outdoor 5,000-meter run with a performance of 17:02.36.

Mitchell touts a 3.91 cumulative grade point average as an elementary education major. Last month, the four-time University Dean’s List member was named the female winner of the UW-Oshkosh John Taylor Scholar-Athlete Award.

Other Wisconsin student-athletes selected to the Women’s College Division Academic All-America® Track and Field and Cross Country Team were Liz Kooistra of UW-Eau Claire and Caitlin Schetter of UW-La Crosse. Kooistra was named to the first team and Schetter to the second.

Since CoSIDA's Academic All-America® program began in 1952, 40 UW-Oshkosh student-athletes have combined to receive 51 awards.

UW-Oshkosh Places Fourth In Program Of The Year Competition

A pair of top three national track and field finishes helped UW-Oshkosh place fourth in the chase for the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's NCAA Division III Deb Vercauteren Women’s Program of the Year Award.

UW-Oshkosh finished fourth in the national competition with 23 points. The Titans placed second at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championship on May 23, third at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championship on March 14 and 18th at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship on Nov. 22.

Wartburg College (Iowa) scored six points to become the first winner of the Deb Vercauteren Women's Program of the Year Award. UW-La Crosse ranked second with 13 points, UW-Eau Claire third with 16 and Calvin College (Mich.) fifth with 26. The award is named after UW-Oshkosh's legendary coach.

The Deb Vercauteren Program of the Year Award is presented to the most outstanding NCAA Division III women’s cross country and track and field program. The award honors the institution that achieved the most success while competing at national meets in the sports of cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field.

In order to be eligible for the award, teams must qualify for each of the three NCAA Division III championship meets. Scoring is based on each team’s finish, with one point going to first place. The lowest combined score for all three championships determine the award winner.

UW-Oshkosh was the winner of the Al Carius Men's Program of the Year Award.

Titans Recognized For Athletic, Academic Success

Ayla Mitchell (Jr. • New Richmond), Jessie Scheer (Sr. • De Pere) and the UW-Oshkosh women's cross country team each earned NCAA Division III academic honors from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Mitchell and Scheer were among 221 female student-athletes named to the All-Academic Team. This past fall, Mitchell placed third and Scheer 148th at the NCAA Division III Championship held in Hanover, Ind.

Student-athletes needed to compile a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or better and finish in the top 25 percent at the NCAA Division III regional championships in order to be eligible for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team.

The entire UW-Oshkosh women's cross country team was also recognized for its excellence in the classroom. Last fall, the Titans registered a 3.312 cumulative grade point average while finishing 18th at the NCAA Division III Championship, fifth at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional and second at the WIAC Championship.

For a squad to be considered for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team award, it must have competed and compiled a team score at a NCAA regional meet. The squad must also have a minimum 3.10 team cumulative grade point average.

Mitchell Leads Titans To 18th-Place Finish At NCAA Championship

Ayla Mitchell (Jr. • New Richmond) ran to All-America status for the second straight year as UW-Oshkosh finished 18th at the NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championship held Saturday (Nov. 22) at Hanover College's L.S. Ayres Athletic Complex in Hanover, Ind.

Middlebury College (Vt.), the top-ranked team in the NCAA Division III by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, scored 179 points to capture its second national title in three years. The Panthers also won NCAA Division III titles in 2000, 2001 and 2003.

Second-ranked Calvin College (Mich.) finished second in the 32-team meet with 237 points, while third-ranked Williams College (Mass.) placed third with 240, fifth-ranked Wartburg College (Iowa) fourth with 284 and fourth-ranked UW-Eau Claire fifth with 310.

The list of top 10 teams concluded with 24th-ranked Trinity University (Texas) finishing sixth with 317 points, eighth-ranked Luther College (Iowa) seventh with 330, sixth-ranked UW-La Crosse eighth with 342, 12th-ranked State University of New York-Cortland ninth with 315 and 16th-ranked Massachusetts Institute of Technology 10th with 354. 15th-ranked UW-Oshkosh compiled 405 points for its 18th-place finish.

Mitchell paced UW-Oshkosh by finishing third in the 6,000-meter race with a time of 21:02. She earned All-America honors at last year's meet held in Northfield, Minn., with a 13th-place time of 21:45.

Marie Borner of Bethel University (Minn.), who finished 17th in last year's race, won this year's individual title with a time of 20:43, Elise Tropiano of Amherst College (Mass.) finished second with a time of 20:52, while Maddie Coffman of Willamette University (Ore.) placed fourth in 21:05 and Jackie Speits of Nebraska Wesleyan University fifth in 21:11. A total of 279 runners completed the course.

In addition to Mitchell, UW-Oshkosh also received team scoring from Christina Cazzola's (Fr. • Kaukauna) 37th-place time of 21:46, Jessie Scheer's (Sr. • De Pere) 148th-place time of 22:53, Katie Wondra's (Sr. • Campbellsport) 178th-place time of 23:07 and Jennifer Piskor's (So.• Eagan, Minn.) 204th-place time of 23:21.

The Titans also had Janelle Brooks finish (Fr. • Janesville) 253rd with a time of 24:00 and Haley Moeller (Fr. • Sturgeon Bay) 261st in 24:09.

UW-Oshkosh was making its 22nd visit to the NCAA Division III Championship, including its 20th in the last 23 years. 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.

Mitchell Named Midwest Region Athlete Of The Year

UW-Oshkosh's Ayla Mitchell (Jr. • New Richmond) has been selected as the 2008 NCAA Division III Midwest Region Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Mitchell was one of eight NCAA Division III athletes earning the regional distinction, with the others being Wendy Pavlus of St. Lawrence University (N.Y.) in the Atlantic, Marie Borner of Bethel University (Minn.) in the Central, Joanna Johnson of Oberlin College (Ohio) in the Great Lakes, Christa Johnson of Ursinus College (Pa.) in the Mideast, Elise Tropiano of Amherst College (Mass.) in the New England, Taylor Stephens of Rhodes College (Tenn.) in the South/Southeast and Maddie Coffman of Willamette University (Ore.) in the West.

Mitchell won four of the seven races that she competed in during the 2008 season, including the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional on Nov. 15. Her other victories were at the Carroll University Invitational on Sept. 6, Calvin College (Mich.) Invitational on Sept. 20 and the Notre Dame (Ind.) Invitational on Oct. 3. Mitchell also finished second at the WIAC Championship on Nov. 1.

At the NCAA Division III Championship held Nov. 22 in Hanover, Ind., Mitchell finished third in the 6,000-meter race with a time of 21:02 to earn All-America honors. Her performance led UW-Oshkosh to an 18th-place finish in the team standings.

Mitchell ran to All-America honors at the 2007 NCAA Division III Championship held in Northfield, Minn., with a 13th-place time of 21:45.

The 2008 NCAA Division III Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Year was Brandon Mull of Wheaton College (Ill.).

National Award Named After Titans' Vercauteren

The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced on Friday (Nov. 21) that the organization will create an award to honor the all-around success that UW-Oshkosh head women's cross country and track and field coach Deb Vercauteren has achieved.

The Deb Vercauteren Program of the Year Award will be presented annually to the most outstanding NCAA Division III women’s cross country and track and field program. The award will honor the institution that has achieved the most success in cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field at the NCAA Division III Championships.

Teams must be represented at each of the three NCAA Division III Championships in order to be eligible for the award. Scoring for the award will be based on each institution's national finish in cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field (i.e. 1st Place = 1 point, 2nd Place = 2 points, 31st Place = 31 points). The lowest combined total score for all three championships will determine the award recipient.

Vercauteren took over the women's cross country and track and field program at UW-Oshkosh in 1981. In just her second year at the helm, she led the Titans to a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship. Since then, Vercauteren’s name has become synonymous with success.

Vercauteren's Titans have combined to capture 18 NCAA Division III titles (Four cross country, six indoor track and field and eight outdoor track and field). In addition, her student-athletes have combined to win 50 individual national titles and earn 347 All-America awards. Vercauteren's teams have won 36 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles (15 cross country, 11 indoor track and field and 10 outdoor track and field).

Vercauteren is the only NCAA Division III women’s head coach to have won a national championship in cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field.

Throughout her illustrious career, Vercauteren has received numerous national and conference coach of the year honors. In 2006, the USTFCCCA honored Vercauteren as its NCAA Division III Women’s Silver Anniversary Coach.

The inaugural Deb Vercauteren Program of the Year Award will be presented at the conclusion of the 2009 outdoor track and field season. Programs who have qualified for the 2008 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship will accumulate points towards the award.

Vercauteren, an Ashwaubenon native, received a bachelor’s degree from UW-Stevens Point in 1976 and a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1980.

The UW-Stevens Point, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) District 14 and USTFCCCA Halls of Fame member is married to John Zupanc, the head men’s cross country coach and track and field coach at UW-Oshkosh.

In addition to her coaching duties, Vercauteren also serves as the senior assistant director of athletics at UW-Oshkosh.

Mitchell First, Titans Fifth At NCAA Midwest Regional

UW-Oshkosh will compete at the NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championship for the 20th time in 23 years following its fifth-place finish at the Midwest Regional held Saturday (Nov. 15) at the Saukie Golf Course in Rock Island, Ill.

UW-Eau Claire, ranked fifth in the NCAA Division III by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, won the 43-team meet with 108 points. The Blugolds finished second at the event a year ago.

Seventh-ranked UW-La Crosse placed second in the team standings with 115 points, while ninth-ranked and defending Midwest Regional champion Washington University (Mo.) finished third with 117, Wheaton College (Ill.) fourth with 130 and sixth-ranked UW-Oshkosh fifth with 146. The Titans also finished fifth at last year's meet.

Rounding out the top 10 teams were sixth-place University of Chicago (Ill.) with 158 points, seventh-place UW-Stevens Point with 219, eighth-place North Central College (Ill.) with 233, ninth-place Illinois Wesleyan University with 304 and 10th-place UW-Platteville with 305.

Automatic bids to the NCAA Division III Championship that will be held Nov. 22 in Hanover, Ind., were granted to UW-Eau Claire and UW-La Crosse. At-large invitations to the national meet were extended to Washington University, Wheaton College and UW-Oshkosh.

Ayla Mitchell (Jr. • New Richmond) became UW-Oshkosh's third Midwest Regional champion since 2003 when she won the 6,000-meter race with a time of 20:40. Mitchell was a second-place finisher at last year's meet.

Defending Midwest Regional champion Becca Jordahl of UW-River Falls finished second among the 292 runners with a time of 21:32. Jenny Scherer of St. Norbert College placed third with a time of 21:42, while Lisa Baumert of Wheaton College finished fourth in 21:48 and Taryn Surtees of Washington University fifth in 21:52.

UW-Oshkosh had three other runners finish in the top 41 listings as Christina Cazzola (Fr. • Kaukauna) placed ninth with a time of 22:05, Katie Wondra (Sr. • Campbellsport) 38th in 23:06 and Jessie Scheer (Sr. • De Pere) 41st in 23:07. Cazzola was the first freshman to cross the finish line.

Other UW-Oshkosh participants at the Midwest Regional were Jennifer Piskor (So. • Eagan, Minn.), Haley Moeller (Fr. • Sturgeon Bay) and Allison Gehl (So. • Sherwood). Piskor finished 57th with a time of 23:24, Moeller 103rd in 24:27 and Gehl 105th in 24:28.

Individuals receiving an at-large pass to the NCAA Division III Championship were Jordahl of UW-River Falls, Scherer of St. Norbert College, seventh-place finisher Mary Kate Beyer of Monmouth College (Ill.), eighth-place finisher Jessica Scott of UW-Platteville, 13th-place finisher Rachel Vanezia of the University of Chicago (Ill.), 14th-place finisher Kelly Haen of UW-Stevens Point and 16th-place finisher Elizabeth Lawton of the University of Chicago.

UW-Oshkosh will be making its 22nd visit to the NCAA Division III Championship. 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.

Titans Finish Second At WIAC Championship

The one-two punch of Ayla Mitchell (Jr. • New Richmond) and Christina Cazzola (Fr. • Kaukauna) led UW-Oshkosh to a second-place finish at the WIAC Women's Cross Country Championship held Saturday (Nov. 1) at the Wisconsin River Golf Club in Stevens Point.

UW-Eau Claire, which owned seven of the meet's top 15 runners, scored 42 points to successfully defend its team title of a year ago. The Blugolds, who entered the meet ranked fourth in the NCAA Division III by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, also won WIAC championships in 1984 and 1985.

Seventh-ranked UW-Oshkosh finished second in the team standings with 62 points, while eighth-ranked UW-La Crosse placed third with 65 and UW-Stevens Point fourth with 112. UW-Oshkosh, which placed fourth at last year's meet, has now finished first or second at the WIAC Championship 19 times in the past 23 years.

Completing the team listings were fifth-place UW-Platteville with 159 points, sixth-place UW-River Falls with 173, seventh-place UW-Whitewater with 178, eighth-place UW-Stout with 220 and ninth-place UW-Superior with 249.

Mitchell, who captured last year's individual title after transferring from the University of Minnesota, placed second in this year's 6,000-meter race with a time of 21:04. UW-River Falls' Becca Jordahl posted a winning time of 21:00, while UW-Platteville's Jessica Scott finished third in 21:43, Cazzola fourth in 21:49 and UW-Eau Claire's Mary Palmer fifth in 21:54. Jordahl was a second-place finisher to Mitchell a year ago.

UW-Eau Claire and UW-La Crosse alternated the next four individual mentions as the Blugolds' Beth Easker finished sixth in 22:15 and Hannah Humbach eighth in 22:26 while the Eagles' Katelyn Williams placed seventh in 22:19 and Megan Johnson ninth in 22:28. UW-Oshkosh's Katie Wondra (Sr. • Campbellsport) recorded a time of 22:29 to take 10th place among the 101 runners who finished the race.

Other UW-Oshkosh results had Jessie Scheer (Sr. • De Pere) finish 18th with a time of 22:45, Jennifer Piskor (So. • Eagan, Minn.) 30th in 23:11, Janelle Brooks (Fr. • Janesville) 37th in 23:30, Allison Gehl (So. • Sherwood) 40th in 23:41, Haley Moeller (Fr. • Sturgeon Bay) 45th in 23:49, Brittany Haas (So. • St. Charles, Ill.) 47th in 23:54, Jordan Clark-Mand (So. • Waupun) 59th in 24:17, Jessie Welhoefer (Fr. • Waterloo) 65th in 24:24 and Mallory Burk (So. • Athens) 72nd in 24:54.

UW-Eau Claire head coach Dan Schwamberger was voted the WIAC's Coach of the Year for the second straight season, while the Blugolds’ Beth Lutz and UW-Platteville’s Scott were co-recipients of the WIAC's Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award.

Named to the WIAC's All-Sportsmanship Team were UW-Eau Claire’s Molly Woodford, UW-La Crosse’s Lauren Moss, UW-Oshkosh’s Wondra, UW-Platteville’s Alli Tank, UW-River Falls’ Christine Peters, UW-Stevens Point’s Alison Wolter, UW-Stout’s Karla Kultgen, UW-Superior’s Katee Rosburg and UW-Whitewater’s Andrea Newman. The team was selected for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each school as selected by that school.

UW-Oshkosh returns to action on Nov. 15 at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional in Rock Island, Ill.

Titans To Run At WIAC Championship

The Wisconsin River Golf Club in Stevens Point will be the site as UW-Stevens Point hosts the 31st Annual WIAC Women's Cross Country Championship on Saturday (Nov. 1).

UW-Eau Claire secured the third championship in program history at last season’s event with 44 points, while UW-Platteville placed second with 49, UW-La Crosse took third with 77 and UW-Oshkosh fourth with 121. Don’t be surprised if another tight race occurs this year as three of the last four WIAC festivals have been decided by five points or less. UW-La Crosse and UW-Oshkosh are projected to contest the Blugolds for the first-place trophy. The Titans own a league-best 15 WIAC titles, while the Eagles are second with six.

Three teams are ranked among the best in the NCAA Division III based on the Oct. 22 rankings conducted by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. UW-Eau Claire leads the trio ranking fourth, while UW-Oshkosh is seventh and UW-La Crosse eighth.

UW-Oshkosh junior Ayla Mitchell (New Richmond) will attempt to defend her individual crown from a year ago. If successful, she would become the sixth person in WIAC listings to win back-to-back titles.

UW-Platteville senior Jessica Scott and UW-River Falls junior Becca Jordahl are the overwhelming candidates to challenge Mitchell for first place. Scott was a third-place finisher last season, while Jordahl took second after placing third in 2006. Jordahl is attempting to become the first Falcon to win the individual trophy at the WIAC championship.

UW-Eau Claire boasts three runners who are expected to finish in the top 14 on the 6,000-meter course. Senior Mary Palmer finished fourth in 2007, while junior Hannah Humbach took 12th a year ago and sophomore Beth Easker has produced solid times for the squad.

Also expect strong performances from UW-La Crosse senior Megan Johnson, UW-Oshkosh freshman Christina Cazzola (Kaukauna) and senior Jessie Scheer and UW-Whitewater junior Katie McCabe. McCabe took 14th in 2006.

UW-Stevens Point’s top performer during the 2008 season has been freshman Claire Roberts, while UW-Stout’s most consistent runner has been freshman Alexa Ahler. UW-Superior has received solid showings from senior Katee Rosburg.

The top seven runners at this year’s spectacle earn All-WIAC first team honors, while runners placing eighth through 14th will receive All-WIAC second team status. Individuals finishing 15th through 20th will claim honorable mention recognition.

All nine WIAC teams will return to action on Nov. 15 at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional in Rock Island, Ill. The NCAA Division III Championship is scheduled for Nov. 22 in Hanover, Ind.

Graham Leads Titans At UW-Oshkosh Open

Alie Graham's (Fr. • Wausau) fourth-place finish led all UW-Oshkosh runners in a non-scoring meet that the Titans hosted on Friday (Oct. 24) at the Lake Breeze Golf Course in Winneconne.

The regular season finale included participants from UW-Oshkosh, NCAA Division II UW-Parkside, UW-Platteville, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater.

Sam Cohen, running unattached, won the 5,000-meter race with a time of 19:26. Katie Kelly of the Wisconsin Track Club finished second in 19:36, while Jessica Enderby of UW-Parkside placed third in 19:46, Graham fourth in 19:59 and Amber McGuire of UW-Parkside fifth in 20:02.

UW-Oshkosh had three other runners finish in the top 10 as Megan Tyjeski (Fr. • Wisconsin Rapids) placed sixth with a time of 20:19, Shannon Madigan (Jr. • Green Bay) ninth in 20:35 and Samantha Helgesen (Fr. • Bristol) 10th in 20:41.

The Titans also had Heather Bassett (So. • Minocqua) finish 12th in 20:50, Carlyn Brown Fr, • Belleville) 15th in 20:56, Cassie Petersen (So. • Marinette) 16th in 21:03, Tamara Lapacz (Fr. • Marinette) 17th in 21:15, Alison Johnson (Fr. • Beaver Dam) 20th in 21:36 and Megan Gerke (Fr. • Bangor) 21st in 21:39. A total of 37 runners finished the race.

UW-Oshkosh, ranked seventh in the NCAA Division III by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, participated in the meet with only 10 of its 23 available runners. Several of the Titans' top runners were absent from the meet as they were resting in preparation of next Saturday's (Nov. 1) WIAC Championship in Stevens Point.

Mitchell Selected WIAC Runner Of The Week

UW-Oshkosh's Ayla Mitchell (Jr. • New Richmond) turned in another strong showing and received her third WIAC Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week award of the 2008 season.

Mitchell, who was honored for her performance in events held Oct. 13-19, placed third among 415 runners at the UW-Oshkosh Brooks Invitational held Oct. 18 at the Lake Breeze Golf Course in Winneconne.

Mitchell completed the 6,000-meter course in a time of 20:42. Marie Borner of Bethel University (Minn.) took individual honors with a time of 20:36, while Jessica Monson of NCAA Division II UW-Parkside finished second in 20:41 and Becca Jordahl of UW-River Falls fourth in 20:58. Jordahl placed fourth, Mitchell 13th and Borner 17th at last year’s NCAA Division III Championship.

Calvin College (Mich.) scored 59 points to win the team title. The Knights entered the meet as the top-ranked team in the NCAA Division III by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. 10th-ranked UW-Oshkosh finished second in the 30-team meet with 123 points, while NCAA Division II University of Minnesota-Duluth placed third with 129.

Mitchell also received the WIAC Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week Award for meets held Sept. 15-21 and Sept. 29-Oct. 5. She won the award once during the 2007 season.

Titans Turn In Second-Place Finish at Brooks Invitational

UW-Oshkosh placed two runners in the top six as it finished second in the team competition at its own women’s cross country invitational held Saturday (Oct. 18) at the Lake Breeze Golf Course in Winneconne.

Ayla Mitchell (Jr. • New Richmond) captured the third spot with a time of 20:43 on the 6,000-meter course. A sixth-place result from Christina Cazzola (Fr. • Kaukauna) in a time of 21:16 helped the Titans earn 123 points to finish behind Calvin College’s standard of 59.

Calvin College entered the meet ranked first in the NCAA Division III, while UW-Oshkosh came in with a listing of 10th. Calvin College topped the 30-team field, which included a record 415 runners in a meet hosted by UW-Oshkosh. Lauren Bergstrom paced the victors with an eighth-place time of 21:24, along with the ninth-place figure of 21:44 by Jessica Koster. Calvin College had three other top-17 results, including Elizabeth Hunt in 12th (21:49), Jesi Hale in 13th (21:58) and Calah Schlabach in 17th (22:06).

NCAA Division II’s 16th-ranked team, Minnesota-Duluth, came in third place with a team mark of 129 points, followed by Washington University in fourth at 152 and Bethel in fifth at 175. Bethel’s Marie Borner took the individual title with a time of 20:37, while UW-Parkside’s Jessica Monson came in second in 20:42.

Becca Jordahl of UW-River Falls earned fourth place with a clocking of 20:59, along with Morgan Place of Minnesota-Duluth in fifth at 20:59. Seventh place went to Rhodes’ Taylor Stephens in a figure of 21:17, while Washington University’s Taryn Stephens rounded out the top 10 with a time of 21:44.

UW-Oshkosh also received scoring from Jessie Scheer (Sr. • De Pere), who took 22nd in 22:32, and Katie Wondra (Sr. • Campbellsport), who earned 34th place in a time of 22:48. Jenny Piskor (So. • Eagan, Minn.) finished 58th with a mark of 23:13, along with Allison Gehl (So. • Sherwood) in 81st at 23:38 and Janelle Brooks (Fr. • Janesville) in 84th place at 23:39.

Other participants for the Titans were 98th-place Jessie Welhoefer (Fr. • Waterloo) in a time of 23:41, 106th-place Brittany Haas (So. • St. Charles, Ill.) in 23:43 and 128th-place Jordan Clark-Mand (So. • Waupun) in 23:55. Haley Moeller (Fr. • Sturgeon Bay) came in 163rd place with a number of 24:24, followed in 166th place by Mallory Burk (So. • Athens) in 24:26 and 176th-place Shannon Madigan (Jr. • Green Bay) in 24:33.

Cassie Petersen (So. • Marinette) continued the UW-Oshkosh contingent with a 198th-place time of 24:47, while Alie Graham (Fr. • Wausau) took 205th in a time of 24:50. A 232nd-place result in 25:12 by Sam Helgeson (Fr. • Bristol) was followed by Carlyn Brown’s (Fr. • Belleville) 237th-place time of 25:17. The Titans also had Heather Bassett (So. • Minocqua) take 254th in 25:32, Megan Tyjeski (Fr. • Wisconsin Rapids) grab 258th in 25:38 and Tamara Lapacz (Fr. • Marinette) earn 297th in 26:17.

UW-Oshkosh To Host Largest Cross Country Meet In School History

Nearly 900 runners from over 35 different colleges and universities will descend upon Winneconne's Lake Breeze Golf Course on Saturday (Oct. 18) as UW-Oshkosh hosts its largest cross country event in school history.

The men will lead off the UW-Oshkosh's Brooks Invitational with an 8,000-meter run at 10:30 a.m. The women will follow the men with a 6,000-meter race at 11:15 a.m.

North Central College (Ill.), ranked second in the NCAA Division III by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, heads the list of contenders for the men's team title. Expected to battle the Cardinals for the top prize are fourth-ranked UW-Stevens Point, fifth-ranked Calvin College (Mich.), eighth-ranked Haverford College (Pa.), 14th-ranked Augustana College (Ill.), 19th-ranked UW-Oshkosh and 31st-ranked Grinnell College (Iowa).

Projected to compete for the men's individual title are Jed Christiansen of Calvin College, Dan Greeno of Bethel University (Minn.), Willy Kaul and Andrew McGuire of UW-Oshkosh, Dom Meyer of UW-Stevens Point and Brandon Mull of Wheaton College (Ill.). Mull placed 10th, Greeno 22nd and Meyer 25th at last year's NCAA Division III Championship.

Eventual NCAA Division III champion New York University won the men's division of last year's UW-Oshkosh Brooks Invitational with 68 points. Haverford College finished second with 71 points and North Central College third with 90. UW-Oshkosh placed seventh in the 22-team meet with 213 points.

The women's division features five nationally-ranked NCAA Division III teams, including top-ranked Calvin College. The Knights are expected to receive their stiffest competition from 10th-ranked UW-Oshkosh, 26th-ranked Washington University (Mo.), 31st-ranked Bethel University and 35th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University. Also projected to finish near the top are a pair of nationally-ranked NCAA Division II teams, 16th-ranked University of Minnesota-Duluth and 20th-ranked UW-Parkside.

Favored to be the top contestants for the women's individual title are Marie Borner of Bethel University, Becca Jordahl of UW-River Falls, Ayla Mitchell of UW-Oshkosh and Morgan Place of the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Jordahl finished fourth, Mitchell 13th and Borner 17th at last year's NCAA Division III Championship.

Washington University captured the women's division of last year's UW-Oshkosh Brooks Invitational with 53 points. Haverford College placed second in the 16-team meet with 118 points and UW-Oshkosh finished third with 129.

Admission to the meet is $5 per automobile. Spectators are encouraged to arrive early for the meet.

Titans Place Third At Ripon College Invitational

Mallory Burk Brittany Haas (So. • St. Charles, Ill.) paced UW-Oshkosh as the Titans finished third at the Ripon College Women's Cross Country Invitational held Saturday (Oct. 11) in Ripon.

UW-Oshkosh, which rested several of its top runners, scored 78 points in the six-team meet. The Titans entered the event ranked 10th in the NCAA Division III by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

UW-Stevens Point scored 26 points to capture the team title, while Carroll University tallied 69 to finish second. Ripon College placed fourth with 85 points.

Ripon College owned the top two runners as Brittany Dick finished first and Jessica Davey second in the 5,000-meter race with times of 20:39 and 20:54, respectively. UW-Stevens Point runners took the next four positions as Claire Roberts placed third in 21:05, Sandy Hause fourth and Kelly Haen fifth in 21:06 and Ashley Woest sixth in 21:07.

Haas turned in a 10th-place time of 21:19 to lead all UW-Oshkosh competitors. The Titans also received scoring from Mallory Burk's (So. • Athens) 12th-place time of 21:42, Alie Graham's (Fr. • Wausau) 15th-place time of 21:51, Samantha Helgesen's (Fr. • Bristol) 19th-place time of 21:59 and Heather Bassett's (So. • Minocqua) 22nd-place time of 22:06.

Other UW-Oshkosh results had Shannon Madigan (Jr. • Green Bay) finish 24th in 22:12, Cassie Petersen (So. • Marinette) 27th in 22:26, Alison Johnson (Fr. • Beaver Dam) 33rd in 22:59, Jordan Clark-Mand (So. • Waupun) 36th in 23:08, Megan Gerke (Fr. • Bangor) 40th in 23:37, Megan Tyjeski (Fr. • Wisconsin Rapids) 41st in 23:40, Carlyn Brown (Fr. • Belleville) 42nd in 23:45 and Tamara Lapacz (Fr. • Marinette) 46th in 24:03. A total of 50 runners finished the race.

UW-Oshkosh's full squad will be in action next Saturday (Oct. 18) when the Titans host the Brooks Invitational at the Lake Breeze Golf Course in Winneconne.

Mitchell Tabbed WIAC Runner Of The Week

UW-Oshkosh's Ayla Mitchell (Jr. • New Richmond) was named the WIAC Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week for her performance in events held Sept. 29-Oct. 5.

Mitchell ran to the individual championship to lead UW-Oshkosh to an 11th-place finish in the Gold Division of the Notre Dame Invitational held Oct. 3 in South Bend, Ind.

Mitchell, who placed second in the renowned meet a year ago, completed this year’s 5,000-meter course in a time of 17:28. She was the lone NCAA Division III runner in the top seven individual listings.

Crystina Martinez of NCAA Division I Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (Ind.) posted a time of 17:36 to place second among the 198 runners who finished the race. Kari Summers of NCAA Division I Ohio University was third in 17:41.

Michigan State University, ranked eighth in the NCAA Division I by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, captured the team title with 76 points. Grand Valley State University, ranked second in the NCAA Division II, finished second in the 23-team meet with 93 points. UW-Oshkosh, ranked 11th in the NCAA Division III, tallied 266 team points.

Mitchell also received the WIAC Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week Award for events held Sept. 15-21.

Titans Finish 10th At Blugold Open

Christina Cazzola Ayla Mitchell Despite the absence of seven runners who competed at the well-known Notre Dame Invitational earlier in the day, UW-Oshkosh still had enough ammunition to finish 10th at the Blugold Women’s Cross Country Open held Friday (Oct. 3) in Colfax.

The University of Minnesota, ranked fourth in the NCAA Division I by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, won the 16-team meet with 24 points. NCAA Division II University of Minnesota-Duluth finished second with 53 points, and host UW-Eau Claire, ranked second in the NCAA Division III, third with 76.

Rounding out the top five teams were fourth-place St. Olaf College (Minn.) with 132 points and fifth-place NCAA Division II Winona State University (Minn.) with 168. UW-Oshkosh, ranked 11th in the NCAA Division III, placed 10th in the team standings with 279 points.

Morgan Place of the University of Minnesota-Duluth completed the 6,000-meter course in a first-place time of 21:31. The University of Minnesota owned the next three listings as Meghan Mason finished second with a time of 22:17, Sally Paulson third in 22:18 and Kelly Wilson fourth in 22:22. A total of 244 runners finished the race.

UW-Oshkosh was led by Jessie Welhoefer’s (Fr. • Waterloo) 56th-place time of 24:29. The Titans also received team scoring from Janelle Brooks’ 74th-place time of 24:50, Haley Moeller’s (Fr. • Sturgeon Bay) 78th-place time of 24:54, Mallory Burk’s (So. • Athens) 107th-place time of 25:28 and Shannon Madigan’s (Jr. • Green Bay) 108th-place time of 25:29.

Other UW-Oshkosh results had Megan Tyjeski (Fr. • Wisconsin Rapids) 115th with a time of 25:37, Alie Graham (Fr. • Wausau) 130th in 25:55, Cassie Petersen (So. • Marinette) 136th in 25:59, Samantha Helgesen (Fr. • Bristol) 144th in 26:07, Alison Johnson (Fr. • Beaver Dam) 146th in 26:10, Carlyn Brown (Fr. • Belleville) 157th in 26:29, Megan Gerke (Fr. • Bangor) 166th in 26:43, Heather Bassett (So. • Minocqua) 168th in 26:45 and Tamara Lapacz (Fr. • Marinette) 170th in 26:47.

Mitchell Captures Notre Dame Invitational Title

Ayla Mitchell (Jr. • New Richmond) ran to the individual championship to lead the UW-Oshkosh women’s cross country team to an 11th-place finish in the Gold Division of the 53rd Annual Notre Dame Invitational held Friday (Oct. 3) in South Bend, Ind.

Mitchell, who placed second in the renowned meet a year ago, completed this year’s 5,000-meter course in a time of 17:28. She was the lone NCAA Division III runner in the top seven individual listings.

Crystina Martinez of NCAA Division I Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (Ind.) posted a time of 17:36 to place second among the 198 runners who finished the race. Kari Summers of NCAA Division I Ohio University was third in 17:41, Crystal Martinez of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne fourth in 17:44 and Laura Portis of NCAA Division I Michigan State University fifth in 17:45.

Michigan State University, ranked eighth in the NCAA Division I by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, captured the team title with 76 points. Grand Valley State University, ranked second in the NCAA Division II, finished second in the 23-team meet with 93 points and NCAA Division I Northwestern University (Ill.) third with 136.

Calvin College (Mich.), the top-ranked team in the NCAA Division III, placed fourth with 155 points and NCAA Division I Illinois State University fifth with 165. UW-Oshkosh, ranked 11th in the NCAA Division III, tallied 266 team points. The Titans placed 20th in last year’s meet with 485 points.

UW-Oshkosh also received a strong individual performance from Christina Cazzola (Fr. • Kaukauna). Cazzola finished 11th with a time of 18:02.

Other scorers for the Titans were Katie Wondra (Sr. • Campbellsport), Jessie Scheer (Sr. • De Pere) and Jennifer Piskor (So. • Eagan, Minn.). Wondra placed 79th with a time of 19:00, while Scheer finished 91st in 19:08 and Piskor 109th in 19:22.

The Titans also had Allison Gehl (So. • Sherwood) take 132nd place with a time of 19:51 and Brittany Haas (So. • St. Charles, Ill.) 149th in 20:13.

Mitchell Selected WIAC Runner Of The Week

UW-Oshkosh's Ayla Mitchell (Jr. • New Richmond) has been named the WIAC Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week for her performance in events held Sept. 15-21.

Mitchell won her second straight race as UW-Oshkosh finished third at the Calvin College Invitational held Sept. 20 in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Mitchell, who captured the individual title at the Carroll University Invitational held Sept. 6, won the 5,000-meter race at the Calvin College Invitational with a time of 17:31. Jessica Koster of Calvin College finished second among the 167 runners with a time of 17:57.

Calvin College, ranked second in the NCAA Division III by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, won the 10-team meet with 33 points.

10th-ranked Case Western Reserve University (Ohio) finished second in the team standings with 58 points, while 20th-ranked UW-Oshkosh placed third with 72, NCAA Division II Grand Valley State University (Mich.) fourth with 119 and NAIA Aquinas College (Mich.) fifth with 126.

Titans Take Third Place At Calvin College Invitational

Ayla Mitchell (Jr. • New Richmond) won her second straight race as UW-Oshkosh finished third in the team standings at the Calvin College Women’s Cross Country Invitational held Saturday (Sept. 20) in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Calvin College, ranked second in the NCAA Division III by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, won the 10-team meet with 33 points.

10th-ranked Case Western Reserve University (Ohio) finished second in the team standings with 58 points, while 20th-ranked UW-Oshkosh placed third with 72, NCAA Division II Grand Valley State University (Mich.) fourth with 119 and NAIA Aquinas College (Mich.) fifth with 126.

Mitchell, who captured the individual title at the Carroll University Invitational held Sept. 6, won the 5,000-meter race at the Calvin College Invitational with a time of 17:31. Calvin College took the next two positions as Jessica Koster finished second and Lauren Bergstrom third in times of 17:57.

Rounding out the top five individual performers were Amanda Strouse of Aquinas College and Christina Cazzola (Fr. • Kaukauna) of UW-Oshkosh. Strouse ran to a time of 18:02 and Cazzola to a performance of 18:06.

UW-Oshkosh’s team scoring concluded with Katie Wondra’s (Sr. • Campbellsport) 22nd-place time of 19:07, Jordan Clark-Mand’s (So. • Waupun) 29th-place time of 19:17 and Jessie Scheer’s (Sr. • De Pere) 34th-place time of 19:28.

Also finishing in the top 75 places for the Titans were Jennifer Piskor (So. • Eagan, Minn.), Brittany Haas (So. • St. Charles, Ill.), Allison Gehl (So. • Sherwood), Jessie Welhoefer (Fr. • Waterloo), Carlyn Brown (Fr. • Belleville), Haley Moeller (Fr. • Sturgeon Bay), Janelle Brooks (Fr. • Janesville) and Mallory Burk (So. • Athens). Piskor placed 38th with a time of 19:36, Haas 39th in 19:36, Gehl 40th in 19:37, Welhoefer 48th in 19:46, Brown 54th in 19:56, Moeller 62nd in 20:05, Brooks 66th in 20:09 and Burk 69th in 20:12.

Other UW-Oshkosh outcomes had Samantha Helgesen (Fr. • Bristol) finish 94th with a time of 20:38, Alison Johnson (Fr. • Beaver Dam) 97th in 20:44, Alie Graham (Fr. • Wausau) 105th in 20:57, Shannon Madigan (Jr. • Green Bay) 114th in 21:15 and Megan Tyjeski (Fr. • Wisconsin Rapids) 120th in 21:33. A total of 167 runners finished the race.

Titans Pack A Powerful Season-Opening Punch

Christina Cazzola Ayla Mitchell (Jr. • New Richmond) led six UW-Oshkosh runners in the top eight individual finishes as the Titans opened their 2008 season by winning the Carroll University Women's Cross Country Invitational held Saturday (Sept. 6) in Waukesha.

Mitchell, who earned NCAA Division III All-America honors a year ago, won the 5,000-meter race with a time of 18:35. She was followed by teammate Christina Cazzola (Fr. • Kaukauna), who placed second with a time of 19:24.

UW-Oshkosh owned four of the next six listings as Jordan Clark-Mand (So. • Waupun) finished fifth in 20:03, Katie Wondra (Sr. • Campbellsport) sixth in 20:09, Jessie Scheer (Sr. • De Pere) seventh in 20:40 and Brittany Haas (So. • St. Charles, Ill.) eighth in 20:41. Megan O'Grady of Carroll University took third place in 19:43 and Stephanie Lucas of the Illinois Institute of Technology fourth in 19:56.

The Titans had six more runners in the top 20 as Haley Moeller (Fr. • Sturgeon Bay) finished 11th in 20:44, Allison Gehl (So. • Sherwood) 15th in 20:58, Jennifer Piskor (So. • Eagan, Minn.) 16th in 21:00, Jessie Welhoefer (Fr. • Waterloo) 18th in 21:08, Carlyn Brown (Fr. • Belleville) 19th in 21:11 and Cassie Petersen (So. • Marinette) 20th in 21:11.

Other UW-Oshkosh results had Janelle Brooks (Fr. • Janesville) finish 24th in 21:34, Shannon Madigan (Jr. • Green Bay) 27th in 21:43, Samantha Helgesen (Fr. • Bristol) 28th in 21:46, Alie Graham (Fr. • Wausau) 29th in 21:48, Alison Johnson (Fr. • Beaver Dam) 31st in 21:52, Megan Gerke (Fr. • Bangor) 37th in 22:26, Kathryn Magnor (Fr. • Brookfield) 48th in 22:47, Megan Tyjeski (Fr. • Wisconsin Rapids) 51st in 23:04 and Tamara Lapacz (Fr. • Marinette) 55th in 23:30. A total of 104 runners finished the race.

UW-Oshkosh, ranked 21st in the NCAA Division III by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, captured the team title with 21 points, while Carroll University finished second with 55. Illinois Institute of Technology placed third in the eight-team meet with 73 points, Ripon College fourth with 123 and Lake Forest College fifth with 136.

Titans Ranked 21st In Preseason Poll

The UW-Oshkosh women’s cross country team was ranked 21st in a NCAA Division III preseason poll released by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

UW-Oshkosh collected 124 points in the top-35 poll after placing fifth at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional and fourth at the WIAC Championship in 2007.

Defending national champion Amherst College (Mass.) received all eight first-place votes to take the top listing in the poll with 280 points. Following Amherst College were second-ranked Luther College (Iowa) with 265 points, third-ranked UW-Eau Claire with 263, fourth-ranked Calvin College (Mich.) with 259 and fifth-ranked State University of New York-Geneseo with 252.

Besides the reference of UW-Eau Claire and UW-Oshkosh, the WIAC had UW-Platteville rank ninth with 213 points and UW-La Crosse 16th with 161.

UW-Oshkosh returns 10 letter winners from last year’s team, including All-American and WIAC champion Ayla Mitchell (Jr. • New Richmond). Mitchell received All-America status with her 13th-place finish at the NCAA Division III Championship.

Other top-seven runners back from are Jordan Clark-Mand (So. • Waupun), Allison Gehl (So. • Sherwood), Brittany Haas (So. • St. Charles, Ill.), Jessie Scheer (Sr. • De Pere) and Katie Wondra (Sr. • Campbellsport).

UW-Oshkosh starts its 2008 season by competing at the Carroll University Invitational on Sept. 6. The WIAC Championship is scheduled for Nov. 1 in Stevens Point, the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional for Nov. 15 in Rock Island, Ill., and the NCAA Division III Championship for Nov. 22 in Hanover, Ind.