UW-Oshkosh's Rosa Alvarez (Jr. • Watertown) and Jenny Graef (Sr. • Lena) have been named to the 2006 United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country All-Academic Team.

Alvarez owns a 3.631 cumulative grade point average as a Spanish Education major. She placed 41st at the 2006 NCAA Division III Midwest Regional held in Davenport, Iowa, and 23rd at the WIAC Championship held Oct. 28 in West Salem.

Graef owns a 3.773 cumulative grade point average as a biology major. She finished 21st to earn All-America honors at the NCAA Division III Championship held Nov. 18 in West Chester, Ohio. Graef also placed eighth at the 2006 NCAA Division III Midwest Regional and sixth at the 2006 WIAC Championship.

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. A total of 185 athletes were honored, including 15 from the WIAC.

The entire UW-Oshkosh women's cross country team was also recognized for its excellence in the classroom. Last fall, the Titans registered a 3.373 cumulative grade point average while finishing eighth at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional and third at the WIAC Championship. A total of 112 schools were honored by the USTFCCCA, including six from the WIAC.

UW-Oshkosh's Deb Vercauteren is among 12 accomplished cross country and track and field coaches who will be inducted into the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's (USTFCCCA) Hall of Fame on Tuesday (Dec. 12) in San Antonio, Texas.

This year's induction class features coaches who won National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men's and women's team titles at all three divisional levels in cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field. The distinguished group will be inducted during the USTFCCCA's annual convention.

Besides Vercauteren, other inductees are Bill Bergan of Iowa State University, Al Carius of North Central College (Ill.), John Coughlan of Illinois State University, DeLoss Dodds of Kansas State University, Bob Groseclose of the University of Louisiana at Monroe, Tom Heinonen of the University of Oregon, Don Hood, Sr. of Abilene Christian University (Texas), Ted McLaughlin of Southern Methodist University (Texas), Bill Moultrie of Howard University (Washington, D.C.), Jack Pyrah of Villanova University (Pa.) and Gary Wieneke of the University of Illinois.

"This year's Hall of Fame class personifies the values of collegiate track and field and cross country," said Sam Seemes, CEO of the USTFCCCA. "The mark they've left on their sports is immeasurable. Our association is honored to induct such a group of individuals into the Hall of Fame."

UW-Oshkosh’s trophy case has been lavishly decorated during Vercauteren’s 25-plus seasons as the school’s head women’s cross country and women's track and field coach. The shrine includes trophies for winning 17 NCAA Division III titles and 36 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championships.

In outdoor track and field, Vercauteren has guided UW-Oshkosh to NCAA Division III titles in 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2004 and 2006. The Titans also finished second at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championship in 1989, 1992, 1994 and 2005 and third in 1988, 1993 and 1998.

UW-Oshkosh athletes have earned 171 All-America awards at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championship during the past 25 years. The Titans' All-America performances are led by 22 individual national titles, including five by Robyn Jarocki, four by Liz Woodworth and three by Stephanie Bostwick. UW-Oshkosh also owns one national title in the relays.

Competing for bragging rights at the WIAC Outdoor Championship, Vercauteren has directed UW-Oshkosh to 10 first and 10 second-place finishes. The Titans captured WIAC championships in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2004 and 2006. Since 1982, UW-Oshkosh athletes won 148 events while competing at the WIAC Outdoor Championship.

Vercauteren gained Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year honors by the NCAA Division III in 2004 and by the WIAC in 1988, 1989, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2004 and 2006.

In 2006, the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) recognized UW-Oshkosh for owning the outstanding NCAA Division III women’s outdoor track and field program of the past 25 years.

Indoors, Vercauteren’s accomplishments are equally impressive as she led UW-Oshkosh to NCAA Division III titles in 1994, 1995, 1996, 2004, 2005 and 2006. The Titans also placed second at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championship in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 2002 and third in 1997.

Since the first NCAA Division III Indoor Championship was held in 1985, All-America awards have been presented 117 times to UW-Oshkosh athletes. The Titans' All-America performances are led by 21 individual national titles, including five by Jarocki and three by both Woodworth and Melissa Oleson. UW-Oshkosh also owns three national titles in the relays.

At the WIAC Indoor Championship, Vercauteren has coached UW-Oshkosh to 11 first and nine second-place finishes. The Titans claimed WIAC titles in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2006. Since 1982, UW-Oshkosh athletes won 149 events while competing at the WIAC Indoor Championship.

Vercauteren received Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year accolades by the NCAA Division III in 2006 and by the WIAC in 1988, 1989, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2006.

Besides coaching track and field, Vercauteren has served as the head women’s cross country coach at UW-Oshkosh since 1981. She began the sport at UW-Oshkosh from infancy that season and took the Titans to a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Division III Championship the following year.

UW-Oshkosh has claimed four NCAA Division III cross country titles during Vercauteren’s 26 seasons as head coach, with victories coming in 1987, 1988, 1991 and 1996. The Titans also placed in the top 10 on 14 other occasions, including second-place rankings in 1989, 1990 and 1995. In all, UW-Oshkosh has been a team entry at the NCAA Division III Championship 21 times during Vercauteren’s tenure as head coach.

Individually, she has trained UW-Oshkosh cross country athletes to 38 NCAA Division III All-America performances, including national titles won by Laura Horejs in 1991 and Tiffany Speckman in 1997.

Since 1986, Vercauteren’s Titans have been a perennial conference power. UW-Oshkosh has won the WIAC championship 15 times in the past 21 years while finishing second in the event on three other occasions. The Titans were WIAC champion in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000. Vercauteren has coached UW-Oshkosh athletes to 11 WIAC individual titles.

The NCAA Division III selected Vercauteren as its Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1996. She was named WIAC Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1999.

In 2005, the USTFCCCA picked Vercauteren as its NCAA Division III Women’s Cross Country Silver Anniversary Coach. The award was given in conjunction with the NCAA’s 25-year celebration of sponsoring women’s sports.

Vercauteren, an Ashwaubenon, Wis., 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 Hall of Fame member is married to John Zupanc, the head men’s cross country coach and head men’s track and field coach at UW-Oshkosh.

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

Sarah Zerzan of Willamette University (Ore.) ran to a time of 22:31 to take the individual title. Caitlin Bradley of Dickinson College (Pa.) placed second among the 279 contestants with a time of 22:51, while Sarah Spencer of Grinnell College (Iowa) finished third in 22:52, Toni Wiszowaty of State University of New York-Plattsburgh fourth in 22:53 and Beth Herndon of Washington University (Mo.) fifth in 22:56.

The team championship was decided by the slimmest of margins as Middlebury College (Vt.) edged Amherst College (Mass.), 144-145. Middlebury College, which had all five of its scorers among the top 68 individual places, also captured NCAA Division III titles in 2000, 2001 and 2003.

Calvin College (Mich.) took third place in the 32-team meet with 149 points, while Washington University finished fourth with 186 and Tufts University (Mass.) fifth with 214.

Rounding out the top 10 teams were sixth-place Dickinson College with 225 points, seventh-place Grinnell College with 237, eighth-place Williams College (Mass.) with 238, ninth-place State University of New York-Geneseo with 266 and 10th-place Case Western Reserve University (Ohio) with 296.

UW-Oshkosh's Rosa Alvarez (Jr. • Watertown) finished second in a non-scoring women's cross country meet that the Titans hosted Friday (Oct. 20) at the Lake Breeze Golf Course in Winneconne.

The event included athletes from Cardinal Stritch University, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Parkside, UW-Platteville and UW-Stevens Point.

Alvarez paced UW-Oshkosh by completing the 5,000-meter course in a time of 19:28. Megan Craig, running unattached, won the race with a time of 19:11. UW-Parkside's Melissa Martens finished third with a time of 19:50.

In addition to Alvarez, the Titans had Amanda Beard (Sr. • Wausau) finish fourth in 20:12, Toni Morning (Jr. • Colfax) fifth in 20:49, Jamie Neitzel (So. • Mayville) ninth in 21:07 and Whitney Langer (Jr. • New Richmond) 12th in 21:16. A total of 32 runners finished the race.

UW-Oshkosh competed in the meet with only five of its 16 runners. The remaining members of the squad were resting for the WIAC Championship on Oct. 28 in West Salem.

The UW-Oshkosh women’s cross country team finished sixth in its own invitational held Saturday (Oct. 14) at the Lake Breeze Golf Course in Winneconne.

Washington University (Mo.), ranked third in the NCAA Division III, owned four of the top eight individual finishers to win the 11-team event with 38 points. Seventh-ranked Calvin College (Mich.) listed second with 42 points, while 21st-ranked Emory University (Ga.) placed third with 95, 20th-ranked DePauw University (Ind.) fourth with 111 and University of Chicago (Ill.) fifth with 132.

Completing the top 10 teams were sixth-place UW-Oshkosh with 136 points, seventh-place Bethel University (Minn.) with 228, eighth-place Carthage College with 231, ninth-place UW-Stevens Point with 251 and 10th-place Greenville College (Ill.) with 284.

Individually, UW-Oshkosh’s Jenny Graef (Sr. • Lena) finished the 6,000-meter course with a fifth-place time of 22:14. The Titans also received team scoring from Nicole Knapmiller’s (Fr. • Grafton) 23rd-place time of 23:05, Rosa Alvarez’s (Jr. • Watertown) 32nd-place time of 23:19, Jenny Melville’s (Jr. • Waukesha) 43rd-place time of 23:31 and Kristy Giljohann’s (Sr. • Brookfield) 45th-place time of 23:32.

Beth Herndon of Washington University took the individual title with a time of 21:54, while Nikki Umhoefer of Bethel University finished second in 21:57. Calvin College owned the next two finishers as Camille Medema placed third in 21:58 and Christina Overbeck fourth in 22:08.

UW-Oshkosh also had Katie Wondra (So. • Campbellsport) finish 50th in 23:42, Shannon Madigan (Fr. • Green Bay) 51st in 23:45, Amanda Beard (Sr. • Wausau) 85th in 24:38, Hope Scholze (Fr. • Melrose) 98th in 25:05, Toni Morning (Jr. • Colfax) 103rd in 25:19, Jamie Neitzel (So. • Mayville) 110th in 25:31 and Whitney Langer (Jr. • New Richmond) 135th in 26:51.

A total of 162 runners finished the race.

With 14 nationally-ranked cross country teams visiting Winneconne's Lake Breeze Golf Course, Saturday's (Oct. 14) UW-Oshkosh Invitational is expected to provide all participants with one of their strongest challenges of the 2006 season.

The meet begins with the men's 8,000-meter race at 10:30 a.m. and concludes with the women's 6,000-meter derby at 11:15 a.m. Admission to the event is $5 per automobile. Spectators are encouraged to arrive early.

The men's division features 18 teams, including eight of the top 32 squads in the NCAA Division III. The list of participants is led by top-ranked Calvin College (Mich.), third-ranked UW-Oshkosh, seventh-ranked Haverford College (Pa.), eighth-ranked New York University, 15th-ranked UW-Stevens Point, 22nd-ranked DePauw University (Ind.), 25th-ranked Augustana College (Ill.) and 32nd-ranked University of Chicago (Ill.). The field also includes Aquinas College (Mich.), the sixth-ranked team in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Other teams in the men's division are Bethel College (Minn.), Carleton College (Minn.), Carthage College, Emory University (Ga.), Greenville College (Ill.), Hope College (Mich.), North Park University (Ill.), St. Norbert College and Washington University (Mo.).

Last year at the NCAA Division III Championship, Calvin College placed second, Haverford College third, University of Chicago ninth and UW-Oshkosh 11th.

The women's category consists of 12 teams, including five of the top 30 squads in the NCAA Division III. The directory of competitors is led by third-ranked Washington University, seventh-ranked Calvin College, 20th-ranked DePauw University, 21st-ranked Emory University and 30th-ranked UW-Oshkosh.

Other teams in the women's grouping are Bethel College, Carthage College, Greenville College, Hope College. North Park University, University of Chicago and UW-Stevens Point.

Last fall at the NCAA Division III Championship, Washington University finished third, UW-Stevens Point 10th, Emory University 11th, DePauw University 16th, Calvin College 17th and UW-Oshkosh 19th.

Calvin College scored 19 points to finish first in the men's division of last year's UW-Oshkosh Invitational. The Knights were followed by second-place UW-Oshkosh with 75 points and third-place Aquinas College with 100.

In the women's section of last year's UW-Oshkosh Invitational, Washington University took first place with 37 points. The Bears were followed by second-place UW-Stevens Point with 61 points and third-place UW-Oshkosh with 66.

Competing with only six of its 20 athletes, the UW-Oshkosh women's cross country team finished third at the Ripon College Invitational held Saturday (Oct. 7) in Ripon.

NCAA Division I University of Wisconsin scored 24 points to win the eight-team meet, while UW-Stevens Point placed second with 64, UW-Oshkosh third with 76, Ripon College fourth with 84 and Carroll College fifth with 134.

Led by Jenny Melville's (Jr. • Waukesha) sixth-place time of 20:27, UW-Oshkosh had all five of its scorers in the top 32 finishes. The Titans also received scoring from Kristy Giljohann's (Sr. • Brookfield) 12th-place time of 21:06, Katie Wondra's (So. • Campbellsport) 13th-place time of 21:07, Hope Scholze's (Fr. • Melrose) 16th-place time of 21:24 and Jamie Neitzel's (So. • Mayville) 32nd-place time of 22:50.

UW-Oshkosh's list of participants concluded with Whitney Langer's (Jr. • New Richmond) 46th-place time of 23:58.

University of Wisconsin's Ann Detmer won the 5,000-meter race with a time of 19:21, while Ripon College's Brittany Dick finished second in 19:40 and University of Wisconsin's Maggie Collison third in 19:50. A total of 69 runners finished the race.

Despite the absence of eight athletes who ran at the prestigious Notre Dame Invitational earlier in the day, the UW-Oshkosh women's cross country team still managed to place 12th at the Blugold Open held Friday (Sept. 29) in Colfax.

UW-La Crosse scored 40 points to take the team title, while the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) placed second with 82, host UW-Eau Claire third with 103, the University of Minnesota fourth with 110 and UW-River Falls fifth with 166.

Completing the top 10 teams were sixth-place UW-Stout with 185 points, seventh-place University of Minnesota-Duluth with 218, eighth-place Bethel College (Minn.) with 228, ninth-place The College of St. Catherine (Minn.) with 278 and 10th-place Franklin College (Ind.) with 319. UW-Oshkosh compiled 359 points en route to its 12th-place finish.

Amanda Beard (Sr. • Wausau) led five Titans in the 6,000-meter race with a 78th-place time of 25:23. UW-La Crosse swept the top two individual listings as Kristen Painter placed first with a time of 22:24 and Meagan Herlache second in 22:43.

In addition to Beard, the Titans had Hope Scholze (Fr. • Melrose) finish 79th in 25:24, Toni Morning (Jr. • Colfax) 81st in 25:28, Jori Sigler (Fr. • Fredonia) 149th in 27:04 and Jamie Neitzel (So. • Mayville) 157th in 27:20. A total of 221 runners finished the race.

Running against several NCAA Division I squads, the UW-Oshkosh women's cross country team finished 15th in the Gold Division of the Notre Dame Invitational held Friday (Sept. 29) in South Bend, Ind.

NCAA Division I Indiana State University won the 24-team meet with 123 points, while Indiana University-Purdue University-Fort Wayne (Ind.) placed second with 129.

Calvin College (Mich.), the eighth-ranked team in the NCAA Division III by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, graded third with 130 points, while Akron University (Ohio) placed fourth with 158 and Ball State University (Ind.) fifth with 161.

Completing the list of top-10 teams were sixth-place San Jose University (Calif.) with 164 points, seventh-place Santa Clara University (Calif.) with 168, eighth-place Miami University (Ohio) with 192, ninth-place The University of Windsor (Ontario, Canada) with 192 and 10th-place United States Military Academy (N.Y.) with 288. UW-Oshkosh, the 12th-ranked team in the NCAA Division III, scored 363 points for its 15th-place finish.

Jenny Graef (Sr. • Lena) posted an eighth-place time of 18:16 to lead UW-Oshkosh in the 5,000-meter race. Graef finished 37th with a time of 18:53 a year ago. Jackie Malette of The University of Windsor captured the 2006 individual crown with a time of 17:33, while Tiffany Mari Hall of San Jose State University finished second in 17:39.

Following Graef for UW-Oshkosh were 80th-place Rosa Alvarez (Jr. • Watertown) in 19:23, 92nd-place Nicole Knapmiller (Fr. • Grafton) in 19:36, 98th-place Jenny Melville (Jr. • Waukesha) in 19:38 and 102nd-place Shannon Madigan (Fr. • Green Bay) in 19:42.

UW-Oshkosh also had Lindsey Mansueto (Jr. • Mayville) finish 118th in 19:57, Kristy Giljohann (Sr. • Brookfield) 120th in 19:58 and Katie Wondra (So. • Campbellsport) 123rd in 20:01. A total of 188 runners finished the race.

Jenny Graef (Sr. • Lena) finished second in the individual competition to lead the UW-Oshkosh women's cross country team to a second-place ranking at the Calvin College Invitational held Saturday (Sept. 16) in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Calvin College had five of the top 10 individual finishers to win the nine-team meet with 32 points. The Knights were followed by second-place UW-Oshkosh with 88 points, third-place Ohio Northern University with 92, fourth-place Aquinas College (Mich.) with 120 and fifth-place Baldwin-Wallace College (Ohio) with 121.

Graef paced UW-Oshkosh by completing the 5,000-meter course in a time of 18:18. She followed Calvin College's Camille Medema who turned in a winning time of 18:07. Marisa Mele of Elmhurst College (Ill.) finished third among the 135 runners with a time of 18:31.

In addition to Graef, UW-Oshkosh received scoring from Nicole Knapmiller's (Fr. • Grafton) 11th-place time of 19:03, Rosa Alvarez's (Jr. • Watertown), 15th-place time of 19:12, Lindsey Mansueto's (Jr. • Mayville) 31st-place time of 19:46 and Shannon Madigan's (Fr. • Green Bay) 35th-place time of 19:53.

UW-Oshkosh also had Jenny Melville (Jr. • Waukesha) finish 37th in 19:55, Jessie Scheer (Jr. • De Pere) 45th in 20:03, Katie Wondra (So. • Campbellsport) 46th in 20:04, Kristy Giljohann (Sr. • Brookfield) 53rd in 20:16, Hope Scholze (Fr. • Melrose) 55th in 20:17, Amanda Beard (Sr. • Wausau) 87th in 21:02, Toni Morning (Jr. • Colfax) 96th in 21:19, Jordan Clark-Mand (Fr. • Waupun) 102nd in 21:25, Jori Sigler (Fr. • Fredonia) 110th in 21:50, Whitney Langer (Jr. • New Richmond) 112th in 21:53 and Jamie Neitzel (So. • Mayville) 123rd in 23:15.

The UW-Oshkosh women's cross country team opened its 2006 season with a second-place finish at the Carroll College Invitational held Saturday (Sept. 9) in Waukesha.

NCAA Division I University of Wisconsin took first place in the 13-team meet with 30 points, while UW-Oshkosh finished second with 51, Ripon College third with 139, Illinois Institute of Technology fourth with 145 and St. Norbert College fifth with 175.

UW-Oshkosh owned seven of the top-20 individual finishers, including Jenny Graef (Sr. • Lena) who placed second with a time of 19:01. University of Wisconsin's Maggie Hippman won the 5,000-meter race with a time of 18:46.

Rosa Alvarez (Jr. • Watertown) finished seventh for the Titans with a time of 19:51, while Nicole Knapmiller (Fr. • Grafton) placed 13th in 20:14, Lindsey Mansueto (Jr. • Mayvlle) 15th in 20:16, Katie Wondra (So. • Campbellsport) 17th in 20:27, Jordan Clark-Mand (Fr. • Waupun) 18th in 20:30 and Shannon Madigan (Fr. • Green Bay) 20th in 20:37.

UW-Oshkosh also had Jessie Scheer (Jr. • De Pere) finish 24th in 20:50, Kristy Giljohann (Sr. • Brookfield) 28th in 20:59, Hope Scholze (Fr. • Melrose) 29th in 21:04, Jenny Melville (Jr. • Waukesha) 33rd in 21:12, Amanda Beard (Sr. • Wausau) 48th in 21:51, Toni Morning (Jr. • Colfax) 52nd in 21:59, Whitney Langer (Jr. • New Richmond) 68th in 22:27 and Jori Sigler (Fr. • Fredonia) 75th in 22:40. A total of 159 runners finished the race.