Can someone explain the regional rankings / seedings?  According to the latest NCBWA / D3Baseball rankings, Whitewater was the national #1 and Oshkosh was a national #7, yet they get a #2 and #3 seeding (respectively) in their region. 

I know it doesn't really matter a ton, but just seems strange. 

"Play up"  - that's funny . 

No, I thougth that different sports can play at different levels within the same school.  Maybe I'm wrong, but don't a lot of schools play D1 basketball but lower levels in other sports?  Couldn't UW play D1 in everything except baseball where they could "Play up"  to D3? 

Not that it's going to happen, but is it even a possibility?

BigPapa sparked a thought...How 'bout if UW-Madison converted it's club team into an NCAA D3 team and joined the WIAC?  I don't think it would have any title IX implications (but I'm not an expert there) and the cost would probably be roughly what the UW is spending to fund it's club team.  If it's a cost issue, then maybe Alvarez could donate his salary he's sure to pay himself for coaching the bowl game towards an entire season's worth of funding for baseball.

Probably a million reasons why UW-Madison won't consider it, but I'm just trying to think out of the box here.
   

Quote from: badgerwarhawk on April 20, 2011, 08:12:39 PM
Due to a bomb scare closing Williams Center ...
It was odd seeing everyone in stirrup socks and high water pants. 

SERIOUSLY?  Wow - back in the day ('80s) if we didn't want to go to class, we just didn't go.  Bomb scares were a relic of the '70s or are reserved for UW-Madison.   

High water pants & stirrups = Classy...the way things SHOULD be.  Pants down over the heels of your shoes are yet another reason to dislike Barry Bonds.   

Let's hope the weather breaks sometime soon so we can get a full slate of games in & not have to rely on the "missed games" rules that the WIAC has in place.  Speaking of which, I don't think anyone posted what the current rules are.  Anyone?

Quote from: cubs on April 13, 2011, 12:40:03 PM
Over/Under for Total Runs in the two games today-11.5

Can I still take the over?

Wow - what a wreck of a few innings.  Hopefully Rubens brings the extinguisher to the mound with him.   

Quote from: OshDude on March 30, 2011, 03:24:29 PM
A quote from today's local paper:
"The best line I heard from (Wooster's) coach was after our third, hotly contested game (the Titans won 2-1). I remember he said 'We'll be better on Thursday,'" Lechnir said. "Of course I told him 'We will too,' and that's the game we won 17-1. Believe me, they weren't happy."

The article closes with these two paragraphs:
While it remains to be seen how the conference will play out, with ranked powerhouses like UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater also expecting to be WIAC champions, UWO's confidence, and so far, winning ways, have returned.

"I think you'll see us return to what we consider fairly normal around here," Lechnir said.

To this Oshkosh guy, it's nice to see the swagger back. I hope the good start is indicative of how the season will go.

Classic Lechnir .

Looks like he's picked up a stable full of studs this off season & getting JR back makes ANY team a lot better.  Great to see the 9-1 record coming out of FLA.  Checking back through the archives, this is the best pre-WIAC season since 2005 when UW-O went 13-1.  Ended that year at 29-13 & 2 losses in WIAC tourney.  My guess is that will be unacceptable this year. 

Despite all the (deserved) pre-season hype around Whitewater & Point, this looks like a MUCH improved Oshkosh team this season.  I I don't expect Whitewater & Point to run away & hide.  I also wouldn't be surprised if the WIAC tournament visites Oshkosh this year!     

I mis-interpreted your last post so good to clear everything up.  It's tough to stay up to speed on the soap opera that has become UW-O baseball.  Given all the good players that are showing up at Point & UW-W, I sure hope Lechnir & Co. land some solid guys themselves.  It's good for the league to have things be more than just a two horse race. 

I would also like to hear about the waiver.  I certainly wouldn't blame any coach in the WIAC for holding a kid to the rules & making them sit a year for a intra-WIAC transfer after year 1.  Some may say it's an onerous thing, but I say a rule is a rule. 

Just to be clear BW, Eichstadt has LEFT UW-O and is transferring to UW-W this fall.  At least, that's the scuttlebutt on this site. 

He played a good amount his Freshman year & went through the Non-conference schedule this past season with Oshkosh, then suddenly quit the team. 

Former UW-Oshkosh Titan LHP Ryan Demmin was signed by the Washington Nationals and assigned to the Vermont Lake Monsters Class "A" team.   

After Leaving UW-O with 1 year remaining, he transferred to Mankato where he sat out this past season.  He's torn up the Northwoods League the last 3 seasons being named to their all-star roster in 2009.

Seems like he's made all the right choices so far.  Getting involved with Mankato (Moondogs & University) was obviously the best thing that could have happened to him.  Good for him.  The Titans sure could have used him this past season.     


http://vermont.lakemonsters.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t462

Quote from: 02 Warhawk on May 17, 2010, 02:55:51 PM
has there been a better all-around athlete than Donovan in the history of Warhawk athletics? It would be hard to find someone else....

I know we had some multi-sport athletes in the past, but to compete the way Jeff did at a very high level is second to none. Then again, my knowledge on UWW athletic history isn't the best.

Off the top of my head, Jake Walters had success in basketball and football, but I still think donovan had the better athletic career.

Congrats to the hawks on bouncing back and winning the WIAC tourny. tough to beat a great team like UWSP in back-to-back games. Not sure I want to face them again in the regionals  .

I agree that Donovan's results speak for themselves.  The fact that he's already won a National Championship in Football & could very well win one in baseball would trump anything else done by anyone in UW-W history - perhaps even trumping anything done in DIII history.  Could happen.... 

That said, my second place vote would be Jim Stoppenbach - UW-W Class of '84.   Football QB (I believe All conference) and multi time all conference player in Baseball.  From Jefferson WI.  I know him because I played against him in H.S.  Couldn't stand the guy because he killed us, but he was a really good person when he was on your side.       

Quote from: cubs on May 02, 2010, 01:27:04 PM
Interesting to see Travis Helland back in the line-up today for Oshkosh....  Now he isn't an All Conference type player, but it could give the Titans a bit of a shot in the arm.  I guess only time will tell...

I'm so slow on the uptake this week (Work gets in the way of all the fun stuff), but looking at the game summaries, it looks like Helland started Game 3, played 1 inning in the field, then was pulled in the second.  Hopefully he didn't re-injure something.  Anyone know what's up or did Lechnir throw a 5 year guy a bone by starting him a game even with an injury?   

Quote from: MIACLUV on April 06, 2010, 10:07:41 AM
It always surprises me when people leave UW-O, You have to know what you're getting into when you go there. You're gonna play it the right way and get better, if you don't perform you're going to hear it from Coach Lechnir. He's not the type of guy that's going to hold your hand and say, "get em next time" it's not who he is. But players are coddled and babied throughout high school, so when someone actually gets on them, they fold and quit. Personally if I guy were to fold up like that and pout, I don't want him as a teammate!

You are right the UW-O reputation should be very well known & players should be aware of what they are getting into.  I'm sure other successful coaches in the WIAC (Bloom & Vodenlich) can be jsut as tough to play for, but they don't seem to lose SIGNIFCANT CONTRIBUTORS in mid-career or mid-season.  I think when a team loses 5 contributors (Ryan Demmin, Ryan Kuepper,  Ben Sebesta, Justin Jerschele, and Andrew Eichsteadt) in the span of 1 year, one can not assume that all these guys were "coddled and babied throughout high school, so when someone actually gets on them, they fold and quit".  Just too many guys doing this to say it's completely on them. 
The UW-O program needs to take a close look at itself & ask "what are we doing wrong?" 

Quote from: cubs on March 30, 2010, 11:06:45 AM
It will also be interesting to see what UWO's line-up looks like on Friday against Lawrence.  I have a pretty good source who has indicated that there will be a noticable omission from the line-up.

Funny that no one has posted about this yet.  For those not up to speed, Andrew Eichsteadt from UW-O hung 'em up after the last trip to the Humpty Dome.  I'm not close enough to know a true reason why (I'll hold my own speculation to myself), but a .342 hitter year ago & full time starter this year typically doesn't just quit mid-season because he's not getting the job done on the field.  Also - Derek Hiroskey is now playing First Base due to arm troubles.  Tough break for a good player. 

At this rate, it's hard to see UW-O even making it to the end of the season with a roster intact.  They'll have to really turn things around just to make the 3-team WIAC tournament.  For what it's worth - and tough for me to say - I'm putting my $ on Platteville to be team #3.       

Quote from: bluemoon on April 06, 2010, 07:43:48 AM
I read a short bit in the monday Journal Sentinal that an anonymous donor has saved LaCrosse baseball. Anyone have any info?

Link to Story:  http://www.lacrossetribune.com/news/local/article_8170aff4-3f9e-11df-a17e-001cc4c03286.html

Great news!  Thanks to this anonomous couple, LAX seems sound for at least 5 years.  If I remember right, they needed to come up with $400K to ensure the long term survival of the program so they may not be totally out of the woods yet.  Hopefully, the funding keeps coming in & people don't get the wrong impression that the program is saved forever.

Quote from: cubs on March 17, 2010, 03:47:26 PM

Quote from: TitanBystander on March 17, 2010, 02:38:50 PM
From the WIAC pre-season write up:

UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach:  Tom Lechnir; 22nd season at UWO; 647-221-1
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  14-11
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  6/3

UW-O lost only 3 starting position players?
Brad Demmin
Jason Fosler
Justin Jerschele
Ben Sebesta
Brock Wettenkamp
Now toss in Travis Helland (injury).  Seems like a lot more than 3 lost to me.

In all fairness, UWO had 10 different guys start at least 20 games last season....

As far as your list:
Brad Demmin-Only started 15 games, including just 2 WIAC games.  (Wouldn't count)
Jason Fosler-Started 32 Games (That's 1 starter lost)
Justin Jerschele-Started 40 Games (That's 2 starters lost)
Ben Sebesta-Started 37 Games (that's 3 starters lost)
Brock Wettenkamp-Started 24 games, but only 2 of the final 14 games of the season (The Superior finale and 11-0 loss to Point.)  Can understand why he wasn't marked as a "lost starter" since he wasn't starting much the last half of the season.
Now toss in Travis Helland (injury)-Helland was healthy when this survey was likely turned in.

That seems pretty accurate then, to say there were 3 starters lost (Fosler, Sebesta, and Jirschele)

As far as six returning starters:
Hiroskey-Started all 40 Games
N. Fadness-Started all 40 Games
Berger-Started all 40 Games
Kannenberg-Started 23 games, which all came in the last 25 games of the season.
Eichstaedt-Started 24 games, including the final 13 games of the season.
Helland-Started 11 games, once he returned from inury, including 9 of the last 14 games of the season.

I can see why it was listed as 6 returning starters.  That number doesn't include M. Fadness, who started 21 games last season as well, but only a handful the last half of the season.

Point being that the "Returning/Lost" section of the WIAC write up is eniterly misleading.  A passing bystander would look at it & say "Hmm..Oshkosh returns a lot of players, they should be WIAC contenders".  In my opinion, Oshkosh lost A LOT more than they returned.  That goes for position players as well as pitching staff.  They are contenders, but only for the third spot in the WIAC tournament.  Hope I'm wrong, but that's the way I see it.