Posted 8/28/06
Five UW-Platteville teams make their fall debuts on the road during a busy first weekend of Pioneer athletics.
The volleyball and men's soccer teams are the first 2006 clubs to debut, as the volleyball squad plays in the Washington U. tournament in St. Louis, while the soccer men begin the Flower City Classic in Rochester, N.Y.
On Saturday, the Pioneer football team plays its opener just 20 minutes away at the University of Dubuque, while the golfers competes in the first round of the two-day UW-Eau Claire Invitational.
On Sunday, the men's soccer team concludes the Rochester tournament, while the women face St. John Fisher in Rochester.
FOOTBALL
UW-Platteville and the University of Dubuque renew the Battle of the Bridge Saturday at 1 p.m. at UD's Chalmers Field. All UWP students will be admitted free with their IDs.
Coach Mike Emendorfer's Pioneers downed the Spartans 26-0 in last year's season opener, paced by two touchdown passes from Brent Nelson to Joe Danielson. Both players return this season on offense, as do all-WIAC performers Brian Gallick at receiver and Corey Darmody at center. The swarming Pioneer defense made a school-record 11 sacks in last year's encounter.
Full game notes and previews will be published on the Pioneer web site later in the week.
VOLLEYBALL
The Pioneers face four teams at the Washington U. tournament Friday and Saturday. Coach Deb Schulman's club is coming off a 29-8 season that culminated in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference post-season tournament championship and into the second-round of the NCAA Division III national tournament.
All-American middle hitter Dana Alf leads the Pioneers, along with fellow seniors Amy Renick and Rachel Miller and junior setter Kelly Laschinger, 14th nationally in assists a year ago. A big--literally--recruiting class provided nine freshmen, five of whom are 5-10 or taller.
MEN'S SOCCER
UW-Platteville is coming off a 9-7-4 campaign, a record achieved with just two seniors on the 2005 roster.
The Pioneers return four of their top five scorers, with Alex Albright (11 goals), Ben Terpening (7), Eric Sautbine (4) and Eric Christenson (3) back to supply the offensive punch. Three-year letterman Patrick Little anchors a tough defense that will have a different goalkeeper in the nets from last year.
Fourth-year Pioneer Coach Chris Bianchi is bringing his team home, as he is a St. John Fisher graduate. UWP Athletic Director Mark Molesworth, accompanying the team on the trip, is also a Rochester native.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
The UW-Platteville Pioneers are coming off a 9-7-3 mark, the best in Pioneer history.
First-team all-WIAC selections return in goalkeeper Laurie Trifone and defender Lindsay Kowaleski. They will help lead the Pioneers this year, along with seniors Megan Ferrera, Stephanie Lund and Paula Duerst.
The Pioneers have broken 29 school records in the past two seasons and are looking to break more in 2006.
GOLF
The Pioneer golf team returns one letter winner, sophomore Michelle Ebert. Stacy Giorno, who golfed as a freshman in 2002, is returning to the fold as well. New faces to look for this season are freshmen Penny Case, Julie Chapman, and Elizabeth Kabelis.
The Pioneers, under Coach Pete Reif, had their best team finish of 2nd place at the Clarke Invitational in 2005.
(Student assistant Heather Schaufenbil contributed with the women's soccer and golf reports.)