Dear Blugold Nation,
I am happy and proud to report once again that our student-athletes are the “Total Package” at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, carrying on the rich Blugold tradition. For the 2012-13 academic year, the Blugolds were ranked the 14th best athletics program out of more than 430 NCAA Division III schools in the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup. Our 516 student-athletes earned a cumulative 3.124 GPA, and earned two National Jostens Community Service Awards presented at the 2013 NCAA Convention in Indianapolis.
Much of this success can be attributed to a high quality coaching and support staff, hard-working and talented student-athletes, and your support. The intentional focus is the core belief that athletic and academic success is not mutually exclusive while providing our student-athletes with the best experience possible. I hope you enjoy reading some of the many accomplishments below and we look forward seeing you at our events.
Go Blugolds!
Scott Kilgallon
Director of Athletics
2012-13 Season Highlights
BLUGOLD ATHLETICS - THE TOTAL PACKAGE
- 3.124 GPA achieved by 516 Blugold student-athletes in 2012-13
- 14th place out of more than 430 NCAA Division III schools in the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup in 2012-13
- 321 Blugold student-athletes were named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll for earning a 3.0 or better with at least 24 credits
- Two Jostens Community Service Awards – (Award of Merit and Honorable Mention)
BLUGOLD STUDENT-ATHLETES IN 2012-13
- Six student-athletes named Capital One Academic All-Americans, most in one season in school history: Sarah Bingea (women’s basketball), Jordan Singer (men’s hockey), Gina Williams (soccer), Jeremy Kieser (men’s track & field/cross country), Ashlyn Mauer (women’s track & field/cross country), Erin Schoenfelder (women’s track & field/cross country),
- 33 different Blugolds earned a total of 40 various All-American honors
- WIAC Players of the Year: Amanda Fischer (softball), Anne Satterlee (volleyball)
- NCHA Player of the Year: Brandon Stephenson (men’s hockey)
- Alex Card (men’s swimming) named WIAC Swimmer of the Meet
- Thurgood Dennis (track & field) named U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Track Athlete of the Year in the Midwest Region. Also selected WIAC Indoor & Outdoor Track Performer of the Meet
- WIAC Scholar-Athletes of the Year: Sarah Bingea (women’s basketball), Erin Schoenfelder (women's outdoor track & field), Taylor Heltne (women's tennis), Ashlyn Mauer (women's cross country), Grace Fair (women's swimming & diving), Jeremy Kieser (men’s outdoor track & field), Jordan Singer (men’s hockey)…Singer also NCHA Scholar-Athlete
- Thurgood Dennis won indoor 60-meter dash and outdoor 100-meter dash national titles
- Aaron Easker won outdoor 10,000-meter run national title
- Men’s indoor and outdoor 4x400-meter relay teams won national titles
- Erin Schoenfelder won NCAA Elite 89 Award for indoor track & field, first Elite 89 winner in school history
- Erin Schoenfelder was UW-Eau Claire’s nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year
- Former volleyball and track & field member Liz Amici earned NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship
- Sarah Bingea was finalist for Jostens Trophy, awarded to top women’s basketball player in Division III
BLUGOLD COACHES IN 2012-13
- Matt Loen (men’s hockey) named WIAC and NCHA Coach of the Year, along with AHCA, D3hockey.com and USCHO.com National Coach of the Year
- Jean DeLisle (gymnastics) named WIAC Coach of the Year and NCGA Regional Coach of the Year
BLUGOLD TEAMS/NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PARTICIPANTS AND FINISHES IN 2012-13
- Men’s hockey won first NCHA, WIAC and NCAA Division III Championships in school history
- Men’s outdoor track & field took second at NCAA Championship, indoor track & field team finished third
- Women's cross country won sixth consecutive WIAC title and took fifth at nationals
- Women's gymnastics finished in fifth place at nationals for second year in a row
- Men’s cross country finished 10th at nationals, its highest NCAA finish ever
- Women’s outdoor track & field team took 24th at NCAA Championship, indoor team finished 43rd
- Men's swimming & diving was 35th at nationals
- Two wrestlers combined to give the Blugolds at 37th place finish at NCAA Championship
- Softball won second straight WIAC championship and hosted WIAC Championship. Competed in the NCAA Regional for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. UW-Eau Claire hosted the 2013 NCAA Division III Softball Championship for the sixth time in history
- Volleyball competed in the NCAA Regional for the eighth straight year after winning WIAC Tournament Championship for first time in school history
SUCCESSFULLY HOSTED IN 2012-13:
- WIAC Wrestling Championship
- NCHA Men’s Ice Hockey Peters Cup Championship
- NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey 1st Round Regional
- NCAA Softball National Championship