Wisconsin News and Sports
The UW-La Crosse Eagles moved closer to a regular season WIAC title by knocking down UW-River Falls 87-77.
The Eagles (15-7, 9-2), who shot 55% from the field for the game, can wrap up at least a share of the regular season WIAC title with another win.
WIAC Scoreboard
UW-Oshkosh 71, UW-Eau Claire 49
UW-Whitewater 104, UW-Platteville 86
UW-Stevens Point 65, UW-Stout 61
The NCAA placed the University of Wisconsin-River Falls on probation for one year on Wednesday, saying the Division III school failed to monitor the scholarship process and allowed a former head football coach to be involved in arranging financial aid packages.
School spokesman Blake Fry said the violations were unintentional and the result of a misunderstanding of NCAA policies.
A Division III infractions committee concluded athletic ability was improperly used as a criteria for financial aid between the 2007-08 through 2011-12 academic years. It allowed five former or current athletes to receive a total of $4,090 in impermissible aid.
Top ranked UW-Stevens Point opened a 3-game lead in the WIAC following a 74-50 win over UW-Eau Claire last night.
Tyler Tillema had 24 points and Clayton Heuer added 18 points for the Pointers, who improved to 19-0 on the season and 10-0 in conference play.
The Pointers shoot for win number 20 at home against Superior on Saturday.
WIAC Scoreboard
UW-Whitewater 80, UW-Platteville 68
UW-La Crosse 66, UW-Oshkosh 65
UW-Stout 67, UW-River Falls 48
The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) has three of its teams make the NCAA Division III men’s basketball tournament which starts this Friday.
UW-River Falls won the WIAC’s automatic bid by winning the conference tournament on Sunday. UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater also received bids into the field on Monday. First round games are played on Friday night.
UW-River Falls (20-7) will host Edgewood (22-6). UW-Whitewater (23-4 will host Northwestern (Minn.) (17-10) and UW-Stevens Point (20-7) will meet Illinois Wesleyan (19-7) in Holland, Michigan.
Midwest Conference champion Carroll (16-9) will also face Transylvania (23-4) in Lexington, Kentucky.
Four WIAC women’s teams, Stevens Point (23-4), Eau Claire (20-6), River Falls (21-6) and Whitewater (22-6) are all in the field.
St. Norbert College is looking for a new hockey conference. The five Division 3 UW schools in the Northern Collegiate Hockey
Tim Coghlin & Tim Bald
Association (NCHA) have informed St. Norbert College and St. Scholastica that they’re leaving for the WIAC to start the 2014-15 season.
The five UW schools playing in NCHA are River Falls, Eau Claire, Stevens Point, Stout and Superior. Their eventual departure leaves St. Norbert and St. Scholastica as the two remaining members in the NCHA. The seven current NCHA members have been playing together since the 1996-97 season.
St. Norbert College Athletic Director Tim Bald said they want closure as soon as possible, without being hasty.
AUDIO: Tim Bald wants to find a new home ASAP :22
Five of the current seven teams in the NCHA have captured NCAA Division 3 titles. It’s a good hockey league with a lot of talent. That’s why Green Knights coach said he’d be surprised if they didn’t stay together, just in a different league. [Read more…]
Wisconsin schools playing in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association are expected to announce today they will leave the men’s hockey league following the 2013-14 season.
According to a story in today’s Green Bay Press Gazette, the five schools playing in the NCHA (Eau Claire, River Falls, Stevens Point, Stout and Superior) are expected to play in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC).
Such a move would leave Division 3 powerhouse St. Norbert College and St. Scholastica as the only remaining members of the NCHA, which was formed in 1980.
The UW schools would play exclusively in the WIAC starting with the 2014-15 season.
St. Norbert could become eligible to play hockey in the WIAC, but they’re expected to look at other options as well.