These same two teams were in the same scenario one week ago when UW-Whitewater defeated UW-Stevens Point twice to claim the Wisconsin Intercollgiate Athletic Conference tournament title, but this week the Warhawks couldn't pull it off as they defeated the Pointers in the first championship game 9-3, but fell in the second 4-3. The win for UW-SP means they advance to the NCAA DIII World Series beginning next Friday at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton. The loss for the Warhawks concludes their season with a 42-7 mark.
Midwest Regional web site
PREVIEW
complete NCAA bracket and championship information
UW-W, 38-5 is the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion and WIAC Tournament champion, is the top seed in the regional. The University of Saint Thomas is the number two seed at 33-7 and champion of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The College of Saint Scholastica, champion of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference, is the third seed, and UW-Stevens Point, WIAC runnerup in the regular season and the league tourney, is seeded fourth in the regional. Carthage College is the fifth seed and Aurora, champion of the Northern Athletics Conference, is number six. The regional tournament, using a double elimination format, will continue Friday with games at 10:00, 1:00 and 4:00. Game times Saturday are set at 12:00 and 3:00.
The regional field brings a wealth of tournament experience to Whitewater. Aurora has earned a postseason berth seventeen times. The Spartans are 43-26 all-time in NCAA tournament play, including a second place finish in the final eight in 1990, and one third place and a fourth. Carthage is in for the sixteenth time, with a 50-35 tourney mark and three third place finishes and two fourths in the final eight. UW-Whitewater is next with twelve appearances and a 37-24 record in the NCAA tourney. The Warhawks won the title in 2005, placed third in 2008, fourth in 2004, and fifth in 1989. UW-Stevens Point is in the NCAA championship for the eleventh time, a 28-25 record, and one third place finish. Saint Scholastica is 8-12 overall in six national tournaments.
Tickets for the regional are $6 for adults and $3 for students, youth and senior citizens. Tickets are good for all games on one day and will be sold at the stadium on game day.
Other regional hosts in the fifty-five team tournament are Augustana College in Moline, Illinois; the State University of New York-Cortland in Auburn, New York; Eastern Connecticut State University in Manfield, Connecticut; Kean College in Trenton, New Jersey; Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon; Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio; and Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The regional winners will advance to the NCAA III final eight at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Little Chute, Wisconsin May 28-June 2.
For additional information:
John Vodenlich, UW-W coach
