Inside LU Athletics: Vikings take on challenge of Division I opponent

Joel DePagter is looking for history to repeat itself.

The three times the Lawrence University men’s basketball team has opened its season with an exhibition game against a NCAA Division I opponent, the Vikings have gone on to win the Midwest Conference championship that season.

Lawrence opens its 2011-12 campaign with an exhibition game at UW-Green Bay on Nov. 4. The game tips off at 7 p.m. at the Kress Center.

“Hopefully, history repeats itself,” said DePagter, who enters his fifth season as Lawrence’s coach.

This is the second time Lawrence has faced UWGB in an exhibition game. The Phoenix defeated the Vikings 87-62 back in November 2007. Lawrence also has played Wisconsin (2005) and UW-Milwaukee (2004) in exhibition games.

DePagter has known UWGB coach Brian Wardle for a number of years, and the two had talked about having Lawrence face the Phoenix again.

“I said we’d love to have the opportunity, and it’s been a couple of years since we’ve done it,” DePagter said. “We were able to find a date where we could play and they were willing to play us. We thank Green Bay for the opportunity.”

The Vikings are looking forward to stepping into a different atmosphere against a very talented opponent.

“It’s simple,” DePagter said when asked what the Vikings get out of playing a Division I opponent. “The opportunity to play on that stage. It’s a great opportunity for our guys to play in a different kind of arena, experience the D1 world a little bit.

“It can help you. We don’t see the 7-foot guys or the athletes that they are going to have. You see those guys and it make the 6-8 guy from UW-Stevens Point not seem so big. Anything you can do to offer the guys something different is huge. If I can reward them by getting something like this set up, it’s the least I can do.”

And what’s in it for the Phoenix?

“I hope for their sake, because they gave us the opportunity, that we can do some things that will help them. I’d like it to happen again, so if they can get something out of it, the chances of it happening again are higher,” DePagter said.

“They are going to get to see some great motion and have to defend. Between us and St. Norbert, they aren’t going to see any better motion in (the Horizon League).”

To purchase tickets, go to greenbayphoenix.com. The link for tickets is under the Fan Central tab. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for children.

Nobody faster than Koula

Lawrence women’s soccer star Mallory Koula, a senior forward from Kimberly, was named the MWC Offensive Player of the Week after her record-setting scoring outburst against Beloit last Saturday.

It turns out that Koula’s three goals in 42 seconds against the Bucs are the fastest three consecutive goals in NCAA history. No player, male or female in any division, has scored three straight goals faster than Koula. Among the notables that Koula eclipsed was former University of Florida star Abby Wambach, who scored three goals for the Gators in a Division I record 2:02.

Koula, who finished with four goals against Beloit, also broke the Lawrence career scoring record and has 56 goals.

Stevens a winner again

Lawrence cross country star Sam Stevens was named the MWC Performer of the Week for the second time this season after his run at the UW-Oshkosh Brooks Invitational last Saturday.

Running in an elite field, the junior from Suamico finished 47th in 26:02.29, which truly separated him from the conference competition at the meet. Stevens was 51 places ahead of the next runner from the MWC.

Mann takes defensive award

Lawrence men’s soccer standout Charlie Mann was chosen as the MWC Defensive Player of the Week. Mann, a sophomore defender, picked up the award after helping Lawrence to a pair of victories last week.

Playing in the center of the Lawrence defense, Mann spearheaded the defensive effort in a 2-0 win at Ripon last Wednesday. He then shut down Beloit star Jackson Wilkins in Lawrence’s 2-1 overtime victory over the Bucs this past Saturday.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a weekly notes package written by Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.