MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The Wisconsin Lutheran volleyball team topped Lawrence University 3-1 in a nonconference match on Tuesday at the Kern Center on the MSOE campus.
The Warriors won 25-15, 19-25, 27-25, 25-13.
Courtney Pattison had 11 kills and 16 assists to pace Wisconsin Lutheran (2-0).
Arianna Neumeyer picked up eight kills and 16 digs for the Vikings (0-2).
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The Milwaukee School of Engineering volleyball team took three close sets from Lawrence University in a season opener on Tuesday at the Kern Center.
The Raiders won 25-21, 25-20, 27-25.
Hannah Pekarek had 12 kills and Abby Born picked up 28 assists to pace MSOE. Arianna Neumeyer had seven kills and 17 digs to pace the Vikings (0-1).
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Lawrence University men’s soccer team dominated the statistics but had to settle for a 0-0 double-overtime tie in a nonconference match on Tuesday at Coe College.
Lawrence (0-0-1) out-shot the Kohawks (0-0-1) 16-8 and didn’t allow Coe to attempt a shot during the 20 minutes of overtime.
Lawrence goalkeeper Joe Krivit stopped five shots to pick up the shutout for the Vikings. Eric Hoar made eight saves for Coe.
APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University women’s soccer team dropped a 3-1 nonconference decision to Marian University in the season opener on Tuesday.
It was the first game for the Vikings in the renovated Ron Roberts Field at the Banta Bowl.
Marian (1-0-0) scored just 13 minutes into the match on a penalty kick after Lawrence goalkeeper Patsy Kealey collided with a Marian attacker. Kayla Bernardi converted the penalty kick to put Marian up 1-0.
The Vikings had the better of the play in the first half, but Marian goalkeeper Alysha Kallas made several nice saves in the opening 45 minutes to keep the Sabres on top.
Marian made it 2-0 just four minutes into the second half when Reina Dionisio scored off an assist from Karissa Preston. Bernardi scored on a free kick in the 73rd minute when her shot from just outside the penalty box deflected off a Lawrence defender into the net.
Ryan Berkley scored with 59 seconds left on a 34-yard blast on a free kick to get the Vikings on the board.
Kallas finished with eight saves for Marian, and Kealey stopped 10 shots for Lawrence (0-1-0).
APPLETON, Wis. — Chris Kellett has returned to the Lawrence University men’s basketball coaching staff, head coach Joel DePagter announced.
Kellett, who coached with the Vikings for three seasons from 2010-13, comes back to Lawrence as an assistant coach after a successful stint coaching prep basketball.
“This summer was a stressful time for my wife and I, and I am extremely fortunate how this all worked out,” Kellett said. “College provides different obstacles, but I am looking forward to recruiting and helping Lawrence return to the level of the teams I competed against. Coach DePagter preaches family, and I’m just ecstatic to be back in the Lawrence basketball family.”
A native of Neenah, Kellett was teaching and serving as the head varsity basketball coach at Shawano Community High School. In two seasons at Shawano, Kellett’s teams compiled a record of 35-15 and the team reached the WIAA sectionals in both seasons.
“The past two years at Shawano have truly been a blessing,” Kellett said. “I was fortunate to be around some tremendous student-athletes. The community was outstanding and truly bought into the culture change and vision of the future for the basketball program.”
During his time at Shawano, the Hawks cracked the top 10 in state basketball rankings and defeated multiple top-10 ranked teams in West De Pere, Luxemburg-Casco, Ashwaubenon and Seymour. The win against the No. 1-ranked Seymour was Shawano’s first victory at Seymour in more than 20 years.
Kellett resigned from the top job at Shawano after taking a new teaching position at Taft Elementary School in Neenah.
Kellett is a former football and basketball star at Ripon College. A four-time All-Midwest Conference selection in football, Kellett was a key player for Ripon’s basketball teams. He scored nearly 1,000 points for his career and was Ripon’s Defensive Player of the Year twice during his career.
Lawrence opens its season at Dominican (Ill.) University on Nov. 14.
APPLETON, Wis. — Chris Cunningham has joined the Lawrence University football coaching staff, Vikings head coach Rob McCarthy announced today.
Cunningham will coach the defensive line, McCarthy said.
“I’m extremely excited about the opportunity to help bring the Lawrence football program back to dominance,” Cunningham said. “We have tremendous support from our administration with the stadium renovation in progress, and I’m working with fellow coaches who have a passion for our student-athletes to be great on and off of the field. I’m truly excited to be a part of the Viking family.”
Cunningham comes to Lawrence from the University of Pikeville, where he has worked for the past year. At Pikeville, a NAIA school located in Kentucky, Cunningham served as the linebackers/special teams coach and head academic coordinator.
“Chris’ playing and coaching background makes him a great addition to our defense,” McCarthy said. “His enthusiasm and proven record as a recruiter makes him a great addition to the staff and his high character and passion for teaching makes him a great addition to the Lawrence community.”
A native of Miami, Fla., Cunningham is a graduate of Dade Christian School where he was a two-time all-county and all-state football selection. He attended Eastern Kentucky University and earned a bachelor’s degree in sport management. A football player at Eastern Kentucky, Cunningham played defensive end and linebacker for the Colonels and helped them win an Ohio Valley Conference championship in 2008.
A 2011 graduate of Eastern Kentucky, Cunningham was named a Colonel Scholar-Athlete for three consecutive years and was selected multiple times for the Dean’s List.
Cunningham remained at Eastern Kentucky, which competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, and worked as a student assistant coach for the 2011 Ohio Valley Conference champions.
For the next two seasons, Cunningham served as a graduate assistant coach and guided the defensive backs. Cunningham, who earned his master’s degree in sports administration from Eastern Kentucky in 2014, coached a pair of All-Ohio Valley Conference defensive backs.
Lawrence opens its season on Roberts Field at the Banta Bowl on Sept. 5 when the Vikings host Rockford University.
APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s basketball team has again been honored with the Team Academic Excellence Award by the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and four Vikings were named to the Honors Court.
This marks the second consecutive year Lawrence has picked up the team award and had four student-athletes on the Honors Court. The Vikings posted a team grade point average of 3.10 for the 2014-15 academic year.
To be eligible for the team award, a team must have a minimum 3.0 GPA. Individuals must have a minimum 3.2 grade point average and be a junior or senior to earn a place on the Honors Court.
Senior Andrew Borresen (West Bend, Wis./Living Word Lutheran), a history major, was named to the Honors Court for the second consecutive year after earning a 3.92 GPA. Senior Ryan DePouw (Oconto, Wis./Oconto), also a history major, also was honored.
Juniors Troy Miller (Lake In The Hills, Ill./Huntley) and Jamie Nikitas (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) also were selected. Miller is a math and economics major, and Nikitas is an economics major.
Lawrence was one of three Midwest Conference schools to earn the team award. No school had more than Lawrence’s four selections to the Honors Court.
APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University women’s and men’s tennis teams and 15 student-athletes have been honored by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
The Vikings earned the ITA All-Academic Team award after the women posted a 3.64 cumulative grade point average and the men had a 3.49 GPA. A team needed a GPA of at least 3.20 for the 2014-15 academic year to be eligible for the award.
Eight members of the women’s team were named ITA Scholar-Athletes after posting a grade point average of at least 3.50. Seven of the men’s players earned the Scholar-Athlete designation as well.
Leading the way for the Lawrence women were seniors Melissa Heeren (Wausau, Wis./East), Allison Juda (Maple Grove, Minn./Maple Grove) and Tess Vogel (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug), who all posted perfect 4.0 GPAs for the 2014-15 academic year.
Senior Elena Watson (Sunbury, Ohio/Big Walnut), junior Ali Heiring (Wayzata, Minn./Wayzata), sophomores Katie Frankel (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield) and Cathryn Wood (Escanaba, Mich./Escanaba) and freshman Lindsay Holsen (Oconomowoc, Wis./Oconomowoc) all earned the Scholar-Athlete award.
On the men’s side, juniors Adam Busch (Hales Corners, Wis./Greendale Martin Luther), Brian DeCorte (Southampton, Pa./William Tennent), Mitch Kasprzyk (Johnsburg, Ill./Johnsburg) and Ethan Perushek (Maple Grove, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret’s), sophomore David Jumes (Appleton, Wis./Xavier) and freshmen Sotaro Kurahashi (Tokyo, Japan/Waseda University) and Ben Tomhave (Cloquet, Minn./Cloquet) all earned the Scholar-Athlete award.
Busch posted the highest GPA among the men at 3.81, and Perushek was at 3.75.
Lawrence tennis had 16 student-athletes also earn Academic All-Midwest Conference honors.
The Lawrence women finished the 2014-15 season with an 8-8 record in dual matches and finished fifth in the Midwest Conference. The men were 10-14 and also finished fifth in the conference.
APPLETON, Wis. — Alex Kaeding has resigned as the fencing coach at Lawrence University, Director of Athletics Mike Szkodzinski announced today.
Kaeding, who took over as head coach in July 2014, stepped away from Lawrence’s program to concentrate on his work career. Former head coach Steve Amich will return to the top coaching position, Szkodzinski said.
“Alex did a great job with the team this past season,” Szkodzinski said. “Alex wanted to focus on his work responsibilities away from Lawrence, and we wish him all the best.”
Kaeding was named the Midwest Fencing Conference Coach of the Year after Lawrence finished fourth in the combined team standings at the 2015 MFC Championships. Lawrence enjoyed a stellar season by winning gold in men’s sabre at the MFC Championships, and nine Vikings earned all-conference honors.
Amich, who was an assistant coach this past season, has been with the Lawrence program for 30 years. Amich first took the reins as head coach after the retirement of long-time coach Mary Poulson in 1993. He gave up the head coach responsibilities in the summer of 2014.
During Amich’s tenure, Lawrence won a national championship when Mike Gattnar took the NCAA epee title in 1995. Amich also coached Jeff Peyton, who is the only four-time NCAA Championships qualifier (1998-2001) in Lawrence history.
APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University volleyball team will add six new faces when it takes to the court this fall, Vikings coach Matt Schoultz announced today.
Bryttany Dove of Altoona, Iowa, Katie Kumbalek of Houston, Texas, Arianna Neumeyer of Manitowoc, Wis., Claire Vinopal of Park Ridge, Ill., and Nicole Witmer of Plainfield, Ill., are set to join the Vikings. Lawrence also gets sophomore Elizabeth Arco, a basketball standout playing her first season of volleyball.
“The 2015 class has talent that will help us with our ball control and offense,” Schoultz said. “I am extremely excited about this group and how they will fit into our team for the 2015 season.”
Elizabeth Arco, Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett High School, 6-1, Middle Hitter
Arco was a three-year varsity player and three-year letter winner for Bartlett High School. Arco earned All-Upstate Eight Conference honors as a senior. Arco also competed earned three letters in basketball and was a starter for Lawrence as a freshman. Academically, Arco was a four-year honor roll student and two-year member of the National Honor Society. The daughter of Al and Carole Arco, she plans to major in psychology.
Bryttany Dove, Altoona, Iowa/Southeast Polk High School, 5-8, Outside/Defensive Specialist
Dove was a two-year varsity player and two-year letter winner for Southeast Polk High School. Dove earned All-CIML-CIC Eastern Conference honorable mention as a senior. Dove also earned two letters in track and field. Academically, Dove earned three academic letters and received the Lamp of Knowledge pin. Dove has played club volleyball for IPVA, I80, Powerplex and Johnston VBC. The daughter of James Dove and Diana Johnson, she plans to major in Spanish and economics.
Katie Kumbalek, Houston, Texas/Cypress Creek High School, 5-6, Defensive Specialist/Libero
Kumbalek was a one-year varsity player and one-year letter winner for Cypress Creek High School. Kumbalek earned the Cypress Creek Cougar Award as a senior. The award is for “hard work on and off the court, dedication and respect of the game, teammates, coaches and positive attitude.” Academically, Kumbalek is an Honors Graduate, cum laude, a member of the National Honor Society and Academic All-District 17-6A selection in volleyball. Kumbalek has played club volleyball for Willowbrook Volleyball Club. The daughter of Steve and Betsy Kumbalek (both Lawrence alumni), she plans to major in film studies.
Arianna Neumeyer, Manitowoc, Wis./Lutheran High School, 5-7, Outside Hitter/Defensive Specialist
Neumeyer won three volleyball letters for Manitowoc Lutheran High School. She was a first-team All-Olympian Conference selection as both a junior and senior. Neumeyer also was named to the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter All-Area Team as a junior and senior. Neumeyer helped lead her team to a conference championship in 2012 and a WIAA regional title in 2014. Neumeyer also competed in basketball and softball and was a multiple all-conference selection in both sports. Neumeyer plans on playing basketball at Lawrence. Academically, Neumeyer is a member of the National Honor Society, was an Olympian Conference Senior Scholar Athlete, Wendy’s High School Heisman School Winner, earned the President’s Award for Educational Excellence and was on the Honor Roll. Neumeyer has played club volleyball for Lakeshore Storm, Wisconsin Volleyball Academy and FC Elite Volleyball Club. The daughter of Troy and Lisa Neumeyer, she plans on majoring in biology (marine).
Claire Vinopal, Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South High School, 5-8, Outside Hitter/Defensive Specialist
Vinopal was a one-year varsity player and one-year letter winner for Maine South High School. Vinopal earned Academic All-Central Suburban League honors. Academically, Vinopal was a Chicago History Fair superior state finalist for best medical documentary. She played club volleyball for The Edge Volleyball Club. The daughter of Paul Vinopal and Patricia Ginnis, she plans on majoring in neuroscience.
Nicole Witmer, Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic Academy, 5-11, Rightside Hitter/Middle Hitter
Witmer won two letters for Joliet Catholic Academy. Witmer helped her team to a state tournament berth and a second-place finish in 2014. Witmer earned the Most Improved Player award in as a junior and senior. Academically, Witmer is a National Honor Society member, Honors Program Student, President of Student Council as a junior and senior and Scholastic Bowl captain. Witmer played club volleyball for Belusa United Volleyball Club. The daughter of Mark and Debbie Witmer, she plans on majoring in English.
Lawrence opens its season on Sept. 1 when the Vikings travel to the Milwaukee School of Engineering to play MSOE and Wisconsin Lutheran College.
