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Fifteen Muskies honored on NAC All-Sportsmanship Team

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:43:01 CST

The Northern Athletics Conference has released its All-Sportsmanship Team for the 2012-13 school year, and fifteen Lakeland College athletes have received the conference award.

Award winners for Lakeland include:
Baseball: Justin Reminger (Sr.-Leopolis, Wis.)
Men's Basketball: Eric Strzok (Sr.-Thorp, Wis.)
Women's Basketball: Dana Henrichs (Sr.-Fall Creek, Wis.)
Football: Trevor Tanck (So.-Baileys Harbor, Wis.)
Men's Golf: Justin Walsh (Sr.-Sheboygan Falls, Wis.)
Women's Golf & Women's Indoor Track & Field: TaVea Peterson (Jr.-Chilton, Wis.)
Men's Soccer: Daiya Akiyama (Sr.-Ichihara, Japan)
Women's Soccer: Liz Pritzl (Jr.-Cedar Grove, Wis.)
Softball: Kate Wallen (So.-Mundelein, Ill.)
Men's Tennis: Jake Halverson (So.-Taneytown, Md.)
Women's Tennis: Erica Hoffmann (Jr.-Sheboygan Falls, Wis.)
Men's Indoor Track & Field: Ryan Graves (Sr.-Munising, Mich.)
Men's Outdoor Track & Field: Jordan Schreiber (Fr.-Bowler, Wis.)
Women's Outdoor Track & Field: Vashia Gordon (Sr.-Green Bay, Wis.)
Women's Volleyball: Tess Myklebust (Jr.-Wisconsin Dells, Wis.)

As voted on by the conference's Directors of Athletics, Maranatha Baptist was presented both the men's and women's NACSportsmanship Awards. NAC All-Sportsmanship Team members wereselected by head coaches, and chosen based on the principles of sportsmanship as promoted by the NAC and NCAA.

Lakeland softball team receives season-end awards

Fri, 10 May 2013 11:32:05 CST

The Lakeland College softball team held its season ending banquet on Thursday, May 2, handing out postseason awards to several players. Heather Haeflinger (Sr.-Shawano, Wis.) and Ashley Hough (Fr.-Rapid River, Mich.) were honored for their All-Northern Athletics Conference awards, and a number of team awards were given out as well.

Haeflinger and Erin Henk (Hoopeston, Ill.) were named co-MVPs for the season. Haeflinger batted .412 this season and led Lakeland with eight home runs, 28 runs batted in, five triples, 15 stolen bases and 41 runs scored. She also was second on the team in batting average, hits (42) and doubles (seven), and her eight home runs are the second most in a season in school history.

Henk was the team's workhorse pitcher this year, starting more than half of its games and pitching in 26 of the Muskies' 37 contests. She finished with a 6-13 record and a 3.96 earned run average and 41 strikeouts in 129 innings pitched. Henk led the team in appearances, games started, complete games (15), wins and innings pitched. At the plate she also batted .245 with 24 hits, five doubles and 17 RBIs, finishing third on the team in runs batted in.

Melissa Noll (Fr.-Green Bay, Wis.) won the team's Most Improved award. Noll was the team's No. 2 starting pitcher, making 16 appearances including 13 starts and finishing 3-10 with a 5.15 ERA. She pitched 73 1/3 innings-second on the team-and also led the Muskies with 50 strikeouts.

Jenny LaLuzerne (Sr.-Sturgeon Bay, Wis.) received the Golden Glove Award. In addition to batting .321 and finishing second on the team with 27 runs scored and third with 36 hits, LaLuzerne also finished with a .928 fielding percentage while playing all around the diamond, most frequently at third base or second base.

LaLuzerne and Kate Wallen (So.-Mundelein, Ill.) both received the Hardest Working Muskie award. Wallen played in 22 games this season and batted .195 while also finishing with a .982 fielding percentage at first base. Devonna Stadler (Fr.-Milwaukee, Wis.) received the team's Muskie Spirit Award. Stadler played in three varsity games and finished 0-for-1 with one run scored, and also was a team leader in the dugout all season.

Lakeland hosting girls basketball camps in July

Fri, 10 May 2013 11:05:27 CST

The Lakeland College women's basketball program is hosting a pair of summer camps in July for girls going into grades 4-12 in the upcoming school year, and registrations are being accepted at this time.

Lakeland is hosting its High School Girls Basketball Camp for girls in grades 8-12 on July 23-25, and also is hosting its Middle School Girls Basketball Camp for grades 4-7 on July 26-28. Both camps will take place at the Wehr Center on Lakeland's campus.

The high school camp is designed to be an intense camp for young players who wish to prepare themselves for playing competitive high school and/or college basketball. The camp will emphasize all aspects of becoming a better offensive player. Focus will be on proper shooting form, footwork, moving with and without the ball, and free throw shooting. The goal of the camp is to help campers improve their overall offensive game and maximize their skills at the offensive end of the court.

The middle school camp will cater to both beginner and experienced basketball players. Focus will be on developing fundamental skills as well as an overall emphasis on development of correct fundamentals and a love for the game. Campers will experience a learning environment that will challenge them and provide positive motivation to continue improving. Development on offense and defense, as well as condition principles for all positions on the floor will be stressed.

Cost for the high school camp is $200 for those staying overnight, or $145 for commuters. Cost for the middle school camp is $185 for overnighters, $120 for commuters. Campers can save 15% on the price by taking part in early bird registration before May 24.

The camp structure will include competitions, games and evaluations. Each camper will receive a camp T-shirt. Overnight campers will be provided four meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner on the first full day, and breakfast on the last day), while lunch on the first day of camp will also be provided to commuters.

For more information or to register contact Head Coach Lindsey Vande Hoef at (920) 565-1564 or by email at vandehoeflk@lakeland.edu. More information also is available on the Lakeland College athletics website at http://www.lakeland.edu/athletics.

Kuchenbecker named Second Team All-NAC baseball selection

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:35:06 CST

WAUKESHA, Wis. - Lakeland College junior Tim Kuchenbecker (Brillion, Wis.) was named a Second Team All-Northern Athletics Conference baseball selection today, as the NAC released its postseason all-conference teams.

Kuchenbecker received his first-ever all-conference award in his third year as a Muskie. He also is the lone Lakeland player to be named to this year's team.

Kuchenbecker was the steadiest player for the Muskies this year and the team's top standout at the plate. He led the team with a .359 batting average, 46 hits and 26 runs batted in as well as a .438 slugging percentage. The junior outfielder also added 16 runs scored, five doubles, one triple and five stolen bases, and also recorded the team's only home run this year. In the field he also was reliable, committing just one error in 60 chances.

Kuchenbecker's award makes it two straight years in which Lakeland has put a player on the All-NAC first or second team. Former teammate Mike Ruzek was named first team all-conference last year and served as an assistant coach on the team this year.

Tim Hendricks of Benedictine (Ill.) University was named the NAC Position Player of the Year, while Chris Jordan of Benedictine is the conference Pitcher of the Year. Cole Logemann of Rockford (Ill.) College was named Freshman of the Year, while Adam Smith of Concordia University Chicago was chosen as the NAC Coach of the Year.

Click here for the rest of the NAC baseball all-conference team.

Eisner, Mayo lead Muskie WBB team award winners

Mon, 06 May 2013 15:05:16 CST

Family and friends of the Lakeland College women's basketball program gathered on Sunday, April 28, for a year-end banquet celebrating the recent season.

The team enjoyed a dinner as well as a highlight film of the season which was created by student assistant coach Matt Armstrong. Becky Mayo (Sr.-Gladstone, Mich.) and Leah Eisner (Jr.-Stevens Point, Wis.) also were given their All-Northern Athletics Conference awards, and Head Coach Lindsey VandeHoef also handed out several team awards.

Eisner was named team's MVP after leading the Muskies and ranking second in the NAC with 14.8 points per game. The 6-1 post player was fourth in the conference in rebounding with 8.4 caroms per game, and tied Mayo for fifth in the conference with 1.3 blocked shots per game. Eisner also added 1.6 steals per game made 20 three-pointers.

Mayo received the team's Muskie Pride award. The 5-11 forward concluded her four-year Lakeland career with her first-ever first team all-conference nod after averaging 12.1 points and 9.8 rebounds per game this season, leading the NAC in rebounding. Mayo also averaged 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocked shots per game, tying for fifth in the conference in blocked shots. Her 254 rebounds this season also were the fifth-most in a season in Lakeland women's basketball history.

Senior Dana Henrichs (Fall Creek, Wis.) was named the team's Defensive Player of the Year. Henrichs averaged 7.7 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. She also finished with 49 assists and 31 made three-pointers, both totals ranking second on the team. Henrichs also finished with 30 steals and was always on the court at crunch time, averaging over 30 minutes per game.

Taylor Jandrin (Jr.-Forestville, Wis.) received the team's Hustle Award. Jandrin averaged 8.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game and also ranked second in the NAC in three-point field goal percentage, shooting 43.3% from beyond the arc.

Aimee Thrune (Jr.-Prairie du Sac, Wis.) received the award for the team's Best Attitude. Thrune averaged 4.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game. She was third in the NAC in assists, and her 113 assists this season ranks tied for the fifth-most in a season in Lakeland school history.

Trista Barron (Fr.-Escanaba, Mich.) received the team's Most Improved Award. Barron appeared in 23 games, averaging 1.3 points and 0.7 rebounds per game while adding 12 assists. She showed signs of good things to come in the future in the Muskies' final four games, though, averaging 5.0 points in nearly 13 minutes per game and knocking down four three-pointers.

Haeflinger, Hough grab All-NAC softball honors

Fri, 03 May 2013 12:18:11 CST

Lakeland College softball players Heather Haeflinger (Sr.-Shawano, Wis.) and Ashley Hough (Fr.-Rapid River, Mich.) have concluded their 2013 seasons with Northern Athletics Conference honors, as the NAC released its all-conference teams today.

Haeflinger was named First Team All-NAC, while Hough was named to the all-conference second team. The freshman was also named to the NAC All-Freshman Team.

Haeflinger finished a distinguished career as a Muskie with her first-ever first team all-conference honor. The 5-2 center fielder batted .412 this season and led Lakeland with eight home runs and 28 runs batted in as well as five triples, 15 stolen bases and 41 runs scored. She also was second on the team in batting average, hits (42) and doubles (seven), and her eight home runs are the second most in a season in school history. Haeflinger also currently ranks among the conference leaders in several categories, including leading the NAC in runs scored and ranking tied for second in triples, fourth in steals and fifth in home runs and slugging percentage (.794).

"Heather was a very solid hitter all year," said Lakeland head coach Hailey Dreyer, "and was always aggressive in making things happen whether it was stretching a double into a triple or being aggressive on the base paths getting defenders to create errors. There is no doubt she deserved this first team award, as she was one of the best senior players in the league."

Haeflinger finished her career as the program's all-time leader in stolen bases with 61. She also is third in school history in hits (169), run scored (142) and triples (20), tied for fourth in home runs (ten) and fifth in doubles (24).

Hough had a terrific season as a freshman, leading the Muskies in batting average (.417) as well as hits (45) and doubles (six). She also was second on the team with 20 RBIs and three triples and added six stolen bases and 23 runs scored. The left fielder also was terrific in the field, not committing an error in 40 chances.

"I am so excited for Ashley," Dreyer said. "She had a standout year as a freshman and we're really excited to see what she is going to do for three more years for us. She really anchored the clean-up spot and did really well driving runs in and grabbing base hits and didn't fall under pressure. All year you would have thought she was an upperclassman by how she handled herself at the plate."

Tristan Wilcox of Aurora (Ill.) University was named the NAC's Position Player of the Year, while Emily Mahoney of Dominican (Ill.) University was the Pitcher of the Year. Kailee Cable of Benedictine (Ill.) University was honored as Freshman of the Year, and Mike McKenzie of Aurora was chosen as Coach of the Year.

Click here for the rest of the NAC softball all-conference team.

Follow Lakeland track teams at NAC Outdoor Championships

Thu, 02 May 2013 23:15:15 CST

The Lakeland College men's and women's track & field teams are competing at the Northern Athletics Conference Outdoor Championships this weekend, which are being held in Milwaukee at Wisconsin Lutheran College's Raabe Stadium.

The Muskies enter the championships with chances at individual titles in at least two events. Senior Vashia Gordon (Green Bay, Wis.) tied for the NAC's top mark in the women's high jump this season at 1.60 meters (5 feet, 3 inches), and she also is ranked first in the conference in the triple jump at 10.44m (34-3).

Events begin Friday at 9:30 a.m. and will continue Saturday at 10 a.m.

Information about the championships, including schedules, performance lists, heat sheets and results, is available at the following links:

Men: http://www.wlcsports.com/page.asp?articleID=1518
Women: http://www.wlcsports.com/page.asp?articleID=1516

Lakeland women's basketball rummage sale is a success

Thu, 02 May 2013 14:05:27 CST

The Lakeland College women's basketball program recently held its first-ever team rummage sale and raised more than $2,700 for an upcoming summer trip overseas to China.

The team collected a number of donations of items filling the Wehr Athletic Center lobby April 19-21. Items such as men's and women's clothing, children's clothing and toys, furniture, electronics, books and movies were all available to purchase, and Head Women's Basketball Coach Lindsey VandeHoef was very pleased with the turnout of donations as well as people shopping the rummage sale.

"We had a great turnout both with donations and people from the community shopping at our sale," VandeHoef said. "I am proud to say we reached our goal thanks to all those that supported our fundraiser and donated items for us to sell."

The money from the fundraiser will go toward the women's basketball team's trip overseas to China that it will be making in May 2014. The team will play several games in Beijing, Nanchang and Shanghai, and professors David Lynch and Charles Stockman also will join the team overseas to conduct a class for course credit for team members.

"It was really fun to talk to people from the surrounding areas to tell them what our team is saving up for," VandeHoef said. "Some even would donate money or drove back to campus to drop off items to sell for us."

The Muskie women's basketball program had history of traveling abroad during former coach April Arvan's tenure, and the plan is to get back to tradition of playing internationally every four years. NCAA rules allow teams to travel overseas once every four years for a team trip in the summer.

The date for next year's rummage sale has already been set for April 18-20, 2014, at the Wehr Center.

Haeflinger and Halverson receive Muskie honors for week

Thu, 02 May 2013 13:17:25 CST

Lakeland College softball player Heather Haeflinger (Sr.-Shawano, Wis.) and Jake Halverson (So.-Taneytown, Md.) have been named this week's Muskies of the Week.

Haeflinger received the award after batting .481 last week in nine games with 13 hits in 27 at bats. She had four doubles, a triple, a home run, and ten runs batted in, and also stole three bases. She also posted a slugging percentage of .815 as the Muskies faced some strong Northern Athletics Conference competition and went 2-7 last week.

Halverson gets the honor after being one of the bright spots on the Lakeland men's tennis team last week. The sophomore earned a win at No. 3 singles in the Muskies' 8-1 loss to MSOE on Wednesday, defeating Matthew Slaughter 6-3, 6-3. On Saturday, he teamed with Greg Boknevitz (Fr.-St. Francis, Ill.) for a win at No. 2 doubles against Concordia Chicago, as the duo defeated Tim Staffeld and Jose Landa 8-5.

Former Muskie Ringeisen finds football success in Europe

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:27:57 CST

The conclusion of a four-year football career at Lakeland College was not the end of football for former Muskie Martin Ringeisen, who has found a unique place to ply his trade in the sport.

Ringeisen, a 2007 graduate of Lakeland with a degree in computer science, is part of a growing list of Muskies who have played professional football overseas in Europe. He has also had a good share of success playing in several different countries, and the three-year veteran of playing in Europe plans to head back overseas to play again this year.

Ringeisen, a native of St. Cloud, Wis., and a graduate of New Holstein High School, played football from 2003-06 at Lakeland. He was a tight end and caught 12 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown in his four-year career, playing on successful teams that finished with a 28-13 record over those four years. Despite his relatively modest statistics, Ringeisen decided after college that he didn't want to be done with football, and decided to look abroad for opportunities.

Ringeisen first found out about European football from former Muskie quarterback Brent Luebke, who played in Austria upon his graduation from Lakeland in 2005. Former Muskies Ryan Van De Loo and Ryan Maiuri also played overseas, and Ringeisen credits Van De Loo with helping him get connected with teams in Europe.

Ringeisen began his professional career in 2009 in Austria when he played for the Linz Steelsharks. When he began playing in Europe, Ringeisen made a position change to quarterback, and though his team was not a success on the field, finishing with a 0-9 record, he said he was able to learn a lot, including what teams in Europe are looking for in an American player both on and off the field.

In 2010, Ringeisen signed with the Wernigerode Mountain Tigers in Germany. In his second season as a quarterback, Ringeisen led the team in Germany to a 10-0 record, the first perfect season in team history.

"Having that be my first perfect season in any sport ever was something truly amazing," Ringeisen said. "It is something that nobody can take away from me."

Ringeisen bounced around in 2011, with a spell of bad luck resulting in him playing for two different teams for reasons out of his control. After the 2010 season, he had a number of teams looking at him due to his experience and his team's perfect season the year before, and he joined the Esbjerg Hurricanes in Denmark.

"That was my first season where I was able to be a part of building the playbook for the offense and help with the preparations for the game plan each week," Ringeisen said. "After a few games we were 3-0, but there was talk about the team losing one of its biggest sponsors. Sure enough, two weeks later I had a meeting with the president saying the team no longer had enough money to cover my full contract."

Rather than giving up on his dream, Ringeisen immediately began looking for another team. He signed with the Coventry Jets out of England on a Wednesday, and capped a crazy week by playing his last game with the Hurricanes on that Saturday. He finished his final game with one passing touchdown and three rushing scores, including a 70-yard TD to clinch the win in the fourth quarter via a 50-point mercy rule, a bittersweet finish to his season with the Denmark team, which was 5-0 at the time of his departure and capped a 15-game winning streak for teams Ringeisen played for.

While playing in England, Ringeisen played on a team that struggled on the field, but he was able to teach the European players in the fundamentals of the game. Then in his fifth game with the England team, he tore his MCL, ending his season.

Despite his injury, Ringeisen decided to push on and said he has spent "countless hours in the pool, gym and weight room" rehabilitating his knee. And after all that work, he has signed on to play in Europe once again, this time for a team for Lausanne University in Switzerland. He is the team's starting quarterback and also its offensive coordinator, and before he went to Switzerland he spent several weeks working out with Lakeland's wide receivers in preparation for his season overseas.

Remembering his time at Lakeland, Ringeisen credits a number of former professors as well as his coaches with being influences on him as he has built a career in football.

"The way Lakeland most affected me to be ready to be able to enjoy such an amazing opportunity can be summed up in two points," Ringeisen said, "the first probably being my influences from some of my professors. Pam Engebretson, Karl Elder, David Lynch...in their classes I was able to learn how to use certain words in the correct order to help build creditability. (I gained) the ability to stand up in front of crowd and just improve something from the heart with only a few minutes to prepare. And how to end a very productive teaching session by asking: 'Does anyone have any questions, comments or concerns?'

"The second point would be summed up in four letters-R.Y.F.P. Reach. Your. Full. Potential." (This was a point emphasized by former Lakeland College football coach Jim Zebrowski) Whether it was in the classroom, on the football field, or just in life, Lakeland taught me to always keep striving to be great. This same attitude kept me striving to reach my goal of playing football overseas."

Lakeland/Marian baseball rescheduled for Wednesday

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 CST

The Lakeland College baseball team's suspended doubleheader against Marian University, originally started on April 15, has been rescheduled to be resumed on Wednesday, April 24 starting at 1 p.m. at Lakeland.

Other recent changes:
-The Muskies' doubleheader against Rockford College scheduled for Saturday was postponed due to field conditions after heavy rains last week in the Sheboygan area. The games have been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 23 at 1 p.m. at Lakeland. To make room for the Northern Athletics Conference doubleheader, the Muskies' originally scheduled non-conference games against Northland College that same day have been cancelled.

-The Muskie softball team's doubleheader against Rockford College originally scheduled for Saturday at Lakeland was postponed due to field conditions. The games have been rescheduled for Monday, April 29 at 3 p.m. at Lakeland.

-The Northern Athletics Conference baseball doubleheader between Lakeland and Maranatha Baptist Bible College scheduled for Thursday was postponed due to rain. The games have been rescheduled for Monday, April 22, to be played at 3 p.m. in Watertown.

Hurlers take Muskie of the Week honors

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:49:08 CST

Lakeland College baseball pitchers Luke Mandich (Fr.-Green Bay, Wis.) and Derek Loomans (Jr.-Brandon, Wis.) are this week's winners of the Muskie of the Week award.

Mandich and Loomans both threw complete games over this past weekend as the Muskies got their first Northern Athletics Conference wins of the season and won three of four games will playing Wisconsin Lutheran and Concordia Wisconsin. Mandich got his first collegiate win on Saturday against Wisconsin Lutheran, pitching nine innings and allowing five hits and just one unearned run while striking out five in a 5-1 Muskie win to sweep a twinbill from the Warriors. Loomans followed on Sunday, going the distance and allowing seven hits and two runs while also fanning five in a 4-2 win over Concordia. He held the Falcons scoreless after allowing two runs in the first inning and faced the minimum over the final four innings to pick up his second win this season.

The Muskies are currently 7-12 this season, including 3-5 in the conference loop. Weather permitting, Lakeland will play its home opener on Saturday against Rockford, with a doubleheader beginning at noon.

Rain halts Monday baseball, softball games

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 16:38:06 CST

Rain has again struck the Lakeland College baseball and softball teams, causing the postponement of the Muskie baseball team's doubleheader against Marian University as well as the second game of the Muskie softball team's twinbill at Edgewood College.

The Lakeland baseball team's first game against the Sabres was suspended with Marian leading 5-0 in the top of the fifth inning. No make-up date has been set for the games at this time.

The Lakeland and Edgewood softball teams were able to get in one game today, with the Eagles defeating the Muskies 12-4 in five innings. Heavy rains came prior to the start of the second game, causing the postponement of Game Two. The game has been rescheduled for Friday, April 26, at 2 p.m. at Ceniti Park in Verona.

Lakeland baseball Monday moved to Marian

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 00:00:00 CST

The Lakeland College baseball doubleheader on Monday against Marian University has been moved from Lakeland to Marian's campus in Fond du Lac, due to continued wet field conditions at Lakeland. The first game will be played at 2 p.m.

The Muskies' doubleheader on Tuesday against Carthage College, originally scheduled to be played at Lakeland, also has been moved. The teams now will play in Kenosha with the doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.

Other recent schedule changes:
-Lakeland's softball games at Edgewood College scheduled for Wednesday, April 10 have been rescheduled for Monday, April 15, beginning at 2 p.m. at Ceniti Park in Verona.

-The Lakeland baseball team's non-conference doubleheader at Ripon College scheduled for Wednesday, April 10, has been rescheduled for Thursday, April 25, beginning at 1 p.m.

Lakeland releases 2013 men's & women's soccer schedules

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:42:53 CST

A total of 19 home matches highlight the 2013 schedules for the Lakeland College men's and women's soccer teams, which were released today.

The Muskie women will play a schedule that is home-friendly, with 11 home dates among its 20 regular season games. Lakeland will open on the road at Ripon College on Aug. 31 and also will play at St. Norbert College before its home opener Sept. 7 against the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

The Lakeland men will tackle a schedule with just eight home games and a total of 18 regular season contests. The Muskies will open on the road at Ripon on Aug. 31 and will play two more games away from home before playing their home opener against UW-Platteville on Sept. 7.

The men and women both open Northern Athletics Conference play on the road, traveling to face Rockford (Ill.) College on Sept. 21. The Lakeland women will face Concordia University Wisconsin on Sept. 24 in their NAC home opener, while the Muskie men will wait until Oct. 1 to face Edgewood in their conference home opener.

The Lakeland women will be looking to improve on a 3-15 overall record last year, including a 2-10 mark that was good for 11th in the NAC. The Muskie men finished 2-14-3 last year and 0-8-3 in conference, also finishing 11th in the standings.

2013 Lakeland Men's Soccer Schedule
2013 Lakeland Women's Soccer Schedule

Haeflinger is this week's Muskie of the Week

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:07:07 CST

Lakeland College softball player Heather Haeflinger (Sr.-Shawano, Wis.) is this week's winner of the Muskie of the Week award.

Haeflinger was a very worthy recipient of honors after dominant performances helped the Muskies to a 4-0 start in Northern Athletics Conference play. Over four games she batted .555 (5-for-9) with four home runs, seven runs batted in, and nine runs scored. She also added five stolen bases and walked three times for a .667 on-base percentage, as Lakeland shook off rust and swept Alverno College and Maranatha Baptist Bible College in conference doubleheaders.

Haeflinger has been on fire to start the season, hitting .395 with 17 hits, six home runs, 12 RBIs, 19 runs scored and ten stolen bases through the Muskies' first 17 games. She is tied for first in the NAC in homers and ranks second in steals and tied for fourth in runs scored as Lakeland is 8-9 overall on the season.

Muskie wrestling program to get practice facility

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:49:24 CST

Lakeland College will renovate a portion of its campus in the coming months to give its wrestling program a stand-alone practice facility.

For the past two months, the Muskies have been using a space in the southwest portion of campus previously occupied by GT Graphics, a privately-owned print shop. Originally intended to be a temporary solution, Lakeland will renovate the space at the end of the school year to accommodate the needs of the wrestling program and allow the team to permanently move into the facility.

"We know we need to provide students in all college-sponsored activities, including athletics, with the facilities, equipment and other resources they need to excel and enjoy their experience," said Dan Eck, the college's interim president.

"A few weeks ago Coach (Mike) DeRoehn shared his ideas about improving the temporary facility. His idea was to create a space for the wrestling program to call its own, which would allow the coaches to provide their student-athletes with a better quality experience. Having the right space become available on campus combined with Coach DeRoehn's creative ideas made this an easy decision."

DeRoehn, who is in his third season as Lakeland's head wrestling coach, said a stand-alone wrestling practice facility is rare in NCAA Division III.

"We had some good ideas for that facility, and I shared them with Interim President Eck and explained our needs and the benefits of having such a facility," DeRoehn said. "He, (Vice President for Student Development) Nate Dehne and (Interim Director of Athletics) April Arvan have all been incredibly supportive.

"We're ecstatic that the college is committed to meeting our needs and allowing our program to continue to grow by making this move permanent."

The completed facility will have wall-to-wall mats, kettlebells, pull up bars, Bulgarian training bags, ropes and other top-flight training equipment.

"This takes the possibilities for our program and our student-athletes to much higher levels," DeRoehn said. "The facility provides a safe, clean, motivating environment for our athletes to train in on a year-round basis, if they choose. It will increase our practice efficiency and team training opportunities exponentially, as well as greatly enhance our recruiting."

In addition to the new practice facility, the Muskies will now wrestle all their home duals in the Moose and Dona Woltzen Gymnasium. The team previously wrestled in the Wehr Center Fieldhouse.

For more information about Lakeland College wrestling, visit www.lakeland.edu/wrestling or contact DeRoehn at 920-565-1366 or deroehmr@lakeland.edu.

Muskie women's hoops hosts Jr. Muskies clinic

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 14:45:33 CST

The Lakeland College women's basketball team hosted its second annual Jr. Muskies Clinic at Sheridan Elementary School on March 21st. The Muskies worked with boys and girls in third and fourth grade from Sheridan on basic fundamentals such as shooting form, passing, dribbling, ballhandling and defense. This was a free clinic offered to those students at Sheridan, and the Muskies were able to enjoy a couple hours having fun and playing basketball, said Head Coach Lindsey Vande Hoef.

"This is a great opportunity for our girls to give back to the community," Vande Hoef said. "I am so excited we have connected with Sheridan in Sheboygan-my players really enjoy it and you can definitely see the excitement in the little Jr. Muskies' eyes. We had a much bigger group than last year, and I hope this tradition can continue with Sheridan and we can make it bigger and better every year!"

Below: Muskie Taylor Jandrin works with a Sheridan student at the clinic.

MacDowell Male Chorus performance to benefit Lakeland baseball

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 14:20:21 CST

On Friday, April 19, the MacDowell Male Chorus will present "On the Road with MacDowell" at Lakeland College. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Bradley Theatre. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for Lakeland students.

Proceeds will benefit the Lakeland baseball program. Show tickets can be purchased in advance by calling head baseball coach Michael Bachar at 920-565-1411. Tickets will also be available at the door.

In addition, the team plays a home game on Saturday, April 20, against Rockford College. First pitch is at noon.

Founded in 1934, the Appleton MacDowell Male Chorus, Inc. took the name of a noted American composer, Edward MacDowell. The first concert in 1935 was presented under the baton of its founder Albert A. Glockzin, music teacher at Lawrence University.

Since 1934, MacDowell has performed 500-plus times in more than 50 different cities in five of the continental states and in Canada. The chorus has appeared several times on television and radio. Memorized music is a MacDowell tradition and the men have more than 500 religious and patriotic numbers, show tunes, operatic and classical selections and fun pieces in their repertoire.

Redlich again receives weekly honor

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:27:47 CST

Lakeland College men's volleyball standout Alec Redlich (So.-Wauwatosa, Wis.) has been named the Muskie of the Week award winner for the second time this school year.

Redlich receives the honor after playing a big part in the Muskies' Wisconsin Volleyball Conference Tournament championship effort. The 6-1 outside hitter had 57 kills as well as nine service aces as the Muskies went 5-1 in the tourney with a single loss in pool play and swept through bracket play to win the title. Lakeland defeated #1 ranked UW-Oshkosh in the semifinals, sweeping the Titans in two sets behind 14 kills by Redlich. The Muskies then walloped UW-Whitewater in the championship match, with Redlich adding seven kills, three service aces and two blocks. He was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player and also was named First Team All-WVC for the season.

Redlich leads the Muskies with 476 kills and 51 aces this season. He also is second on the team in digs (172) and fifth in blocks (44). Lakeland is currently 27-14 on the season heading into the NCVF National Championships in Dallas, Texas, beginning Thursday and continuing through Saturday.

Click here for an interview featuring Alec's thoughts on the Muskies' conference championship as well as the upcoming trip to Dallas for nationals

Muskies Head to Big D in Search of National Gold

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 09:18:30 CST

The Lakeland College men's volleyball team is coming to Texas this week with the goal of winning another national championship at the National Collegiate Volleyball Federation (NCVF) Collegiate Club Volleyball Championships in Dallas.

The Muskies will compete in the NCVF Division I tourney at the Dallas Convention Center on April 4-6. The team will receive its schedule on Wednesday and the tournament will open with pool play on Thursday. The Muskies will open at 9 a.m. on Thursday against Iowa and will also face Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo at 11 a.m. and UC Santa Barbara at 1 p.m.

Lakeland is aiming for its second national title in school history. The Muskies were national champions in 2008, finished as

runners-up to Ohio State in 2010, and have posted nine top 10 finishes at the national championships since 2001.The Muskies come into the tournament with serious momentum after winning the Wisconsin Volleyball Conference Tournament this past weekend. Lakeland stunned the nation's No. 1 rated team, UW-Oshkosh, in the tournament semifinals, then swept UW-Whitewater in the championship match.

Sophomore Alec Redlich (Wauwatosa, Wis.) leads the team with 476 kills and was recently named First Team All-MIVA and First Team All-WVC. Junior Brett Kaczmarek (Kenosha, Wis.) is second on the team in kills and was named Honorable Mention All-MIVA and Honorable Mention All-WVC.

Watch an interview with Head Coach Chris Brandt:

April Arvan named Lakeland interim athletic director

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:03:15 CST

Lakeland College Interim President Dan Eck announced today that April Arvan, assistant athletic director and an associate professor of exercise science and sport studies at Lakeland, has been named interim athletic director.

Arvan replaces Kellen Winslow, who has resigned as the college's vice president for athletics and wellness. Winslow's last day is April 2.

The college will launch a national search shortly for a new, full-time athletic director, and the position will be filled by the beginning of the 2013-14 school year. Arvan will take over day-to-day management of the department until the position is filled. Arvan said she will not be a candidate for the full-time position.

Arvan earned her bachelor's and master's degrees at Lakeland. In 2010 she earned a doctorate in education with an emphasis in sports management and leadership from Northcentral University in Prescott, Ariz.

She served as Lakeland's head women's basketball coach from 1994-2007, and retired from the game as one of the most successful coaches in the college's history. She led the Muskies to five trips to the NCAA Tournament and eight conference championships.

"We are very fortunate that April Arvan has agreed to lead our athletic department as we transition to a new athletic director," Eck said. "We have depended on Dr. Arvan and Aaron Aanonsen, our men's basketball coach and assistant athletic director, who both stepped forward to manage our athletic department upon Kellen's departure.

"Dr. Arvan is a passionate, tireless champion for Lakeland athletics and our student-athletes. I can't think of a better person to help us continue to assess our needs and to develop plans to grow this part of the Lakeland experience. Our new athletic director will be stepping in to lead a department that is focused on a bright future and clearly moving forward."

Arvan began teaching at Lakeland as an adjunct instructor in 1994 and was offered a full-time, tenure-track faculty appointment in sport studies in 2007. This spring she was promoted to associate professor and granted tenure.

She is responsible for building the curriculum in the sport studies emphasis within the exercise science and sport studies major. She is a frequent speaker at NCAA conferences and is respected nationally for her work with student-athletes.

"I'm honored to be asked to step in and fill this role," Arvan said. "I love Lakeland College and I will always do whatever I can to help my alma mater. I enjoy athletic administration, our students-athletes, coaches and everything that goes with athletics.

"But I also love teaching and the progress we have made building our exercise science and sport studies program. That's where I want to continue the focus of my career."

Eck applauded Winslow for bringing a number of positive ideas to Lakeland. "Kellen encouraged us to look at wellness and athletics in a different light," Eck said. "The wellness work will continue as we look at ways to integrate it throughout the Lakeland experience."

Lakeland softball at Alverno pushed back to Thursday

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:10:40 CST

Weather and field conditions continue to cause changes in Lakeland College athletic schedules this spring.

The Lakeland softball team's Northern Athletics Conference doubleheader against Alverno College scheduled for Wednesday, March 27 in Milwaukee was postponed until Monday, April 1. However, Alverno's field is still not in shape to play on Monday, so the games now have been pushed back to Thursday, April 4, with the doubleheader to start at 3:30 p.m.

The Muskie softball team's games on Saturday, March 30 in Madison against Edgewood College have also been postponed. No makeup date has been set at this time.

Also, the Lakeland baseball team's scheduled home opener against NAC foe Marian University on Monday, April 1 has been postponed. The doubleheader now will be played Monday, April 15, at 1 p.m.

Lakeland hosting adult volleyball tourney

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 12:06:14 CST

The Lakeland College women's volleyball program is hosting an adult volleyball tournament on Saturday, April 6 at the Wehr Center on Lakeland's campus.

The tournament will feature four players on the court at a time and will have separate men's and women's brackets. The cost of participation is $60, and the tourney is a fundraiser for the Lakeland women's volleyball program.

Cash payouts will go to the winning teams in both divisions. Check-in will begin at 9 a.m., with play to begin at 9:30 a.m.

For more information please contact Lakeland head women's volleyball coach Kim Bukowski by e-mail at bukowskikm@lakeland.edu or by phone at (262) 309-2885.

Hough, Kuchenbecker are Muskies of the Week

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:45:20 CST

Ashley Hough (Fr.-Rapid River, Mich.) and Tim Kuchenbecker (Jr.-Brillion, Wis.) are the latest athletes honored as recipients of the Lakeland College Muskie of the Week award.

Hough had a terrific start to her softball career last week on the Muskies' spring break trip to Kissimmee, Fla. The left fielder batted .400 over 13 games, with 16 hits in 40 at bats including four doubles and a triple. She also drove in eight runs and scored seven times, leading the team in hits, doubles and RBIs as the team finished 4-9 in Florida.

Kuchenbecker also got off to a hot start to the season on the Lakeland baseball team's spring trip to Fort Myers, Fla. Also a left fielder, he batted a robust .459 in nine games with 17 hits in 37 at bats. Kuchenbecker posted three doubles and a triple, drove in nine runs and scored five times. He led the team in hits and doubles and tied for the team lead in RBIs as the Muskies started their season 4-5 in Florida.