UW-L Picked to Finish Fourth in WIAC

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Madison, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse football squad is picked to finish fourth in the 2009 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) preseason standings, according to the league's sports information directors.

UW-La Crosse, also receiving votes in the D3football.com preseason poll, returns to campus this season to host six games at the newly constructed Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex. The Eagles played four home games at Winona (Minn.) State University last year.

UW-Whitewater, winner of four straight WIAC titles, is expected to earn its fifth consecutive crown in 2009. The Warhawks enter the season ranked No. 2 nationally in the D3football.com poll and received seven first-place votes on the WIAC ballot.  Last year’s first-place showing was the 29th in program history - the second-highest total in conference chronicles.  UW-Whitewater is the first team since UW-River Falls (1984-87) to claim four consecutive WIAC championships.  UW-Platteville and UW-La Crosse are the only other programs to win at least four straight titles with the Pioneers claiming four (1968-71) and the Eagles securing four (1939-42) and six (1949-54). The Warhawks have also appeared in the national championship game - the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl - four consecutive years.
 
UW-Stevens Point shared the WIAC crown with UW-Whitewater last season - the 14th title in school archives - and claimed the remaining first-place nod in this year’s poll.  The Pointers, ranked No. 7 by D3football.com, are slotted to place second in the eight-team league derby and have won back-to-back WIAC titles twice (1933-34 and 1998-99).  
 
UW-Eau Claire, found in the ‘receiving votes’ category of the D3football.com poll, is picked to finish third in this year's preseason conference standings.

UW-La Crosse returns 15 starters, including seven on offense and eight on defense, in 2009. The Eagles, which finished 3-7 overall and 3-4 in the WIAC in 2008, also bring back 45 letter winners. Four All-WIAC selections from last year return, including senior offensive lineman Andrew Gebel who was a second team selection. Junior defensive back Derek Dreher was also named to the 2008 All-WIAC Second Team while senior linebacker Aaron Johnson and senior defensive back Matt Winney were honorable mention choices.

Head coach Larry Terry enters his 10th season at the helm of the Eagles, compiling a record of 57-36 (.612), including 42-21 (.667) in the WIAC.

The Eagles open their season Saturday, Sept. 5 at East Texas Baptist University (Texas) at 11 a.m. UW-L's home opener is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12 versus Azusa Pacific University (Calif.) at 1 p.m.

UW-Stout is picked to finish fifth in the WIAC Preseason Poll followed by UW-Oshkosh, UW-River Falls and UW-Platteville.