La Crosse, Wis. – Kelly Evers, a 6'0 post player from Sugar Grove, Illinois is the latest signee of the 2012 Viterbo University women's basketball recruiting class.

Evers garnered All-Conference First Team, All-Area First Team and All-State Honorable Mention honors during the 2010-2011 season. Slowed by injuries early in her senior campaign, the team captain finished strong, leading her 2011-12 Kaneland High School team to the Sectional Championship game. She averaged 5.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game this season as she regularly faced double teams and sometimes triple teams from the opposing defense. As a junior, the team MVP averaged 10.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while setting a school record for blocked shots. A four year member of the varsity and three year starter for Coach Ernie Colombe at Kaneland and competed for the Illinois Hustle and Bulls Elite AAU clubs during the summer months.

"Kelly provides our team with another inside scoring threat and interior defender," stated V-Hawk Head Coach Bobbi Vandenberg. "She is very athletic and plays with great hustle and enthusiasm. She is fast, quick and has great instincts on the defensive end of the floor. She has the potential to be an important piece to our team as a freshman, especially from a defensive standpoint. She played against outstanding competition on her team at Kaneland and during the off-season on the AAU circuit. She also excels in track and cross-country, which is always a plus for a player in the V-Hawk system. On a personal side, as I got to know Kelly, I knew she would be a great fit for our team with her outgoing personality and strong academic goals."

Evers is a two-year member of the National Honor Society and was named Academic All-Conference her junior and senior years. She will major in marketing and is especially interested in international business.  She is the daughter of Tom and Tara Evers of Sugar Grove.

Shortly before her signing, Evers commented, "the campus is everything I'd hoped for and La Crosse is a beautiful area. Coach Vandenberg definitely made me feel like a part of the team from the first day I met her. I literally cannot wait to be in a V-Hawk jersey!"

La Crosse, Wis. – The Viterbo University baseball team had two players honored today by the Midwest Collegiate Conference. Junior Blake Shepherd (Mindoro, Wis.) was named a MCC First Team All-Conference selection while junior Chris Dunn (Hancock, Wis.) was named a MCC Honorable Mention All-Conference pitcher.

This is the second straight season Shepherd received First Team All-Conference honors. Shepherd had another fantastic season for the V-Hawks has he led them in numerous offensive categories. He finished the season hitting .371 with 52 hits, 24 runs scored and 19 runs batted in. He also added a team high 8 doubles, three triples, 5 home runs and 9 stolen bases. An everyday outfielder, Shepherd also made his impact on the mound for the V-Hawks. Shepherd made 12 appearances for the V-Hawks this season finishing 2-5 overall. He pitched 41 innings and struck out 24 batters.

This is the first time that Dunn has been honored by the MCC. Dunn was the V-Hawks ace this season on the mound. He made 14 appearances on the mound including 9 starts and throwing 74 innings. Although he finished just 4-8 on the year, Dunn was the recipient of very little offensive support. He finished the season with a 3.53 ERA and lost five games that his team scored two or fewer runs. Dunn also finished the season with a team high 62 strikeouts which was the sixth most in the MCC.

The baseball season is not done for either Shepherd or Dunn as both have opportunities to play in two of the top collegiate summer baseball leagues in the country. Shepherd has received a temporary offer to play for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod League which is widely known as the best summer college baseball league. Shepherd played in the Northwoods League last season for the Willmar Stingers. Dunn will return to play for the Waterloo Bucks of the Northwoods League. Dunn pitched last season for the Bucks and had a very successful summer. Both the Cape Cod League and the Northwoods League have plenty of alumni who are now playing in the big leagues which both Shepherd and Dunn have aspirations of.

La Crosse, Wis. – Viterbo University men's golfer Shawn Keenan (Jr. – Embden, Maine) was honored today as he received Midwest Collegiate Conference Honorable Mention All-Conference honors.

Keenan earns the recognition after having a very successful junior season. He had seven top five finishes in the 12 tournaments he played this season. His top two finishes came when he won the very competitive Ronnie Eastman Invitational and the Ripon College Invitational. The Ronnie Eastman Invite was played at the very challenging La Crosse Country club. Keenan shot a 73 and a 70 to earn medalist honors. Keenan also finished 19^that the MCC Championships back in mid-April.

For the season, Keenan averaged a team low 75.5 and was the V-Hawks top finisher in over half of their tournaments. Keenan has also had plenty of success in the classroom this season as he was recently named a NAIA Scholar Athlete as well.

La Crosse, Wis. – The Viterbo University women's golf team had two players earn postseason honors today. Juniors Lauren Lindsley (Green Bay, Wis.) and Chelsey McCoy (Brookfield, Wis.) both received Midwest Collegiate Conference honors as well as NAIA Scholar Athlete honors. McCoy was named a First Team All-Conference selection while Lindsley received honorable mention all-conference honors.

This is the second straight season Lindsley has earned all-conference honors. This season, Lindsley led the V-Hawks with an 83.76 scoring average and had three top five finishes. Her top two finishes came when she earned medalist honors at the Augustana College Invite and the Ripon College Invitational. At the Ripon Invite, Lindsley shot a school record low 74 in round one to help finish an impressive 14 strokes ahead the second place finisher. Lindsley finished 26th at the MCC championships back in mid-April.

Like Lindsley, this is the second time McCoy has been honored by the MCC. She finished second for the V-Hawks this season with a season average of 84.13. McCoy's top finish this season came when she earned medalist honors at the Viterbo Invitational where she shot an 82 and a 75. Those low scores helped lead Viterbo to a team championship at the invite as well. McCoy also finished 12th individually at the MCC Championships.

Joining Lindsley and McCoy as an NAIA Scholar Athlete was teammate Rhianna Nichols (Sr. – Tomah, Wis.). To be named a NAIA Scholar athlete, a student-athlete must be a junior or above academically and have at least a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher.

Clinton, Iowa – Finishing second overall in the women's 10,000, and 5,000 meter runs and fifth overall in the 1500, Bea Foley (Sr. – Greenville, Wis.) led all Viterbo University scorers at the Midwest Collegiate Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships.  Foley also joined with junior Cindy Leuck (Cashton, Wis.), sophomore Jessica Pacholski (Woodridge, Ill) and freshman Janessa Sjobeck (Parkers Prairie, Minn.) to run a school record time in the women's 4X800 meter relay in 10:10.67.

Foley was not the only V-Hawk with a strong performance at the conference championship. In the men's triple jump competition, freshman Jordan Jones (Marietta, Ga.) finished fourth with a performance of 12.84 meters. Another first year performer, Josh Niebuhr (Fr. – West Salem, Wis.), finished sixth overall in the men's 100 meter dash in a season best time of 11.03. The V-Hawk men's team also picked up points with Josh Petersen's (So. – Eau Claire, Wis.) eighth place finish in the men's steeplechase race. The V-Hawk men's team finished in eighth place overall with 14 points.

Juniors Leuck, and Kylie Janovick (Sparta, Wis.) were both multiple event scorers for the women's team. Besides scoring in the 4X800 (fifth)  and 4X400 (sixth), Leuck earned fourth place in the women's 1500 meters and fifth in the women's 800. Leuck's time of 4:49.69 in the 1500 lowered her own Viterbo record. Janovick also scored in the 4X400 relay, and in the 4X100 relay (fifth), as well as individually by taking seventh place in both the women's 400 meter dash and the 400 meter hurdles. The women's team score was also bolstered by Kriston Siemianowski (Jr. – Bangor – Wis.) who finished fifth overall in the women's steeplechase. The women's team finished with 48 total points, outdistancing conference rivals from William Penn University and Iowa Wesleyan College.

The conference championships marked the final team event for seniors Foley, Emma McCarthy (Eleva, Wis.) and Ben DiSera (Hayward, Wis.). "Our coaching staff could not be any happier with the team's effort," head coach John Metelko said. "The team has accomplished a great deal over the past year since we started practice and with so many strong performances near the end of the season it's very hard for them and me to have the regular season come to a close," Metelko added.

"I simply wish I had more time with these seniors, they are great people. As for the returners, they are looking toward next year and we coaches are just as excited with the future possibilities," Metelko said.

La Crosse, Wis. – The Viterbo University softball team had three players honored by the Midwest Collegiate Conference on Friday night. Freshman Maddy Podmolik (Deerfield, Wis.) and senior Melissa Weaver (Trempealeau, Wis.) were named to the MCC First Team All-Conference team while sophomore Ali VanHavermaet (Tomah, Wis.) received Honorable Mention All-Conference honors.

Podmolik had a fantastic first season in a V-Hawk uniform as she finished second on the team with a .322 batting average. The leadoff hitter for the V-Hawks, Podmolik led the team with seven homeruns and had a team high 11 stolen bases. Her seven homeruns was the ninth most in the MCC this season and is the third most by a V-Hawk in a single season. She also recorded eight doubles, 23 runs scored and 12 runs batted in (RBI's).

Weaver had a fantastic final season for the V-Hawks which saw her more than double her batting average from a year ago. Weaver led the V-Hawks and finished second in the MCC in batting average hitting .378 for the season. She also led the V-Hawks in hits (42), doubles (12) and RBI's (26). Her 12 doubles ranks third most in a single season while her batting average is the fifth highest in a season by a V-Hawk. She also finished with a .444 on base hitting percentage and a .649 slugging percentage. After hitting no homeruns last season, Weaver finished second on the team with six homeruns this season.

This is the second straight season that VanHavermaet has been honored by the MCC as she was a first team all-conference selection last season. VanHavermaet appeared in 28 games this season on the mound which is the third most in a single season for a V-Hawk. She finished 8-16 overall with a 3.58 earned run average and three shutouts. VanHavermaet finished with 113 strikeouts in 156.1 innings of work. Her 24 starts on the mound are second most in a single season as are her 113 strikeouts. She also ranked in the top five in the MCC in innings pitched (3rd), strikeouts (4th), games started (3rd) and complete games (3rd).

As a team, the V-Hawks finished the season 13-26 overall and 10-14 in the MCC. Although the V-Hawks will have a tough time filling the gap left by Weaver who graduates this May, she is the only player who will not be back next season. Head Coach Andrea Tsilis is excited with who she has coming back next season as well as whom she has coming in. So far, Coach Tsilis has announced a recruiting class of four players including the 2011 WIAA Division III player of the Year Kirsten Tomlinson from Poynette, Wis.

La Crosse, Wis. – Viterbo University baseball alum Nick Lenzendorf (Prairie du Chien, Wis.) has signed a professional baseball contract to play for the Rio Grande Valley White Wings. The Rio Grande Valley White Wings are located in Harlingen, Texas and are members of the North American League, which is the largest league in Independent professional baseball.

"This is a very exciting time in my baseball career," commented Lenzendorf. "It is very rewarding to get this opportunity as I feel as though I have not given up on my career and I am really looking forward to what this opportunity may provide. I also feel that my time at Viterbo has really prepared me for this and I will always cherish my time in a V-Hawk uniform."

Lenzendorf graduated and finished his V-Hawk baseball career in the Spring of 2010 and has been pursuing a professional career ever since. Last summer he played for the United States Military All-Stars baseball team. He then played in the Arizona Winter League for the San Louis Atleticos in Yuma, Ariz. Lenzendorf helped lead the Atleticos to the league championship as he finished with a .385 batting average including four doubles and a homerun. He also led the team in RBI's with 18. He also appeared in six games as a relief pitcher.

The field manager for the Atleticos is also the field manager for the Rio Grande Valley White Wings which helped Lenzendorf earn a contract with his new team for the summer. The White Wings play a 96 game schedule that includes travel throughout the state of Texas. Lenzendorf will play both first base and serve as a relief pitcher for the White Wings. His contract is a year by year contract and includes a salary along with the opportunity to live with a host family. He reports for the start of the 2012 season May 13th and their first game will be May 23rd.

Lenzendorf joins former V-Hawk Ben Moore who has also played professional independent baseball. Moore played last season with the Sioux Falls Pheasants of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball League.  

La Crosse, Wis. – Junior Blake Shepherd (Mindoro, Wis.) hit two homeruns to help Viterbo University earn a non-conference split with UW-Stout today in their final home game of the season. UW-Stout won game one 7-4 while Viterbo won game two 8-6.

In the first game, UW-Stout got on the scoreboard first as they scored three runs on three hits in the second inning. They added two more runs in the fifth on a two-run homerun by Jon Schoch. The V-Hawks would get two runs back in the bottom half of the fifth on a two run shot by Shepherd. The Blue Devils then added two insurance runs in the top of the sixth to make the score 7-2. Viterbo would put a scare to UW-Stout as Jeff Clabots (Jr. – Brooklyn Park, Minn.) opened the seventh with a single. Freshman Taylor Reinhardt (Medford, Wis.) then hit his first homerun of his V-Hawk career to pull the V-Hawks within 7-4. Kahtan Al-Kaissy (Sr. – Hopkins, Minn.) then singled and Mark Bellatti (Sr. – San Diego, Calif.) walked. But UW-Stout reliever Andrew Driessen induced a tailor made double play to end the game.

Reinhardt (0-6) started the game for the V-Hawks and went the distance as he allowed seven runs on ten hits while striking out six. Cory Hedeen (4-4) picked up the win for the Blue Devils as he went six 1/3 innings giving up four runs on eight hits. Driessen picked up the save for UW-Stout. Reinhardt and Shepherd each finished 1-4 with a run scored and two RBI's while Joey Bergles (Sr. – Geneseo, Ill.) was 2-4.

In game two, the V-Hawks jumped on the Blue Devils right away and built a 5-0 lead after three innings. Spencer Williams (Jr. – Sacramento, Calif.) opened the game by walking, stole second and reached third on a throwing error. He would then score on a sacrifice fly by Andrew Stoffel (Sr. – Woodbury, Minn.). Al-Kaissy would then score in the second inning on a sacrifice bunt by Justin Carpenter (Jr. – Ottawa, Ontario, Canada). Shepherd would then hit his second homerun of the day in the third with two runners on to give Viterbo a 5-0 lead.

The Blue Devils would then close within 5-3 as they scored three runs on three hits in the fourth inning. Viterbo would stretch their lead back to 8-3 as they scored three runs in the sixth highlighted by an RBI single by Brady Clarke (So. – Greenwood, Ind.). UW-Stout would not go down easy though as they made things interesting in the seventh. After a walk and a single , Brett Vavra hit a three run homerun to pull the Blue Devils within 8-6. But relief pitcher, Bellatti, would get the next two batters to strike out and earn his second save of the season.

Redshirt sophomore Cole Clements (Readstown, Wis.) started on the mound for the V-Hawks and picked up his first win of the season. Clement's (1-5) allowed three runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. Carter Vogt (3-2) suffered the loss for the Blue Devils as he came on in relief and gave up three runs on two hits in 3 1/3 innings of work. Shepherd once again led the V-Hawk offense as he was 2-3 with three RBI's and two runs scored. Reinhardt and Clark also added two hits apiece.

The doubleheader split moves Viterbo to 10-31 overall while UW-Stout is now 17-19 overall. Viterbo will finish up the 2012 season on May 7^th when they travel to Winona, Minn. to play Winona State University.  

La Crosse, Wis. – The Viterbo University baseball team dropped its final regular season Midwest Collegiate Conference game today by a score of 6-2 to Iowa Wesleyan College.

After the Tigers of IWC scored a run the top of the first inning, the V-Hawks took a 2-1 lead in the bottom half of the first. Senior Andrew Stoffel (Woodbury, Minn.) opened the inning with a walk and moved up to second on a single by Tyler Reinhardt (Fr. – Medford, Wis.). They would both then score on a triple by junior Blake Shepherd (Mindoro, Wis.). The Tigers would then regain the lead in the second inning as they scored four unearned runs. V-Hawk starting pitcher Joey Bergles (Sr. – Geneseo, Ill.) got into some trouble in the top of the second but appeared to get out of the jam unscathed but a costly defensive error cost the V-Hawks a chance to get out of the inning. The Tigers took full advantage of the opportunity as they got a two RBI double from Michael Mendoza. Another costly error in the fourth inning allowed the Tigers to extend their lead to 6-2.

Although the V-Hawks would out hit the Tigers 8-5, they would not be able to capitalize. Bergles (0-3) went the distance for the V-Hawks as he allowed six runs, one earned, on five hits while striking out six. Joesph Neilson (4-4) picked up the win for the Tigers as he allowed two runs on four hits in five innings of work. Shepherd, Reinhardt, and Justin Carpenter (Jr. – Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) each had two hits apiece to lead the V-Hawk offense.

With the loss, the V-Hawks finish the MCC schedule 7-17 and are now 9-30 overall. Iowa Wesleyan College improves to 21-29 overall and 14-10 in conference action. Viterbo will play their final home game of the season tomorrow afternoon as they host UW-Stout for a non-conference doubleheader.

La Crosse, Wis. – The Viterbo University baseball team dropped a Midwest Collegiate Conference doubleheader today to Iowa Wesleyan College 7-4 and 8-1.

In game one, neither team was able to put much of an offensive threat together over the first three innings. The Tigers of Iowa Wesleyan College would then breakthrough in the fourth as they scored two runs on two hits They would add a run in the fifth and then two more in the sixth as they took a 6-0 lead. Viterbo would finally get their offense going in the bottom half of the sixth as they scored four runs on three hits and an error.

Pinch hitters Brady Clark (So. – Greenwood, Ind.) and Spenser Williams (Jr. – Sacramento, Calif.) opened the inning with back-back walks. Jeff Clabots (Jr. – Brooklyn Park, Minn.) then singled and Blake Shepherd (Jr. – Mindoro, Wis.) walked to score Clark. Freshman Taylor Reinhardt (Medford, Wis.) then singled to score Williams while Clabots scored on a double play groundout by Kahtan Al-AKaissy (Sr. – Hopkins, Minn.). Shepherd would then score when Justin Stiever (So. – Cedarburg, Wis.) reached safely on an error. Iowa Wesleyan College added an insurance run in the seventh and would end the game in the seventh by not giving Viterbo much of a chance.

Junior Chris Dunn  (Hancock, Wis.) (4-8)suffered the loss on the mound for the V-Hawks as he allowed six runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings pitched. Martin Aguirre (Sr. – Wenatchee, Wash.) finished the game for the V-Hawks allowing one run on three hits in 1 2/3 innings. Jacob Sanchez picked up the win for the Tigers as he gave up just two hits in five innings of work while striking out seven. Shepherd led the V-Hawks offense as he finished 2-3 with an RBI and a run scored.

The Tigers opened game two by scoring two runs on two hits to take an early 2-0 lead. Viterbo would get one run back in the bottom half of the inning as Shepherd singled and advanced to third on a single by Reinhardt. Shepherd then scored on a sacrifice bunt by Al-Kaissy. After scoring a run in the second inning, the Tigers took full advantage of two Viterbo errors in the fourth inning which helped them score five runs. The Tigers also had five hits in the fourth to help break open the game. Viterbo was never able to really recover as they did not have much of a scoring threat the rest of the game.

Shepherd (2-5) started the game on the mound for the V-Hawks and suffered the loss as he allowed eight runs (3 earned) on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings. Mark Bellatti (Sr. – San Diego, Calif.) came on in relief and allowed just three hits. Erik Allen (6-3) picked up the win for the Tigers as he allowed one run on five hits in six innings of work. Shepherd finished game two 1-3 with a run scored.

The losses drop Viterbo to 9-29 overall and 7-16 in MCC action. The Tigers improve to 20-29 overall and 13-10 in conference action. These two teams will finish the three game series up on Saturday when they meet for a single nine inning game tomorrow at 1:00 pm. Viterbo will then finish the home portion of their schedule on Sunday when they host UW-Stout for a non-conference doubleheader starting at 1:00 pm.

La Crosse, Wis. – Cashton High School senior post Whitney Hanson has signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Viterbo University, Coach Bobbi Vandenberg announced today.

The 6'0 Hanson has been a three sport standout at Cashton but has especially shined in basketball. She has led the Eagles in scoring for the past two seasons and this year also led the team in rebounding and steals. For her senior campaign, Hanson averaged 15.4 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 1.6 blocks per game for first year head coach Patte Michalek. Her outstanding all-around play has earned her first team All-Scenic Bluffs Conference honors for two years. 

"Whitney is a local athlete who I have had an eye on for a couple of years," commented Coach Vandenberg. "Being from a small high school, I think she has been a bit under the radar. From my observations, Whitney is without a doubt one of the best athletes in the Coulee Region and has a chance to develop into a special player. Her athleticism will allow her to be a versatile player for us, because she possesses both strength and quickness. She is a hustler and seems to enjoy making things happen on both ends of the floor. We plan to use her skills initially in the post, but I can see a future for Whitney at the "4" spot as well. I think Whitney will thrive with the new challenge of collegiate basketball."

Hanson is not just an athlete, as she is a very solid student who plans to major in elementary education. She has been the recipient of the Cashton High School Scholar Athlete Award all four of her high school years and is a candidate for the WIAA Scholar-Athlete Award.  She has also been actively involved with FCCLA, band and color guard. Hanson is the daughter of Dewey and Mary Beth Hanson of Cashton. 

"It has always been my dream to play college basketball," Hanson commented. "Viterbo is giving me the chance to follow that dream. Not only did Viterbo offer a successful basketball program, but an outstanding education program as well. The friendliness of the people and the positive environment I found at Viterbo was the key to my decision."

La Crosse, Wis. – Freshman Lizzy Dier (Algoma, Wis.) hit a walk off homerun in game one of a doubleheader to help Viterbo University earn a split with Midwest Collegiate Conference foe William Penn University. Viterbo won the first game 2-0 while William Penn won game two 9-1 in six innings.

Game one was quite the pitchers dual as both starting pitchers kept both teams at bay. The game entered the final inning with the score tied 0-0 and neither team really having a true scoring threat. After William Penn went three up three down in the top of the seventh, Viterbo's Melissa Weaver (Sr. – Trempealeau, Wis.) opened the seventh with Viterbo's first hit of the game. She was then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by pinch hitter Renee Pattison (Jr. – Durand, Wis.). After a pop up to the catcher by Ali VanHavermaet (So. – Tomah, Wis.), Dier stepped up to the plate. Behind in the count, Dier sent the game winner over the left center fence for her fourth home run of the season and her first career walk off.

VanHavermaet (7-15) recorded her third complete game shutout of the season by allowing six hits while striking out three. It is the second time this season VanHavermaet has shutout William Penn University; who has been receiving votes in the NAIA's top-25 poll for most of the season. Jennifer Whitehead (18-9) suffered the loss for the Statesmen as she allowed just two runs on two hits while striking out five in seven innings of work. Whitehead held the V-Hawks hitless for the first six innings of the contest.

William Penn wasted very little time in game two putting runs on the board as they scored two runs on four hits in the first inning. They added four more runs in the second inning as Khyia Lewis sparked the inning with a two run homerun. Brianne Rowley added a solo homerun in the fourth inning and the Statesmen put the game away with two more runs in the sixth inning. Viterbo's lone run of the game came on an RBI groundout by Sami Weaver (Jr. – Trempealeau, Wis.) in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Whitehead (19-9) once again went the distance for the Statesmen as she allowed one run on four hits while striking out seven in six innings. Justine Emerson (Fr. – Galesville, Wis.) (4-5) suffered the loss for the V-Hawks as she allowed five runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings. Freshman Erin Isaacson (Clintonville, Wis.) came on in relief and gave up four runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Viterbo ends the regular season with a 12-24 overall record and a 10-14 MCC record while William Penn finishes up 40-15 overall and 21-3 in conference play. The Statesmen had already wrapped up the Midwest Collegiate Conference regular season title and have secured the #1 seed in the MCC tournament which starts this weekend. Viterbo will get either the #6 or #7 seed in the tournament and will travel to either William Penn University or Mount Mercy University on Saturday. The MCC Tournament schedule will be posted late on Wednesday afternoon with match-ups and game times scheduled.

La Crosse, Wis. – Viterbo University baseball seniors Kahtan Al-Kaissy (Hopkins, Minn.) and Mark Bellatti (San Diego, Calif.) combined to go 7-7 with 6 RBI and 2 runs scored to help the V-Hawks defeat Grand View University 9-5.

The Vikings of Grand View University got on the board in the first inning as Micah Loegering doubled and later scored on a sacrifice fly. The V-Hawks would get that run back in the bottom of the second inning as Blake Shepherd (Jr. – Mindoro, Wis.) hit a towering shot for his second homerun of the season. The Vikings would get a homerun ball of their own as Loegering hit his third homerun of the season. The Vikings would add a run in the fifth and sixth inning to take a 4-2 lead. Viterbo would get a run back in the bottom half of the sixth on an RBI double by Bellatti.

Viterbo would then get the offensive inning they have needed all season as they scored six runs on seven hits and an error in the bottom of the seventh. Senior Andrew Stoffel (Woodbury, Minn.) started the inning off with a double and Jeff Clabots (Jr. – Brooklyn Park, Minn.) drove him in with a single. After Justin Stiever (So. – Hayward, Wis.) reached on an error, Taylor Reinhardt (Fr. – Medford, Wis.) singled. Al-Kaissy then drove in two runs with a double and Bellatti drove in two runs with a single. Junior Justin Sunderland (Hayward, Wis.) then drove in Bellatti with a single to cap the scoring for the V-Hawks. The Vikings would make a scare in the top of the ninth as they opened the inning with back-back singles but that would be all they would get.

Bellatti (1-0) came on in relief to pitch the final four innings and pick up his first win of the season. Bellatti allowed two runs on seven hits in his four innings of work. He relieved Viterbo starter Zach Benson (So./Fr. – Winona, Minn.) who allowed three runs on six hits in five innings of work. Caleb Phillips (3-4) came on in relief for Vikings starter Sean Wright in the seventh inning and suffered the loss as he gave up four run on seven hit in two innings.

Al-Kaissy finished the game with two singles, a double and a triple to lead the V-Hawks while Bellatti had two singles and a double. Shepherd, Reinhardt, and Stoffel each added two hits apiece to also help the V-Hawks. In total, the V-Hawks finished with 16 hits as only one hitter in the lineup did not record a hit.

The win moves Viterbo to 9-27 overall and 7-14 in Midwest Collegiate Conference action. The loss drops Grand View to 24-27 overall and 16-8 in MCC play. Viterbo will be in action next when they host a three game series with Iowa Wesleyan College on Friday and Saturday. The two teams will play a single nine inning game on Friday at 3:00 pm and a doubleheader on Saturday at 1:00 pm. The V-Hawks will then play their final home games of the season on Sunday when they host UW-Stout for a non-conference doubleheader at 1:00 pm.

Riverside, Iowa. – The Viterbo University men's golf team finished fifth in the 10-team MCC Golf tournament in Riverside, Iowa. The V-Hawks were sitting in third place after the first 36 holes, but dropped two spots after struggling over their final 18 holes.

Jordan Kerska(Jr. – Sparta, Wis.) and James DeBoer (Fr. – Holmen, Wis.) led the way for Viterbo. Kerska fired rounds of 78-70-80 for a 12-over-par total of 228. DeBoer matched Kerska's 54 hole total with rounds of 77, 76, 75.  

"We didn't quite finish the deal," said V-Hawks head coach Jim Socha. "But we're very optimistic about the future. We should be serious contenders in the MCC next season."

The V-Hawks will wrap up their 2011-12 season on Sunday at the St. Norbert Invitational.

La Crosse, Wis. – The Viterbo University baseball team suffered a doubleheader sweep today at the hands of Grand View University 11-0 and 5-3.

In the first game, the Vikings of Grand View University scored a single run in each of the first four innings. The Vikings used a mixture of hits and small ball baseball to help them build a 4-0 lead after four innings. Viterbo starter Martin Aguirre (Sr. – Wenatchee, Wash.) was responsible for those runs as he allowed four runs on seven hits in four innings of work.

Viterbo would threaten in the bottom of the sixth inning as Blake Shepherd (Jr. – Mindoro, Wis.) and Taylor Reinhardt (Fr. – Medford, Wis.) each singled to start the inning. But Vikings starter Joe Ramberg got the next three batters out to get out of the inning. The Vikings would then put the game away in the top of the seventh as they scored seven runs on three hits and an error. The biggest struggles for the V-Hawks in the inning was the inability to get the final out as they walked four batters with two outs.

Ramberg (7-5) pitched the complete game shutout for the Vikings giving up seven hits while striking out five. Aguirre suffered the loss for the V-Hawks as he is now 2-2 on the season. Shepherd led the V-Hawk offense by going 3-3 while Reinhardt was 2-3 for the game.

Game two started out as a defensive battle as V-Hawk starter Blake Shepherd did not allow a hit over the first 4 1/3 innings. After taking a 1-0 run in the first inning, the Vikings extended their lead to 3-0 in the fifth. Viterbo would finally get on the score board in the bottom half of the fifth as they loaded the bases with a walk by Justin Sunderland (Jr. – Hayward, Wis.), a single by Andrew Stoffel (Sr. – Woodbury, Minn.) and a hits batsman for Jeff Clabots (Jr. – Brooklyn Park, Minn.). Sophomore Justin Stiever (Cedarburg, Wis.) would then drive in Sunderland and Stoffel to cut their deficit to 3-2.

The Vikings would score two insurance runs in the top of the sixth on a crucial error. Viterbo would get a run back in the sixth as redshirt freshman Zach Benson (Winona, Minn.) hit his first collegiate home run. But that would be all of the runs Viterbo would get as they were held scoreless in the seventh.

Shepherd (2-4) went the distance for the V-Hawks to suffer the loss as he allowed five runs on five hits while striking out three. Brett Toncar (2-1) picked up the win for the Vikings as he gave up three runs on eight hits while striking out six in his complete game bid. Stoffel led the V-Hawk offense going 2-2 with a run scored while Stiever was 1-4 with 2 RBI's.

Viterbo is now 8-27 on the season and 6-14 in Midwest Collegiate Conference action. Grand View improves to 24-26 overall and keeps their bid for a MCC title alive as they are 16-7 in conference  play. These two teams will complete the series on Sunday with a single nine inning game scheduled for 1:00 pm.

Lincoln, Neb. – For the first time in school history Viterbo University had representation at the United States Bowling Congress Intercollegiate Singles Championships. Juniors Matt Krueger (Green Bay, Wis.) and Rachel Schalow (Marshfield, Wis.) both represented Viterbo University at the championships and fared well.

In the qualifying rounds, Krueger qualified 22nd out of 24 bowlers and Schalow qualified 9th out of 16 bowlers. The qualifying rounds included six games on Tuesday. Krueger had a total score of 1162 with his game high coming in the third round with a 231. Schalow had a total score of 1145 with a game high of 232 which was the fourth highest score of all women's bowlers.

After the qualifying rounds, bowlers were then put into a single elimination tournament. Each round would then consist of a three game series against a single opponent. As the ninth seed, Schalow faced off in the first round against sixteenth seed Brittany Hart of Long Island. Unfortunately, Schalow lost the opening round. Krueger got hot at the right time as he upset #11 seed Daniel Spink of Lindenwood University in the first round. He then defeated #6 Christopher Spoo of Florida Atlantic. Krueger than faced #19 seed Joseph Steiner of Midland University in the quarterfinals and lost a very closely contested match 656-627.

As mentioned earlier, Krueger and Schalow are the first bowlers in school history to qualify for the national tournament. They both qualified for the singles championships by finishing in the top four individually at the USBC Regional Championships back in March.

La Crosse, Wis. – Head Coach Bobbi Vandenberg announced today that Prior Lake (Minn.) High School's Lauren Busse has signed a letter of intent to attend Viterbo University and play basketball for the V-Hawks

Busse is a 5'8 shooting guard who knocked down 41 3-point shots during her senior year for Coach Mike Gidley's Lakers. She led the team in 3-pointers and earned honorable mention all- conference honors in the very competitive South Suburban League. Busse played three summers with the Minnesota Fury Basketball Club and led the team in scoring last summer with 329 points and 71 3-pointers.

"Lauren will provide our team with a consistent scoring threat from the three point line," said Coach Vandenberg. "Lauren is a great shooter, but I also observed her as an obvious leader in her team captain's role and as someone who plays with intelligence and savvy. She is very fundamental and will be a good rebounding guard who can also go inside when needed, so she is a great fit for our offense. She will add another dimension to our fast break attack that I am excited to see. From an academic standpoint, I would consider Lauren to be an elite student, bringing with her almost a year of college credit and outstanding academic record. She is a very positive young woman who possesses great maturity and high goals. She absolutely fits the mold of student-athletes we are working to build our program around."

Busse was the first place winner of the prestigious Nightingale Nursing Scholarship which required a full day of competition with top prospects for the Viterbo University nursing program.  She also earned direct admission to the professional nursing sequence. At Prior Lake, Busse is a member of the National Honor Society, has been a Board Scholar for four years and has earned All-Academic Honors for four years in basketball. Fitting with the Viterbo and NAIA core value of servant leadership, Busse has volunteered at the Catholic Heart Camp and is a member of the Junior Optimist Club.  She is the daughter of Brad and Mary Busse of Prior Lake.

After her signing, Busse commented, "I am so excited for the opportunity to continue playing basketball at Viterbo University with Coach V.  I look forward to being a V-Hawk this fall."

Mount Vernon, Iowa – Returning to competition after the Easter Break, the Viterbo University women's and men's track and field teams had scorers in thirteen events at Saturday's ten team Cornell Open.

Viterbo was led by second place finishes from Cindy Leuck (Sr. – Cashton, Wis.) in the women's 800, the women's 4X800 meter relay team of Leuck, Bea Foley (Sr. – Greenville, Wis.), Amanda McCarthy (So. – Eleva, Wis.) and Janessa Sjobeck (Fr. - Parkers Prairie, Minn.), and from freshmen Jordan Jones (Marietta, Ga.) and Brock Mrdjenovich (Ashland, Wis.) who tied for second place overall in the men's high jump competition. Leuck's time of 2:19.71 was a personal best and sets a new Viterbo record. Mrdjenovich's and Jones's jumps of 1.7 meters tie Jones's personal best and Viterbo record from earlier this season.

Third place finishers for the V-Hawks included Jones in the men's triple jump, and junior Kylie Janovick (Sparta, Wis.) in the women's 400. Freshman David Hale (Pearland, Texas.) was a double scorer, finishing fourth overall in the men's 100, and eighth in the 200 meter final.

Individual scorers also included Foley who earned sixth place overall in the women's 1500 meter run, Lauren Turinetti (Jr. – Wausau, Wis.) who finished seventh in the women's 200 dash and Josh Petersen (So. – Eau Claire, Wis.) who finished eighthin the men's 800 meter run.

 The V-Hawk's will hit the track next at the Phil Esten Challenge at UW-La Crosse on Friday, April 20th.

La Crosse, Wis. – Viterbo University men's basketball head coach Wayne Wagner announced All-State selection, Peter Drummond (Racine, Wis.), has verbally committed to play for the V-Hawks starting this fall.

"Peter is one of the top, true point guards in the state, and was someone that we have had our eye on for quite some time," commented Coach Wagner. "He is a person of great character from a high quality family background and upbringing at home and through Racine Lutheran High School."

"I'm really looking forward to being part of the Viterbo men's basketball team and playing with the other guys," states Drummond. "Viterbo plays the same style of game as my high school team, so I believe I will be a good fit for the team. Coach Wagner is a great coach, but even more important, he cares for you as a person, not just as a basketball player."

A 5'10 guard, Drummond joins the V-Hawks after being a four year performer for Racine Lutheran High School. Drummond, fresh off helping his team to a runner-up finish at the WIAA State tournament, averaged 15.6 points per game and 3.1 assists per game this season. Drummond was named a Division Five First Team All-State selection by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association and a Third Team All-State selection by the Associated Press.

"Pete is a player that will provide great support for our current rotation and provides great stability at the point guard position now and into the future," stated Coach Wagner.

Over his career at Racine Lutheran High School, Drummond had plenty of highlights which included scoring 1,053 points and playing in a school record 103 games. His teams also had plenty of success as they won 87 games and three conference championships.

Drummond has not only had success on the court but in the classroom as well. A national honor society member, Drummond has received honor roll accolades and been named student of the month. Drummond will look to pursue a degree in either Elementary Education or Sports Management at Viterbo. He feels that Viterbo will be a great fit academically due to the small size and student-teacher ratio.

"Viterbo University offers small class sizes, so the students and teachers can have one-on-one time," commented Drummond.

"Peter's make up is one of a true leader," says Coach Wagner. "He will do well on and off the floor here at Viterbo."

La Crosse, Wis. – Senior Martin Aguirre (Wenatchee, Wash.) and junior Blake Shepherd (Mindoro, Wis.) combined for a two hit shutout to lead Viterbo University to a 1-0 win over Ashford University. The win snaps a seven game losing streak for the V-Hawks.

Aguirre (2-1) got off to a great start as he threw a no hitter through 5 1/3 innings and finished by giving up just 2 hits while striking out three in seven innings of work. Aguirre has now allowed just four runs (1 earned) in 20 innings of work this season. Shepherd came on in relief to earn his first save of the season as he did not give up a hit over the final two innings of play.

Offensively, the V-Hawks scored the lone run of the game in the fifth inning. Junior Brady Clark (Greenwood, Ind.) singled and moved to second on a single by Spencer Williams (Jr. – Sacramento, Calif.). Jeff Clabots (Jr. – Brooklyn Park, Minn.) then loaded the bases for the V-Hawks with a single of his own. Sophomore Justin Stiever (Cedarburg, Wis.) then drove in Clark with a sacrifice fly to put the V-Hawks on the scoreboard.

Pat Macaione started on the mound for the Saints but lasted just 2 2/3 innings allowing two hits. Zach Smerz (4-4) came on in relief and suffered the loss for the Saints. He allowed one earned run on five hits in 5 1/3 innings of work.

As a team, the V-Hawks finished with seven hits led by Clabots who finished 2-4 and Williams who was 2-3. Also collecting hits for the V-Hawks was Stiever, Shepherd, and Clark.

The V-Hawks improve to 5-23 on the season and 3-10 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference while the Saints fall to 16-27 overall and 4-10 in the MCC. Viterbo will be in action next when they host a weekend series against MCC foe Mount Mercy University. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday which starts at 1:00 pm and will then play a single nine inning game at 1:00 pm on Sunday.