Wisconsin–La Crosse Eagles
The University of Wisconsin–La Crosse Eagles (casually known as the UW–La Crosse Eagles) are the athletic teams of the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. The Eagles athletic teams compete in at the NCAA Division III as a member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). Wisconsin–La Crosse's teams were known as the Indians from 1937 to 1989. The name was changed because of concerns of racial insensitivity regarding Native Americans; see Native American mascot controversy.[2]
| Wisconsin–La Crosse Eagles | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | University of Wisconsin–La Crosse |
| Conference | WIAC |
| NCAA | Division III |
| Athletic director | Kim Blum |
| Location | La Crosse, Wisconsin |
| Football stadium | Veterans Memorial Stadium |
| Basketball arena | Mitchell Hall Gymnasium |
| Baseball stadium | Copeland Park |
| Softball stadium | North Campus Field |
| Soccer stadium | Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex |
| Lacrosse stadium | Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex |
| Nickname | Eagles |
| Colors | Maroon and gray[1] |
| Website | uwlathletics |
National championships
Team
| Sport | Association | Division | Year | Opponent/Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's cross country (3) | NCAA | Division III | 1996 | North Central (IL) | 86–94 |
| 2001 | Calvin | 80–140 | |||
| 2005 | Calvin | 94–117 | |||
| Women's cross country (1) | NCAA | Division III | 1983 | St. Thomas (MN) | 45–70 |
Individual teams
Football
The Eagles football team plays its home games at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The football program has won three national titles: the NAIA Division II Football National Championship in 1985 and NCAA Division III Football Championship in 1992 and 1995, all during the tenure of Roger Harring, who served as head coach from 1969 to 1999 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005.[3]
Track and field
The Eagles have won 18 team titles at the NCAA Division III Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships and 15 team titles at the NCAA Division III Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships.[4][5] Both totals are the best in Division III history.[6]
Notable athletes
- Jerry Augustine, MLB player
- Will Berzinski, NFL player
- Caleb Boushley, MLB pitcher
- Ben Braun, college basketball coach
- Roman Brumm, NFL player
- Mike Dee, college baseball coach at University of Illinois at Chicago
- Brian Gutekunst, NFL General Manager, Green Bay Packers
- Don Iverson, professional golfer on the PGA Tour
- Don Kindt, Jr., NFL player
- Tom Klawitter, MLB player
- Craig Kusick, baseball player
- Craig Kusick, Jr., Arena Football League quarterback
- Ace Loomis, NFL player
- Mike Maslowski, National Football League (NFL) linebacker
- Ric Mathias, NFL player
- Greg Mattison, NCAA and NFL football coach
- Neal Nelson, Hall of Fame basketball coach
- Tom Newberry, NFL offensive Lineman
- Vinny Rottino, MLB player
- Bill Schroeder, 1994, NFL wide receiver
- Webb Schultz, MLB player
- Ed Servais, college baseball coach at Saint Mary's and Creighton
- Ellen Tronnier, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
- Jeremy Unertl, Arena Football League player
- Joel Williams, NFL linebacker
References
- "Colors and fonts". Retrieved October 15, 2020.
- "U-W La Crosse drops 'Indian' team name". Wausau Daily Herald. Wausau, Wisconsin. April 22, 1989. p. 5A. Retrieved January 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com
. - Anderson, Terry (April 26, 2006). "'Fantastic' honor for Harring". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Green Bay, Wisconsin. p. C6. Retrieved January 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
- "Division III Men's Indoor Track & Field Championship History". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
- "Division III Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championship History". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
- "Wisconsin-La Crosse earns third straight outdoor title". National Collegiate Athletic Association. May 27, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2022.