Baseball

UW-La Crosse Selected To Win Baseball Title

MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse has been selected to secure the 2024 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) baseball championship, according to a preseason poll conducted by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
 
The Eagles, ranked No. 9 in the D3baseball.com/National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason Top 25, won the WIAC Tournament title for the fourth time in program archives a season ago and advanced to the NCAA Division III World Series for the third time. UW-La Crosse returns Isaiah Katz, who collected WIAC Pitcher of the Year honors in 2023, as well as Mac Born and Tyler Schmitt, who received WIAC Newcomer of the Year distinction in 2021 and 2023, respectively.
 
UW-Stevens Point, ranked No. 13 by D3baseball.com/NCBWA, is pegged for second in the WIAC race. The Pointers claimed the conference regular-season crown a year ago – the 11th in school history – and claimed a spot in a NCAA Division III Super Regional for the second consecutive year. Three-time All-WIAC first team selection Bradley Comer will anchor the UW-Stevens Point lineup.
 
UW-Whitewater’s Adam Cootway is the reigning WIAC Position Player of the Year for the 21-time regular-season conference champion Warhawks, who are ranked No. 21 by D3baseball.com/NCBWA.
 
UW-Stevens Point is followed in the conference predictions by: UW-Whitewater; UW-Oshkosh; UW-Stout; UW-Platteville; and UW-Eau Claire.
 
The 2024 campaign welcomes a new head coach to the conference as Patrick Reilly takes over at UW-Eau Claire. He spent the last 13 years on the baseball staff at Winona State University (Minn.).
 
The 24-game conference schedule for each team begins on March 29. The top-four teams in the standings will secure a spot in the double-elimination WIAC Tournament (presented by Culver’s) that will be conducted May 9-11 at the No. 1 seed. The winner of the tournament receives the conference’s automatic NCAA bid.
 
2024 Preseason Predictions (Voted on by WIAC head coaches and sports information directors)
 
2023 Record
1. UW-La Crosse (36-13 overall, 18-6 WIAC)
2. UW-Stevens Point (33-14, 19-5)
3. UW-Whitewater (30-13, 15-9)
4. UW-Oshkosh (25-15, 15-9)
5. UW-Stout (15-18, 7-17)
6. UW-Platteville (10-25, 7-17)
7. UW-Eau Claire (12-27, 3-21)

Team Capsules
 
UW-Eau Claire
Head Coach:  Patrick Reilly; 1st season at UWEC
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  26/17
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  6/3
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  6/6
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  1/0

Returning All-WIAC:  Walter Johnson, Jr., 1B (2023-Honorable)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Austin Buck, So., 3B; Ryan Casimier, So., SS; Drew Salyers, Jr., OF
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Joe Clinton, Jr., RHP; Charley Griffin, Sr., RHP; Aaron Skrypek, So., LHP
 
 
UW-La Crosse
Head Coach:  Chris Schwarz; 20th season at UWL; 463-314-2
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  25/7
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  7/2
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  5/1
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  3/0

Returning All-WIAC:  Owen Anderson, Jr., RHP (2023-First); Mac Born, Jr., UTIL (2021-Honorable/Newcomer of the Year, 2022-First, 2023-First); Owen Deprez, So., LHP (2023-Honorable); Isaiah Katz, Jr., RHP (2023-First/Pitcher of the Year); Caleb Matl, Sr., LHP (2022-First, 2023-Honorable); Jack Olver, Jr., INF (2022-First, 2023-Honorable); Logan Pye, Jr., INF (2023-Honorable); Tyler Schmitt, So., RHP (2023-First/Newcomer of the Year); Anthony Vivian, Jr., OF (2023-First)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Jack Moran, Sr., INF; George Seaman, Jr., 1B; Tim Urlaub, Sr., C
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Owen Anderson, Jr., RHP; Tucker Bouche, Jr., RHP; Mitchell Fassbender, Jr., LHP
 
 
UW-Oshkosh
Head Coach:  Kevin Tomasiewicz; 11th season at UWO; 207-165-1
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  28/13
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  5/4
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  3/3
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  3/1

Returning All-WIAC:  Connor Brinkman, Jr., LHP (2022-First/Newcomer of the Year, 2023-First); Mason Kirchberg, Jr., INF (2023-Honorable); Nicholas Shiu, Jr., OF (2023-Honorable); Jake Surane, Sr., OF (2023-First); LJ Waco, Sr., RHP (2023-First)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Brenden Max, So., OF
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Connor Walters, So., RHP
 
 
UW-Platteville
Head Coach:  Chad Harris; 6th season at UWP (14th overall); 188-270 (overall) / 61-97 (UWP)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  27/14
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  4/5
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  3/2
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  3/0


Returning All-WIAC:  Justin Fago, Jr., DH (2023-First); Brady Hoppert, Jr., RHP (2022-Honorable)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Wyatt Molitor, Sr., INF; Chris Tsouras, So., OF
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Isaac Bixby, Jr., RHP; Brandon Molldrem, Sr., RHP
 
 
UW-Stevens Point
Head Coach:  Nat Richter; 4th season at UWSP; 107-35
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  29/16
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  6/3
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  6/1
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  2/1

Returning All-WIAC:  Jakob Boos, Sr., INF (2023-Honorable); Bradey Comer, Sr., INF (2021-First, 2022-First, 2023-First); Sidney Ferry, Sr., RHP (2021-First, 2022-First, 2023-Honorable); Nick Paulsen, Sr., LHP (2023-First); Casey Pickering, Sr., RHP (2021-Honorable, 2022-First, 2023-First); JD Schultz, Sr., RHP (2021-Honorable, 2023-First); Anthony Tomczak, Jr., C (2022-Honorable, 2023-Honorable); Mason Weckler, So., RHP (2023-Honorable)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Logan Homolka, So., INF; Kamden Oliver, So., INF; Tyler Soule, So., INF; Trent Van Ess, Sr., OF
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Tyler Beyer, Sr., RHP; Nathan Krommenakker, Sr., RHP
 
 
UW-Stout
Head Coach:  Ben Kincaid; 8th season at UWST; 101-128
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  29/6
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  8/1
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  5/2
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  4/1

Returning All-WIAC:  Tucker Beving, So., RHP (2023-Honorable); Justin Sedin, Sr., 1B (2023-First)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Riley Boushack, Sr., OF; Leyton Bowers, So., INF; Jacoby Endreas, Sr., INF/DH
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Drew Buss, Jr., RHP; Connor Hemme, Sr., RHP; Trevor Miller, Jr., RHP
 
 
UW-Whitewater
Head Coach:  John Vodenlich; 23rd season (21st at UWW); 712-257-1 (overall) / 683-217-1 (UWW)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  20/33
Starting Position Players Returning/Lost:  7/9
Pitchers with Starting Experience Returning/Lost:  4/4
Pitchers with Saves Returning/Lost:  2/2

Returning All-WIAC:  Cade Berendt, Sr., LHP (2022-First, 2023-Honorable); Adam Cootway, Sr., OF (2023-First/Position Player of the Year); Sam Paden, Jr., OF (2023-First); Matt Scolan, Jr., OF (2023-First)
 
Notable Returning Position Players:  Eli Frank, Jr., 1B; Bennet Frazer, Sr., INF; Alex Najera, Jr., OF
 
Notable Returning Pitchers:  Max Huseboe, Sr., RHP
 
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