Besides those competing at the National meet for track and field in Canton, NY at the end of this month, all teams concluded the year with the annual All-Athlete Honor Banquet on Sunday, May10th. This year brought many ups and downs for Stout athletics. Highlighting the year, here are your top five performances of all sports for the year 2014-2015, starting at the fifth best moment.
Photo Credit: UW-Stout Athletic Department
5. Lauren Kizlik’s Hat Trick Against Gustavus
On quite the rainy night on Nelson Field in Menomonie, the Women’s Stout Soccer team defeated Gustavus Adolphus 6-2. It was a big night for Stout offensely as Stout had four different players each scoring at least one goal. Three of those goals, however, were scored by sophomore forward Lauren Kizlik. This feat of scoring a hat trick had not been done since their season in 2010. After missing three of her first shots, Kizlik scored on her next three in the 27th, 57th, and 59th minute of the match. Helping Kizlik out with her goals, sophomore forward Kelly Conn assisted Kizlik on both her first and third goal of the night. Assisting Kizlik’s second goal was none othe than her older sister Jenna Kizlik. Lauren Kizlik’s hat trick against Gustavus earned Lauren the Northwestern Mutual UW-Stout Athlete of the Week for that week in Stout athletics. Lauren Kizlik was also one of three players to be named to All-Conference this year.
Photo Credit: UW-Stout Athletic Department
4. Baseball’s Upset Against Nationally Ranked St. Thomas
Originally Stout was supposed to host St. Thomas in Menomonie one Saturday afternoon, however due to bad field conditions the game was moved to St. Thomas’ field. Had the game’s location not been switched, the victory may not have been as sweet. At the time St. Thomas was ranked fourth in the nation by the American Baseball Coaches Association and was definitely expected to come out on top. However, Stout being the underdogs had nothing to lose and appeared to have not found difficulty in sweeping the Tommies as they jumped to early leads in both games. In the first game, Stout scored five runs before St. Thomas even scored one. The conclusion of the game was 6-2. In the second game, Stout was able to, again, gain an early lead over St. Thomas as they scored five in the second inning. Stout really had a big second game scoring 16 runs against the very talented team of St. Thomas. The final score of the second game was 16-4.
Photo Credit: UW-Stout Athletic Department
3. Women’s Golf Team’s Performance at the WIAC Championship Meet
The women’s golf team this year has had successful seasons in both the fall and spring, full of many excellent team performances. One of these being their performance at the WIAC Conference Championship meet, which they placed first at. Stout earned the first place ranking after the first day of competition and held on to the lead both of the remaining days in the series. Stout scored 334 on the first day, 311 on the second day, and 321 on the last day, giving them a score of 966. Second place was UW-Eau Claire with 1000 points. Stout’s performance on the second day beat the tournament record for the WIAC. With this well-earned first place finish, the golf team earned a bid to the National Division III meet which was held in Florida this year. For a second time this year, the women’s golf team earned their way to the National Divison III meet in the spring.
Photo Credit: Matt Schauf
2. Women’s 4×400-meter Relay Team’s Conference Title
For the first time in the women’s track and field program history, a team in the 4×400 meter relay earned a Conference title. Included in the relay was Laurisa Titterud, Molly Brion, Alex Titterud, and Jada Hamilton. This team was able to earn All-Conference honors as they beat the second place team by just eight hundredths of a second. The 4×400 meter relay team’s first place finish was key to the women’s track and field team placing fourth overall in the meet. This performance is also the best the program has had in recent years. Later on in the indoor season, this same relay team advanced to the Indoor Track and Field Nationals meet where they earned All-American honors with their eighth place finish in Winston-Salem, NC.
Photo Credit: UW-Stout Athletic Department
1. Kenzie Hyde and Her Personal Record on the Uneven Bars
As voted by all the athletes and coaches, Kenzie Hyde took home the first ever “Game Performance of the Year” award at the banquet on Sunday. Stout was one full point behind Winona State in fourth place on the last rotation as freshman Hyde stepped up to the uneven bars at the WIAC Championship meet. Adding to the pressure, Stout and Winona State both already had two falls previously in that event, so it was up to Hyde to make up the one point difference between advancing to Nationals or not. That did not seem to get to Hyde though, as she beat her personal record and landed a 9.675. It was Hyde’s performance in the end that put Stout gymnastics just two tenths of a point ahead of Winona State to advance them to Nationals.