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From the WIAC --

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, who received WIAC Newcomer of the Year distinction in 2021.

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 (Entering the 2024 season)

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); 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