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Yahoo! Contributor NetworkWisconsin-Whitewater is First NCAA Div. III School to Win Basketball and Football Titles in Same Year: Fan’s View
For fans of University of Wisconsin-Whitewater sports, these are the best of times. The school won the 2011-12 NCAA Division III men's basketball championship on March 17th, defeating Cabrini College (PA) 63-60 in Salem, Virginia. Back on December 16th, 2011, Whitewater won another championship in Salem. The Warhawks defeated Mount Union (OH) 13-10 in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, the Division III championship game, to win their third straight title. Whitewater is the only Division III school to win a football national championship and men's basketball championship in the same school year. Division I Florida is the only other school to win two such championships in the same school year (2006-7).
The basketball championship almost didn't happen. Cabrini had an 18 point lead with 14:43 left in the game before Whitewater stormed back and tied the game 55-55 with 3:19 left. Whitewater took the lead for good with 1:10 left and held on as Cabrini's comeback fell short. It was the third NCAA basketball championship for Whitewater (1984, 1989).
Forward Chris Davis was named Most Outstanding Player in the tournament, and was also D3Hoops.com Player of the Year. He averaged 22.2 points per game and 7.9 rebounds per game this season, but more importantly, he serves as an example of someone who turned his life around. Davis briefly dropped out of high school and was headed in the wrong direction with the wrong crowd when he decided he needed to change. He returned to school and hopes to someday teach other troubled kids that they too can succeed in life.
Football
Unlike the FBS, NCAA Division III schools participate in an actual tournament to determine the football championship. In what has turned into a yearly event, Whitewater and Mount Union have played in the last seven Stagg Bowls. The Warhawks have won three straight championships and four of the last five. Whitewater lost to Mount Union on December 20th, 2008 in that season's Stagg Bowl. The Warhawks have not lost since then, and will enter the 2012 season with a 45 game winning streak.
So while life is good for Warhawks fans now, there's always room for improvement. How about a trifecta? It's a long shot, but Whitewater's baseball team is ranked 11th in the latest D3Baseball.com poll, and the Warhawks did win the Division III baseball championship back in 2005….
Mark Hudziak is a Featured Contributor in Sports for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and is a UW-Whitewater graduate.
Sources:
Basketball championship game recap from UW-Whitewater athletics website
Chris Davis went from dropout to standout
Wis.-Whitewater wins NCAA Div. III title
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