UW-Oshkosh Hall Of Fame Welcomes Five Inductees

The UW-Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame increased its roster to 179 members with Sunday’s (May 4) induction of Scott Deopere, Tim Dworak, Matt Groose, John Lallensack and Vince Mancuso. The ceremony was held at UW-Oshkosh’s Alumni Welcome and Conference Center.

The UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame was established in 1974 to give tribute and deserved recognition to former athletes, coaches and friends of the university. It is also intended to enhance school tradition by honoring those people who have shown exceptional ability while on the UW-Oshkosh campus and since graduation.

Scott Deopere’s 2000 season was one of the best in NCAA Division III men’s soccer history. After receiving National Player of the Year, Deopere became the first Titan selected in a professional draft.

Deopere holds UW-Oshkosh career records with 173 points, 74 goals and 22 game-winning goals. In 2000, he set the school’s season marks with 61 points and 26 goals in 20 games.

The Titans compiled a 20-2 record and advanced to the 2000 NCAA Division III Final Four as Deopere was named to the All-America First Team. After falling in the season’s fourth game, UW-Oshkosh ran off 17 straight victories. The Titans then defeated Marian University, Trinity University (Texas) and Christopher Newport University (Va.) to reach the Final Four. Deopere scored two goals in the wins over both Marian University and Trinity University.

Deopere scored multiple goals in eight games during 2000. He tallied a conference-record four in a 9-1 win at UW-Superior. Deopere also recorded three goals during victories over Aurora University (Ill.), Lawrence University and St. John’s University (Minn.).

UW-Oshkosh went 17-2-1 and earned a Sweet Sixteen berth in 1999. Deopere was named to the NCAA Division III All-America Second Team after totaling 49 points, 19 goals and 11 assists in 20 matches.

During his freshman campaign (1997), Deopere scored on 37 percent of his shots. His statistics included 13 goals and five assists for 34 points. Deopere followed that up with 15 goals in 1998.

The Titans totaled an overall record of 60-17-2 with Deopere on the roster.

On February 9, 2001, the Cincinnati Riverhawks took Deopere in the first round of the United Soccer League Draft. In 2011, Deopere was named to the WIAC All-Centennial Men’s Soccer Team.

Deopere earned his master’s degree in sports administration from the University of Louisville (Ky.) during 2004. Since then, he’s worked with Block Communications as an account executive for the Louisville FOX television affiliate. Deopere was named the company’s 2012 Sales Executive of the Year.

Deopere and his wife, Tiffiney, live in Bardstown, Ky. They are the parents of Matti, Will and Catherine.

Tim Dworak is the second-leading scorer and third-leading rebounder in UW-Oshkosh history. But most Titan fans remember him for one shot on February 23, 2002.

After winning the league’s regular-season title, UW-Oshkosh trailed UW-Whitewater 69-67 with just seconds left in the championship game of the WIAC Tournament. Scott Sowinski started at the top of the key before passing to Dworak in the corner. Dworak then launched a three-pointer that swished through the net at the buzzer. Kolf Sports Center erupted as the Titans clinched a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Dworak’s shot extended UW-Oshkosh’s season – one that ended in the Sweet Sixteen with a program-record 24 victories. The Titans then reached the Elite Eight the next year while achieving a 25-7 mark.

Dworak was named WIAC Player of the Year in both 2002 and 2003. His 2003 campaign featured averages of 22.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 64 percent shooting from the field. He also made 135 free throws while totaling 47 steals and 45 blocks.

During the 2003 NCAA Tournament, Dworak led the Titans to victory with 36 points against Hope College (Mich.) and 27 against Randolph-Macon College (Va.). After tallying 29 points in the Elite Eight loss to fourth-ranked Hampden-Sydney College (Va.), Dworak was voted the Sectional’s Most Outstanding Player.

Dworak started all 30 games in 2002, averaging 23.5 points and 8.5 rebounds. The NCAA Division III West Region Player of the Year helped UW-Oshkosh capture the WIAC title with an 11-5 record.

Dworak was named to the NCAA Division III All-America First Team during 2002 and the Second Team in 2003.

The Titans went 18-9 in Dworak’s sophomore season, as he averaged 15.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Dworak appeared in 24 games his freshman year, averaging 6.1 points and 4.5 rebounds.

Ranking second in WIAC history, Dworak finished with a .610 field goal percentage. He played in 112 games while amassing 1,999 points and 784 rebounds. Dworak scored in double figures his last 69 games. UW-Oshkosh compiled an 82-33 record with Dworak for the best four-year run in school history.

Dworak was named to the WIAC All-Centennial Men’s Basketball Team in 2011, as well as the D3hoops.com All-Decade Team (1998-2007).

Following his collegiate career, Dworak had free agent tryouts with both the Green Bay Packers and the Milwaukee Bucks.

He currently is a science teacher and head girls basketball coach at Columbus High School. Dworak and his wife, Katie, have two children – Aiden and Austin.

There have been dozens of All-Americans in the history of UW-Oshkosh men’s track & field. Matt Groose collected 10 All-America awards – the most of any Titan.

Groose accumulated 12 WIAC titles and five national crowns from 2000-03. He dominated the conference’s 800-meter run, winning outdoor championships in 2000, 2002 and 2003, and indoor titles during 2002 and 2003.

At the 2002 NCAA Division III Indoor Championship, Groose was named the Outstanding Track Athlete after winning the 800-meter run and helping the Titans place second in the distance medley relay. His 800-meter time of 1:49.73 is still the meet record.

Groose repeated as champion in the 800 and led UW-Oshkosh to a distance medley relay triumph in 2003. The Titans finished second at the indoor national meet in both 2001 and 2003. Groose’s indoor accolades concluded with All-America performances in the 1,500-meter run during 2001 and the distance medley relay in 2000.

Outdoors, Groose won back-to-back national titles in the 800 during 2001 and 2002. He tallied All-America results by placing second in the 800 during 2003 and eighth in the 1,500 during 2000. The Titans finished third in the team standings in 2003.

Groose was a four-time WIAC champion in the 1,500-meter run, prevailing twice indoors (2001, 2003) and outdoors (2001-02). He then ran a leg on the victorious distance medley relay squads in 2000, 2002 and 2003. UW-Oshkosh won the WIAC indoor title in 2001.

In the school record book, Groose owns the top time in six events. He holds indoor records at 600, 800 and 1,000 meters, along with the mile run. Groose’s outdoor records include the 800-meter run and the mile.

Groose also contributed to the Titans’ national cross country title in 2002. UW-Oshkosh won the WIAC crown during both 2002 and 2003. A fifth-place finish at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional and a sixth-place showing at the WIAC Championship highlighted Groose’s 2003 season.

Following his collegiate career, Groose ran at four USA Track Championships from 2005-07. He finished fifth in the 800-meter run at the 2007 indoor event. In 2005, Groose clocked a personal-best time of 4:00 in the mile. He also completed the Ironman Wisconsin triathlon in 2011.

During 2012, Groose was named to the WIAC All-Centennial Men’s Track & Field Team.

Groose currently lives in Fitchburg and works as a customer advocate for Subzero-Wolf. His wife, Molly, is expecting their first child this summer.

UW-Oshkosh’s 1968 men’s basketball team placed third at the NAIA Tournament for the highest national finish in program history. John Lallensack was a major reason why, averaging 15.4 points and 14.5 rebounds per game.

Lallensack played three years (1966-68) for the Titans while setting a pair of school records. He holds the WIAC record with 35 rebounds in a game against UW-Superior in 1967. During 1968, Lallensack grabbed 421 rebounds – a total that ranks fifth in league history.

UW-Oshkosh opened the 1968 season with a school-record 12 straight victories. One of those contests was a 133-100 win at UW-Whitewater. The Titans went on to capture the WIAC title with a 13-3 record.

UW-Oshkosh defeated Lakeland College twice in the NAIA District 14 Playoffs to reach the NAIA Tournament in Kansas City, Mo. Lallensack helped the Titans to wins over Guilford, Eastern Montana College and Drury University (Mo.) to reach the Final Four. After dropping a two-point contest to Fairmont State University (W.Va.), UW-Oshkosh bounced back with a 102-68 triumph over Westminster College (Pa.) in the third-place game.

Lallensack was voted the 1968 WIAC Player of the Year. He made the all-conference team during 1967, when he totaled 15.8 points and 12.6 rebounds per game. In 1966, Lallensack counted averages of 16.6 points and 8.4 rebounds.

The Titans went 55-19 during Lallensack’s career, including a 23-6 record during 1968 and a 17-6 mark in 1967. UW-Oshkosh’s 1967 squad earned the WIAC title with a 14-2 record.

Lallensack finished with 1,179 points and 897 rebounds. His rebounding total ranks second in school history.

Seven men from that 1968 team now hold a place in the UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame. Lallensack joins Coach White, Assistant Coach Russ Tiedemann and players Ron Hayek, Mike Malone, Dale Race and Tom Witasek.

Following his collegiate career, Lallensack became an accounting professional and ran his own tax consulting company. He is retired and lives with his wife, Jean, in Oro Valley, Ariz.

Vince Mancuso suffered a season-ending injury during 2002. When he returned in 2003, he made sure that his senior year would be a memorable one.

Mancuso did it all during 2003, winning National Player of the Year and leading UW-Oshkosh to the NCAA Division III World Series. He hit .465 with 17 home runs, 67 runs scored and 70 runs batted in. Opponents just couldn’t get Mancuso out, as he tallied a .595 on-base percentage.

The Titans won the Oshkosh Regional to earn a trip to the 2003 NCAA Division III World Series in Appleton. UW-Oshkosh finished fifth at the tournament for a season record of 37-8.

Mancuso helped the Titans to the 1999 WIAC championship during his freshman season. He batted .353 with two home runs and 18 RBI. UW-Oshkosh compiled a 34-4 record for one of the best seasons in program history.

In 2000, Mancuso made the All-WIAC First Team with his .333 batting average, seven home runs, 43 runs and 44 RBI. He repeated on the all-conference team in 2001, hitting .330 with seven round-trippers, 32 runs and 29 RBI.

In WIAC history, Mancuso ranks seventh with 171 RBI, eighth with a .677 slugging percentage and 11th with 36 home runs. His career totals also include a .377 average, 195 hits, 174 runs, 100 walks, 33 doubles and seven triples in 151 games.

The Titans posted a 127-29 record during Mancuso’s four full seasons.

Mancuso was selected to the WIAC All-Centennial Baseball Team in 2012 and the D3baseball.com All-Decade Team (2000-09).

Mancuso has been a health and physical education teacher at Hartland Arrowhead High School since 2006. He’s coached the baseball team the last four seasons while also serving as a strength coach and football assistant. Mancuso helped the Warhawks win WIAA Division 1 football titles in 2007 and 2013.

Mancuso and his wife, Jona, live in Pewaukee with their son, Giovanni.

Biographies by Jon Feyen