2013 UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame
The UW-Oshkosh Athletic Hall of Fame welcomed its largest class ever with eight former athletes in a ceremony held on May 5 at UW-Oshkosh’s Reeve Memorial Union.
The 2013 inductees were Tiffany (Barden) Losinski, Vicki Drewa, Kevin Mlodik, Jennifer (Pekulik) Petricek, Mitchell Poppen, Aaron Richartz, Deb Vercauteren and John Zupanc joined the exclusive club, which now has 174 members.
The UW-Oshkosh Athletic 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.
Tiffany Barden was a model of consistent excellence, gaining two All-America awards in each of her four gymnastics seasons.
Barden’s eight All-America finishes at the NCGA Championship include a national balance beam title from 1996. She also placed in the top-six of the all-around competition every year from 1996-99.
During her freshman season, Barden won her first of seven WIAC championships. She tallied a score of 9.30 to capture the balance beam crown, helping the Titans win the league title. UW-Oshkosh then placed fifth at the national championship, as Barden took third in the all-around competition.
In 1997, Barden added three more conference titles. She posted winning marks of 9.275 on the vault, 9.175 on the uneven bars and 36.225 in the all-around competition. Barden went on to the NCGA Championship, where she finished third on the balance beam and fourth in the all-around event.
The Titans earned fourth place at the NCGA Championship during both 1998 and 1999. In 1998, Barden contributed All-America showings of fifth in the floor exercise and sixth in the all-around competition. She also tied for first at the 1998 WIAC Championship with a 9.475 in the floor exercise.
The Stevens Point Area High School graduate capped her WIAC career with 1999 victories on the uneven bars and in the all-around event. At the national meet, Barden listed second on the balance beam and third in the all-around.
Last year, Barden was one of 17 women named to the WIAC All-Centennial Gymnastics Team.
Following graduation, Barden worked as a veterinary technician and assistant. She was an animal care specialist at Sea World Orlando from 2001-06. Barden currently is the manager and a coach at Carousel Gymnastics, LLC, which she runs with her mother in Waupaca.
Barden and her husband, Mike Losinski, have two young children, Izabelle and Parker.
With nine national championships, women’s outdoor track & field is UW-Oshkosh’s most successful program. Vicki Drewa was a key factor in putting the Titans on the map, helping the school to its first titles in 1990 and 1991.
Drewa attained 10 All-America plaques in the throwing events from 1990-93. UW-Oshkosh won the WIAC Indoor Track & Field Championship during all four of her years.
The Titans won both WIAC crowns and the outdoor national title in 1990. Drewa contributed seven points at the NCAA Outdoor Championship with her fifth-place distance of 42-4.75 in the shot put and a sixth-place mark of 137-9 with the discus. Indoors, she finished second with a shot put of 43-9.75.
Drewa launched the discus 145-7 to earn gold at the 1991 WIAC Championship. She then secured fourth place (144-6) at nationals as UW-Oshkosh earned its second consecutive outdoor title. Drewa also took fifth in the outdoor shot put with a distance of 45-0.25.
In 1992, Drewa posted another WIAC crown and three All-America awards. With a throw of 127-2, she took the league javelin title. Drewa eventually placed fourth nationally in the indoor shot put (43-2.5), sixth in the outdoor shot put (43-4.5) and eighth in the discus (138-5).
During her senior season, Drewa received UW-Oshkosh’s John Taylor Scholar-Athlete Award. She concluded her NCAA Division III Championship career by placing second at the indoor shot put (44-2) and third in the discus (140-10).
Drewa, from Kaukauna High School, was named to the WIAC All-Centennial Women’s Track & Field Team in 2012.
Drewa earned her master’s degree from National Louis University in 1999. Since then, she’s been an elementary school teacher in Chicago, Ill.
The 1994 baseball season couldn’t have gone any better for Kevin Mlodik. He started eight games and posted an 8-0 record. UW-Oshkosh then won the national championship.
The Titans captured a WIAC title and reached the NCAA Division III World Series during each of Mlodik’s three seasons. For his career, Mlodik ranks eighth in league history with a 2.50 earned run average.
During 1993, UW-Oshkosh went 28-15 and advanced to the national title game, where it fell to Montclair State University (N.J.) by a 3-1 score. Mlodik finished his first season with a 1-1 record and 15 strikeouts in 11.1 innings.
Mlodik was dominant in 1994 as the Titans posted the best season (41-4) in program history. He threw a complete game in seven of his eight starts, including three shutouts. Mlodik compiled a miniscule 0.93 earned run average and 68 strikeouts in 58 innings to earn spots on the All-WIAC and All-Midwest Region teams. UW-Oshkosh won its final 13 games while taking the national crown.
Increasing his workload in 1995, Mlodik broke the school record with 89.1 innings pitched. He fanned 79 batters, to go with a 10-3 record and five complete games. Mlodik finished with two shutouts and a 2.52 earned run average to gain All-America honors. UW-Oshkosh (39-5) booked 24 straight wins late in the year before placing third at the NCAA Division III Championship.
Mlodik pitched in 27 games for the Titans, totaling a 19-4 record, 12 complete games, five shutouts and 162 strikeouts over 158.2 innings. With Mlodik on the roster, UW-Oshkosh compiled an overall record of 108-24.
In the 1995 MLB Draft, the Oakland Athletics picked Mlodik during the 14th round. He spent five years in the minor leagues and was named the Dave Stewart Community Player of the Year during 1996. At the Single A level, Mlodik recorded a 2.53 earned run average and 167 strikeouts over 156.1 innings.
A graduate of Rosholt High School, Mlodik spent the last 13 years teaching in Wisconsin Rapids. He’s also coached youth baseball for the past 11 years.
There have been just three 20-win seasons in the history of UW-Oshkosh women’s tennis. Jennifer Pekulik owns two of them.
Pekulik, a graduate of Sheboygan Falls High School, is the Titans’ all-time leader with 75 victories. She tallied at least 16 wins during each of her four years. Pekulik then became the first UW-Oshkosh individual to qualify for the NCAA Division III Championship.
Pekulik’s 1997 freshman campaign remains the best in school history. She posted a 20-1 record en route to the WIAC title at No. 5 singles.
In her sophomore season, Pekulik compiled a 16-3 singles mark while winning the second flight at the WIAC Championship. She also excelled in doubles play with Brittany Moser, as the duo went 15-1.
Ironically, Pekulik teamed with both Debra Ashenbrenner (66) and Moser (56), who rank second and third in program history for singles wins.
Pekulik and Ashenbrenner totaled an 11-1 record at No. 1 doubles during 1999. They went on to win the WIAC title – one of three Titan groups with a crown since 1980. Pekulik added a 17-7 singles record in her junior campaign.
In her senior year, Pekulik won 22 singles matches (22-6) for a school mark that still stands today. She also thrived with Ashenbrenner for a 19-9 doubles record.
Pekulik was one of 32 women selected to compete at the 2001 NCAA Division III Championship. Following that season, she received UW-Oshkosh’s John Taylor Scholar-Athlete and Phyllis Roney Coaches awards.
Pekulik received WIAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and was named a Scholar-Athlete All-American by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association during 2000. She then earned Academic All-American honors in 2001.
Pekulik currently teaches middle school English for the Racine Unified School District. She and her husband, Tim Petricek, have a son, Connor.
Mitchell Poppen was the reliable goalkeeper as UW-Oshkosh earned national prominence from 1990-93. Poppen helped the Titans to their first NCAA Tournament, and two years later a berth in the Elite Eight.
Poppen’s senior year got off to a great start as UW-Oshkosh opened 5-0. The Titans then won their last six matches of the regular season to make the NCAA Division III Championship. UW-Oshkosh posted victories of 2-1 over Washington University (Mo.) and 1-0 over Wheaton College (Ill.) to reach the Elite Eight, where Kenyon College (Ohio) eliminated the Titans with a 2-0 decision.
Named to the 1993 All-Midwest Region Team, Poppen totaled a 15-4 record, 10 shutouts, 83 saves and a 0.72 goals-against average. He was also selected as an Academic All-American.
The Titans finished with a 13-3-1 record during 1992 as Poppen earned five shutouts, 43 saves and a 0.86 goals-against average. He received All-Midwest Region Second Team honors, along with his second of three straight WISA first-team awards.
UW-Oshkosh started the 1991 season with a 1-2 record, but the Titans finished undefeated over their last 16 matches (13-0-3). Selected for the NCAA Division III Tournament, UW-Oshkosh met the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) in the first round.
The Titans prevailed 2-1 over the Tommies for the program’s first postseason victory. UW-Oshkosh then tied the University of California San Diego before being eliminated in a shootout. Poppen totaled a 13-2-3 record, six shutouts, 68 saves and a 0.99 goals-against average during 1991. He also booked five assists.
In his freshman year, Poppen marked a shutout in seven of his 13 starts. He compiled a 7-2-4 record and 0.68 goals-against average.
Poppen’s career numbers feature a 46-11-8 record, 28 shutouts, 240 saves and a 0.81 goals-against average in 67 contests. Last year, he was named to the WIAC All-Centennial Men’s Soccer Team.
After the Burnsville, Minn., native graduated from UW-Oshkosh in 1994, Poppen worked as an accountant in Madison and the Fox Valley. Since 2004, he’s been the chief financial officer for Flad Affiliated Corp in Madison.
Poppen lives in Verona with his wife, Kari, and children, Ethan, Kirstin and Tessa.
Aaron Richartz manned the hot corner from 1991-94 as UW-Oshkosh had one of the best runs in NCAA Division III history. The third baseman earned three All-America awards, while the Titans made the World Series all four years.
UW-Oshkosh won the WIAC title every season with Richartz on the roster. His freshman campaign featured 31 hits, 19 runs batted in and 18 runs scored as the Titans (27-15) finished third at the NCAA Division III Championship.
Richartz was named to the All-WIAC, All-Midwest Region and All-America first teams during 1992. He totaled nine home runs, 40 runs batted in, and 44 runs scored. Richartz played in all 44 games for UW-Oshkosh, which went 36-8 to place fifth at the national tournament.
The Titans advanced all the way to the NCAA Division III final in 1993, but settled for second place after a 3-1 defeat to Montclair State University (N.J.). Richartz finished the season with eight homers, 31 runs batted in, and 24 runs scored.
UW-Oshkosh bounced back with the top record in program history (41-4) during 1994. Richartz crushed 17 home runs – a total that’s been eclipsed by just seven WIAC players in the past 20 years. He also racked up 64 hits, 56 runs batted in, and 63 runs scored in 45 games. The Titans capped the year with a 6-2 win over Wesleyan University (Conn.) for the national championship.
Richartz, a member of the WIAC All-Centennial Baseball Team, finished his 163-game career with a .371 batting average, 35 home runs, 146 runs batted in, and 149 runs scored.
During his four years, the Titans compiled an overall record of 132-42.
Since 2005, Richartz has been the executive services manager for Mail Source, Inc. The Menomonie High School graduate lives in Menomonie with his wife, Jamie, and sons, Blais and Brigs.
In 1981, Deb Vercauteren started the UW-Oshkosh women’s cross country team. Over the next 30 years, she built it into one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division III history.
The USTFCCCA named Vercauteren its Women’s Cross Country Silver Anniversary Coach during 2005, recognizing her as the sport’s best leader of the previous 25 years.
Vercauteren goes into the UW-Oshkosh Athletic Hall of Fame with her husband, John Zupanc, who coached men’s cross country and track & field at UW-Oshkosh from 1981-2010. The couple is retired and lives in Omro.
Overall, Vercauteren guided UW-Oshkosh to 18 national championships. Eight of those titles were for women’s outdoor track & field during 1990-91, 1995-97, 2004 and 2006-07. Her teams added eight other top-three finishes at the national meet and 10 WIAC championships. Vercauteren was named National Coach of the Year in 1994 and WIAC Coach of the Year nine times (1988-89, 1991, 1994-97, 2004, 2006).
Leading the women’s indoor track & field program from 1982-2009, Vercauteren coached the Titans to a pair of three-peats. UW-Oshkosh won national championships from 1984-86 and 2004-06. She received National Coach of the Year in 2006 and nine WIAC Coach of the Year awards in 1988-89, 1991, 1994-97, 1999 and 2006. Vercauteren captured 11 league titles, while her athletes placed first in 161 WIAC Championship events.
From 1986-2000, UW-Oshkosh won 15 straight WIAC women’s cross country championships. Vercauteren was voted National Coach of the Year twice (1995, 1996) and WIAC Coach of the Year 10 times (1983, 1986-89, 1993-96, 1999). One of her top runners was Tiffany (Speckman) Ebensperger, who totaled three WIAC championships and three All-America awards.
Vercauteren’s athletes combined for 58 individual national titles, along with 331 All-America finishes and 12 Academic All-America honors.
Vercauteren, from Ashwaubenon, was inducted into the USTFCCCA Hall of Fame in 2006 and the WIAC Hall of Fame in 2012. During the conference’s centennial celebration, Vercauteren was named the all-time coach for both women’s cross country and women’s track & field.
The USTFCCCA named its top honor after Vercauteren in 2008. The Deb Vercauteren Program of the Year Award is annually presented to the best women’s cross country and track & field program in the NCAA Division III.
John Zupanc was the first coach in NCAA Division III history to win three straight cross country championships.
Zupanc served as UW-Oshkosh’s head coach for men’s cross country from 1982-2010, men’s indoor track & field from 2006-10 and men’s outdoor track & field from 2005-10. He also was the assistant coach for men’s track & field from 1981-2005.
Zupanc goes into the UW-Oshkosh Athletic Hall of Fame with his wife, Deb Vercauteren, who coached women’s cross country and track & field at UW-Oshkosh from 1981-2010. The couple is retired and lives in Omro.
During 1988, the Titans finished second at both the WIAC Cross Country Championship at the Midwest Regional. Zupanc then led UW-Oshkosh to first place at the NCAA Division III Championship with a nine-point win over North Central College (Ill.).
The Titans defended their national crown in both 1989 and 1990 over second-place North Central College, including a 63-point margin of victory during 1989.
During 2002, Zupanc was named National Coach of the Year as UW-Oshkosh captured its fourth NCAA Division III title.
Zupanc coached the Titans to seven WIAC championships in 1989-90, 1992, 1995, 2000 and 2002-03. He received the league’s Coach of the Year award seven times (1984, 1987-90, 2002-03).
Zupanc mentored a pair of men who earned four All-America awards in Scott Steuernagel (1987-90) and Dave Lambert (1988-91). Steuernagel also was a two-time individual WIAC champion.
In 2009, Zupanc led the Titans to both national titles for indoor and outdoor track & field. UW-Oshkosh previously finished third at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championship in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Zupanc was honored as National Indoor Coach of the Year during 2001, National Outdoor Coach of the Year in 2009 and WIAC Indoor Coach of the Year in 2010.
Zupanc’s track & field athletes combined for 18 individual national titles, including three by 2009 National Indoor Track Athlete Willy Kaul. Covering three sports, Zupanc coached his men to 21 individual national crowns, 108 All-America plaques and five Academic All-America distinctions.
In 2009, Zupanc led UW-Oshkosh to the Al Carius Program of the Year Award, which is annually presented to the top men’s cross country and track & field school in the NCAA Division III.
The Monroe native was a 2012 USTFCCCA Hall of Fame inductee.