Five Former Titans On WIAC All-Centennial Team
Five former UW-Oshkosh players were among 12 honorees on the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women's Volleyball All-Time Team. Each member of the squad played during the past 25 years and was picked as part of the league's centennial anniversary celebration.
UW-Oshkosh's group consisted of libero Christina Cahoon (2007-10), middle blocker Amy Cayemberg (1988-91), middle blocker Leah Rosenbaum (2004-07), setter Christina Southward (1998-2001) and setter Amy Ward (1993-96). These five standouts were each named All-America at least twice during their UW-Oshkosh careers.
Cahoon (Watertown • Watertown High School) led UW-Oshkosh to a 135-26 record and three WIAC titles. The Titans made four National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III postseason appearances, including finishes of third in 2009 and fifth in 2008. Cahoon was named a NCAA Division III All-American in 2008 and 2009, while receiving the national Player of the Year award in 2009. She is the WIAC's all-time leader with 2,753 career digs.
The conference's career leader in kills (2,292), Cayemberg (Manitowoc • Manitowoc Lincoln High School) earned National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and NCAA Division III All-America honors from 1989-91. UW-Oshkosh went 166-49, qualified for the postseason four times and won a pair of league titles with Cayemberg. She ranks second in WIAC history with a .387 career hitting percentage.
Rosenbaum (Wrightstown • Wrightstown High School) collected NCAA Division III All-America honors from 2005-07. Leading the Titans to three NCAA postseason tournaments and a 122-28 record, Rosenbaum was part of WIAC championships in 2005 and 2006. She ranks third in league records for career hitting percentage (.385) and fifth in career kills (1,726).
Southward (St. Anthony, Minn. • St. Anthony High School) received All-WIAC first team honor all four years, with her squads going 90-57. During her last two years, she helped the Titans to a ninth-place finish in the NCAA Division III Championship. Southward was the conference's Player of the Year in 2001 when UW-Oshkosh earned the league title. She ranks first in WIAC history in both career assists (6,122) and career hitting percentage (.436).
Ward (Palatine, Ill. • Palatine High School), the 1996 national Player of the Year, stands fifth in the league with 5,470 career assists. UW-Oshkosh compiled a 153-31 record and participated in four NCAA Division III tournaments during her career, highlighted by a second-place finish in 1994 and a fourth-place standing in 1996. Ward earned All-America honors her final three seasons and led the Titans to a pair of WIAC titles.
UW-Whitewater also had five players on the all-time team with Denise Cobb (1990-93), Allison Erickson (1998-01), Melinda Erickson (1998-01), Lynn Olsen (1996-99) and Pam Kane (1986-89). The remaining two members were UW-La Crosse's Brianne Stankus (2006-09) and UW-Eau Claire's Kristi Griggs (1985-88). Kris Russell, who guided the Warhawks from 1981-2004, was named the all-time coach.
The WIAC is recognizing the outstanding individuals from the league's 100-year history. All-time teams are being selected in those men's and women's sports that have been classified as "championship" sports at some point since 1913. Additional teams will be released on a weekly basis throughout much of the 2011-12 academic year.
All-time team members will receive certificates from the conference and it is hoped that most, if not all, of the recipients will be in attendance or represented at the WIAC Centennial Banquet in Madison on Aug. 4, 2012.
More information on the activities and events associated with the WIAC Centennial is available at www.wiacsports.com.