La Crosse, Wis. - Six former student-athletes and a current head coach make up the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Wall of Fame Class for 2026.  The seven honorees to be inducted include former student-athletes Scott Burnoski (2001-04), Bria (Halama) Moede (2014-16), Taylor Kohlwey (2013-16), Kari Livingston (1992-96), Isaac Vazquez (2010-13) and Shelly (Weyers) Newton (1986-88) and current Eagles' head wrestling coach Dave Malecek (2007-present).  

The seven honorees will be recognized with an induction ceremony on Saturday, October 17 starting at 10 a.m. in Centennial Hall. The ceremony is free and open to the public. The award winners will be recognized during halftime of UWL's football game versus UW-Stevens Point.

UWL's Wall of Fame pays tribute to former athletes, coaches and staff for their exceptional ability and enhancement of school tradition. 

Burnoski was a three-time All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Football selection, earning first team honors in 2003 and 2004 and honorable mention accolades in 2002. Named the 2004 WIAC Player of the Year and a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy for the top National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Player, Burnoski was selected to the 2004 D3football.com All-America Second Team. He finished the season with a team-high 72 receptions for 931 yards and 14 touchdowns. Burnoski's 14 touchdown receptions are tied for third in school history while his 90 points are tied for sixth. 

In 2003, Burnoski finished with 76 receptions (sixth-most in single-season school history) and 1,100 yards (fourth-most). He had four touchdown catches versus UW-Whitewater on November 13, 2004, tied for second in single-game UWL history. Burnoski totaled a career-high 204 receiving yards against UW-Platteville on October 25, 2003. In the 2004 NCAA Division III Playoffs versus St. Norbert College (Wis.), Burnoski recorded a 94-yard interception return for a touchdown. It is the fourth-longest interception return in school history.

UWL's career leader in receptions (195), Burnoski is second in school history in receiving yards (3,004) and touchdowns (30) while ranking 10th in career points (188). He is eighth in WIAC history in touchdowns, 10th in yards and tied for 10th in receptions. He was a member of three WIAC Championship and NCAA Division III Playoff teams (2002-04).

A native of Rochester, Minnesota, Burnoski currently lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin as a financial advisor. He earned his bachelor's degree in business at UWL in 2006. Burnoski and his wife, Melissa, have five children, Tristan, Stella, Xavier, Roman and Monroe. 

Earning 11 career NCAA Division III All-America honors for the track & field team, Halama captured four triple jump national titles. She won the indoor crown in 2014, swept the indoor and outdoor titles in 2015 and the outdoor championship in 2016. Halama finished with six indoor and five outdoor career All-America awards. Along with the indoor triple jump titles in 2014 and 2015, she was third in 2016 and placed fifth in the 400-meter dash in 2014. Halama was a member of UWL's national champion 4x400-meter relay at the indoor meet in 2014 and 2015. 

At the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships, Halama was second in the triple jump in 2014 to go along with the first-place showings in 2015 and 2016. She earned a pair of other All-America honors in 2015, finishing third in the 400-meter dash and a member of the fourth-place 4x400-meter relay.

She won six career WIAC titles, including the indoor triple jump (2014) and indoor 4x400-meter relay (2014) and distance medley relay (2016). Halama won two (2015, 2016) outdoor triple jump crowns and also took first in the 400-meter dash (2016). Halama was a member of six WIAC Championship teams, including three indoor and three outdoor (2014-16). She was on the Eagles' NCAA Division III Indoor and Outdoor title squads in 2015 and a member of the second-place indoor team in 2014. Halama was on a pair of fourth-place outdoor national teams (2014, 2016) and one sixth-place indoor squad (2016).

Named the 2016 WIAC Judy Kruckman Outdoor Track & Field Scholar-Athlete, Halama earned 2015 and 2016 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America® and Academic All-District® First Team honors. She was selected the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division III Scholar-Athlete of the Year on three occasions (2014 indoor; 2015 indoor and outdoor).

Majoring in therapeutic recreation, Halama earned her bachelor's degree from UWL in 2016. She earned her Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Divine Mercy University (Va.) in 2021. Halama, a native of Independence, Wisconsin, is a licensed professional counselor and lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with her husband, Chris.

 

Selected in the 21st Round of the 2016 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft by the San Diego Padres, Kohlwey was a three-time (2014-16) American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) First Team All-America. He was named the 2016 ABCA National Player of the Year, voted a three-time (2014-16) ABCA First Team All-Region selection and two-time (2015-16) ABCA Regional Position Player of the Year. Kohlwey earned three D3baseball.com All-America honors, including first (2014, 2016) and second team (2015) accolades. Voted the 2016 D3baseball.com National and Region Player of the Year, Kohlwey was a three-time D3baseball.com All-Region choice.

He led NCAA Division III in hits (96), runs (76) and total bases (163) in 2016 while ranking second in average (.485) and finishing in the top eight in five other offensive categories.

Kohlwey was a three-time (2014-16) All-WIAC First Team selection while earning the league's position player of the year twice (2014, 2016). He recorded a 51-game hitting streak during his career, the second-longest in NCAA Division III history. Kohlwey had at least one hit in 74 of his last 77 career games and in 139 of 155 career contests with an official at-bat. He finished with 88 career multiple-hit games.

Kohlwey is UWL's all-time leader in batting average (.447) and slugging percentage (.704) while ranking second in doubles (58) and triples (16) and third in runs (191) and hits (277). He is also fourth in career RBI (154). He is one of three players in school history to hit for the cycle, accomplishing the feat versus UW-Whitewater on May 15, 2016. Kohlwey holds four single-season school records.

He was a member of three teams to appear in the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2014, 2015 and 2016, including regional titles in 2015 and 2016. UWL advanced to the NCAA Division III Championships in 2015 and 2016, finishing runner-up in 2015. The Eagles swept the 2016 WIAC regular season and tournament championships.

He currently lives in his hometown of Onalaska, Wisconsin, and is part owner and operations manager of 7 Rivers Recycling. Kohlwey earned his associate's degree from UWL. He played professional baseball for 10 seasons, appearing in 707 minor league games for the San Diego Padres and New York Mets organizations. Kohlwey played in five Major League games with the Padres in 2023, recording his first career hit versus the Toronto Blue Jays on July 19.

Livingston was a six-time National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) All-America, earning three in the all-around after finishing fifth (1993), third (1994) and second (1995). She was also second (1994) and fourth (1995) on the uneven parallel bars and fifth (1994) on the vault. 

A winner of five WIAC titles, Livingston captured two (1993, 1996) all-around crowns. She also won the vault (1994), uneven parallel bars (1996) and floor exercise (1996) league championships. Named the 1996 WIAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Livingston earned 1996 NCGA All-Academic accolades. She was a three-time WIAC Athlete of the Week selection.

Livingston was a member of the 1994 and 1995 WIAC Championship teams and 1995 NCGA title squad. UWL finished second at the 1994 national championships, fourth in 1996 and fifth in 1993.

A native of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, Livingston currently lives in De Forest, Wisconsin, and is the field reimbursement and coverage manager for Johnson & Johnson Patient Services. She has two children, Ella and Brooks. Livingston graduated from UWL in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in nuclear medicine technology and chemistry.  
 

A 16-time NCAA Division III All-America for the track & field squad, Vazquez won four national championships. He captured the indoor (2013) and outdoor (2011) triple jump titles while capturing two (2012, 2013) outdoor long jump crowns. Vazquez was third in two seasons (2011, 2012) in the indoor triple jump while also placing eighth (2010). He recorded three career indoor long jump honors, finishing second (2013) once and third (2011, 2012) twice.

Along with the seven indoor All-America accolades, Vazquez was a nine-time outdoor All-America. Along with the two (2012, 2013) long jump first-place finishes, he was seventh (2010) and fifth (2011). Vazquez placed second twice (2012, 2013) and sixth once (2010) in the triple jump to go with his first-place finish (2011). He was a member of UWL's third-place 4x100-meter relay at the outdoor championships (2013).

Vazquez won eight WIAC titles, including three (2011-13) indoor long jumps and two (2012-13) triple jump championships. Selected the WIAC Indoor Field Athlete of the Meet three times (2011-13), Vazquez holds UWL's school record (51-3 ½) in the indoor triple jump. He won two (2012-13) outdoor long jump titles and one (2011) outdoor triple jump crown.

A member of eight WIAC Championship teams, Vazquez was on UWL's national title squads for the 2013 indoor and outdoor season. The Eagles finished second twice (2011, 2012) at the NCAA III Outdoor Championships and third (2010) once. At the national indoor meet, UWL was third twice (2010, 2011) and tied for fifth (2012).

He earned his bachelor's degree in 2014 in information systems with a computer science minor. Originally from Arcadia, Wisconsin, Vazquez lives in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, with his wife, Kinden, and children, Bo, Kai and Lorena. He is a web developer for Ki Mobility.

Named to the WIAC All-Time Swimming & Diving Team, (Weyers) Newton earned five National Association of Intercollegiate Athletic (NAIA) All-America honors. She won two national titles, capturing the 100 and 200 freestyle in 1988. (Weyers) Newton also earned All-America accolades with a second-place finish in the 500 freestyle in 1988. 

She was a two-time NAIA All-America in 1987, placing third in the 100 freestyle and fifth in the 200 freestyle. (Weyers) Newton helped lead UWL to four top-12 finishes at the NAIA Championships, including 11th in 1985, 12th in 1986, 10th in 1987 and seventh in 1988.

(Weyers) Newton won the 200 and 500 freestyle at the 1988 WIAC Championships. Prior to transferring to UWL, (Weyers) Newton attended UW-Eau Claire from 1986-88. She earned five NAIA All-America honors with the Blugolds, finishing second in the 200 freestyle, third in the 100 freestyle and fourth in the 500 freestyle in 1986. (Weyers) Newton was a member of the third-place 200 freestyle relay and fifth-place 800 freestyle relay also in 1986.

Along with the two conference titles for UWL, (Weyers) Newton captured the 100 and 200 freestyle at UW-Eau Claire in 1986. She was a member of the team's first-place 400 and 800 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay as UW-Eau Claire won the 1985 and 1986 league titles. The Blugolds were fifth at the 1985 NAIA Championships and third in 1986.

(Weyers) Newton, a native of Kaukauna, Wisconsin, currently resides in Eugene, Oregon, with her husband, Todd Newton. They have three children, Connor, Riley and Sydney. (Weyers) Newton is the owner of Superior Pool & Spa LLC. She earned her bachelor's degree from UWL in 1988 in physical education with an emphasis in psychology.

Malecek completed his 20th season as UWL's head wrestling coach in 2025-26. He has led the Eagles to top-four finishes at the NCAA Division III Championships nine different seasons, including a school best second three times (2008, 2010, 2026). The Eagles have four (2007, 2009, 2011, 2024) third-place showings at the national championships and two (2012, 2013) fourth-place finishes.

Coaching 15 NCAA Division III Champions at UWL, the Eagles have earned 77 All-America honors under Malecek's tutelage. He was named the 2024 and 2025 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division III Coach of the Year and the 2007 NCAA Rookie Coach of the Year. Inducted into the NWCA Hall of Fame in 2024, Malecek has been voted the NCAA Division III Regional Coach of the Year four times (2015, 2018, 2020, 2025).

He has led UWL to 14 WIAC titles with 86 individual champions. The Eagles have secured 10 WIAC Wrestler of the Year Awards under Malecek and eight WIAC John Peterson Wrestler of the Meet Awards at the league championships. Twelve wrestlers have garnered the WIAC Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award.

Malecek earned his bachelor's degree in physical education/coaching (1994) and master's degree degree in physical education (2005) from the University of Northern Iowa where he was a four-time NCAA Division I qualifier. He earned All-America accolades in 1994 with a fourth-place finish at 177-pounds and was the team's captain in 1993 and 1994.

A native of Osage, Iowa, Malecek resides in Onalaska, Wisconsin, with his wife, Kayah-Bah, and children, Amalia, Lydia, Kora and Isabella.