University of Wisconsin La Crosse Athletics

2026-27 Howie's Dynamite Student-Athletes of the Week

October 12-18
Lauren Lindow, Sr., East Troy, Wis. (H.S.), Tennis
    Lindow went 2-0 at No. 4 singles as UWL clinched the WIAC regular season title with victories over UW-Eau Claire on October 14 and UW-Whitewater on October 17. She only dropped one game in the two matches, defeating Aubrey Wittwer of UW-Eau Claire (6-1, 6-0) and Savannah Millard of UW-Whitewater (6-0, 6-0). 

Preston Nygaard, So., McFarland, Wis. (H.S.), Swimming & Diving 
   Nygaard captured the 100 freestyle (46.68) and 100 I.M. (51.99) in UWL's dual victory over UW-Whitewater on October 16. He also on the Eagles' winning 200 medley relay (1:35.19) and 200 freestyle relay (1:28.05) versus UW-Whitewater. At the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC)/Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Invitational on October 17, Nygaard  won the 400 I.M. (4:05.27) and 100 breaststroke (54.99) in helping lead UWL to a second-place team finish. He set a school record in the 400 I.M., breaking Brian Milburn's record of 4:06.73 set in 1988. 

October 5-11
Jessica Stewart, Sr., Plainfield, Ill. (Plainfield North), Soccer
   Stewart had two goals and one assist in UWL's 4-2 victory at UW-Eau Claire on October 10, recording three shots, all on goal. She had the game-winning goal at 46:25 and added a goal at 60:18 to make it 4-2. Stewart helped UWL improve to 13-0 with a 7-0 win over UW-River Falls on October 7 and the 4-2 victory over UW-Eau Claire. The Eagles held the two opponents to six total shots on goal.

Haley Thoeny, Sr., Lodi, Wis. (H.S.), Golf
    Thoeny placed sixth overall at the WIAC Championships on October 9-11. UWL's top finisher, Thoeny shot an opening round 75 followed by rounds of 81 in the final two days of the tournament. Thoeny was fourth at the 2025 conference championships, tied for seventh in 2024 and seventh in 2023. She was named the 2026 Co-WIAC Judy Kruckman Scholar-Ahlete. Thoeny maintains a 4.00 grade point average while majoring in personal finance with a minor in psychology. 

September 28-October 4
Megan Jasperson, Jr., Zumbrota, Minn. (Zumbrota-Mazeppa), Volleyball
    Jasperson led the Eagles' defense as they finished 2-2, including a sweep of WIAC opponent UW-Stout Polytechnic. In the Eagles' 3-0 win over the Blue Devils, Jasperson finished with a match-high 12 digs. After recording a team-high 12 digs in UWL's loss at 19th-ranked the University of Dubuque (Iowa), Jasperson finished the weekend with a match-high 26 digs in a 3-2 loss to Wartburg College (Iowa). For the week, Jasperson finished with 52 total digs and two service aces.

Kyle Haas, Sr., Prior Lake, Minn. (H.S.), Football
    Haas finished 30-of-46 for 339 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions in UWL's 32-31 victory at UW-Oshkosh on October 3. He also rushed for 32 yards on three carries. The four touchdowns tied a career-high. His 12-yard touchdown pass to Braedon Ott with :24 left cut the lead to 31-30 and UWL took the lead on the ensuing two-point conversion. He tied UWL's record for career touchdowns passes (48) in the game while setting the school record for career completions (488). Haas also moved into second in career passing yards (5,550).

September 21-27
Shelby Roth, Sr., Neenah, Wis. (H.S.), Tennis
    Roth advanced to the quarterfinals at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Midwest Regional, finishing 3-1 overall. After a first round bye, Roth defeated Ashley Adkisson of UW-Whitewater (6-2, 6-3) in her first match. She beat Jay Vitou of Gustavus Adolphus College, Minn. (6-0, 6-2) and Claire Keller of Bethel University, Minn. (7-6, 3-6, 10-4) before dropping her quarterfinal match to Karina Elvestrom of Gustavus Adolphus, Minn. (6-2, 6-1). In doubles at the ITA Midwest Regional, Roth and Hannah Cady advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-1 record.

Hannah Cady, Sr., Delafield, Wis. (Arrowhead), Tennis
    Cady and Shelby Roth advanced to the quarterfinals at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Midwest Regional. The duo had a first round bye and defeated Sophia Cosgrove/Val Garrido of The College of St. Scholastica, Minn. (8-1) in their first match. They defeated Eilana Martin/Kayla Surpless of Grinnell, Iowa (8-3) before losing in the quarterfinals to Maya Brakhage/Noor Omar of Gustavus Adolphus, Minn. (8-6).

September 14-20
Julia Zalewski, Jr., Lino Lakes, Minn. (Centennial), Cross Country
   Zalewski placed 34th out of 240 runners in helping lead UW-La Crosse to a fifth-place finish at the University of Minnesota Roy Griak Invitational on September 18. The Eagles were the top NCAA Division III team. Zalewski was the top NCAA Division III runner, completing the 6,000-meter course with a personal-best time of 21:07.5, beating her previous best by :29.

Owen Clark, Jr., Arbor Vitae, Wis. (Lakeland), Cross Country
   Clark finished seventh out of 212 runners at the University of Minnesota Roy Griak Invitational on September 18. He was the top NCAA Division III runner and completed the 8,000-meter course with a time of 24:05.5, beating his personal best by :33. Clark helped UW-La Crosse place third as a team.

September 7-13
Aubree Caya, Sr., Oregon, Wis. (H.S.), Soccer
   Caya recorded three goals in a pair of UWL wins. She scored in a 3-0 victory over Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) on September 9, registering 10 shots with three on goal. Caya then tallied two goals, including the game-winner, in a 7-0 victory over Millikin University (Ill.) on September 12, finishing with two shots, both on goal. She has scored in four of five games this season.

Jessica Stewart, Sr., Plainfield, Ill. (North), Soccer
   Stewart helped UWL record a pair of shutout victories to start the home season. She had one shot in the Eagles' 3-0 victory over Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) on September 9 and finished with two shots, one on goal, in UWL's 7-0 win over Millikin University (Ill.) on September 12. Stewart helped the defense hold Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.) to two shots, both on goal, and Millikin (Ill.) to 12 shots, including nine on goal. UWL has outscored its opponents, 19-0, this season. It marks the first time in school history UWL has recorded five shutouts to start a season.

August 31-September 6
Haley Thoeny, Sr., Lodi, Wis. (H.S.), Golf
   In the Eagles' first tournament of the season, Haley Thoeny shot a three over par 75 in round one of the UW-River Falls Falcons Invitational. She followed that with an 80 in round two, to finished tied for third with a 155. Thoeny helped lead UWL to a second place team finish. 

Calahan Miles, Sr., Salem, Wis. (Catholic Central), Football
   Miles caught four passes for 81 yards and one touchdown in UWL's 24-21 loss at 11th-ranked Saint John's University (Minn.) on September 5. He had a eight-yard touchdown catch with 2:44 remaining in the game. Miles then caught the two-point conversion to cut the lead to 24-21. He had a 30-yard reception in the game.