University of Wisconsin, La Crosse Women's Cross Country

Derek Stanley completed his 14th season as the head coach of the UW-La Crosse women’s and men’s cross country teams in 2025.  Along with serving as the head cross country coach, Stanley is an assistant coach for the Eagles' women’s and men’s track & field squads.  The men's cross country team captured its second consecutive National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championship in 2025. Grant Matthai (third-place), Aidan Matthai (fifth), Joey Sullivan (16th) and Jayden Zywicki (20th) earned All-America accolades. It was the team's fifth (1996, 2001, 2005, 2024, 2025) national title in school history. The four All-America honors marked the second time in school history UWL earned four NCAA Division III All-America honors at the same championships.  The first was when UWL captured the 2024 national title as Grant Matthai (third), Aidan Matthai (fifth), Sullivan (16th) and Zywicki (20th) earned NCAA Division III All-America awards. With Grant Matthai's third-place and Aidan Matthai's fifth-place finish, it was the second time in school history UWL had two runners in the top-five at the NCAA III Championships. Brett Altergott won the national title and Brad Wilson finished fourth in 1997. Stanley was named the 2024 and 2025 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division III Coach of the Year as well as the North Regional Coach of the Year.   UWL has won 14 combined WIAC titles under head coach Derek Stanley. Along with the national title in 2024, UWL has recorded seven top-four finishes at the NCAA Division III Championships under Stanley. The Eagles were second in 2017 and 2023, third in 2013, 2014 and 2018 and fourth in 2012.  Twenty-four NCAA III All-America honors have been earned under Stanley's tutelage with Josh Kaul (24th-place) and Josh Dedering (30th) picking up honors in 2012, Alex Ciesielski (8th) and Jonah Weisse (33rd) in 2014; Josh Schraeder (20th) and Thomas Schultz (29th) in 2017; Schraeder (4th), Schultz (14th) and Tyler Nault (30th) in 2018 and Schraeder (5th) and Nault (8th) in 2019.  Ethan Gregg (11th) earned NCAA III All-America honors in 2021. Gregg and Isaac Wegner picked up NCAA III All-America accolades in 2022 and 2023 with Gregg finishing fourth and Wegner 12th in 2022 while Gregg captured the national title and Wegner 18th in 2023.  Gregg became the second runner in UWL history to win the NCAA Division III title, joining Altergott in 1997. Gregg was selected the 2023 USTFCCCA Division III Athlete of the Year. With Schraeder finishing fifth and Nault eighth in 2019, it marked the first time since 2001 UWL had a pair of top-10 individual finishes at the same meet with Tyler Foos placing third and Ross Substad seventh. The Eagles finished ninth nationally in 2015, sixth in 2016, seventh in 2019, 10th in 2021 and eighth in 2022 under Stanley.   The men's cross country team, winners of a league-best 40 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championships, have captured the league title 10 times (2012-13, 2017-19, 2021-25) under Stanley. A total of 96 All-WIAC men's cross country honors have been earned under Stanley at UWL, including 33 first team selections and 43 second team choices. The Eagles registered nine of the top-15 finishers in capturing the 2025 league title. UWL recorded nine top-14 finishes in winning the 2024 WIAC Championship. UWL had five runners in the top-10 at the 2012 league championships, four in the top-11 in 2013, six in the top-12 in 2017 and four in the top-10 in 2018. UWL also recorded six top-11 finishes, including five in the top-nine and seven in the top-13 in 2022. The Eagles finished with five of the top-seven finishers and eight of the top-14 in 2023 in winning the WIAC title each year.    Stanley was named the 2013 and 2017 WIAC Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year.  UWL also earned the 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 WIAC Coaching Staff of the Year Award.  UWL had eight runners finish in the top-24 at the 2014 conference championships as the team placed second.  The Eagles placed second at the league meet in 2015 as seven runners finished in the top-26 while the team finished second in 2016 with six runners in the top-16. Michael Villa (2019), Aidan Matthai (2022), Chuck Vater (2024) and Nico Castellanos (2025) have been selected the WIAC Newcomer of the Year under Stanley. Schraeder (2019), Gregg (2023) and Grant Matthai (2025) have been named the WIAC Athlete of the Year. Dedering (2013), Nate Routhier (2014), Schultz (2018), Nault (2019),Wegner (2023) and Grant Matthai (2025) have been voted the WIAC Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The UWL women's cross country squad has won eight WIAC Championships under Stanley (2013-14, 2016, 2021-25) while also finishing second on five occasions (2012, 2015, 2017-19).  A total of 93 All-WIAC cross country honors have been earned under Stanley, including 39 first team selections and 30 second team choices. UWL had nine of the top-12 runners as it captured the 2025 WIAC Championships. The Eagles finished with six runners in the top-12 as they won the 2024 WIAC Championship. UWL recorded four of the top-seven finishers in capturing the 2023 WIAC title, five of the top-10 in 2022 and seven of the top-14 in 2021, including four in the top-seven. UWL had eight runners finish in the top-14, including three in the top-four, in winning the 2016 WIAC Championship.  UWL had 10 runners in the top-29 at the conference meet in 2015 with eight runners finishing in the top-19 at the 2014 championships. The team had nine of the top-16 runners at the 2019 WIAC Championships. Four runners finished in the top-nine at the 2013 WIAC Championships and five in the top-12 at the 2014 league meet as UWL recorded its fourth back-to-back conference crowns in school history and first since 2005-06.  Four runners finished in the top-20 at the 2012 WIAC Championships as the Eagles placed second.  Twelve runners placed in the top-36 at the 2017 league meet and 12 in the top-39 in 2018.  Maddie Hannan won the WIAC individual title in 2022, becoming the eighth runner in school history to win the league title and first since Hannah Beilke in 2018. Laura Mead won the conference crown in 2013 and 2014, one of seven runners in WIAC history to capture back-to-back titles.  She is the second runner in school history to win back-to-back crowns joining Tori Neubauer (1982, 1983).  Mead, Neubauer and Julia Rudd (2002, 2005) are the only runners in UWL history to capture two individual conference titles. Mead (2013, 2014), Elizabeth Frick (2016), Beilke (2018) and Hannan (2022) have been named the WIAC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year under Stanley. Hannan (2019), Jenna Lovejoy (2021), Mackenzie Hill (2022), Greta Koehler (2023) and Milana Pisto (2025) have been selected the WIAC Newcomer of the Year. Six student-athletes have earned the WIAC Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award under Stanley, including Rachel Schroeder (2013), Frick (2016), Kaitlyn McDaniel (2017-co), Sadie Kroll (2018-co), Kaylan Marshall (2021) and Katelyn Chadwick (2024-co). UWL placed sixth at the 2016 NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championships under Stanley, the team's best finish since a fourth-place showing in 2005.  Frick earned All-America honors with a 21st-place overall finish. It was UWL's fourth-best individual finish since 2000. The Eagles were ninth at the 2018 NCAA III Championships as Sadie Kroll (12th-place) and Beilke (18th) each earned All-America honors. It marked the first time since 2005 that UWL had a pair of All-America honors when Rudd placed second and Kristen Painter 35th. UWL placed 17th at the 2017 NCAA III Championships with Kroll earning All-America honors with a 33rd-place overall finish. The Eagles finished 12th at the 2015 national championships as McDaniel earned All-America honors with a 33rd-place overall finish.  UWL was 13th at the 2014 and 2024 NCAA III Championships as Mead earned All-America accolades with a 10th-place finish in 2014. She became the first runner to place in the top-10 since Stephanie Perleberg finished seventh in 2009.  The Eagles finished 10th in 2023, 11th in 2021, 19th in 2013 and 2019 and 25th in 2012 at the national championships under Stanley. UWL was 15th at the 2022 NCAA III Championships with Hannan earning All-America honors with a 20th-place finish.  Both cross country squads earned the 2024 USTFCCCA Scholar Team Award with the men's team earning the USTFCCCA National Scholar Team of the Year for the first time in school history. UWL has earned the USTFCCCA Scholar Team Award in 19 of the last 20 years on the women's side while the men's team has earned the honor 14 of the last 15 seasons. Stanley was an assistant men’s cross country coach and assistant women’s and men’s track & field coach UWL in 2011-12 before being named head cross country coach. Prior to coming to UWL, Stanley was the head coach of the women’s and men’s cross country and track & field programs at Marietta College (Ohio), a position he held from 2004 to 2011.  Stanley took the reins of a program near the bottom of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) and moved it progressively higher.  The women’s cross country team finished last at the OAC Championships in Stanley’s first year, but improved to fifth by 2008. The Pioneer women also recorded three sixth-place showings (2006, 2007, 2009) under Stanley.    On the men’s side, the team improved from a ninth-place finish at the OAC Championships during Stanley’s first year to consecutive sixth-place finishes during his last two years.  During Stanley’s tenure at Marietta (Ohio), the cross country teams earned nine All-OAC and two all-region honors.  The women’s squad earned the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Academic All-America award for eight straight years while the men’s team earned the honor in 2010.   While at Marietta (Ohio), Stanley also built a solid record as the head coach of the Pioneers’ track & field programs.  He was named the USTFCCCA Great Lakes Region Women’s Indoor Track & Field Coach of the Year in 2009.  He was also selected the USTFCCCA Great Lakes Region Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year in 2010.  Marietta’s (Ohio) women’s coaching staff was named the 2010 OAC Indoor Track & Field Staff of the Year.  The track & field programs fielded 98 all-conference athletes under Stanley’s tutelage, including 26 conference champions.  Marietta (Ohio) also had 23 NCAA Division III qualifiers and five All-Americas.   Stanley recruited and coached Caleb Muller at Marietta (Ohio), a national qualifier in the 10,000-meters at the outdoor national championships.  Muller competed at the 2010 NCAA III Cross Country Championships under Stanley, Marietta’s first national qualifier in 30 years.  He was also a national qualifier in 2011.  Muller became the first male in school history to win an OAC cross country title in 2011.   Before becoming head coach at Marietta (Ohio), Stanley was the head women’s and men’s cross country and track & field coach at Bluffton University (Ohio) from 2001 to 2003.  He also served as the head men’s cross country and assistant men’s track & field coach at Tiffin University (Ohio) from 1999-2001.  Stanley earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing from Tiffin (Ohio) in 1999.  Later, in 2002, he obtained his master’s of education from Bowling Green State University (Ohio).

Katie Wagner starts her 16th season as an assistant coach of the UW-La Crosse women's track & field team in 2025-26, coaching sprints, hurdles and relays.  She served as interim head coach of the Eagles in 2016-17, leading UWL to the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Indoor and Outdoor Championship.   UWL swept the 2025 WIAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships while finishing third at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Wagner was named the 2025 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) North Region Indoor and Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year.  UWL earned the 2025 WIAC Indoor and Outdoor Coaching Staff of the Year Award. Her student-athletes produced 110 points leading to the team crown at the 2025 WIAC Indoor Championships and eight athletes combined for nine total entries at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships. Lauren Jarrett swept the 60 and 200-meter dash titles at this year's national championships while Makenna Zak also earned All-America honors with an eighth-place finish in the 60-meter dash. UWL's 4x400-meter relay of Anna Plautz, Andie Otto, Morgan Jennings and Macy Reybrock earned All-America recognition with a third-place finish and school record time of 3:46.53.  Wagner's student-athletes accounted for 35 of UWL's 38 points at the 2025 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships. Jarrett captured the 100 and 200-meter dash and the Eagles' 4x100-meter relay of Julie Yang, Anika Reiland, Zak and Jarrett also claimed the national title. UWL's 4x400-meter relay of Plautz, Alli Thomas, Jennings and Reybrock placed fourth.  The Eagles swept the 2024 WIAC Championships while placing 12th at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships and second outdoors. At the indoor national championships, Jarrett won the 60-meter dash crown while finishing sixth in the 200-meter dash. She was named the 2024 WIAC Indoor Track Performer of the Meet after winning the 60-meter dash and placing second in the 200-meter dash.  At the 2024 NCAA III Outdoor Championships, Jarrett won the 100 and 200-meter dash titles. Jarrett, Taylor Molling, Reiland and Zak won the 4x100-meter relay. Jarrett became the first sprinter in UWL history to win the 100 or 200-meter dash national titles. UWL earned the 2024 WIAC Indoor and Outdoor Coaching Staff of the Year Award. Wagner helped guide UWL to a sweep of the 2023 NCAA Division III Indoor and Outdoor Championships. The Eagles won the indoor championship with 59.5 team points, capturing their second (2015, 2023) indoor title in school history.  UWL earned 18 NCAA III All-America honors in winning the 2023 indoor championship, including Skye Digman capturing the weight throw.  The Eagles earned their fourth (1983, 1984, 2015, 2023) NCAA Division III Outdoor Championship in 2023 with 67.5 points. UWL picked up 20 All-America accolades at the outdoor championships with Digman taking the shot put crown.  For her efforts, Wagner was selected 2023 USTFCCCA National Indoor and Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year. She was also named the 2023 USTFCCCA North Region Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year. UWL won the 2023 WIAC Indoor and Outdoor titles. The Eagles scored a conference record 324.0 points in securing the indoor conference title, breaking the previous record of 261.0 points by UW-Oshkosh in 1996. UWL scored at least 10 points in 16 of 17 events, including over 20 points in seven events.  The team won 10 individual and one relay title.  At the 2013 WIAC Outdoor Championships, UWL finished with another league record with 363.5 points, breaking UW-Oshkosh's mark of 313.0 in 1996.  UWL scored at least 10 points in 19 of 21 events.  The Eagles secured 11 individual and two relay titles. UWL earned the 2023 WIAC Indoor and Outdoor Coaching Staff of the Year Award. She helped guide the Eagles to the 2022 WIAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships. UWL won its second consecutive WIAC indoor crown and 28th in school history. UWL finished with 244.0 team points, the most at a league championship since 1996. The Eagles won five individual and one relay title at this year's indoor conference championships while also recording eight second-place and seven third-place individual finishes. UWL was selected the 2022 WIAC Indoor Coaching Staff of the Year.  UWL won its 10th straight outdoor WIAC title in 2022, finishing with 293.5 team points in securing its 36th league crown in school history. The 293.5 points were the most since 1996. UWL won six individual and two relays titles at the outdoor conference championships while also recording 10 second-place and eight third-place individual finishes. The Eagles earned the 2022 WIAC Outdoor Coaching Staff of the Year.  Wagner helped led UWL to a second-place finish at the 2022 NCAA Division III Indoor and Outdoor Championships. The Eagles earned 16 All-America honors at each of the championships.  Named the 2021 USTFCCCA National Women's Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year, Wagner's athletes contributed 25.0 points to UWL's total of 56.0 as the Eagles placed second at the NCAA Division III Championships.  During the 2021 outdoor regular season, Wagner guided her sprinters, hurdlers and relay teams to top billing in the #EventSquad Rankings for the 100 and 200-meter dash, 100 and 400-meter hurdles.  UWL won six event titles in her coaching area at the WIAC Outdoor Championships, including the 100, 200 and 400-meter dash, 100 and 400-meter hurdles, and 4x400-meter relay, and scored 130.0 of the team's 267.5 points at the meet. Wagner was selected the 2021 USTFCCCA Midwest Region Women's Outdoor Assistant Coach of the Year for the second time (2014, 2021) in school history.  Her athletes scored 130.0 points in helping lead UWL to the 2021 WIAC championship, its ninth straight title.  Wagner has also been selected the USTFCCCA Midwest Region Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year on three (2010, 2014, 2015) occasions.  She became the first coach in USTFCCCA history to earn the indoor and outdoor women's national assistant coach of the year award in the same season (2014).   One of three finalists for the 2020 USTFCCCA Women's Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year, Wagner helped lead UWL to its seventh WIAC indoor title in the last eight years in 2020.  The 2021 indoor league championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 public health threat.  The Eagles won 10 individual conference titles at the 2020 indoor conference meet while recording four second-place finishes and six third-place finishes.  For its efforts, UWL was named the 2020 WIAC Coaching Staff of the Year. Her jumpers and hurdlers scored 29 points at the 2015 NCAA III Indoor Championships, which would have been seventh in the nation as a team. Bria Halama captured the national title in the triple jump while Bailey Alston placed fifth in the long jump and seventh in the triple jump.  Claire Gordee led three finishers in the top-six in the 60-meter hurdles with a third-place finish while Jaime Ludwigson placed fifth and Addie Korb sixth. The Eagles scored 40 points in the hurdles, jumps and heptathlon in securing the 2015 NCAA III outdoor title.  Halama captured the triple jump while Marissa Mahr won the 400-meter hurdles.  UWL had three of the top-seven finishers in the 100-meter hurdles.  The 40 points would have been third in the overall team scores.   Wagner helped lead UWL to the 2015 WIAC indoor title as her student-athletes scored 73 points.  The Eagles finished first, second, third, and fifth in the 60-meter hurdles and second, third, and fourth in the triple jump.  Erin McCauley to the pentathlon title with a school record 3,432 points.  At the 2015 WIAC Outdoor Championships, UWL scored 86.5 points in the hurdles, jumps and heptathlon in winning the league title.  The Eagles recorded five of the top-seven finishers in the 100-meter hurdles; three of the top-eight in the 400-meter hurdles; two of the top-three in the triple jump and three in the top-eight in the heptathlon.   The Eagles took three of the top-four places in the triple jump at the 2014 NCAA Division III indoor championships with Halama capturing the title.  Wagner helped lead UWL to a third-place national finish at the 2013 indoor championships and fifth-place showing outdoor. The Eagles had three competitors in the long jump, two in the 60-meter hurdles, one in the pentathlon and one in the high jump at the indoor national meet. Three student-athletes qualified in the long jump and 100-meter hurdles as well as one in the high jump, 400-meter hurdles and heptathlon at the outdoor championships.   Prior to coming back to UWL, she served as an assistant cross country and track & field coach at State University of New York-Cortland in 2008-09.   After competing for UWL's track & field team for four years, Wagner was the Eagles' assistant coach for two seasons.  She placed third in the WIAC pentathlon three times (2004, 2005, 2006) and fourth once (2003).  Wagner captured the 2006 conference heptathlon and was 13th at the 2006 NCAA III Championships.  She was third in the conference heptathlon on three different occasions (2003, 2004, 2005).