Campus Connection

This winter UW-L Athletics invites you to take a seat in the stands for a season of winter sports. Whether you enjoy Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Gymnastics, Wrestling or Indoor Track & Field, UW-L student-athletes love to hear fans in the stands! Check out schedules for upcoming meets and games on the Athletics website and read on to learn about some fun athletics traditions.

UW-L Athletics traditions, games support good causes

Jan. 19 Men’s Basketball Mitten Toss During the Men's Basketball game vs. UW-Eau Claire on Saturday, Jan. 19, all fans are encouraged to bring slightly used or new mittens to throw on the court during halftime. All mittens will be donated to Goodwill. Jan. 29 Coaches vs. Cancer event at HuHot Mongolian Grill Join UW-L coaches in the fight against cancer. Head coaches from all UW-L teams will serve up hot dishes during a Coaches vs. Cancer event at HuHot Mongolian Grill in La Crosse from 5-9 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29. Serving as guest grillers, they will be participating in HuHot’s Helping Hands fundraising program, which benefits the American Cancer Society. Ten percent of HuHot's sales during the event, all grill tip bucket donations and all of proceeds from dining room activities, including silent auctions and random drawings, will go to Coaches vs. Cancer, an initiative uniting the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. This is a UW-L Athletics fundraising event in partnership with the Colleges Against Cancer student organization on campus. Feb. 6 Special Olympics ‘Spread the Word to End the Word Day’ Special Olympics Spread the Word to End the Word Day in conjunction with UW-L Basketball will be Wednesday, Feb. 6. Local Special Olympians are invited to watch the Eagles vs. UW-Stout and participate in a number of game-day opportunities, including in-game promotions, Special Olympian halftime honors and a Special Olympian halftime lightening game. Information about the Spread the Word to End the Word campaign will be available throughout the event. This event is sponsored by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee in partnership with the City of La Crosse Park & Recreation Department. [caption id="attachment_18045" align="alignleft" width="400" caption="From left are wrestlers at a previous “Beauty and the Beast” wrestling match, Pat Parrillo, Brandon Music and Bryant Rouzer, dressed as the beast."][/caption] Feb. 8 What do wrestlers and gymnasts have in common? This meet UW-L wrestlers and gymnastics student-athletes come together for a combined meet Feb. 8 in Mitchell Hall, “Beauty and the Beast.” The wrestling team will take on UW-Stevens Point and gymnastics team will compete with UW-Stout. Don’t miss the fun at 6:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 8, at Mitchell Hall Gymnasium. Music from “Beauty and the Beast” will play and wrestlers and gymnasts will wear costumes. Youth community members are encouraged to dress as beauties and beasts and participate in the best-dressed competition at the conclusion of the event. The event includes a meet and greet and poster signing with both gymnasts and wrestlers. Prior to the showdown, wrestlers and gymnasts will spend a day teaching each other a few tricks! At 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6 at Wittich Hall teams will join forces to teach and learn. Wrestlers will teach gymnasts about wrestling and vice versa. Feb. 13 Women’s Basketball Teddy Bear Toss Fans are encouraged to bring a new or gently used stuffed animal to throw onto the court during halftime of the Women’s Basketball game against UW-River Falls Wednesday, Feb. 13. All donations will go to Mayo Clinic Health System – La Crosse and Gundersen Lutheran Health System. The event is a partnership with the UW-L student organization, Volunteering Within. Feb. 16 Women’s Basketball Pink Zone Game UW-L Women's Basketball will host a Women's Basketball Coaches Association Pink Zone game Saturday, Feb. 16, to support the fight against breast cancer. During the second half of the game against UW-Superior, pink T-shirts will be distributed to the first 100 fans in attendance. All fans are encouraged to support the Eagles and breast cancer research by wearing pink attire to the game. Breast cancer survivors will be recognized at halftime. WBCA began the Pink Zone initiative in 2007. The late Kay Yow, former North Carolina State University head women's basketball coach, served as the catalyst for the initiative after her third reoccurrence of breast cancer in 2006. UW-L’s event is a doubleheader with the Men's Basketball game beginning at 3 p.m. and the women's pink zone game at 5 p.m. More information about the WBCA Pink Zone: http://www.wbca.org/2011pinkzone/index.cfm/community/wbca-pink-zone/history

Mark your calendar for these regularly occurring events that support Athletics

Every Wednesday Eagles All Access Radio Show Join your favorite teams for Eagles All Access, a weekly radio show sponsored by the L-Club and highlighting UW-L Athletics. It is broadcast from the Eagle’s Nest from 5:30-6:30 p.m. every Wednesday night on Classic Rock 100.1. Mark your calendars to join us every Wednesday night! First Tuesdays Eat & Greet Events Join the Eagles the first Tuesday of every month at Howie’s Restaurant in La Crosse for the Eagle Eat & Greet events. This is an exciting way to support UW-L Athletics as Howie’s will donate 50 percent of all food sales made from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to the L-Club. The schedule of events is available at http://www.uwlathletics.com/sports/2009/10/6/GEN_1006094127.aspx?tab=l-club2. Next event features the UW-L gymnastics team on Tuesday, Jan. 8. Maroon Platoon Fan Fun Days UW-L Athletics is proud to announce Maroon Platoon fan fun-days in partnership with local restaurants. Join the fun and mark your calendars for …

• Maroon Mondays at Buffalo Wild Wings. The first Monday of every month, 10 percent of sales for the full day go to benefit the L-Club and Maroon Platoon. The next event is on Monday, Jan. 7.
• Wing Wednesdays at the Eagles Nest. Maroon Platoon members and all Eagle fans can enjoy 33-cent wings and listen live to the Eagles All Access Radio Show.
• Throwdown Thursdays at Howie’s. Every Thursday Maroon Platoon members and Eagles Fans can enjoy a pizza and pop pitcher special for $12 at Howie’s.

For more information about these special events view uwlathletics.com.