Pointer hockey hosting two of nation's most successful D-3 programs There will be three teams with national championship traditions at the K.B. Willett Arena this weekend, when the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point men's hockey team takes on two Vermont teams. The three teams - UW-SP, Middlebury and Norwich - have won 10 of the last 12 NCAA Division 3 national titles. The Pointers, who have won four national championships, take on five-time national champion Middlebury Friday night, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, UW-SP hosts defending national champion Norwich at 8 p.m. The Pointers enter the tournament on a hot streak after winning the Elmira (N.Y.) Tournament over the weekend. UW-SP beat the hosts 6-4 Saturday night and then defeated Williams (Mass.) 5-1 on Sunday. Those wins extended UW-SP's winning streak to five and improved its record to 6-2. Mikhail Salienko (Riga, Latvia) broke a 4-4 tie in the third period of Saturday's win and Ernie Thorp (Eau Claire) had the game-winner in Sunday's win. Ryan Maxson (Bloomington, Minn.) had three goals and three assists for the weekend. Middlebury is the nation's top-ranked team and has posted four shutouts en route to a 4-0 record. The Panthers have already beaten No. 2 Plattsburgh State (N.Y.) and eighth-ranked Potsdam State (N.Y.). Middlebury has a 140-19-10 record since 1995 and the Panthers beat UW-SP 2-1 in the national title game in 1998. Norwich opened its season with 8-0 and 12-1 wins, but faltered last weekend in losses to Plattsburgh State and Potsdam State at the Middlebury tournament to fall to 2-2 overall. The Cadets were 29-2-1 last season and feature one of the nation's top players in returning first-team All-American Keith Aucoin, who finished second in the nation in scoring last season. Not only will there be tons of tradition on the ice, but on the benches as well. The three coaches have been a part of all 10 of those national championships and have a combined record of 881-509-77 in a total of 50 seasons of coaching. All three - UW-SP's Joe Baldarotta, Middlebury's Bill Beaney and Norwich's Mike McShane - have been named National Coach of the Year during their careers. UW-SP visited both schools last season, winning 3-1 at Middlebury and losing 3-2 at Norwich. Men's basketball UW-SP remained undefeated with three non-conference wins last week, beating Viterbo 70-53, Marian 71-57 and Edgewood 82-64. The Pointers (5-0) are ranked fourth in Division 3 and have defeated their five opponents by an average of 19.4 points per game. Joe Zuiker (Port Edwards) had a big weekend with eight points against Viterbo, 15 points against Marian and 17 points against Edgewood. He also had seven rebounds at Viterbo and eight boards against Edgewood. Kalonji Kadima (Milwaukee) led the Pointers with 13 points against Viterbo and Josh Iserloth (Plymouth) had a team-high 20 points against Marian. The Pointers have the weekend off, but travel to Lawrence University, last season's Midwest Conference runner-up, in a non-conference match-up Thursday. UW-SP hosts a non-conference game against Mt. Senario Monday night at 7 p.m. and then travels to UW-Whitewater for its WIAC opener next Wednesday. Women's basketball The Pointers improved to 4-0 with convincing wins over Beloit and Wisconsin Lutheran last week. UW-SP toppled Beloit 75-49 and Wisconsin Lutheran 54-38 and has outscored its four opponents by 15.7 points per game. Carry Boehning (Auburndale) led a balanced attack against Beloit with 16 points and six rebounds as 13 different players scored and everyone played at least four minutes in the victory. Rosholt High graduate Kari Groshek totaled 27 points and seven rebounds in Saturday's win over Wisconsin Lutheran. The Pointers limited the Warriors to 38 points on 27.5 percent shooting and forced 24 turnovers. The Pointers faced Ripon College Wednesday night, at Berg Gymnasium. UW-SP is at Marian College Saturday and then hosts UW-Whitewater in its WIAC opener next Wednesday, at 7 p.m. Women's hockey UW-SP (3-2-1 overall, 1-2-1 NCHA) was off last weekend and return to action this week with a home-and-home series against St. Mary's (Minn.). Friday night's game will start at 4:15 p.m. Swimming and diving The UW-SP men's and women's teams (both 3-0 in duals) had a week off to prepare for this weekend's Wheaton (Ill.) Invitational. Wrestling UW-SP had a weekend off in preparation for this weekend's UW-Parkside Open. It's the Pointers' final tune-up before their first conference dual Thursday, Dec. 7 against UW-Platteville at home. The Pointers enter the open ranked 14th in the nation. UW-La Crosse is ranked third in the country and defending national champion Augsburg is ranked No. 1. Individually, senior Wes Kapping is ranked fifth at 174 pounds, sophomore Brady Holtz is ranked seventh at 133 pounds and senior Chet Zdanczewicz is ranked eighth at 141 pounds.