Sports capsules UW-SP MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM HOST COOKOUT: The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UW-SP) men's basketball team will host its third annual pre-game cookout on Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 5 to 7 p.m., before the Purple-Gold intra-squad scrimmage. This cookout, themed "Runnin' With The Big Dawgs," will celebrate the tip-off of the four-time defending conference champions' upcoming season. The cookout will be held in the UW-SP Quandt Fieldhouse and will feature this year's team, giving people the opportunity to meet the basketball players and coaches, have autographs signed and pictures taken with them. Head coach Jack Bennett will give a season preview. All-you-can-eat hamburgers, brats, chips and soda will be served. Prices for the cookout are $5 for adults, $4 for students and $3 for children ninth grade and younger. The cookout will be followed by the Purple-Gold game at 7 p.m. in the gym, where new seats were installed this summer. Admission to the game is free. For more information about the cookout, contact Bob Semling in the men's basketball department at 346-4375. * * * BRUSEWITZ WINS BALTIMORE RACE: Joel Brusewitz, a graduate of Stevens Point Area Senior High School (SPASH) and Marquette University, won the Baltimore Zoo 5 Mile Race on Sunday, Nov. 2, in a time of 26:15. There were 800 participants in the race. * * * POINTERS LAND FOUR WIAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Four UW-SP athletes have earned Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week honors for their performances last week. Sophomore Chase Kostichka was the football Defensive Player of the Week, junior Melissa Becker was the soccer Offensive Player of the Week, sophomore Matt Grunwald was the men's Swimmer of the Week and freshman Alissa Colbert was the women's Swimmer of the Week. Kostichka, a Stevens Point native, had two interceptions at his cornerback position in the Pointers' 60-30 win over UW-Whitewater last week. He also broke up two passes and had four tackles in the victory. Becker scored two goals in UW-SP's 4-1 win over Gustavus Adolphus on Sunday. She only took two shots in the match and both escaped the goalkeeper for scores. Grunwald took home three first-place finishes in the Pointers' 190-44 dual meet victory over UW-Eau Claire. He claimed the 200 freestyle in 1:46.89, the 100 butterfly in 52.14 and the 500 freestyle in 5:01.18. Colbert was a double winner for the Pointers in a 165-78 dual meet victory over UW-Eau Claire. She won the 1650 freestyle in 18:46.08 and claimed first place in the 500 freestyle in 5:23.75. * * * WRESTLING RANKED NINTH IN PRESEASON; WHITE, KOENIG RANKED NO. 1: With two individuals holding No. 1 rankings at their respective weight classes, the UW-SP wrestling team is ranked ninth in the first NCAA Division III poll of the year. The Pointers open their season on Saturday by hosting the Pointer Invite at the Multi-Activity Center at 9 a.m. UW-SP is coming off its best performance ever at the national meet, finishing third overall. Junior Cody Koenig, who accomplished the first undefeated season in school history last season at 36-0, is the nation's top-ranked 174-pounder. Senior Yan White, last year's national runner-up with a 30-3 record and the 2002 national champion at 197 pounds, is ranked first in his weight class. Also, junior Brady Holtz is ranked fourth at 133 pounds after a sixth place finish at nationals and a 23-11 record last year. * * * POINTER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: UW-SP has announced the players of the week for the teams during the week of Nov. 3. Men's cross country: Jake Rhyner ran a personal best at the WIAC Cross Country Championships in Colfax. Rhyner covered the 8,000 meter course in 26:03, placing 30th overall. Women's cross country: Entire Team - The Pointer women's cross country team claimed its first ever WIAC championship at the Whitetail Golf Course in Colfax. The Pointers scored just 26 points, the lowest total at the meet since 1996. Jenna Mitchler, Megan Craig, Leah Herlache, and Teresa Stanley finished in the third through sixth spots, and Isabelle Delanney placed eighth. Football - offense: Scott Krause had his third five-touchdown pass game of the season, and ran for a couple more scores in the Pointers' 60-30 victory over conference leader UW-Whitewater. Krause threw four of his scores and ran for one in the first half as the Pointers opened a 39-0 lead. Football - defense: Chase Kostichka of Stevens Point and SPASH intercepted two passes and kept the UW-Whitewater defense on its heels most of the day. His first pick and 10 yard return came on the Warhawks' opening drive and set up the Pointers' first touchdown of the day. Kostichka finished the day with four tackles, including one solo effort and two passes broken up. Football - special teams: Joel Hojnacki of Plover and SPASH, a punt returner, made sure the Pointers had excellent field position all day against UW-Whitewater. He had four punt returns for a total of 23 yards, with his 17-yard return giving the Pointers the ball inside Warhawk territory to set-up UW-SP's third score of the day. Men's hockey: David Lee of Stevens Point and SPASH played a pair of solid games against UW-Superior and UW-Eau Claire this weekend, picking up his first goal of the season against UW-Eau Claire on Saturday. Women's hockey: Anne Ninnemann netted the game-winning goal on Saturday afternoon against UW-River Falls. On Friday night, Ninnemann picked up an assist and scored the final goal in a 4-1 victory over the Falcons. Women's soccer - offense: Melissa Becker took only two shots against Gustavus Adolphus, but both of them escaped the Gusties' goal keeper in a 4-1 victory at St. Peter, Minn. Women's soccer - defense: Andrea Oswald helped the Pointers record their 10th shutout of the season and clinch a berth in the WIAC tournament with a 0-0 tie against UW-Whitewater. Men's swimming events: Matt Grunwald took home three first place finishes in the Pointers' 190-44 dual meet victory over UW-Eau Claire. Women's swimming events: Alissa Colbert was a double winner for the Pointers in a 165-78 dual meet win over UW-Eau Claire. Volleyball: Kelli Rydeen notched a new career-high when she scored 17 kills in the Pointers final match of the season. Rydeen had 17 kills against just six errors, and hit .229 in the match against UW-Superior. * * * WISCONSIN EXTREME ELITE VOLLEYBALL CLUB HOLDS TRYOUTS: Wisconsin Extreme Volleyball Club will hold tryouts for 14-year-old, 16-year-old and 18 year-old teams at Grant Elementary School in Marshfield. Tryouts for the 14-and-under team will be held on Nov. 23 from 11 a.m. to noon. The 16-and-under tryouts will be held Nov. 16 and 23 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. The 18-and-under tryouts will also be held on Nov. 16 and 23 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. All participants also need to bring registration forms and a tryout fee of $10, which covers both tryout dates. Anyone with questions or concerns should contact Betty Lange at (715) 223-6245 or Taryn Vaughn at (715) 572-6013.