Pointer Notes - October 19, 2004

Fan Bus Available for UW-Stevens Point/Marquette Basketball Game

     Fans wishing to cheer on the UW-Stevens Point men�s basketball team in its exhibition contest against Marquette University at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee will have the opportunity to ride a fan bus to the game on Nov. 9.

     A coach bus will leave from Stevens Point at 3 p.m.  The bus will begin loading at 2:45 p.m. in front of the Quandt Field house. A box lunch and soda will be provided for all fans taking the bus. Game tickets are $15 per person and the cost to ride the bus is $15 per person. 

     Fans interested in the bus to Milwaukee can contact the UW-Stevens Point alumni office at 715-346-3811 by Nov. 1. Ticket information can also be obtained by calling the UW-Stevens Point ticket office at 346-4100.

Men�s Hockey Team Hosts Intrasquad Game and Skating Event Friday

     Fans are invited to join the 2004-05 UW-Stevens Point men�s hockey team on the ice on Friday in the team�s annual �Skate with the Pointers� event that will be held following the Pointers� Purple/Gold game.

     The Pointers take the ice at 7 p.m. at Willett Arena for their first intrasquad game of the year. Following the game, fans are invited to bring their skates and come on the ice with the team members.

     UW-Stevens Point opens its season on Fri., Oct. 29 at home against UW-Eau Claire at 7:30 p.m. at Willett Arena.

Men�s Hockey Earns Votes in National Poll; Picked Fifth in NCHA

     The UW-Stevens Point men�s hockey team has been picked to finish fifth in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association�s preseason poll of league coaches.

     The Pointers finished sixth in the league last year and had just two seniors on a squad that finished 13-12-3 overall while reaching the NCHA semifinals for the eighth consecutive year.

     UW-Stevens Point also received 18 votes in the U.S. College Hockey Online Division III national poll. The Pointers were the second-highest vote-getter not in the preseason top 15. St. Norbert is the nation�s No. 1 team and is also picked to repeat as NCHA champion.

LaLonde Named WIAC Cross Country Athlete of the Week

     UW-Stevens Point senior Mark LaLonde has run in three cross country races so far this season and has yet to lose to a U.S. collegiate runner. Last week Lalonde won the UW-Oshkosh Invite with a time of 24:50 to earn Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men�s cross country Athlete of the Week honors for the second time.

     Earlier this season, the Park Falls native finished second to a runner from Canada in the Notre Dame Invitational with a time of 24:41 and he won the Grinnell Invite in 25:15.

     The men�s cross country team is currently ranked fourth in the nation in Division III.