Athletics

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE KAYLAN GAINES (#43) established himself as one of the premier pass rushers in Northern Athletics Conference (NAC) history. The Florida native became the first Warriors football player to receive a conference player of the year award, earning NAC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2010. The NAC’s all-time sacks leader, Gaines finished his four-year (2007-2010) career as the program’s leader in sacks with 30.5. Today, Gaines is a recruiting manager for The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, an organization that promotes diversity and inclusion in American business. He holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from WLC and served as a graduate assistant coach for Warriors football.

In an online article published by The Consortium, Gaines said: “When I committed to go to Wisconsin Lutheran College, I never thought about being inducted into the hall of fame; I just wanted to choose the best option for me.” He said he wanted to attend a college in a city with “social life offerings” and that boasted a football program where the coaches cared about the players’ well-being both on and off the field. “WLC checked off all those boxes for me,” Gaines noted.

HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2019

WLC enshrined five new members and its first team into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame on October 12. Inductees are JIM DATKA ’89 (men’s basketball), GARRICK DAY ’14 (baseball), KAYLAN GAINES ’11 and ’16 (football), KAITLYN (STREHLOW) HALBERG ’13 (women’s tennis), CLARENCE JENKINS (women’s volleyball coach), and the 1995-1996 MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM. They join the 23 existing members of the Hall of Fame, dating back to the inaugural ceremony in 2014.

The purpose of the WLC Athletic Hall of Fame is to thank our Lord for those who by outstanding achievement in athletics, by service to athletics, or through significant contributions to athletics have made lasting contributions to WLC and its mission. Nominations are being accepted for the Hall of Fame Class of 2021. Visit wlcsports.com/history/halloffame to learn more.

GETTING BACK ON TRACK

The Warriors track & field teams are excited to have “home-field advantage” once again, thanks to a generous donation that enabled WLC to resurface its track & field facilities. The Warriors will host three meets on the new CATALYST TRACK this spring: • Meet for Milwaukee - March 21 • Private College Championships - April 4 • NACC Championships - May 1-2

Attend a meet to see the new, advanced polyurethane running surface that was completed last fall. Visit wlcsports.com to learn more.

FOOTBALL

WLC Director of Athletics Skip Noon named former player and assistant coach ERIC TRESKE ’08 as the new head coach of the Warriors football program. Treske, who becomes the third head coach in the program’s 20-year history, succeeds outgoing head coach DR. DENNIS MILLER, who retired from WLC in December 2019.

Miller, the first head coach of WLC’s football program, said upon his retirement: “This is such a special place, with great people and a focused Christian mission. I feel blessed to have been a part of the unique experience of building an intercollegiate football program. When we started this football program more than 20 years ago, our goal was to develop a successful Christ-centered program. We have done this through

Alumni Return as Head Coaches

the efforts of a lot of great staff and players, and I sincerely thank each one of them. This has never been a job – it has been a joy!”

Under Miller’s guidance, the Warriors went 41-32 all-time in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) games and finished with at least a .500 record in conference play eight times in the last 10 seasons. The 2014 NACC Co-Coach of the Year, Miller mentored 49 First Team All-Conference selections and three Players of the Year.

Treske, who played for Miller and once served on his coaching staff, said: “It is a blessing and an honor to be the next head football coach at Wisconsin Lutheran College. We have an incredible opportunity to use our passion for the game of football to share the love of Christ and build the next generation of servant leaders.”

Treske returns to his alma mater after spending the past five seasons as offensive coordinator and

strength and conditioning director at fellow NACC member Lakeland University. A four-year letter winner (2004-2007) as a wide receiver and return man on the WLC football team, Treske ranks fifth in school history with 110 receptions and sixth all-time with 1,334 receiving yards. Treske was an all-conference selection and was twice named the Warriors’ most inspirational player. He received a bachelor’s degree in communication from WLC in 2008. "I feel blessed to have been a part of the unique experience of building an intercollegiate football program." - Coach Miller

WOMEN’S SOCCER

MAGGY WAECH ’18 has been named the next head coach of the Warriors women’s soccer program. She becomes the sixth head coach in the history of the program’s recently completed 25th season. Waech, who has served for a total of four seasons – two as a graduate assistant and two as a part-time assistant – on the Warriors’ coaching staff, spent the 2018 season as the development coach at NCAA Division II Barton College (N.C.). She also earned a Master of Arts in leadership and innovation from WLC in May 2018.