WIU
INFORMER
SPRING 2018 Bowling Club
The Bowling Club showed huge improvements and had one of the most successful seasons in recent history. Five of our eight bowlers from last year returned and a new freshman, Andrew Wagner, joined, which was a huge key to our success. With several top 10 finishes, the highlight of the season was winning the Great Lakes Bowling Conference (GLBC) title. We were seeded fifth in the tournament bracket and faced some talented teams including Wisconsin Whitewater, who is the number two ranked team in the nation in the semifinals. In the end, however, we fought hard and bowled well enough to come away with a victory and claim the conference championship in our first year as a member of the conference. The club finished with fourth place at the Jayhawk Collegiate Classic and second place at GLBC IV. We qualified for Intercollegiate Team Sectionals, which is the qualifying tournament for the Intercollegiate Team Championships. It was a goal for the team to make the tournament since we had not qualified in three years. In addition, we felt privileged to compete in the Club Bowling National Championships since we were one of the top 24 ranked club teams in the U.S. Along with our team success, we had a few individual accomplishments. Every person that returned from last year improved on their average from the previous season which is a huge accomplishment. Our top bowler of the year was Kyle Rognstad, who averaged 202 season and recorded two all-tournament team honors including third place finish at the Jayhawk Collegiate Classic and fourth place finish at the GLBC IV. Brad Behrends recorded an all-tournament team honor with a third place finish at GLBV IV. Brad was also named to the GLBC second team allconference team. The WIU Bowling Club had a great season and we hope to continue our success in the future.
Dodgeball Club We are proud of the progress made since its inception last spring despite the club’s limited activity due to a number of injuries and unfortunate internal conditions. Gaining momentum from last year’s introduction of the club, we are looking forward to participating in the 2018 NADA Dodgeball Days tournament in July and earning a name for ourselves. The club is currently in the process of further developing a solid member base and officer cabinet. In our mission to promote the sport of dodgeball and make it accessible to the University community, WIU’s Dodgeball Club has the highest confidence in a bright future.
Equestrian Club The Equestrian Club has been busy increasing not only our members but also our involvement. Our club jumped from 12 active members last year to around 30 this year. Our show team competed at Black Hawk in three shows did well. We participated in the Homecoming Parade placing third and held our 2nd Annual Memorial Trail Ride in Keithsburg, IL, for a three-day camping event. We hosted a new event, Cookies with Santa and his “Reindeer”. During the spring semester we went to the Ag Mech Expo, CareerSpark, HSSA’s 2nd Annual Trivia Night, and Fan Fun Zone. We also hosted a 2018 Equestrian Experience. Still yet to come is the Foos for families and Stuff the Bus. After having it get voted on by the Ag Council, we have also become part of the School of Agriculture on top of being a show team. We hope to continue to get more involved in the future.
Fencing Club This semester has mostly been spent training new blood. Several new members have allowed our club to grow, and having multiple people join at a similar time allowed for a more consistent experience level. Some of our senior members had a new experience when we decided to rebuild a couple of epee’s (swords) that were no longer functioning. We’re excited to see who will be joining over the next couple of semesters and are always ready to spar! Anyone is welcome to walk in and start training, regardless of experience level.
Kendo Club Kendo is a Japanese martial art that descended from swordsmanship, and it places great importance on etiquette. As the All Japan Kendo Federation states, “the practice of Kendo is to discipline the human character through the application of the principles of the katana”. Thus, our club practices focus on refining our techniques and form, as well as learning how to be respectful and mindful. We hold four practice sessions a week, with beginner practices on Mondays and Tuesdays in Brophy Hall and advanced practices on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Rec Center.
In the advanced practices, we learn the ten different katas, which are fixed patterns that teach the practitioners the certain techniques and elements of swordsmanship. Since we are a new club that started in January 2017, we are working on obtaining armor for the club so new members can participate in the sparring session. We recently held a joint practice session with the Moline Kendo Dojo and hope to attend tournaments in the near future.
MMA Club The Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Club at WIU is a club that prides itself on helping others build self-confidence and teaching self-defense. Brock Daley, president, said, “The MMA Club enjoys inspiring others to push past their limits and helps students gain confidence defending themselves”.
Ultimate Frisbee Club Mass Hysteria started out in the fall recruiting a couple of freshmen and other new members. In the fall, the team traveled to Southern Illinois University and Illinois State University. They are mostly known for their home tournament, the “Western Classic”. This year was one of their biggest turnouts for that tournament. There were 15 registered teams who played at Vince Grady Field including Mass Hysteria; our talented players had a lot of fun. Mass Hysteria veterans in attendance were Jerrod Kalinsky, Dylan Bishop, Paige Rohrback, Dennis Michael, Benjamin Gleason, Kelly Crowley, and Chad Fahrenbach. In the spring, Mass Hysteria attended Knox College’s indoor tournament and hosted their second annual hat tournament. Both tournaments were great for the team.
Women’s Volleyball Club The Women’s Club Volleyball Team participated and placed in three of five tournaments varying from first place to third place in our bracket. We were a very close team on and off the court this last semester and I am looking forward to what next year has in store for us. The team is looking forward to tryouts in the fall, and cannot wait to see the skill and energy the players bring to the court!