Adjacent photo courtesy of Leah Thyne, UW-Whitewater Athletics
• UW-Whitewater’s amazing 63-60 come-from-behind national championship win over Cabrini showed the grit that made the 2012 Warhawks the third men’s basketball national championship team in school history.
• The writing on the chest of the Warhawk fan on the right in the adjacent photo was taken to heart by the Hawks in a “comeback for the ages” in the second half of U-Dub-Dub’s D III title win on Saturday night.
• Whitewater was all but left for dead trailing No. 5 Cabrini 47-29 with 14 minutes, 41 seconds left in the game. Whitewater then dominated play the remainder of the game outscoring Cabrini 34 to 16 with senior’s Alex Edmunds and Chris Davis “finishing it” with clutch points in the final two minutes.
• It was my first year as the “radio voice” of Warhawk basketball back in 1989 – it was the last time the men’s basketball team won the D III national title. I was sitting on media row for the Warhawks action at the Salem Civic Center Saturday evening. I said to myself, “self,” I want to go over and join the amazing UWW fans in the stands to hopefully cheer the Hawks to the national championship.
• I wanted to sit with some of the best Warhawk men’s basketball supporters there is. Dan “Doc” Hornickel, Jim Boyd, Therese Kennedy and “Sparky” Sparks.
• I have been around Warhawk basketball for a longtime and one of my lasting memories will be the passion which my friends were exhibiting every second of those final five minutes. Imploring there team to “finish the mission” of winning the title.
• At game’s end the emotions exhibited by the group said it all for me. The elation and tears reminded me once again that the success for Warhawk basketball, football
• I would like to thank the UWW students for making this championship run very, very special for me. You were the talk of the town in the games leading up to Salem. One veteran NCAA official told me during the title game that “we have never seen such great student support here in Salem.”
• One of the big stories all week was the Whitewater coach Pat Miller was looking to be part of a Division III basketball title both as a player (1989) and as a head coach this season.
• All week long Miller attempted to deflect those questions instead putting all the focus on his players – it was very classy.
• That said, for longtime UWW men’s basketball fans, Pat Miller achieving the 2012 national championship is something very special.
• Miller’s mentor, Dave "Augie" Vander Meulen taught him well didn’t he?
• Warhawk fans, you are very fortunate to have Gary Douglas as the “radio voice” for Warhawk basketball. He is among the best sports announcers in the state of Wisconsin. That is an undisputable fact!
• I want to thank my friends at KOOL 106.5 for allowing me to put together the halftime features for this year’s basketball broadcasts. To still be part of the Warhawk broadcasts has been very important to me.
• Finally – thank you to the 2012 Division III National Champions. The memories that you have brought me and the rest of “Warhawk nation” have been priceless.
• That said, for longtime UWW men’s basketball fans Miller achieving the 2012 national championship is something very special.
• Miller’s mentor, Dave "Augie" Vander Meulen taught him well didn’t he?
• Warhawk fans, you are very fortunate to have Gary Douglas as the “radio voice” for Warhawk basketball. He is among the best sports announcers in the state of Wisconsin. That is an undisputable fact!
• I want to thank my friends at KOOL 106.5 for allowing me to put together the halftime features for this year’s basketball broadcasts. To still be part of the Warhawk broadcasts has been very important to me.
• Finally – thank you to the 2012 Division III National Champions. The memories that you have brought me and the rest of “Warhawk nation” have been priceless.
