The Andersen Library Blog

[This post was researched and written by Jacob Ober.]

Lance Leipold, current head coach for the Kansas Jayhawks football team, led them to their first bowl appearance in 15 seasons in 2022 after joining the program in 2021. Leipold, however, got his start as a backup quarterback for the UW-Whitewater Warhawks in 1983, working his way up to become the starting quarterback in his junior and senior seasons. After his playing days were over, Leipold got into coaching, eventually becoming the head coach of the UW-Whitewater Warhawks in 2007. Over his coaching career at UW-Whitewater, Lance Leipold led the Warhawks to six Division III National Championship victories before moving to the Division I football program at Buffalo in 2014 and then, in 2021, the Kansas Jayhawks.

Leipold became the starting quarterback for the UW-Whitewater Warhawks in 1985. During the 1985 season, he set a school record for completions and passing yards in a game with 37 completions and 474 yards against UW-River Falls, records that still stand today.¹ After his playing career, Leipold bounced around as an assistant coach for various programs, including UW-Whitewater, Doane College, Wisconsin, Nebraska-Omaha, and Nebraska, before being named head coach of the UW-Whitewater Warhawks in 2007.² During his tenure at UW-Whitewater from 2007-2014, Leipold led the Warhawks to six Division III National Championship titles, including a three-peat from 2009-2011 and five undefeated seasons. Leipold compiled a win-loss record of 109-6 as head coach of the Warhawks, becoming the fastest coach in NCAA history to record 100 victories with a win over UW-Eau Claire in 2014.³ Only twice in his tenure at UW-Whitewater did Leipold’s Warhawks team fail to win the national championship, setting the bar for success at UW-Whitewater tremendously high.

Following the 2014 season, Leipold left the Warhawks for Division I college in Buffalo, where he led them to a 37-33 record and two bowl victories from 2015-2020.⁴ After the 2020 season, Leipold left Buffalo for the Kansas Jayhawks. Following a disappointing first season with only 2 wins, Leipold led the Jayhawks to their first bowl appearance in 2022 and their first win over a ranked opponent since 2010.⁵ As Coach Leipold takes other programs to new heights, we shall never forget his humble beginnings as a backup quarterback at UW-Whitewater and his lasting impact as head coach of the Warhawk football team.

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1. Dave Ehrhardt, “Despite air-Berezowitz, Warhawks Defeated 35-28,” The Royal Purple (Whitewater, WI), October 30, 1985. ↩︎
2. “UW-Whitewater Hires Leipold, Manitowoc Herald-Times, January 4, 2007. ↩︎
3. “Lance Leipold Fastest to 100 Wins,” ESPN.com, October 18, 2014. ↩︎
4. “Lance Leipold,” Sports Reference College Football, Accessed October 31, 2023. ↩︎
5. “Lance Leipold Bio,” KUAthletics.com, Accessed October 31, 2023. ↩︎

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has achieved a high status of athletic success in men’s and women’s sports. The women’s athletic teams have won 8 National Championships in golf, volleyball, and gymnastics since 1985. [1] However, the foundation of women’s athletics at UW-Whitewater was established well before the idea of a national championship seemed feasible.

In 1896, women from the State Normal School in Whitewater established the Ladies Athletic Association to “further the interests of athletics.” they established a formal association and constitution. The association declared any faculty member, students from the Normal School, Preparatory Department, or Grammar Department in the body. The association would vote on newly inducted members. The association acknowledged any inductee achieving 2/3 as an official member. [2] In the constitution, the association notes that they would control the activities available to the young ladies, including field day, exercises, basketball, battle ball, bicycling, walking club, tennis, etc. The Ladies’ Athletic Association hosted a reception for faculty and the gentlemen’s Athletic Association to commemorate the new association. “If the ladies are as successful in their athletics as they have proved themselves to be at entertaining, we bespeak for them a successful career.”

In 1899, the group had enough interest to fill two basketball teams and focus their efforts on “wheel club,” a club for bicycling and tennis. The group would remain active for a few years but eventually dissipated due to lack of interest. In 1902, the Tennis Club reactivated part of the organization. It worked hard to establish a space for its 45 active women to get a little exercise and some fresh air. [3] In 1913, Minnieska wrote that the association granted the first official Ws to 24 members. Members were congratulated with Ws when they achieved a high standing of sportsmanship and athletic success. Eventually, the organization would offer the achievement of pins, Ws, and sweaters, depending on the number of points gathered by an athlete. [4] Achievement of the W occurred when an athlete met association standards in loyalty, playing spirit, team spirit, and sportsmanlike spirit. [5] In 1916, the association coordinated twenty-eight basketball teams and planned a tournament to meet the desires of the organization’s 250 participants. By 1917, the organization started consistently calling itself the “Women’s Athletic Organization”.

The association continued to grow throughout the 1920s. In response, they corralled teams in a variety of sports, including the traditional sports they played, like tennis and basketball, and other new sports, like field hockey, captain’s ball, swimming, dancing, indoor baseball, and volleyball. [6] The Women’s Athletic Association was related to the Physical Department at the Normal School. The Minnieska stated: “Girls’ athletics are continually commanding more and more attention in our schools; this year, the interest in athletics in Whitewater Normal was quite out of the ordinary.” [7] The organization also organized other campus events, including the famous “stunt night,” which they started sponsoring in 1930. [8] Stunt night was an opportunity for students from all the organizations on campus to perform a skit, including singing, dancing, and or general acting. [9] Before campus was vibrant with student activities, stunt night provided a unique opportunity for students to connect with other students and contribute to something larger than themselves. The event was popular for students and was a tradition on campus until the late 1960s.

In 1961, the organization changed its name to the “Women’s Recreation Association” to align itself with other state colleges that were also changing their name. The 1960s led to the growth of the organization club sponsors, officers, and liaisons for each active sport. [10] However, participation in the 1970s dwindled as formal athletic opportunities became increasingly available, including the Wisconsin Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. [11] The Women’s Athletic Association and Women’s Recreation Association provided an avenue for women to participate in athletics, be part of a team, and develop good sportsmanship. Organizations like W.A.A. have solidified a place in history as trailblazers for women’s athletics at UW-Whitewater and have paved the way for the success of our future women’s sports.  

[1] “National Championship Teams”, accessed on December 5, 2023 https://uwwsports.com/sports/2012/3/27/GEN_0327122239.aspx

[2] Ladies Athletic Association, Constitution of the Ladies Athletic Association of the State Normal of Whitewater (Whitewater: State Normal School of Whitewater, November 1896) University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Archives.

[3] “The Girls’ Tennis Team”, The Royal Purple, October 1, 1902, 13. https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.31766341

[4] Minnieska, 1922, UW-Whitewater Archives and Area Research Center,84. https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.29546555

[5] Minnieska, 1913, UW-Whitewater Archives and Area Research Center,98. https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.29546546

[6] Minnieska, 1923, UW-Whitewater Archives and Area Research Center, 102-107. https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.29546556

[7] Ibid, 102.

[8] Minnieska, 1930, UW-Whitewater Archives and Area Research Center, 82. https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.29546563

[9] Ibid, 97.

[10] Minnieska, 1961, UW-Whitewater Archives and Area Research Center, 76. https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.29811951

[11] Pete Janecky, “Van Steenderen resigns position” in The Royal Purple

This past weekend, the Athletic Hall of Fame at UW-Whitewater inducted ten new members who have all played an integral role in developing Warhawk Athletics into its current force. Among those new inductees was Derek Stanley, a two-sport star for the football team from 2003 to 2007 and the track and field teams from 2004 until 2008.

Stanley, a Verona, Wisconsin native, played running back in high school but started his Warhawk career as a defensive back and kick returner, for which he achieved All-American honors as a freshman.[1] In addition to Stanley’s early success on the football field, he would also achieve two first-team All-American awards in track and field in the long jump and triple jump.[2] Stanley proved himself a superior track athlete and considered leaving UW-Whitewater to play track at Division I, UW-Madison. Stanley ultimately chose to stay at Whitewater, and his commitment to the Warhawks paid off.[3]

Stanley built his legacy as a wide receiver for the Warhawks. During his career at UW, Stanley is currently third all-time in receiving yards with 2,621 yards, second all-time in receiving touchdowns with 35, and fifth in yards per catch with an average of 20.16 yards per catch.[4]  He was known for his speed, athleticism, and versatility.[5] After Stanley’s stellar performance in the NCAA Division III National Championship, where he received seven passes for 99 yards, he received much attention from the National Football League (NFL) scouts.[6] Stanley eventually met with a representative from every NFL team. The St. Louis Rams drafted Stanley with the 249^th pick in the 2007 National Football League Draft.[7] This achievement would make him the first Warhawk drafted into the NFL.