Kristina Santaga: Driven to Boston

This article appeared originally on Edgewood.edu and is reproduced for our Eagle fans here. Enjoy!

There may be a challenge out there that Kristina Santaga ’13 isn’t capable of meeting, we’re just not sure what it is.
The Green Bay native graduated with a BS in Biology in 2013. She was two-sport athlete – soccer and track & field – and today she’s in the College’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

On Monday, April 14, she was among the thousands of runners in the Boston Marathon. This year marked the first Boston Marathon since a terrorists’ attack near the finish line in 2013.

“I had so many of my fellow nursing students follow my run and text me before and after my race,” she says. “It was such an amazing experience to be there this year, so inspiring.”

“I ran proudly in an Edgewood College jersey and heard the crowd yell ‘go Eagles’ throughout my race. Being cheered as an Edgewood Eagle means a lot to me and helped me when it got tough,” she says.

“I kept thinking that, without Edgewood College and the wonderful professors, coaches, and staff, I wouldn’t be so driven to follow my passions. The compassionate, encouraging, welcoming, and spiritual atmosphere at the Boston Marathon reminded me of the Edgewood College atmosphere every day I arrive on campus.” 

John Fahey: "I wouldn't trade it for any job in the world"

This article appeared originally on Edgewood.edu and is reproduced for our Eagle fans here. Enjoy!

Hometown: Oregon, Wis.
Academic: Business, Marketing concentration ‘08
Notable: Video Scout - Golden State Warriors (NBA)

Four years of basketball at Edgewood College may not have led John Fahey to a career as a professional basketball player, but that did not stop him from ‘making it’ in the NBA.

“I am currently in my fourth season with the Golden State Warriors. As a Video Scout I’m in charge of breaking down upcoming opponent game film: play sets, play calls, player tendencies and team tendencies. We create all the film the team watches prior to games and practices as well as assist coaches during team meetings, film sessions, workouts, and practices. It’s an extremely involved job that requires long hours. Most days tend to be about 14-16 hours a day in the office. But it allows such exposure to the game and a tremendous environment to learn that at no point in my four years have I ever once considered my job work. I wouldn’t trade it for any job in the world.”

Fahey credits Edgewood College for many of the skills he uses day in and day out. “I graduated with a Business Marketing degree. My time at Edgewood College helped me prepare for my next step regardless of my concentration in school. As a student-athlete I learned how to build relationships and work together on and off the court, which has proved to be very important in all aspects of life, especially my field. I had some amazing teachers and coaches at Edgewood College that had a large impact on helping me reach this position, and become the person I am today.”

Like most things in life, Fahey’s job comes with challenges, but it is the rewarding aspects that make his position with the Warriors a true dream job. “The most challenging part of my job would be the amount of work that you put in on a daily basis to prepare for upcoming opponents. With games almost every other day and even sometimes back-to-back nights the preparation we put into games is extremely detailed and very time consuming.”

“There are some very rewarding parts of my job as well. The relationships that I’ve built and the places the game of basketball has taken me stand out the most. I’ve had the opportunity to work with people who’ve been role models to me since I began watching the game. I’ve also enjoyed the chance to get to know these people on a personal level, and learn from their journeys. It’s crazy to think that a small orange ball has taken me all over the U.S. and even as far as China this year for two pre-season games against the Los Angeles Lakers, something I never imagined. But at the end of the day being the competitor I am, being part of a team is something that will always drive me. To be able to do something I love and be with a group of coaches and players all fighting for the same goal: to be the last team standing in June. Now that would be something special.” 

Jake Zadra: Your Education Is What You Make It

This article appeared originally on Edgewood.edu and is reproduced for our Eagle fans here. Enjoy!

Jake Zadra ‘13 has heard it a few times already. When he tells people that he actually majored in History at Edgewood College “I usually get some funny looks. On the surface, I might think that’s a weird combination.”

The ‘weird combination’ for Jake is a Bachelor of Science degree in History, with minors in Biology and Chemistry. By all accounts it has worked well. Mr. Zadra graduated Summa Cum Laude in May 2013, and this fall learned he’ll begin his next chapter in August 2014 at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, where he’ll study to become a doctor.

“Studying History has taught me a lot, and it’s going to make me a better doctor. It really honed my critical thinking skills, for one. And when you study History, you study people. And in medicine, you work with people – so in that way, I’m going to be a better doctor for it.”

That’s a great challenge for anyone, but his record shows he’s ready: he’s a volunteer with the Ski Patrol at Devil’s Head Ski Resort; spent more than 300 hours performing research in the UW-Madison Orthopedic/Biomechanics lab as an intern; captained the Eagles baseball team; was named a Capital One Academic All-American student-athlete; and served as vice-president of the History Club.

Today, he works in the ER at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, and “runs” with the Blooming Grove (Wis.) Fire Department as an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician).

Some of his professors said Jake “took a true multidisciplinary, liberal arts approach to his education.”  He puts it this way: “Coming to Edgewood College your options are endless. Your education is what you make it. You can choose to study something you love here, and you’re going to get a fantastic education that will benefit you no matter what field you choose to go into.”

Photo: Associate Professor Jim Goll, Jake Zadra ’13, and Assistant Professor Brenda del Moral, Dominican Honors Convocation, 2013

Alumni update: Wisniewski makes professional debut for the Saigon Heat

When Edgewood College men's basketball alumni Ben Wisniewski signed on with the Saigon Heat, he did so as a front office employee and a practice player. He knew he likely wouldn't get a chance to play in a game, unless one of the other two permitted American players on the roster sustained an injury.

Sometimes it pays to be in the right place at the right time.

Wisniewski made his professional basketball debut on Sunday in Singapore, replacing injured leading scorer Dior Lowhorn in the Heat's lineup. Wisniewski drilled his first shot attempt, a three-pointer, and went on to an 11-point night on 3-for-8 shooting in 31 minutes of game action.

Through the magic of the internet you can see the entire broadcast of the Heat's game against the Singapore Slingers courtesy of the ASEAN Basketball League's YouTube channel:

Full game video replay

If you'd like to catch Ben's top moments we've marked off a few time stamps to help you find his highlights:

5:45 - First shot of Wisniewski during pre-game introductions.

17:40 - Wisniewski enters the game for the first time.

24:50 - Wisniewski drills a three-point shot from the corner on his first shot attempt. Broadcasters make first mention of Edgewood College.

42:35 - Wisniewski goes 1-on-3 for a bucket in the paint and a foul. (Make your free throws, Ben!)

48:45 - Wisniewski steps in for a jumper from the elbow.

Full recap from the Saigon Heat's website

Box score from FIBA's live stats website

Other websites you'll find useful to follow Ben's team...

Saigon Heat website

ASEAN Basketball League website

Also, here's the Q&A with Wisniewski from Ben Steele of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel which first tipped us off that Ben had suited up for the Heat.

Alumni update: Wisniewski lands job with Saigon Heat

Former Edgewood College men's basketball athlete Ben Wisniewski is getting his feet wet in the world of professional basketball half a world away from home. Wisniewski recently accepted an offer from the Saigon Heat (Vietnam) of the ASEAN Basketball League to work in the front office and participate as a practice player.

While Wisniewski will get to lace up the shoes in practice, he likely won't get many chances to dress for games. ABL teams are allowed two foreign players on their roster, and given the lack of height in many Asian countries, those spots are usually held for bigger, post players. However, should one of the American players on the Saigon Heat need to miss a game,  it's possible Wisniewski could pull on a uniform once again. In the meantime, he will participate in practice and develop him administration skills in the team's front office.

Wisniewski was a third team All-Midwest Region selection by D3Hoops.com as a senior, and was named first or second team All-Northern Athletics Conference every year of his career. The native of New Berlin, Wis., graduated from Edgewood College in 2012 as the program's second all-time leading scorer with 1,719 career points.

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Podcast: Craig Machut, Men's Basketball Alum

Edgewood College alum and Milwaukee King Girls' Basketball Coach Craig Machut talks with Edgewood College Director of Athletic Communications David Petroff. Machut has led the Generals back to the WIAA State Tournament for the second time in four seasons. Machut played basketball for Edgewood College from 2000-03, including the 2001-02 team which reached the NCAA Division III Tournament. Milwaukee King plays in a Division 1 semifinal against Middleton on Friday, March 23 at the Kohl Center.

Interview with men's basketball alum Craig Machut:

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Edgewood College Magazine: Summer 2011

The latest edition of the Edgewood College Magazine is released. There's a fantastic feature on Edgewood College men's basketball alum Mark Lowry. Also, see if you can find pictures of these student-athletes: Jeff Barczak, Jessi Ditzler, Josh Williams, Shae Beckwith, Brittany Storhoff, Brittany Drewiske, Emily Daniels, Amanda Bliske, Mallory Palmer, Max Divelbiss, Ben Wisniewski and Andrew Garvey.

Wait, is that Dr. Goll in one of those pictures?

Open publication - Free publishing - More magazine

Welcome to Ryan Matthew Saltzberry!

Edgewood College's athletic business administrator is a new mom! Former three-sport athlete Suann Saltzberry and her husband, former baseball player Matt Saltzberry, welcomed a new baby boy into the world on Monday morning. He was 6 lbs, 6 oz. and 18.5 inches long.

Congratualtions to the new parents!
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Krueger signs with Riverhawks

Eagle fans won't have to travel down under to see former Edgewood College pitcher Matt Krueger this summer. Krueger has signed a contract to play for the Rockford Riverhawks, an independent professional baseball team in the Frontier League.

Krueger played last season with the Perth Heat of the Australian Baseball League and their farm team the Wanneroo Giants of the Western Australia State Baseball League. Krueger helped the Giants to the league title, pitching to victory in the championship series.

The Riverhawks open the season with a three-game series at home against the Traverse City Beach Bums, beginning on Friday night. The Riverhawks play at Road Ranger Stadium in Loves Park, Ill., just 65 miles south of Madison.

Riverhawks sign catcher, pitcher (courtesy of RockfordRiverhawks.com)

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Krueger promoted to Australian Baseball League

Edgewood College graduate Matt Krueger got “the call” Australian-style earlier this month. Krueger, pitching since October for the Wanneroo Giants of the Western Australia State League, was promoted up to the Perth Heat of the Australian Baseball League, the highest level of professional baseball on the continent.

Krueger's Perth Heat bio page

Krueger, a native of Madison and a graduate of Madison West High School, was added to the Heat roster in time for their January 6-9 series at the Sydney Blue Sox. He didn’t get into a game in Sydney, although Perth swept the four-game series. The next weekend, Krueger made his ABL debut pitching the final 1.2 innings of a 15-6 victory on the road against the Melbourne Aces. He struck out two batters, allowing just one hit and one walk.

This weekend, Perth is hosting Melbourne in the final four-game series of the year. Despite losing today, the Heat have clinched a playoff berth and hold a half-game lead for first place in the ABL. The playoffs begin on January 27 with a best-of-three games semifinal series.

Krueger graduated from Edgewood College last spring as one of the top pitchers in Eagle history. He was a second team All-Midwest Region selection by the American Baseball Coaches Association and went 13-1 in his career with 116 strikeouts.

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Krueger making a name Down Under

Former Edgewood College baseball player Matt Krueger is off to a strong start as a member of the Wanneroo Giants. Krueger has started eight games for the Giants, going the distance three times. On November 15 he threw a complete game, six-hit shutout of Victoria Park.

Wanneroo Giants season statistics

At the beginning of the season, Krueger pitched for the USA All-Stars in a preseason three-game series against the Perth Heat of the ABL (Australia's highest level of baseball). Krueger won a 3-2 decision to give the USA All-Stars their only win in the series.

Game story: USA All-Stars prevent sweep (courtesy of Ben Cameron, Perth Heat and Baseball Western Australia)

Krueger has also been working as coach for the North Coast Ball Club, an organization of more than 30 youth baseball teams. Krueger has been training young players as they transition from T-ball to baseball. The NCBC is sponsoring their first official Little League team this season.

Giant steps for NCBC (courtesy of Emma Brennan, North Coast Times)

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Edgewood College Magazine: Winter 2010

Open publication - Free publishing - More wisconsin

Alumni update: John Fahey, Golden State Warriors

John Fahey, an Edgewood College men's basketball alumni, checked in with us about his new job in the NBA as the Assistant Video Coordinator for the Golden State Warriors. Fahey, a 2008 graduate with a B.A. in Marketing, was the Eagles' team captain in 2007-08 and played in 94 games for Edgewood College...

"To start the 2010-2011 season I accepted the Assistant Video Coordinator position with the Golden State Warriors. As Video Coordinators, our main focus is on opponent game preparation so we will break down games of our upcoming opponents into individual possessions, put in their specific play call so our players/coaching staff are aware as well as put together shoot around/pre game edits for film sessions. On top of that we are actively involved in day to day activities such as coaches meetings, practices, and assisting in individual player workouts.

I got my foot in the door last season in the NBA as I interned in LA for the Los Angeles Clippers. At that time, Seth Cooper (former Edgewood College Basketball teammate & alum) was the Assistant Video Coordinator for the Clippers and spoke with me about the career path so I'm very grateful of everything that Seth has done for me to help advance my career. I lived in LA for almost two years before moving up to San Francisco just over a month ago. I've been lucky enough to spend some quality time in California but there is no place like home and the Midwest that's for sure!

I'm always keeping up with what's going on with the Eagles and still talk to a few guys left from my playing days, and I know Coach Adrian will have them ready to go again this season so hopefully The NEST keeps the Edgedome rocking and they can bring home another NAC Championship!"

John

Alumni Soccer Games Photo Galleries

Huge photo gallery from the Alumni Soccer Games on August 28...

http://www.edgewoodcollegeeagles.com/photo_gallery.aspx?gallery=61

Enjoy!

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Edgewood College Magazine: Summer 2010

Open publication - Free publishing - More wisconsin

Matt Werner: Guatemalan Adventure #6

The first five parts of Matt's journal are available here: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5

Well, it has been a while since I have had the time to give an update from down here due largely in part to the long days I've been putting in at the school. However, I haven't missed a second of developments going on at Edgewood College.

I am happy to report that although the school year here got off to a late start due to a teacher's union strike, everything is back to normal and the teachers have returned. It appeared that the public school teachers here were unhappy about the tax hikes proposed during the summer vacation and voiced their opinions in a month long strike. However, they only were away for a month and instead of starting in late January they started in late February. The government succumbed to the union's requests and classes resumed.

I have fulfilled the role as roaming English professor and computer teacher. It was the best decision for me to move from classroom to classroom teaching 30 minute lessons to each grade from pre-school to sixth grade Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Tuesdays and Thursdays, I give an hour long computer lesson to grades 4, 5, and 6. In a joint decision with the teachers, we decided it was best to only give lessons to those grades as the lack of computers and knowledge of the younger grades would cause a lot more problems than provide them with education. The school day runs from 7:30 am until 12 pm. They receive a government sponsored snack at their recess time (10:30am) but I still have not found out why they don't attend school for a longer day. However, I believe it has something to do with the government preferring to only pay teachers for half a day's work as opposed to a full day.

In the afternoon, I give my own private English classes open to all in the community. I never thought being a teacher required so much preparation and planning, much less a foreign teacher with a lack of resources. However, I will make it and I give kudos to all the teachers who are doing their best. I can't wait for Easter vacation because I will be visiting my family in Florida and making a special trip to see our Eagle baseball team play in Vero Beach (on March 28). I will see you all then!

Matt
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Eagle alum provides Final Four floor

The road to the Final Four actually runs through Edgewood College. Well, at least through Edgewood College alum Jason Heiman.

When you watch the NCAA Basketball Tournament this year, pay attention to the floors, because chances are it was an Eagle that built it. Heiman is the owner and president of Jason Thomas Flooring. This season his company is providing the custom playing floor for five different NCAA Tournament sites, including the ultimate site, the Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Read the article below courtesy of OnMilwaukee.com.

Local floor specialists provide shining moment (by Bob Brainerd, special to OnMilwaukee.com)

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Holy Photo Galleries, Batman!

Jam the Gym certainly provided ample photo opportunities. Here's four galleries from last Saturday's big event:

Women's Basketball vs. Dominican

Men's Basketball vs. Dominican

Dance Team from Jam the Gym

Other Jam the Gym pictures

By the way, if you see pictures you like, you can purchase them, right there in our Photo Galleries section.

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Alumni inteviews: Sue Caldwell and Mark Lowry

On Saturday, January 23 at Jam the Gym, we caught up with Edgewood College women's basketball alum Sue Caldwell and men's basketball alum Mark Lowry. Sue and Mark spent a few minutes talking to us about their experience at Edgewood College and sharing what they are up to now.

Interview with Sue Caldwell:


Interview with Mark Lowry:


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Matt Werner: Guatemalan Adventure #5

The first four parts of Matt's journal are available here: #1, #2, #3, #4

Hello all, I hope things aren't too cold in Wisconsin. I would gladly trade a day of cold from a blistering day here. Sometimes the breese here is even hot. The combination of the sun, heat, humidity, and low altitude really add up for some sweaty days. I am enjoying the heat but miss the cold.

Well, I would like to give you a short update about one of my activities here and a Catholic ceremony I participated in. I like to help the ranch owner who is taking care of me and letting me stay with his family by helping him milk his cows in the morning. He has about 20 cows that he milks in the morning at about 5.30 am. So I get up every morning at about 5.20 am and walk next door to his corral where I help him with milking the cows. He has taught me how to milk them, tie them up, and tie up the calf so that we can extract the milk for sale to the milk processing factory. He does this every morning without fail. I have really become accustomed to this routine and I enjoy waking up at the dawn and going to sleep shortly after the sun sets. It makes for fulfilling days. I still have yet to perfect my technique but I am learning quickly how to be a good milker.

Secondly, I would like to tell you about a Catholic procession I participated in down here. Catholicism is very important in Guatemala and many of the people who live here do many celebrations of the religion. Las Posadas means The Advent Celebration. During this time a statue of the Virgin Mary, Joseph, and Jesus as a baby is carried around from house to house as is tradition to celebrate the advent calendar leading up to the 25th. During this time my role was to make noise using my drum in order to celebrate and alert people as to the coming of Jesus. It was a fun procession and I was able to see how they celebrate Catholicism here.

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas and happy New Year.
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