In a grand display of pride and community spirit, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, in partnership with the Whitewater Fire Department, celebrated the athletic successes of Warhawk athletics with a parade.
“Terese Kennedy deserves all the credit, she has the connections with the city and the fire department,” Athletic Director Ryan Callahan on how the parade came about. “The last time we did this was with gymnastics’ last national championship so I was glad to finally be able to do this again.”
The parade honors the 2024 national championship Warhawk men’s wheelchair basketball team and three individual national champions: Shelvin Garrett II and Christin Patzka of men’s track and field, and Hayden Gough of gymnastics.
“I feel very thankful to be a part of a university where I am starting to be appreciated as an athlete, along with so many others who deserve more recognition than what is given,” Patzka said.
The Warhawk men’s wheelchair basketball team clinched the National Wheelchair Basketball Association men’s intercollegiate title for the 14th time. Along with the national championship, six current or former Warhawks, including head coach Jake Williams and student-athletes Talen Jourdan and AJ Fitzpatrick, will represent Team USA at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games this summer.
“We take pride in our athletics and we have a great relationship with the town and what we can bring to the community so we wanted to do something to celebrate it so we had our own version of a championship parade just on a much smaller scale,” Callahan said.
The parade and celebration are more than just a recognition of athletic achievements; they are a manifestation of the strong bonds within the Whitewater community. By coming together to honor these champions, UW-Whitewater and the Whitewater Fire Department are fostering a sense of pride and unity, highlighting the profound impact of sports in bringing people together and inspiring excellence.
“We want to keep being able to do this and hopefully we can keep winning national championships so we can continue to do this for the community,” Callahan said.
