Culture is everything for UW-Whitewater athletics. Every time you speak to an administrator, coach, or athlete, you’ll hear some variation of “tradition of success” or “powered by tradition.” While this phrase highlights the athletic dominance the university is known for, it also reflects the academic excellence of its student-athletes. Scholar-athletes are those who perform at a high level both athletically and academically.
On Oct. 6, senior golfer Abbie Reiser was announced as the recipient of the Judy Krukman Scholar-Athlete Award. The honor is given to student-athletes who maintain at least a 3.5 GPA, are in their final year of eligibility, and have achieved significant athletic success.
Reiser has been a cornerstone of the Warhawks’ women’s golf program, helping the team win three conference championships in her four years. Individually, she’s finished in the top 30 each season while maintaining a 3.9 GPA and serving in student government.
“The key to my success has been my time management skills,” Reiser said. “I thoroughly enjoy being involved on campus. With athletics and student government, I’m already really busy on top of my classes. I just need to prioritize what’s going on.”
Like many students, Reiser relies on her daily planner and Outlook calendar to stay organized. But she credits her teammates and coaches for keeping her grounded and motivated. Head coach Andrea Wieland has not only sharpened her golf skills but also instilled valuable life lessons.
“Coach Wieland is amazing and I’ve learned a lot from her leadership,” Reiser said. “She’s helped me appreciate the journey. On the golf course, there’s sometimes a really bad hole, which is similar to life. Things just happen.”
Reiser says the bond with her teammates has been the most rewarding part of her college experience.
“I’ve loved the team,” she said. “That’s going to be something when I graduate, it’ll be very bittersweet. I’m going to look back fondly on all of the memories I have with them. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be with my teammates.”
While this fall season didn’t go exactly as planned — the Warhawks finished second in the WIAC Championship, breaking their three-year title streak — Reiser and her teammates remain optimistic heading into spring.
“My personal goal is to work really hard over the offseason and then just really enjoy it,” she said. “It’s easy to get wrapped up in the results. I want to take in every moment.”
Another standout scholar-athlete is Gunner Schlender, a former cross country and track runner who graduated after the 2024-25 school year. Schlender maintained a 4.0 GPA, earned 12 All-American honors, and won the NCAA Elite 90 Award twice, an honor given to the student-athlete with the highest GPA competing at each NCAA championship site.
“Winning the Elite 90 award was really sweet,” Schlender said. “It was a blast being able to represent the university in that manner.”
Like Reiser, Schlender attributes his success to balance and attitude.

“I’ll always believe that approaching athletics and school with a positive attitude while working as hard as you possibly can is a recipe for success,” he said.
Though Schlender collected numerous individual accolades, his favorite memories revolve around team achievements and camaraderie fostered by head coach Jeff Miller and the program.
“My favorite moment was winning a team trophy in cross country last fall,” he said. “Accomplishing something so special together as a team is something I’ll never forget.”
This culture of success stems from the top, starting with athletic director Ryan Callahan, a former UW-Whitewater baseball player who went on to pitch in the San Francisco Giants organization and was later inducted into the Whitewater Athletics Hall of Fame.
Callahan emphasizes that everything begins with culture and habits. Student-athletes must be organized, manage their time effectively, and stay goal-oriented to balance their academic and athletic responsibilities.
“First and foremost for any success you want to have is to have people that buy in,” Callahan said. “I tell all of our students that the first thing you need to do is get comfortable with the university. Get to know your teammates, the culture, get involved around campus. Once you start buying in, you’re going to have a lot of success.”
Building those habits begins the moment students arrive on campus. Coaches prioritize helping freshmen get off to a strong start, both academically and socially. Many programs implement study tables or structured tutoring sessions to set students up for success.
“It’s very easy to start high and maintain that than it is to start low and get up to the point that you want to be,” Callahan said. “A point of emphasis for all of our coaches is to make sure that freshmen are not only doing well academically but integrating themselves into the culture.”
The relationship between the athletic and academic departments at UW-W is another defining factor. When the football team advanced to the Division III National Championship in 2019, which coincided with finals week, more than 65 student-athletes and staff had to complete their exams while preparing for the game. Faculty and staff worked closely to accommodate every student.
“That’s what really separates Whitewater from a lot of institutions,” Callahan said. “The relationship between academics and athletics is really special. People see and notice that.”
This collaboration also fuels recruiting. Since Division III schools don’t offer athletic scholarships, UW-Whitewater emphasizes its dual commitment to athletic and academic excellence. Alumni often return to share their post-graduation experiences, demonstrating how their time as Warhawks prepared them for success.
“Whitewater is a special place,” Callahan said. “Once student-athletes feel connected and supported, they do well. When they’re done, they can look back and say, ‘Wow, what an experience.’”
Student-athletes like Reiser and Schlender exemplify the “powered by tradition” mantra. Their ability to juggle demanding schedules, excel in their sports and achieve academically sets a standard that continues to rise year after year.
“I tell our student-athletes to not lose sight of the effort and sacrifices that they’ve made to be one of the best athletes and the best students,” Callahan said. “We have some exceptional, outstanding student-athletes. They come in ready to go and ready to work.”
UW-Whitewater’s legacy of scholar-athletes continues to thrive, and with the culture they’ve built, that tradition isn’t fading anytime soon. After all, the Warhawks truly are powered by tradition.