FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Media Relations

SOMERS, Wis. (Feb. 21, 2013)-- It's an action packed weekend for the University of Wisconsin-Parkside athletic department with seven sports in action spread across four different states. The wrestling and track & field squads begin the championship segment of their seasons, the basketball squads embark on their final road swing of the regular season while baseball and softball open up their 2013 campaigns.

The 13th-ranked Ranger wrestling team travels to Young Arena in Waterloo, Iowa for the 13-team NCAA Division II Regional on Sunday. The event, hosted by Upper Iowa University, is slated to begin at 10 a.m. on Sunday with the championship round slated to get underway at 7 p.m. Six of the 13 teams are nationally-ranked, including No. 1 Saint Cloud State University. Of the almost 130 wrestlers competing, 27 are nationally-ranked in their respective weight classes. The Rangers have wrestlers ranked in four weight classes with Dillon Bera leading the way, heading to Iowa ranked No. 1 at the 157-pound weight class. James Malechek is fourth at 285-pounds, Matt Gille is seventh at 184 while 197-pounder Davien Willis is eighth. The top four finishers in each weight class advance to Birmingham, Ala. for the Division II National Championships on March 8.

Fans can follow the action at the official tournament page or follow the stat tracker or live video feed.

The men's and women's track & field squads head to campus of the University of Indianapolis for the GLVC Championships held on the 200-meter track at the Athletics & Recreation Center. Action is slated to get underway at 8 a.m. on Friday with the women's pentathlon while field events get underway at 2:30 p.m. while action on the track begins at 3 p.m. Action resumes on Saturday at 8 a.m. with the day two of the men's heptathlon with field events beginning at 10:30 a.m. and running events starting at 12:30 p.m.

Will Cranford enters the meet with the GLVC's fastest time in the 60-meter hurdles, clocking a time of 8.06 seconds at last Friday's Cardinal Classic while the Ranger 4x400-meter relay team heads into the 12-team competition ranked third (3:19.18). On the women's side, Jessica Watychowicz owns the fastest times in the league in the mile (4:56.33), 3,000-meters (9:44.44) and 5,000-meters (16:59.28) while the distance medley relay owns the fastest time in the GLVC after clocking a 11:55.23 last Friday at the Cardinal Classic.

More information can be found at the GLVC's official championship homepage while live results will also be provided.

Men's and women's basketball look to secure a season sweep of the University of Indianapolis on Saturday inside Nicoson Hall. The women tipoff at 12 p.m. with the men following at 2:15 p.m. The 13th-ranked men's squad looks to secure a GLVC East Division title and shore up its resume for the NCAA Tournament while the women look to make one final lunge for the division crown, heading into Thursday just one-game back of first place.

Previews and links to video, audio and live stats for the women's basketball team can be accessed here while the men's information can be found here.

Softball begins its season by fleeing south to Florence, Ala. for the North Alabama Tournament. The Rangers will play six games over the weekend beginning with a 4 p.m. showdown on Friday against Shorter College of Georgia.

Baseball begins the Daniel Esposito era by heading north to the temperature controlled comfort of the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minn. on Sunday for a twinbill against 2011 national runner-up Winona State University. First pitch is slated for 3:30 p.m.

Ranger fans can keep up-to-date on all the action on twitter by following @UWPAthletics or sign up to receive breaking news and scores on their mobile phones by signing up for text message alerts.