R-B's Baldwin used to winning at Whitewater

Being at the top of the NCAA Division III football polls is nothing new to Wisconsin-Whitewater.

For the most part, though, the Warhawks are too busy to notice.

"We don't really pay attention to it," said senior defensive end Jon Baldwin, a Richmond-Burton grad. "We just take things one step at a time."

The next step for the Warhawks this fall is defending their D-III national title, the second in the past three years.

Whitewater has played in five straight Stagg Bowl games, the D-III championship contest, and all have been against fellow powerhouse Mount Union of Ohio. Whitewater is No. 1 this month in The Sporting News and D3Football.com preseason polls.

In his first three seasons, during which he's compiled 8.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss, Baldwin has helped the Warhawks to a 42-3 record.

"It's a great experience to get to play as many games as we do," he said.

Last fall, Whitewater's defense allowed 10.4 points a game, yielded six rushing touchdowns in 15 games and collected 33 sacks.

"Those numbers are right about where we want to be," Baldwin said. "We want to stop the run first and make teams (one-dimensional)."

The Warhawks' defensive success has led to Baldwin being named to the InsideWisconsinSports.com All-Division III Defensive Team, which includes the top defenders from Wisconsin schools.

Baldwin will play a key role in helping the Warhawks ease the loss of fellow defensive end Anthony White, who piled up 24.5 sacks and 37 tackles for loss in the past four seasons.

"It's not really all on me," said Baldwin, whose team opens the season at home Sept. 4 against Adrian (Mich.) College. "It's on our whole D-line. It's up to all of us."

Baldwin's approach to doing his part is simple.

"I'm trying to get better at everything," he said. "I want to do my job better so that I allow other guys to do their jobs even better."

Hope at No. 4: Michigan's Hope College is in the top four of the American Volleyball Coaches Association's preseason poll, the same place where it ended last season.

Thanks to the play of Richmond-Burton grad Jacie Fiedler, Hope made the D-III Final Four last season and posted a school-record 34-4 campaign.

This fall, Hope was chosen No. 4 in the preseason poll. Fiedler, a senior outside hitter, earned honorable mention All-American honors last season and was the most outstanding player in the NCAA regional tournament. She ranked 16th nationally with a .370 hitting percentage while being named to the All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association first team.

Barry Bottino writes a weekly column and a blog about local college athletes for the Northwest Herald. Write to him at BarryOnCampus@hotmail.com and check out his On Campus column every Saturday in the Northwest Herald sports section.