It’s a busy and exciting time in Blugold country. In this episode of Rolling with the Golds, Dan catches up with Nick Hoven to break down everything happening across UW–Eau Claire Blugolds athletics.

The show starts with the big news of longtime women’s basketball head coach Tonja Englund announcing her retirement after 26 seasons leading the Blugolds program. The guys reflect on her incredible impact on the program, the university, and the Chippewa Valley basketball community.

From there, the conversation shifts to the success across multiple programs as several Blugolds teams and athletes prepare for national competition. Gymnastics is headed to the NCGA National Championships for the first time as a team in more than a decade, while indoor track and field sends a large group to nationals in Alabama.

Dan and Nick also cover the latest around Blugolds hockey, wrestling’s national qualifiers, and the start of the spring sports season. Softball and baseball are getting games in early thanks to the Sonnentag Center before heading south for spring trips, while tennis and lacrosse are also ramping up their seasons.

It’s a full rundown of Blugolds athletics—from major milestones to teams chasing championships.

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It’s a great time to be a Blugold.

On this episode of Rolling with the Golds, Dan and Nick break down one of the busiest and most successful stretches of the season for UW-Eau Claire Athletics. From 50 events in 18 days to conference championships, program records, and playoff races, the energy around Blugold sports is undeniable.

The guys recap:

• Women’s and men’s hockey gearing up for WIAC tournament action

• Wrestling claiming its first outright WIAC regular season championship

• Swimming & diving making noise at the WIAC Championships

• Indoor track & field climbing national rankings

• Men’s basketball boosting attendance and building momentum

• Softball opening its home slate at Sonnetag Field

• Tennis, lacrosse, and baseball kicking off their spring campaigns

Then in the second half, the spotlight shifts to gymnastics. Seniors Ava Obermoller and Rachel Hettiarachchy reflect on being part of head coach Jesse Nelson’s first recruiting class, building a culture from the ground up, handling the mental grind of collegiate gymnastics, and helping elevate the program to national relevance.

From glitter and game-day routines to program-record team scores, this episode captures what Blugold tradition and excellence truly look like.

It’s championship season in Eau Claire — and the Golds are rolling.

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Three freshmen from the UW–Eau Claire women’s basketball team sit down to share what brought them to Eau Claire and what it’s really like stepping into one of the toughest conferences in the country. They discuss recruiting, team culture, WIAC battles, balancing school and basketball, and why family is at the core of the program—all capped off with some rapid-fire questions that show their personalities off the court.

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