The University of Wisconsin-River Falls football team was recognized Sunday, April 19, by the Minnesota Twins for winning the program’s first NCAA Division III national championship.
Head coach Jacob Wissing threw the ceremonial first pitch as part of the pregame festivities at Target Field. The team was also honored on the field, with highlights from its championship season displayed on the scoreboard.
UW-River Falls secured its first national title only months earlier with a 24-14 victory over North Central in the NCAA Division III championship game.
The recognition comes during a period of transition for the program. Former head coach Matt Walker resigned Feb. 22, and Wissing, who had served alongside him for 15 seasons, took over head coaching duties.
Wissing described throwing out the first pitch as a “dream come true” but emphasized the significance of the moment for his players.
“As great as it was for me personally, I was very excited for our team to be recognized in the way they were,” Wissing said.
In addition to the on-field recognition, players lead in the seventh inning stretch and interacted with fans, posing for photos with the championship trophy.
Wissing said the moment reflected how far the program has come in recent years.
“When I first came up here 15 years ago, most people in the Twin Cities did not know about UW-River Falls football,” he said. “Now I believe our brand has become known not only by the local media and professional organizations like the Twins, but also nationwide.”