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CUTLINE: Members of the Western Illinois University club dodgeball team will compete for a national title Saturday and Sunday in Michigan. Members of the team pictured, in the front row from left, are Matt DeJaynes, Colton Redding, Dalton Servatius, Matt Buttliere, Tim Wohead and Cody West. In the back row, from left, are Mike Saul, Travis Kopacek, Matt Peterson, Seth Rabin, Nick Kovanda and Dalton Schaller.
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WIU dodgeball team player Cody West, a sophomore from Hamilton, readies a throw during a recent practice session.
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WIU Club Dodgeball Team To Play for National Title Saturday – Sunday

April 12, 2012

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MACOMB, IL – An emerging club sport at Western Illinois University is training its members to avoid being struck by a 76 mph rubber fastball.

Western's club dodgeball team will try for its first-ever national collegiate title during a tournament in Saginaw, MI, Saturday-Sunday, April 14-15. Sixteen teams from across the country will compete in pool play April 14 to be ranked for the single-elimination championship matches April 15.

This is the third year the Western dodgeball team has played in the National College Dodgeball Association tournament, finishing fourth each of the first two years. The team has about 25 members, 15 of which will travel to the Michigan tournament.

The club was founded by WIU senior Tim Wohead, of Plainfield, who is also the club's former president.

"In high school I loved dodgeball," Wohead said. "When I got to Western my buddy learned that there was a national association so we signed up and it has grown from there. Our practices started on the Rec Center's racquetball courts."

Club President Dalton Servatius, a junior from Lombard, joined the club after seeing the team practice in the Donald R. Spencer Student Recreation Center.

Western's team has lost to Michigan State University during both of its previous national tourney efforts.

The goal of the games is to strike the opposing teams' players with a large rubber ball. The tournament games consist of two 25-minute sessions.

To follow the WIU team's weekend progress, visit facebook.com/groups/152010705468/.

Posted By: Jodi Pospeschil (JK-Pospeschil@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing