Roland W. and Laura J.Christensen

Roland Christensen was a professor at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse for 39 years in the Mathematics Department. He helped students in whatever way that he could. He also was a part of the baseball and football teams at UWL. He was assistant coach for 39 years for the football team before leaving to coach at Winona State. Later, he returned to be an advisor for the team because he “bled maroon and grey.”

Roland was not just a tough coach but he was also a good one. He could see where the athletes needed help and patiently coached them. He helped establish one of the best football teams at UWL with an overall record of 261-75-7. He was able to help guide the players to 14 trips to the play-offs and win three national titles. Roland loved football but he also loved baseball too. He helped established the La Crosse Old Styles semi-professional league and was also an assistant coach to the baseball team for a total of 9 seasons.

In 1979, he helped UWL achieve their only national tournament appearance. His students claimed that he was a fierce competitor on the baseball and football field, and he was famously quoted, “We didn’t come here to be loved.” May this Mathematics scholarship help “Coach Chris”, Roland, and “Rollie,” live on in memory forever.