Western Technical College#Athletics

{{Infobox university

|name = Western Technical College

|native_name =

|latin_name =

|image = Western Technical College logo.jpg

|image_size = 225px

|motto =

|established = 1912

|type = Public technical college

|parent = Wisconsin Technical College System

|endowment =

|staff =

|faculty =

|president = Roger Stanford

|provost =

|principal =

|rector =

|chancellor =

|vice_chancellor =

|dean =

|head_label =

|head =

|students = 8,000 program students and 16,600 continuing ed

|undergrad =

|postgrad =

|doctoral =

|profess =

|city = La Crosse

|state = Wisconsin

|country = United States

|campus = Urban

|free_label =

|free =

|colors = Black & Red

|colours =

|mascot = Cavaliers

|nickname =

|affiliations = National Junior College Athletic Association

|footnotes =

|website = [https://www.westerntc.edu/ www.westerntc.edu]

|coor =

|logo =

}}

Western Technical College (Western or WTC) is a public technical college in La Crosse, Wisconsin. A member of the Wisconsin Technical College System, the Western Technical College District serves 11 counties[https://www.westerntc.edu/district-board-directors District Board of Directors]. Western Technical College. and enrolls over 5,000 students.{{Cite web |url=http://www.westerntc.edu/highschool/pdf/WesternViewBook.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-09-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908195209/http://www.westerntc.edu/highschool/pdf/WesternViewBook.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-08 |url-status=dead }} The college has six campus locations in western Wisconsin[https://www.westerntc.edu/regional-locations Regional Locations]. Western Technical College. and its main campus is in downtown La Crosse. Western is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.{{cite web |title=Performance Excellence and Accreditation |url=https://www.westerntc.edu/performance-excellence-and-accreditation |website=Western Technical College |access-date=25 June 2025}}

History

Founded in 1912, the school was previously known as Western Wisconsin Technical College (WWTC), but "Wisconsin" was dropped on March 29, 2006.{{cite web|url=http://www.wwtc.edu/news/newsdetail.asp?RelID=827|title=News|access-date=2006-03-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060901073401/http://www.wwtc.edu/news/newsdetail.asp?RelID=827|archive-date=2006-09-01|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|last=Schott|first=Kate|date=2006-02-22|title=Board OKs losing the 'Wisconsin' in WWTC|url=https://lacrossetribune.com/news/board-oks-losing-the-wisconsin-in-wwtc/article_87e5d803-8bcd-5dac-83c8-08a306e077e4.html|access-date=2020-06-02|website=La Crosse Tribune|language=en}} Western received voter approval for facilities improvement via referendums in 1992 ($8.9 million), 1996 ($3.65 million), and 2012 ($79.8 million).{{Cite web|last=Anderson|first=Patrick B.|date=2012-11-08|title=Western referendum passes thanks to La Crosse County, urban centers|url=https://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/western-referendum-passes-thanks-to-la-crosse-county-urban-centers/article_4e4b65b0-2970-11e2-9766-0019bb2963f4.html|access-date=2020-06-02|website=La Crosse Tribune|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Hansen|first=Nathan|title=Western referendum projects slated to finish this fall|url=https://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/western-referendum-projects-slated-to-finish-this-fall/article_5a0fc23e-22bf-539e-968d-22950bb89663.html|access-date=2020-06-02|website=La Crosse Tribune|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Western Technical College|date=2018-01-14|title=Preserving the past, building for the future|url=https://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/preserving-the-past-building-for-the-future/article_796baa3f-3609-5524-938f-2f44ab5dbf8b.html|access-date=2020-06-02|website=La Crosse Tribune|language=en}}

=Former names<ref>{{Cite web|last=Schott|first=Kate|date=2007-02-11|title=The Western experience: Transforming tech school|url=https://lacrossetribune.com/news/the-western-experience-transforming-tech-school/article_7c1f76a1-894f-5509-bd04-4acd64663107.html|access-date=2020-06-02|website=La Crosse Tribune|language=en}}</ref>=

1912-17: La Crosse Continuation and Adult Schools[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3652/is_200702/ai_n18705607?lstpn=article_results&lstpc=search&lstpr=external&lstprs=other&lstwid=1&lstwn=search_results&lstwp=body_middle Transforming tech school]; La Crosse Tribune; February 11, 2007; Schott, Kate; Retrieved October 2, 2007
1917-63: La Crosse Vocational School{{Cite web|date=2007-07-16|title=Business school lasted half-century|url=https://lacrossetribune.com/special-section/askthetrib/business-school-lasted-half-century/article_fb63b206-21bf-5d32-91a5-26eb39494b23.html|access-date=2020-06-02|website=La Crosse Tribune|language=en}}{{Cite book|last=Rogers|first=Richard A.|url=https://minds.wisconsin.edu/bitstream/handle/1793/11739/1967ROGERS.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y|title=A Brief History of the Wisconsin Business University, La Crosse, Wisconsin|publisher=Wisconsin State University at La Crosse|year=1967|chapter=Chapter IV: Closing of the School}}
1963-65: Coleman Vocational and Adult Schools{{Cite web|last=Tighe|first=Mike|date=2013-01-21|title=Monday profile: Dialysis patient Dean Morton champions kidney donation|url=https://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/monday-profile-dialysis-patient-dean-morton-champions-kidney-donation/article_60f22cf6-638d-11e2-b021-0019bb2963f4.html|access-date=2020-06-02|website=La Crosse Tribune|language=en}}
1965-68: Coleman Technical Institute
1968-87: Western Wisconsin Technical Institute
1987-2006: Western Wisconsin Technical College
2006–present: Western Technical College

Locations

File:Western Technical College La Crosse.jpg]]

Other locations where classes are offered include:

Academics

Western Technical College offers more than 100 programs,{{Cite web|date=2015-06-17|title=Academic Programs|url=https://www.westerntc.edu/academic-programs|access-date=2020-06-02|website=www.westerntc.edu|language=en}} providing associate degrees, technical diplomas, and certificates. The college also offers English Language Learners courses, GED/HSED classes, and apprenticeship training.{{Cite web|last=Western|date=2019-05-17|title=Western Hosts GED/HSED Graduation|url=http://westerntcnews.org/2019/05/western-hosts-ged-hsed-graduation/|access-date=2020-06-02|website=Western News Center|language=en-US}}

Western has agreements with several colleges and universities that allow students earn credits towards a bachelor's degree through their programs.{{Cite web|date=2015-10-13|title=University Transfer|url=https://www.westerntc.edu/university-transfer|access-date=2020-06-02|website=www.westerntc.edu|language=en}}

Athletics

Western Technical College's sports teams are called the Cavaliers, who play in red and white colors. The school began athletics in 1967. The Cavaliers are members of the National Junior College Athletic Association and the Minnesota College Athletic Conference. In 2020, the Western Cavaliers Women's Basketball team finished the season 25-6 and won the NJCAA Division III National Championship, the first national title in school history.[https://www.westerntc.edu/athletics Athletics]. Western Technical College.{{Cite web|last=Marotta|first=Karley|date=2019-03-04|title=Western once predicted to finish last in conference, wins conference championship|url=https://wxow.com/2019/03/03/western-once-predicted-to-finish-last-in-conference-wins-conference-championship/|access-date=2020-06-02|website=WXOW|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2020-03-17|title=Cavaliers jumped several obstacles to be national champions|url=https://www.news8000.com/cavaliers-jumped-several-obstacles-to-be-national-champions/|access-date=2020-06-02|website=WKBT|language=en-US}}

Transportation

The main campus of WTC is located northeast of downtown La Crosse and is served by the La Crosse MTU transit system, which offers fare-free service to students . Route 4 provides bus service through campus on 7th Street, connecting to downtown La Crosse and UWL.{{cite web|url=https://www.cityoflacrosse.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=834|title=MTU Route Map|access-date=August 3, 2023}} SMRT buses stop on 7th Street providing regional bus service to Prairie du Chien, Viroqua, Tomah and other destinations.{{cite web|url=https://ridesmrt.com/assets/PDF/SMRT-Bus-Sched.pdf|title=SMRT Bus Schedule|access-date=August 3, 2023}}

The bikeshare system DriftCycle has a bikeshare station at the center of campus, one of fifteen across the city.{{cite web|url=https://driftlax.org/findastation.html|title=DriftCycle Find a Station|access-date=August 3, 2023}}