By JEFF BROWN
Of the Tribune Staff

When UW-La Crosse won NCAA Division III national championships in 1992 and 1995, they did

not play St. John's of Collegeville, Minn. When the Eagles faced the Johnnies in the 1991 and

1993 Division III playoffs, UW-L's season ended.

Will the Eagles' fortunes change in 1996?

UW-L, after a convincing 44-0 thrashing of UW-River Falls Saturday in the first round of the

16-team playoffs, believes so. But there is one stipulation: The Eagles want the Johnnies on their

turf.

That question, however, will be answered Monday morning during a conference call between both

schools, the NCAA Division III West Region chairman, and the national playoff committee.

As of now, the quarterfinal game will be played at Veterans Memorial Stadium at noon Saturday.

"I think the game will definitely be played here,'' UW-L coach Roger Harring said. "I'm sure St.

John's will lobby hard to have it played in the Metrodome. To play it in La Crosse is an

advantage.''

UW-L is 0-2 in its history in games played at the Metrodome ≡ a 29-10 playoff loss to St. John's

in 1991, and last Sunday's 17-3 regular-season loss to UM-Duluth.

If the field is deemed playable, UW-L would get the homefield advantage because it is the highest

remaining seed in the West Region. UW-L was ranked No. 1 in the final West Region poll, while

St. John's was ranked second.

The only reason the game would be moved, according to UW-L athletic director Bridget

Belgiovine, is if the field is ruled unsafe.

"The NCAA championship committee is in charge of everything, and obviously they make the

final call,'' Belgiovine said. "We have home field advantage and don't anticipate giving that up.

Going into the Dome, you are going into St. John's territory.''

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