MADISON, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - This was a successful week for Blugold Athletics! Three Eau Claire athletes awarded with Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Athlete of the Week honors as announced by Assistant Commissioner of Media Relations, Matt Stanek earlier today. These athletes include Julia Stedman of the gymnastics team, Alex Mess of boy’s track and field, and Sarah Glidden of women’s track and field.

Stedman, a senior from Maplewood, Minn. had a strong meet in the Blugolds’ 182.850-179.600 win over Hamline University (Minn.) on Jan 29. She led the way for the Blugolds, winning both the vault and floor exercise with scores of 9.425 and 9.350, respectively. Stedman also finished sixth on the bars.

Mess, a senior from De Pere, WI. was the top collegiate thrower in both the shot put and 35-pound weight throw at UW-Stout’s Warren Bowlus Open. His throw of 55-9 3/4 (17.01m) in the shot put has him ranked first in the nation, while his heave of 58-9 1/2 (17.92m) in the weight throw is third nationally.

Junior pentathlete Sarah Glidden, from Greenville, WI recorded the highest score in the country in the pentathlon with a school-record score of 3,578 points, more than 250 points ahead of the next best score at UW-Stout’s Warren Bowlus Open on Jan. 29.

Blugold gymanstics heads to LaCrosse on Friday for the Gershon Invite, while both track teams will compete at the UWSP Invite on Saturday. 

Jessica Coyne