GRINNELL, Iowa (Blugolds.com) – Tyler Genovese (Sr.-Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH) won a national title in the weight throw to lead the UW-Eau Claire men's and women's indoor track & field teams on the first day of the 2012 NCAA Division III Championships today.
Genovese set a new school record and broke a facility record as he tossed the 35-pound weight 20.01 meters (65-07.75) to win the event. The previous school record was 19.83 meters (65-0.75), set by Sam Johnson in 2009 when he won the national title while Tony Sigrist (Sr.-Byron, Minn.) tied the mark on Feb. 18 this season. Sigrist also competed at nationals today and finished fourth in the weight throw. Genovese is the sixth Blugold in program history to win an indoor national title, three of which came in the weight throw.
Brittany Frederick (Sr.-Green Bay, Wis./Preble) also had a good day in the weight throw as she took third in the women's competition. Frederick finished with a distance of 18.13 meters (59-05.75), just one inch short of her own school record which she achieved at the WIAC Championships this year.
In the women's high jump, Julia Baranek (Sr.-Port Washington, Wis.) finished with All-American honors as she tied for seventh with a height of 1.65 meters (5-05.00).
In the pentathlon, Michelle Baranek (Sr.-Port Washington, Wis.) came in 15th place as she scored 3,070 points.
The Blugolds also competed in three preliminary events, the women's 60-meter dash and 400-meter run, and the men's 400-meter run.
As a team, the Blugold men are currently in second place while the women are in 15th place.
The championships will conclude Saturday with events beginning at 9 a.m. The Blugolds will compete in eight events tomorrow.
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