WINONA, Minn. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire men's track and field team took home 15 top-five finishes as the Blugolds competed at the St. Mary's Open held today at the St. Mary's Outdoor Athletic Complex.
Alex Mess (Jr.-Lake Mills, WI) posted three to-five finishes including earning first place honors in the shot put with his best throw of the outdoor season of 54-6.75 feet (16.63 meters). His performance in the shot put was his best of the season and currently ranks ninth nationally among NCAA Division III throwers in the shot put. Mess also finished fourth in the hammer throw with a toss of 163-5 feet (49.82 meters) while placing fifth in the discus with a toss of 156-1 (47.57 meters).
Matt Dietlin (So.-Fitchburg, WI/Verona Area) won the high jump by clearing 6-0.75 feet (1.85 meters).
Brent Mantzke (So.-Appleton, WI/Xavier) finished second in the long jump with a top leap of 22-0.25 feet (6.71 meters). Mantzke also qualified for the finals of the 100-meter dash where he finished third with a time of 11.43 seconds.
Connor Drexler (So.-Baraboo, WI) earned second place honors in the 400-meter sprint clocking in at 50.81 seconds. Drexler also finished behind Mantzke in the 100 finishing fourth with a time of 13.08 seconds.
Rylan Page (Jr.-Milwaukee, WI/The Prairie School) was one of two Blugolds to place in the top five of the 110-meter hurdles finishing third crossing the finish line in 15.07 seconds. Scott Eilrich (So.-Schaumburg, IL/James B. Conant) finished fifth posting a time of 15.46 seconds.
Next the Blugolds will travel to UW-La Crosse to compete in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Outdoor Track and Field Championships which will run from May 1-2.
-KCM-
