MADISON, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – UW-Eau Claire men's track and field sprinter Thurgood Dennis (Sr.-Allouez, WI/Green Bay Notre Dame) has been named the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men's Track Performer of the Meet for his accomplishments at the WIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships help on May 1-2, it was announced today by Assistant Commissioner of Media Relations Matt Stanek.
Dennis won two individual and one relay title breaking two school records and one conference record in route to earning Track Performer of the Meet honors. It is the third time in the past four years Dennis has received Track Performer of the Meet honors.
Dennis won the 100-meter dash for the fourth consecutive year doing in with a school-record time of 10.12 seconds. Dennis joins Danny Tutskey of UW-La Crosse (1999-2002) and Dan Kelner of UW-Superior (1987, 1989) and UW-Eau Claire (1990-91) as the only four-time 100-meter conference champions. The time does not count as a conference record since it was above the allowed wind-aided margin but it does count as a school record since wind does not factor into the school record book. The previous school record was also held by Dennis at 10.27 seconds set at the 2014 WIAC Outdoor Championships. His time of 10.47 seconds currently ranks as the fastest 100-meter time in NCAA Division III.
In the 200-meter dash Dennis won his third WIAC Outdoor title in record-setting fashion. Dennis won the event with a time of 20.61 seconds breaking his own school record and the conference record of 20.84 seconds set by Olympian Andrew Rock of UW-La Crosse in 2003. Only Kelner and Rock have won more 200-meter titles than Dennis as each won four titles apiece. Dennis currently ranks third nationally with a time of 21.35 seconds set on April 16 at the Phil Esten Challenge hosted by UW-La Crosse.
Dennis also anchored the 4 x 100-meter relay to its second-consecutive WIAC Outdoor crown recording a winning time of 41.50 seconds. The winning time was the exact time the 4 x 100-meter relay posted last year to win the Blugolds first gold medals in the event since 1990.
-KCM-
