GENEVA, OH (blugolds.com)— On the final day of competition at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field National Meet, the Blugolds men's and women's track and field teams brought home more incredible performances to cap off an amazing weekend. The men's team, bringing home impressive performance after impressive performance, won the national championship with 73 points, running away from the competition and scoring the most points in an outdoor NCAA Division III Championship by a team since 2007. That was the highest point total the Blugold men have ever scored at a national championship.
Sam Verkerke (Fr.- White Bear Lake, MN, in his first appearance at a national championships, brought home the title in a stunning fashion in the 1500m with a time of 3:45.96– a new personal best and #2 time in UWEC history. Abrahm Schroedl (Sr.- DeForest, WI), after competing in the Decathlon the previous two days, had a career day in the Pole Vault, jumping 5.05m to place 2nd, earning 8 team points to bolster the team score.
Arik Skifstad (Sr. - Eau Claire, WI/North), Colin McClowry (Fr. - Neenah, WI), Charlie Wolter (Fr. - Eau Claire, WI/North), and Stefan Klechefski (So. - Roberts, WI/River Falls) put together a 3rd place finish in the 4x100m relay, running a new school record of 40.67.
Connor Dolan (Sr.- Nekoosa, WI/Assumption) capped off his Blugold career with a 5th place performance in the steeplechase, running a personal best of 8:58.58. This was the second All-American honor of his career in this event.
Sam Schreiber (Fr. - Kimberly, WI), Colin McClowry, Arik Skifstad, and Jordan Lijewski (Sr. - Roseville, MN) capped off the meet for the Blugolds in the 4x400m relay, finishing 3rd place with a time of 3:10.86.
The women's team ended in 22nd place, earning 13 team points along the way. Kady Kochendorfer (Jr.- Hudson, WI/Hudson) earned an All-American honor in the triple jump, placing 8th with a mark of 11.85m. Teagan Jones competed in the hammer throw, placing 15th with a mark of 49.00m.
In total, the Blugolds made their mark at the podium with three indiviual champion finishes and 18 All-American permanformances.
