By Carly Fehler, UWEC Sports Info
WHITEWATER, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire track and field teams competed at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference WIAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by UW-Whitewater this weekend, and walked away with some impressive performances that hint at a very exciting next few weeks as 'championship season' continues to pick up steam.
Men's Results | Women's Results
For the women, they were led by Sam Anderson (Jr.-Forest Lake, MN), who placed in all three of her events. She delivered a runner-up performance in the discus with a mark of 45.58 meters, which is a personal best and ranks her 13th in the country. She finished 4th in the hammer throw with a toss of 53.03 meters, which is good for 12th in the country. Anderson also finished 8th in shot put with a mark of 12.17 meters.
Kelsey Woracheck (So.-Appleton, WI/Xavier) was 7th in the 100 meter dash with a time of 12.21 and 6th in the 200 with a time of 25.74. She also led off the 4x100 meter relay, along with Claire Fischer (Fr. Appleton,Wis./North), Ashleigh Buergi (Fr.-La Crosse, WI/Logan) and Stephanie Frempong-Longdon (Sr.-Minnetrista, MN/Waconia) that ran 48.47 seconds.
Alicia Hett (Fr.-Farmington, MN) placed 7th in the 800 meters with a time of 2:18.64.
Callie Fischer (So.-Oneida, WI/Ashwaubenon) had a weekend in the 5,000 meter run and finished 3rd with a time of 18:22.53, and came back for a runner-up finish in the 10,000 with a time of 40:26.12.
Tommie Brenner (Fr.-Reedsburg, WI) gave one of the most exciting performances of the meet for the Blugolds, who registered a huge lifetime PR in the pole vault. Her personal best coming into the meet had been 11'7", and she won the event with a clearance of 12'8.25". That mark puts her 4th in the nation. She also finished fifth in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.06.
Mic Hack (Fr.-Fort Atkinson, WI) also placed in the pole vault, with a personal best of 11'8.5" that was good for 7th place.
Buergi ran a personal best in the 400-meter hurdles in a time of 1:04.32 and finished 7th.
Katryna Williams (Sr.-Watertown, WI) finished third in the steeplechase with a time of 11:39.04.
The women's 4x400 meter relay team of Buergi, Amber Harris (So.-Coon Rapids, MN), Brenner, and Hett finished 6th with a time of 3:57.66.
Lizz Ottusch (Fr.-Delafield, WI/Kettle Moraine) placed 5th in the high jump with a jump of 1.56 meters.
Erica Oawster (Fr.-Lino Lakes, MN/Centennial) threw a lifetime best of 43.71 and finished 5th in the discus.
The Blugolds had two women place in the heptathlon, Marina Eggen (Sr.-Greenville,WI/Hortonville) who placed 4th with a score of 4,367 and Harris who finished 6th, with 3,940.
The men were undoubtedly led by Jimmy Paske (Jr.-Minnetonka, MN/Hopkins), who had a dominating weekend. He finished third in the 200-meter dash with a personal best of 21.74, and won the 400-meter dash in a time of 47.50. He actually ran faster in prelims, and his time of 47.38 is nearly a school record and ranks him third in the country, in one of the most competitive events in the nation.
He has become one of the leaders on the team this year, and spoke candidly after the meet.
"I felt really good, and our whole group felt really good coming into this meet," said Paske. "My goal was to run 47.7 in the 400, and I was really happy that I was able to run a lot faster than that. Now I'm just focused on the 4x400 meter relay team and getting us a better qualifying time for nationals. My goal is to win the open 400 and help put the relay in a position to go after the win as well."
Other top finishers for the Blugolds were Will LaJeunesse (Sr.-Belle Plaine, MN) who placed 8th in 400-meter dash with a time of 49.71 and Ryan Graham (Jr.-Maple Grove, MN) who placed 3rd in the 800 meters with a time of 1:53.14.
Patrick Treacy (Fr.-Fall Creek, WI/Eau Claire Memorial) finished 3rd in the 1500 meter run with a time of 3:57.35, and Erik Rosvold (Sr.-Apple Valley, MN/Eastview) finished 6th with a time 4:00.18.
Steven Schimmel (Sr.-Stewartville, MN/Mayo) placed 3rd in the 5,000 meters, in 14:53.88.
The 4x100 meter relay team of DJ Meagher (Sr.-Onalaska, WI/Holmen), Cody Andrus (So.-Homer Glen, IL/Lockport), Michael Honer (Fr.-Spring Green, WI/River Valley) and Matt Hartje (Sr.-Reedsburg, WI) came in 5th with a time of 42.66.
The 4x400 meter relay team of Connor Drexler (JR.-Baraboo, WI), Meagher, Graham, and Kevin Brooks (Sr.-Roseville, MN)ran 3:19.21 to finish 5th while Matt Dietlin (Jr.-Fitchburg, WI/ Verona Area) placed 5th in the men's high jump with a clearance of 1.93 meters.
The strong and steady Alex Mess (Sr.-Lake Mills, WI/Green Bay Notre Dame) won the men's shot put with a throw of 17.55, which ranks him 2nd in the country. He also finished second in the discus, with a mark of 48.86, and 4th in the hammer with 53.99.
Jordan Jensen (Sr.-Waukesha, WI/West) and Jacob Ottersen (Jr.-Beach Park, IL/Zion Benton) both placed in the shot put as well and finished 7th and 8th with marks of 14.84 and 14.67, respectively.
Overall, the men's team finished 6th and women finished 5th. Next up for the Blugolds is the North Central Multi and UW-La Crosse Last Chance Meet.
