CANTON, NY. (Blugolds.com) – For the second time in three years, the UW-Eau Claire men's track and field team will take home a second place trophy from the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by St. Lawrence University at the Merrick-Pickard Track and Field Complex.
The Blugolds earned 46 points which included three individual national champions. UW-La Crosse won the outdoor championships with 68 points while UW-Whitewater finished third with 32 points.
Roger Steen (Sr.-Luck, WI) won his first outdoor national championship in the shot put doing so with a new school record of 61-5.5 (18.73 meters). Steen saved his best for last as he popped the facility record throw on his last attempt of the day. Steen becomes the first Blugold to wear the indoor and outdoor shot put national crowns in the same year. The national runner-up at last year's outdoor championships, Steen won this year's event by throwing almost six feet further than he did a year ago.
Alex Mess (Jr.-Lake Mills, WI) joined Steen on the medal stand earning All-America status for the first time finishing in fifth place with a new personal best throw of 55-1 (16.79 meters).
Joshua Thorson (Jr.-Plymouth, MN/Wayzata) became the school's first-ever national champion in the 5,000-meter run. Thorson pulled away from the field to earn his first national title crown with his best time of the season of 14:10.29. Thorson won the event by almost five seconds over his next closest competitor.
Darin Lau (Fr.-Eau Claire, WI/Immanuel) competed in his first-ever outdoor national championships just missing out on All-America honors by finishing 10th in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 14:42.01.
Cody Prince (Sr.-Appleton, WI/North) took home All-America honors for the first time in his career in the 400-meter dash with a season best time of 47.79 seconds.
Matthew Cooper (Jr.-Ashwaubenon, WI) missed the medal stand of the 1,500-meter run by .63 seconds as he finished ninth with a time of 3:52.71.
The 4 x 400-meter relay of Will LaJeunesse (Jr.-Belle Plaine, MN), Prince, Cory White (Sr.-Tomah, WI) and Jimmy Paske (So.-Minnetonka, MN/Hopkins) made the podium finishing in eighth place with a time of 3:15.98.
It was a strong showing for the men's track team as they claimed three individual national champions (decathlon, shot put and 5,00-meter run) including two new school records (decathlon, shot put). Two of the three national titles came in events that has never been won by a Blugold at an NCAA outdoor championship.
-KCM-
