By Carly Fehler, UWEC Sports Information
GENEVA, Ohio (Blugolds.com) – In an emotional last day of the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field National Championships, the Blugolds rode the roller coaster that is typical of national meets—filled with high and low points, all the while embracing every moment.
Results
The day began in heartbreak as the women's 4x100 meter relay team of Kelsey Worachek (Jr. – Appleton, WI/Xavier), Claire Fischer (So. – Appleton, WI/North), Jess Rupnow (Sr. – Sussex, WI/Sussex-Hamilton) and Jessie Reineck (Sr. - Greenville,WI/Fox Valley Lutheran), who were ranked second going into Saturday's final, failed to get to the baton around. Their hand offs were stretched to run a big time—there is a difference in running to not lose and running to win—and the Blugolds ran to win. It's an unforgiving event and simply did not go their way.
Kyler Lueck (Fr. – Germantown, WI/Wisconsin Lutheran) and Matt Cooper (Sr. – Ashwaubenon, WI) both competed in the final of the 1500 meter race. There were a couple of athletes added to this final after it was determined some competitors, including Cooper, were impeded in yesterday's trials. That led to a good amount of jostling for position in the crowded final. They executed a great race, but were out-kicked in the last 100 meters. Cooper and Lueck finished 9th and 10th respectively, running 3:55.52 and 3:55.61. It was Cooper's last race for Eau Claire, but Lueck has an incredibly bright future ahead of him.
Steph Frempong-Longdon (Sr. – Minnetrista, MN/Waconia) competed in the triple jump and put together a solid series. Her furthest jump of the day was 11.67 meters, which was one of her best jumps of the season. She finished 14th after coming into the meet as the last qualifier at number 22. She was a three-time national qualifier for the Blugolds in her career.
Jessie Reineck had an extremely impressive day in her final day wearing the Blugold uniform, as she finished fourth in what is likely the most competitive and talented event in the entire meet, running a personal record of 55.00 to earn her All-American honor in the 400-meter. She also finished seventh in the 200-meter dash, running another personal best of 24.37. "Noodle's" career has been filled with many challenges—including a list of injuries over the fifth year's career that is too long to list—but will leave Eau Claire as one of the most decorated athlete's in program history—a multiple National Champion, All-American, and school record holder.
Ashleigh Buergi (Jr. – Green Bay, WI/Bay Port) had one of the most exciting performances of the entire weekend in the final of the women's 400-meter hurdle race. Buergi came into Saturday sitting ninth with a time of 1:01.87, and ran a huge PR of 1:00.99 to finish fifth. It's especially exciting because this is an event that Buergi only picked up last year, and still has a lot of room to grow. It was her first individual All-American honor.
In the men's 5,000-meter run, Darin Lau (Jr. – Eau Claire, WI/Immanuel) had another fantastic race. After a wild runner-up finish in the 10k on Thursday, he doubled back to finish third in 14:17.06. It was the second All-American honor of the weekend for the junior out of Emmanuel Lutheran. Nick Petersson (Sr. – Brookfield, WI/Brookfield Central) was also in that race, but fell ill the day prior. He battled through to finish 19th in a time of 15:35.48.
The most talented women's 4x400 meter relay team the Blugolds have ever had, broke the school record in the second to last event on Saturday with a time of 3:42.60—with impressive splits of 55.9 or faster on each leg of the relay—to earn a national runner-up finish. Jessie Reineck, Ashleigh Buergi, Sarah Glidden's (Sr. – Greenville, WI/Hortonville), and Jess Rupnow broke the previous school record of 3:44.28 by nearly two seconds. It was an unbelievable finish to a great career for seniors Reineck and Rupnow, who add the runner-up finish to a long list of accomplishments.
The very young men's 4x400 meter relay team of Aaron Zmolek (Fr. – Holmen, WI), KJ Munn (Fr. – Bayport, MN/St. Croix Prep Academy), Hunter Henk (Fr. – Beldenville, WI/River Falls), and Brandon Christnovich (So. – Holmen, WI)—three first years and a sophomore—ran nearly a perfect race for them, and earned an All-American 4th place finish. They were missing senior standout Jimmy Paske, who pulled his hamstring in the preliminary round of the open 400-meter dash, but clearly ran with purpose and heart in Saturday's final.
The big finishes in the relays ended the weekend on a very high note, with a lot to be hopeful for in the next couple of years. The men's team finished tied for fifth place with 24 points, and the women finished 10th with 23 points.
"Anytime you take 23 athletes to a national meet and both genders finish in the top ten, it's a successful season," said Head coach Chip Schneider. "While some key people will be missed next season, there is definitely a good nucleus of athletes that will return for us next year. Every guy that scored for us at this meet will actually be back next year, so I am very optimistic about the 2018 season."
The collegiate track season is a long one, with athletes beginning to train hard as soon as they are back to campus in September and continuing that strenuous training through May. The team, and coaches, will take a well-deserved break now, with summer training beginning in a few weeks. It's been a very good year for the Blugold Track and Field program, with so much to look forward to.
