PLATTEVILLE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - The UW-Eau Claire women's track & field team jumped three spots in the standings to place second of nine teams on the final day of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships.
The Blugolds accumulated 143 total points to place second to UW-Oshkosh, who racked up 185 points for its first championship since 2006. UW-La Crosse rounded out the top-three teams with 133 points. The runner-up title is the Blugolds' highest placing since the 2008 season.
Four Blugolds earned victories on the final day of competition. Talisa Emberts (Jr.-Sussex, Wis./Sussex-Hamilton) earned the championship title in the 400-meter dash with a provisional qualifying time of 56.24. Emberts also picked up a fifth place finish in the 200-meter dash.
Kim Miresse (Jr.-Waukesha, Wis./North) placed first in the 100-meter hurdle race. She crossed the line in just 14.63 while teammate Erin Schoenfelder (So.-Antioch, Ill./Antioch Community) earned fifth. Both Blugolds surpassed provisional qualifying standards. Shoenfelder also won the 400-meter hurdle event by recording a time of 1:04.11, another provisional qualifying time.
In the field, Julia Baranek (Jr.-Port Washington, Wis.) made a jump of 11.83 meters (38-09.75) to claim victory in the triple jump event. Her provisional qualifying effort set a new facility record and was just .01 meters away from tying a 2005 school record. Baranek also finished fourth in the high jump with an attempt of 1.67 meters (5-05.75).
Blugolds found success in other events as well. Jordanne Greenup (Jr.-Fridley, Minn.) placed third in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.18 and also ran a 24.77 in the 400-meter dash to pick up fourth. Maria Peloquin (Sr.-Prescott, Wis.) crossed the line in just 4:44.03 for third in the 1,500-meter run and Madi Sawyer (So.-Champlin, Minn./Park) nailed fourth in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 18:16.36.
Eau Claire relay teams added second and third place finishes today. Miresse, Emberts, Katie Wesely (Fr.-Onalaska, Wis./Aquinas) and Greenup combined to complete the 4x100 relay in 47.68, a provisional mark. In the 4x400, the quartet of Emberts, Schoenfelder, Peloquin and Greenup placed third with a provisional mark of 3:54.98.
Brittany Frederick (Jr.-Green Bay, Wis./Preble) placed fourth in the discus event with a throw of 39.58 meters (129-10), a provisional mark. Michelle Baranek (Jr.-Port Washington, Wis.) and Kelsey Weigel (Fr.-Marshfield, Wis.) finished fifth and sixth in the heptathlon, led by Baranek's score of 4,039 points.
Blugolds will compete in several last chance events over the next few weeks in attempt to qualify for the NCAA Championship May 26-28 in Delaware, Ohio. The first event will be the North Central Last Chance competition. It is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. May 12-13.
