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Issued: February 28, 2008

MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD SET FOR WIAC INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – After finishing fifth at last year’s Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Indoor Championships a year ago, the UW-Eau Claire men’s track and field team looks to improve its finish this weekend at the championships in Superior on Friday and Saturday.

The fifth place finish was the team’s highest finish since 2002 when it finished in fourth place. Between 2003 and 2006, the Blugolds finished sixth.

Last year UW-La Crosse won the indoor championships scoring 171 points, while UW-Whitewater scored 110 for a second place finish. Oshkosh fell just short of second place with 109.5 points and Stevens Point had 97 for a fourth place finish. The Blugolds scored 83 points for their fifth place finish.

This year’s team has not finished lower than fourth place at an event yet this season. The Blugolds finished first at the Blugold Open, fourth out of 20 at the Whitewater Invite, fourth out of 10 at the Eastbay Invite and third of 16 at the UW-Stevens Point Invite. Three other events were non-scoring meets. Eau Claire is also ranked 14th in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association national poll, while La Crosse is first and Oshkosh is second.

In the 55-meter dash, the Blugolds will look to compete well with Frankie Adams (Jr.-Burnsville, Minn.) and Zach Lee (Fr.-Ladysmith, Wis.) running in the event. Adams took third place in the event last year with a time of 6.56, but has already had a time of 6.53, the fifth fastest time in the WIAC this season. Lee has also run well and has the fourth fastest time in the conference this season with a time of 6.52.

The Blugolds also look to compete well in the 55-meter hurdles and the 800-meter run. Wes Fischer (Jr.-Rosemount, Minn.) took the top spot in the 800-meter run last year at the championships. Tony Carr (Jr.-Menomonie, Wis.) and Adam Flyte (So.-Fort Atkinson, Wis.) are also likely to have good showings in the event. In the 55-meter hurdles, Patrick Keyes (Fr.-Ham Lake, Minn./Blaine) should fare well as he has the sixth fastest time in the conference this year in the event.

Eau Claire should also have a strong showing in the field events. Nick Desotelle (Jr.-Weston, Wis./Schofield D. C. Everest), Jae Erickson (Fr.-Green Bay, Wis./Ashwaubenon) and Josh Boehm (Sr.-Mosinee, Wis.) have the third, fourth and fifth best pole vaults in the WIAC this year. Boehm also took sixth in the pole vault last season. Al Oleson (Sr.-Wausau, Wis./West) has also done well in the shot put and has the fourth longest throw (50-0 1/2) in the WIAC this year. In the weight throw, Sam Johnson (Jr.-Deer Park, Wis./Amery) holds the conference’s longest throw of the season and the fourth longest in NCAA Division III with an NCAA Division III provisional qualifying throw of 18.19 meters (59-8 1/4).

The championships will begin at noon on Friday and will conclude on Saturday with a start time of 9 a.m.

WIAC Championship Website

- KM -

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