Issued: May 2, 2008
DAY ONE OF WIAC TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN THE BOOKS
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – Despite a wet and rainy day, competition in day one of the 2008 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Outdoor Track and Field Championship has been completed at Simpson Field.
UW-Oshkosh leads the nine-team field with 67.50 while UW-La Crosse, which won last year’s crown, is currently in second with 67. Eau Claire has 50.50 for a third place spot, and River Falls holds fourth with 35 points. The rest of the institutions did not break 20 points.
Oshkosh’s Terri Schwamb took home the top spot in the hammer throw with a distance of 191-05, an NCAA Division III automatic qualifying throw. The throw also marked a facility record, but came up just short of her own conference record that she set last season. Rebecca Masephol, also of Oshkosh, threw to a second place finish in the event with a 173-08, also an NCAA Division III automatic qualifying mark. Superior’s Sheri Niemeyer took the third spot with a distance of 162-10.
In the pole vault, Stout’s Pam Sellberg and La Crosse’s Alicia Ellingstad took first and second, respectively, with heights of 12-0 ½. Eau Claire’s Hayley Suckow finished third with a height of 11-6 ½.
In the long jump, La Crosse dominated, taking home the top three spots. Caitlin Schetter won with a leap of 19-2 ½, an NCAA Division III automatic qualifying score and a facility record. Katie Fondow finished second with a distance of 17-10 ¾ while Krista Kopesky finished in third with a jump of 17-09.
Taking first in the javelin throw was River Falls’ Becky Ponick, throwing 113-01. La Crosse’s Amanda Bly came in second with a distance of 109-04, while Oshkosh’s Katie Kohn threw 107-09 for a third place finish.
In the 3,000-meter steeplechase, Eau Claire’s Hannah Humbach brought home the championship with an NCAA Division III provisional qualifying time of 11:03.16. Claudi Borlee, also a member of the Blugolds, finished in second with a time of 11:26.71. Superiors’ Katie Rosburg took third with a time of 11:31.78.
River Falls’ Becca Jordahl won the 10,000-meter run with a time of 36:53.43, an NCAA Division III provisional qualifying time and facility record. Elly Prunty of Eau Claire took second with a 38:17.44 finish, while La Crosse’s Jenna Gerten finished third with a time of 38:21.37.
In the 4x800-meter relay, Platteville took the top spot with a time of 9:06.06, a facility record. Oshkosh finished in second with a time of 9:22.13, and Eau Claire took third with a time of 9:25.94.
The WIAC Championships will conclude Saturday at Simpson Field. Events are set to begin at 8:30 a.m.
