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Issued: March 10, 2006

THREE EVENTS FOR WOMEN'S TRACK AT NATIONALS TODAY

NORTHFIELD, MN - Three UW-Eau Claire track members competed today at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field National Championships but only one had finals in her event.

Erin Kokta (Sr.-Brookfield/East) came into the long jump with the second best mark in Division III this season and the Blugold record with 5.72 meters (18'91/4"). She took fifth today with 5.57 meters (18'31/4") being her longest jump in the finals for her. There were 17 people competing in the prelims for the top nine spots. Kokta got in with a 5.55 meter (18'21/2") jump, which was sixth best in prelims. Melissa Harden of Illinois Wesleyan took first overall with a 5.70 meter (18'81/2") leap. Kokta looks forward to her next event, the triple jump, which takes place tomorrow.

In the 400-meter dash, Liz Kooistra (Fr.-Lakeville, MN) broke the Blugold record this year with a 57.28 race, which also is good for seventh in Division III. It also was the Tostrud Center record until today as Brittny Boyd from the College of New Jersey ran a 57.20 race. The top eight would make it past today's prelims and move onto to tomorrow's finals. Kooistra did not advance, running a 58.13 400-meter dash that put her in ninth out of 14 runners, which just missed the cut. The No. 8 time was 58.00 by Keene State College's Sarah Miller.

Liz Faller (Jr.-Marinette) had the fastest Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) time of the year in the 55-meter hurdles in 8.36 and eighth fastest Division III time coming into today's prelims. The format was that the top runner in each heat and the next six fastest would advance to the finals. One heat had eight competitors while the other had seven. Faller was not a heat winner or one of the next six fastest, eliminating her from tomorrow's finals. She had an 8.41 race. The last qualifier had an 8.38 time. Faller's 8.41 was the 11th fastest of the day, with two individuals between her and the last qualifier.

While some Blugolds are through, there are still two events involving Eau Claire tomorrow. There is Kokta's triple jump and Stephanie Barnes (Jr.-Sauk City/Sauk Prairie) looks for an indoor championship in the pole vault.

Day 1 NCAA Indoor Nationals Results

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