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Issued: April 1, 2006

WOMEN'S TRACK NABS FIRST PLACE TO KICK OFF OUTDOOR SEASON

ROCK ISLAND, IL - The UW-Eau Claire women's track team did not finish below first for the first five indoor events this year and they looked to begin such a stretch for the outdoor season today by taking first out of nine teams at Augustana College's Viking Olympics.

The Blugolds posted 256 points. Augustana took second at 227 while Wartburg College followed the home squad with a 133 total. Fourth place went to Olivet Nazarene University and its 126.5 score. Winona State finished fifth with 113.5.

Eau Claire felt comfortable in the top spot all day long, totaling six first places at the event. Liz Faller (Jr.-Marinette), whose last event was the NCAA Division III Indoor Nationals where she ran the 55-meter hurdles, took first in 15.20 for today's 100-meter hurdles. Kjersten Holt (So.-Long Prairie, MN/LP Grey Eagle) took the 200-meter dash with a 26.93 time. In a distance race, Molly Warner (So.-Mosinee) ran a 17:40.99 5000-meter run to claim the top spot and crush the meet record. The previous one was 17:50.0.

Eau Claire had a couple of field champions as well. Brooke Schmidt (Sr.-Rice Lake/Stanley-Boyd) threw for 40.31 meters (132'3") in the discus throw for first. Erin Kokta (Sr.-Brookfield/East), who also participated at the indoor nationals through the long jump and triple jump, took first in two events. She leapt 1.60 meters (5'3") in the high jump and 5.32 meters (17'51/2") in the long jump.

The Blugolds took second in many events to go with the first place ones. Kasey Stanek (Sr.-La Crosse/Central) was runner-up in the 3000-meter steeplechase at 12:00.3. Faller ran a 68.98 400-meter hurdle event for second. Anna Sutherland (Fr.-Roseville, MN) had a second place time of 13.15 in the 100-meter dash. The 4x100-meter relay team of Faller, Holt, Kokta, and Liz Kooistra (Fr.-Lakeville, MN), another national competitor, took second in 50.82.

The first event for Eau Claire to finish below first in during the indoor season was the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championships, where they posted a third place finish out of nine. It was the team's sixth and final meet of the season.

The next event for the Blugolds is next Saturday. They head to the UW-River Falls Invite, which has a 10:30 a.m. start time listed.

Viking Olympics Results

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