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Issued: May 2, 2007

WOMEN’S TRACK SET SIGHTS ON WIAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

EAU CLAIRE – The UW-Eau Claire women’s track and field team looks for its second-straight top three finish at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by UW-River Falls at Ramer Field.

Hurdler Liz Faller (Sr.-Marinette) is set to defend her crown in the 100-meter hurdles. Faller currently ranks third nationally in the 100-meter hurdles with a season-best NCAA provisional qualifying time of 14.47 seconds. Faller is looking to become the sixth-straight Blugold to win the 100 hurdles at the WIAC Championships dating back to 2002. Faller will also compete in the 400-meter hurdles ranked second on the WIAC Honor Roll and 11th nationally with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 1:03.44.

Liz Kooistra (So.-Lakeville, MN) will look to improve on her third place finish at last season’s outdoor championship. Kooistra is currently ranked second in the conference and seventh nationally when she broke her own school record with a 56.64 performance on April 14 at the Blugold Open.

Beth Lutz (So.-Eau Claire/Memorial) will lead the charge in the 5,000-meter run. Lutz ranks second in the WIAC and 23rd nationally with a NCAA provisional time of 17:34.84. Molly Warner (Jr.-Mosinee) enters the weekend as the defending conference champion in the 10,000-meter run.

Steph Barnes (Sr.-Sauk City/Sauk Prairie) was the 2005 NCAA Outdoor national champion in the pole vault and will attempt to be the WIAC outdoor champion for the first time in her final conference championship. Barnes enters competition as the top-ranked pole vaulter in the conference and third nationally clearing a NCAA automatic qualifying height of 12-6 on March 31 at the Viking Olympics hosted by Augustana (IL).

Jessica Owens (So.-Elm Grove/Brookfield East) returns to the WIAC Championships after a year absence. Owens finished sixth high jumper at the 2005 WIAC Championships and enters this weekend as the second-ranked jumper in the conference and tied for 13th nationally with a NCAA provisional height of 5-5.

Paula Crossfield (Sr.-Madison/East) finished fifth in the hammer throw at last year’s championship and will take part of her final WIAC Championship ranked sixth in the conference and 24th nationally with an NCAA provisional distance of 152-7.

The 4 x 400-meter relay team of Laura Broner (So.-Madison/Memorial), Faller, Shalene Huth (Sr.-Appleton/West) and Kooistra will look to improve on its NCAA provisional qualifying time of 3:55.21. Last year the Blugold 4 x 400 team finished second with a time of 3:55.95.

WIAC Championship Website

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