Records fall at UW-Platteville Invite

The Track and Field teams hosted the UW-Platteville Invitational on Saturday which saw multiple facility records fall along with one school record for the Pioneers.

Early in the day, Dan Arnold broke TJ Valley's school and facility record of 8.08 during the 60 meter hurdle prelims with a time of 8.07. Arnold wasn't satisfied with breaking the record once, he came back in the finals and lowered his record to 8.03. With that time, Arnold moves into the number two spot on the NCAA Division III national performance list.

The next record came at the hands of UW-Platteville Cross Country National Champion Ian LaMere. Competing Unattached, LaMere led the field to a facility record of 14:27.07 in the 5,000 meters. LaMere is currently taking the indoor season off to complete an Engineering co-op. LaMere will return to compete during the outdoor season to defend his 10,000 meter National Championship title.

On his third and final attempt, UW-Milwaukee's Brett Pozolinski brought the fieldhouse to a roar with a fieldhouse record clearance in the high jump of 7-1 (2.16m). With that mark, Pozolinski set a lifetime best but continued on to attempt 7-2.25 (2.19m). After failing twice, Pozolinski gave the fieldhouse the loudest moment of the day with a clearance on his final attempt. Pozolinski is now tied for the 7th spot in the NCAA Division I national performance list.

Coming into the meet with the 5th best seed mark in the triple jump, the Pioneers' Matt Brendemihl rose up to the competition and continued his undefeated streak for the season with a lifetime best jump of 46-5.25 (14.15m). Brendemihl continues to lead the WIAC for the season and improved his national standing to 17th.

Also winning field events for the pioneers were national qualifier Kyle Whaley in the shot put and All-American Garrett Riggs in the pole vault. Whaley threw a season best of 51-10.5 (15.81m) and is currently holding the 19th spot in the national performance list. Riggs also got a season best mark with his vault of 15-9.75 (4.82m) and moved into the 10th spot of the national rankings.

Pioneer sophomore Alec Burcham edged Unattached runner Collin Hofacker for the win in the 400 meters. Burcham finished with a time of 50.77 over Hofacker's 50.79.

Also running well for the Pioneers was Adam Lange in the 800 meters with a second place finish in a season best time of 1:56.41.

On the women's side, Devan Montgomery and Chelsey Heiden ran away with wins in the 800 meters and 3,000 meters respectively. Montgomery came away with the win in a personal best time of 2:20.77 . Heiden ran a season best of 10:40.61 to claim the win. Montgomery and Heiden moved into the 9th and 11th spot of the WIAC performance list in their respective events.

In the pole vault, Zoe Gossmeyer gave a notable performance with a second place finish and career best vault of 10-10.75 (3.32m) moving her standing in the WIAC from 21st to 10th.

The Pioneers will be back competing on Friday, February 19, at the University of Dubuque's Spartan Invite. Field events will begin at 4pm.