Men's and women's track and field teams and 8 individuals named All-Academic
New Orleans, La. – The UW-Platteville Men's and Women's Track and Field teams were acknowledged by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association as All-Academic Teams for the 2017-2018 school year.
The Pioneer Women's team was named All-Academic Team for a fourth straight year in a row after earning a cumulative grade point average of 3.32 on a 4.0 scale. For a second year in a row, the Pioneer Men's team maintained a 3.14 GPA. In order to be considered for this honor, teams must obtain a GPA of 3.10 or higher.
Two women also received All-Academic individual honors. Junior Brittany Ehlen and freshman Katie Schilling maintained a GPA of 3.30 or higher as well as ranked in the national top-50 in an individual event. Ehlen ranked at No. 13 in the pole vault during the 2018 indoor track and field season and ranked No. 33 during the 2018 outdoor track and field season. Ehlen finished in second place in the pole vault at both the indoor and outdoor WIAC Championships. She cleared 3.73m (12-2.75) at the WIAC Indoor Championships, establishing a lifetime best. Schilling ranked No. 35 in the 100m hurdles in the national outdoor track and field rankings. Schilling took fourth place at the WIAC Outdoor Championships, running 14.76 seconds in the 100m hurdles.
Six Pioneer men earned All-Academic individual honors. To be considered for the honor, individuals need to maintain a GPA of 3.30 or higher and rank in the national top-50 of their individual event or place among the top-35 of a relay event.
Sophomore Cole Eastlick earned All-Academic honors by ranking No. 47 in the discus throw during the 2018 outdoor track and field season. Eastlick threw a lifetime best of 47.35m (155-4) at the Augustana Meet of Champions.
Freshman Zach Frei obtained his individual All-Academic honors by contributing to the 4x100m relay of Rodrick McMiller, Paul Rapp, and Ryan Swanson. The relay ranked at No. 19 during the 2018 outdoor season, missing the qualifying cut for the NCAA Outdoor Championships by a few places. The relay team ran 41.67 seconds to take third place at the WIAC Outdoor Championships.
Sophomore Matt Hokanson excelled in the classroom as well as in the hurdle races, ranking No. 36 in the 110m and No. 14 in the 400m hurdles. Hokanson ran a lifetime best of 14.90 seconds in the 110 hurdles to place fourth at the WIAC Outdoor Championships. Hokanson ran his lifetime best in the 400m hurdles during the North Central College Dr. Keeler Last Chance Meet, qualifying him to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships with a time of 53.05 seconds.
Junior Zach Lee ranked No. 45 in the 800m during the 2018 indoor season and No. 33 in the 800m during the 2018 outdoor season. Lee ran a lifetime best time of 3:50.43 in the 1500m at the WIAC Outdoor Championships, qualifying him to the NCAA Outdoor National Championships. Lee's best 1500m time ranked him at No. 10 on the national top-50 list.
Senior Walker Rynes ranked No. 31 in the 3,000m run during the 2018 indoor track and field season. Rynes ran a lifetime best of 8:30.16 in the 3,000m, taking second place at the WIAC Indoor Championships. Rynes also took second place in the 5,000m, running 14:44.28. The senior qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the 5,000m and finished in ninth place running 14:44.57. During the outdoor season, Rynes ranked No. 10 in the 5,000m run with a lifetime best of 14:24.71. Rynes also ranked in the top-50 in the 10,000m run at No. 18, running a lifetime best 30:20.90. Rynes competed in both the 5,000m and 10,000m run at the NCAA Outdoor Championships where he placed sixth in each event, becoming an All-American.
Sophomore Noah Steiner ranked tied for No. 8 in high jump during the 2018 indoor track and field season. At the WIAC Indoor Championships, Steiner won with a jump of 2.08m (6-9.75). He qualified to the NCAA Indoor Championships, where he placed 13th with 1.97m (6-5.5). During the 2018 outdoor track and field season, Steiner ranked tied for No. 9 on the national top-50 list. He jumped for second place at the WIAC Outdoor Championships clearing 2.00m (6-6.75) and qualified to the NCAA Outdoor Championships clearing 2.06m (6-9) for tenth place.
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