Pioneers open the 2019 indoor track and field season
Eau Claire, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin – Platteville track and field team traveled to Eau Claire to compete against UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stevens Point in the annual indoor triangular meet. The Pioneers opened up the indoor track and field season with many promising performances.
In the men's 55m hurdles, a trio of Pioneers qualified to the final heat running personal best times. Charlie Gifford won the race in 7.63 seconds, and Matt Hokanson took second place with a time of 7.92 seconds. Sean Komro placed fourth with a time of 8.12 seconds. In the women's 55m hurdle race, Katie Schilling took third place with a time of 8.91 seconds.
Running in the 55m dash finals, Ryan Swanson finished with a personal best time of 6.70 seconds for third place. Gwen Orr placed seventh in the women's 55m dash with a time of 7.74 seconds.
Senior Zach Lee won the mile, clocking a personal best time of 4:13.26. Lee currently leads the nation in division III in the mile. Teammate Logan Steinhoff ran a personal best time as well, 4:17.73, for fourth place. Johanna Meister placed second in the women's mile race with 5:12.85. Coming in sixth place, Katie Wardinski ran a personal best time of 5:16.73. Kaitlyn Galgon also ran a personal best, placing eighth with a time of 5:20.62.
In the 400m dash, freshman Jacob Downing ran 52.36 seconds for fifth place. Several Pioneer athletes ran in the 800m, including Kyle Buechner who placed second with 2:00.63. Freshman Ben Trihey finished in third place in the 800m with 2:02.72.
Alec Burcham finished in second place in the men's 200m dash with a time of 23.05 seconds. A group of Pioneer men placed among the top ten in the 200m. Swanson ran 23.55, Paul Rapp finished in 23.61, Riley Bendorf ran 23.92, Matt Hokanson ran 23.94,and Davy Urke finished in 23.98. In the women's 200m dash, Orr placed seventh with 27.41. Teammate Katheryn Holter finished in 28.05, and Schilling finished in 28.11 seconds.
Senior Nolan Wallenkamp won the 3,000m run, establishing a personal best time of 8:47.68. Alex Clark finished in third place with 9:02.71. In the women's 3,000m run, Brenna Kautz ran 11:55.51 and Anna Drazkowski ran 12:12.74.
In the men's high jump, Noah Steiner won with a 1.96m (6-5) jump. Freshman Bryce Bierman established a lifetime best jump of 1.91m (6-3.25) to take second place. Olivia Saucedo placed tied for fourth in the women's high jump with 1.51m (4-11.50). Lexie Stevens tied for seventh place with 1.46m (4-9.50).
Cody Faust competed for third place in the men's pole vault with a vault of 4.16m (13-7.75). In the women's pole vault, Brittany Ehlen won with a vault of 3.67m (12-0.5). Jordan Meciej placed seventh with 3.07m (10-0.75).
Drew Stanioch jumped 6.20m (20-4.25) in the men's long jump, just shy of a personal best. In the men's triple jump, Brian Spaeth took second place with 13.46m (44-2).
In the men's shot put, Cole Eastlick finished in fifth place with a personal best throw of 14.97m (49-1.5). Sean Cormican threw 14.35m (47-1) for ninth place and Alex Girard threw a personal best of 13.45m (44-1.5) for 10th place. In the women's shot put, Rachel Beuthin placed third with 12.75m (41-10). Brianna Hall finished in fourth place with a personal best throw of 12.18m (39-11.5).
As for the weight throw, Girard threw a 9-inch personal best of 16.38m (53-9) finishing in second place. Eastlick finished in sixth place with 15.30m (50-2.5), Cormican placed eighth with 15.21m (49-11), and Alexander Walechka threw 15.17m (49-9.25) for ninth place. In the women's weight throw, Beuthin took fourth place with 14.31m (46-11.5). Hall finished in seventh place with 12.58m (41-3.25) and Lindsey Francque threw 12.45m (40-10.25) for eighth place. Murphy Bleymeyer and Jackie Bergschultz threw personal bests. Bleymeyer threw 12.18m (39-11.5) and Bergschultz threw 11.34m (37-2.5).
The UW–Platteville will host the Pioneer Open on January, 26. Events will begin at 11am at Williams Fieldhouse.