LaMere Makes Cross Country Season Debut

The UW-Platteville cross country teams split their squads this weekend. The Pioneer's top runners went to compete at the Louisville Classic on Saturday and preview the course that will host the NCAA Championships this year. A second group headed to the Blugold invite hosted by UW-Eau Claire on Friday.

The men's varsity competed in the DI race to provide greater competition for the Pioneer's top runner, Ian LaMere. LaMere's season debut saw him finish the 8 kilometer course in 6^th place with a time of 24:00, the third fastest time of his career. He led the Pioneer's to a 26^th place team finish, only three spots behind UW-Milwaukee. Thirty-three teams competed in the race. Finishing in 156^th place with a time of 26:00 was freshman Kyle Riege. Following Riege to round out the scoring top-5 were Logan Steinhoff (160^th/26:02), Zach Lee (166^th/26:04) and Walker Rynes (221^st/26:37).

Also competing for the Pioneers in the 312 finisher field were Timothy Pitcock (225^th/26:38), Cole Shurbert-Hetzel (228^th/26:40), Kyle Herbrand (244^th/26:50), Brian Rivers (255^th/26:57), and Mitchell Frager (262^nd/27:04).

The women competed in the Division III Pre-national race and finished in 12^th place in a field of 39 teams. Leading the Pioneers was captain Chelsey Heiden in 25^th place with a time of 22:33 for the 6 kilometer course. Second to cross the finish for the Pioneers was Katie Wardinski in 54^th with a career best time of 23:14. Hannah Ihlenfeldt finished in 76^th place with a time of 23:41 and Camille Felton finished in 126^th in a career best 24:28. Rounding out the scoring top-5 was freshman Caitlyn Ifft in 137^th place and a time of 24:42. Also running for the Pioneers were Janelle Ferguson (157^th/24:59), Anna Drazkowski (187^th/25:31), and Johanna Meister (208^th/25:52).

Competing for the Pioneers at Friday's blugold invitational were Mariah Brown (149^th/27:38), Danielle Nelson (168^th/28:37), Erin Heaster (189^th/30:55), Haley Daniels (191^st/31:04), and Anna O'Hern (201^st/33:27).

The men that competed at the Blugold Invite on Friday were Matthew Smith (79^th/27:23), Adam Caruso (84^th/27:29), Matt Wubben (96^th/27:34), Zach Klokow (114^th/27:48), Brett Gillingham (135^th/28:05), Devin Johnson (158^th/28:26), Nolan Wallenkamp (159^th/28:26), Tanner Reinholtz (160^th/28:26), Timothy Knobloch (174^th/28:42), Alex Clark (175^th/28:44), Lars Hay (177^th/28:48), Alex Wittmerhaus (217^th/29:43), Evan Krug (219^th/29:48), and Andrew Smith (222^nd/29:51).