Nation's Top Track and Field Teams Come to UW-Platteville

Many of the nation's top track and field teams descended on the UW-Platteville Track and Field Complex on Saturday for the UW-Platteville Invitational. The reigning NCAA Division III Women's Indoor Track and Field national champion Wartburg Knights as well as many of the top teams in the WIAC came down to Platteville and turned in many strong performances, including the host Pioneers.

On the women's side, for the Pioneers' Deidre Dillman and Ann Tank were second (2:12.93) and fourth (2:17.32), respectively in the 800-meter run. Caitlin Thomson was sixth in the 100-meter hurdles (15.46), just nine hundredths of a second shy of the school record. Plus, Kaleigh Dunn was eighth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (13:23.77) and Carshella Porter was 10th in the 200-meter dash (25.97). The 4x400-meter relay team of Tank, Porter, Dillman and Stephanie Wyss was third in a time of 3:53.52.

Christy Cazzola of UW-Oshkosh won the 800-meter run and 5,000-meter run. Her performance in the 5,000-meter run (16:32.26) is the fastest in 2012 in Division III and it also set a new facility record.

In the field events, Jackie Cahill was seventh in the triple jump with a leap of 34-6 1/4 and Mary-Katherine Kladar and Caitlin Thomson were ninth in the high jump with matching clearances of 5-1.

On the men's side, T.J. Valley was victorious in the 110-meter hurdles (14.60). The performance by Valley is the fifth-fastest in 2012 in Division III. Plus, teammate Aaron Loferski was fifth in 15.26.

The Pioneers' 4x100-meter relay team of Matthew Ziegler, Jordan Olp, Casey Goffinet and Lynn Oyawiri won in 41.83. Hrubes and Goffinet were fourth (22.09) and ninth (22.70), respectively in the 200-meter dash. Matt Kocak and Chris Czech were sixth (9:46.95) and ninth (10:07.78), respectively in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

In the field events, Chas Spangenberg was third in the pole vault with a clearance of 15-8 1/2, Jared Bradfish was fifth with a clearance of 15-8 1/2. Ace McCarty was fourth in the high jump (6-4 3/4) and Andrew Kissner was sixth (6-2 3/4).

Mark Niemann and Daniel Poh were sixth (173-8) and eighth (169-11), respectively in the javelin. Jake Wiederholt was sixth in the shot put with a toss of 49-10 1/2. Teammate Jacob Dailey was ninth with a throw of 47-11 3/4.

Next on the schedule for UW-Platteville is the Augustana Meet of Champions, the women will compete on Friday, Apr. 20 and the men will compete on Saturday, Apr. 21.