Pioneers Compete at the UW-La Crosse Eagle Open and Dr. Keeler Invitational

University of Wisconsin-Platteville split its track and field team up among two meets on Friday. The Pioneers sent a contingent to the UW-La Crosse Eagle Open, where junior Aaron Loferski and sophomore T.J. Valley went one-two in the 110-meter hurdles. Loferski, who qualified for the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, posted a season-best time of 14.67 and Valley, who qualified for the 2012 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships, crossed the line in 14.71. The performance by Loferski is the 12th fastest time in Division III, this season; Valley has a faster time on the season with a performance of 14.54 which ranks ninth.

Ben Farrell won the 400-meter dash in a time of 49.41 and Matthew Ziegler was third in a time of 50.41. Mark Niemann won the javelin with a toss of 183-3 and Lynn Oyawiri was third in the 100-meter dash in a time of 10.76. Junior Jake Wiederholt improved on his season-best with a third-place toss in the shot put with a throw of 53-1 1/2, which is currently the 20th-best in Division III. Ace McCarty shared in first-place honors in the high jump with a clearance of 6-6 1/4.

At the Dr. Keeler Invitational, hosted by North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, Danielle Kunkel posted a season-best time in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 17:24 on Thursday. Ann Tank posted a season-best time of 2:10.73 en route to a third-place finish in the 800-meter run on Friday.