Pioneers competes at Drake Relays and Loras Open

Written by: Eileen McGuine, UW-Platteville Athletics

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Platteville track and field team had a select few complete at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, and the rest of the team competed at the Loras Open, hosted by Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa.

DRAKE RELAYS

The men's 4x100 meter relay team consisting of Jordan Olp, a senior from Reedsville, Wis., Wis., Casey Goffinet, a senior from Platteville, Wis., Caleb Mertens, a freshman from Brookfield, Wis., and Aaron Hrubes, a senior from Madison, Wis., placed eighth in a time of 41.47 seconds.

The sprint medley relay consisting of Hrubes running the 200 meter leg; T.J. Valley, a junior from Prairie du Chien, Wis., running the second 200 meter leg; Matt Ziegler, a senior from Madison, Wis., ran the 400 meter leg; and Jason Henkens, a sophomore from Kewanee, Ill., ran the 800 meter leg in a time of 3:28.08 minutes taking eighth place.

LORAS OPEN

The women's team performed very well, as many of them placed in the top five in their respective events. 

Kelsey Reed, a sophomore from Whitefish Bay, Wis., won the 400 meter relay with a time of 60.27 seconds. 

Lynea Axelson, a junior from Oregon, Ill., placed second in the 800 meter run in a time of 2:16.40 minutes. 

Kiera Depies, a freshman from Cedar Grove, Wis., won the 1500 meter run in a time of 4:55.20 minutes. 

Emily Kjos, a sophomore from Lancaster, Wis., threw 125 feet, four inches winning the javelin throw. 

The men's team had greater success, with several events in which many Pioneers placed in the top five. 

Joel Walden, a sophomore from Byron, Ill., won the 800 meter run in a time of 1:56.24. 

Jacob Dailey, a senior from Platteville, Wis., captured the hammer throw title with a mark of 179 feet, eight inches. 

Patrick Kessenich, a junior from Milwaukee, Wis., also took first place in the 400 meter hurdles in a time of 54.58 seconds. 

Alex Nagorsen, a freshman from Monona Grove, Wis., won the high jump with a jump of six feet, four and three quarters of an inch. 

His teammate, Ace McCarty, a junior from Genoa, Ill., placed third with a jump of six feet, two and three quarters of an inch. 

Chas Spangenberg, a senior from Appleton, Wis., took second in the pole vault with a height of 15 feet, three inches. 

Malachi Romportl, a freshman from Rice Lake, Wis., took third place, jumping 14 feet, nine inches. 

Jacob Dailey, a senior from Platteville, Wis., took fifth in the hammer throw, with a throw of 172 feet and two inches. 

Jon Petrie, a junior from Elkhart Lake, Wis., won the shot put with a throw of 50 feet, 10 inches. 

Jake Wiederholt, a senior from Platteville, Wis., close behind, throwing 48 feet, seven and three quarters inches taking fourth place. 

Evan Buck, a junior from Anamosa, Iowa, placed second throwing 163 feet and one inch in the javelin throw. 

Brad Jurewicz, a junior from New Berlin, Wis., took third place in the javelin throw, with a mark of 159 feet and six inches. 

In the discus throw, Wiederholt placed third throwing 139 feet and nine inches, and Mark Senst, a freshman from Plymouth, Minn., took fourth with a throw of 138 feet and six inches. 

In the 3,000 meter steeplechase, sophomore Chris Czech from Pewaukee, Wis., placed third in a time of 9:48.56 and Matt Wubben, a freshman from Marinette, Wis., placing fourth with a time of 9:54.48. 

The Pioneers will go on to compete next weekend at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships hosted by UW-La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., on Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4.