Steiner, Gifford, and Meister receive USATFCCCA All-America honors

New Orleans, La. – The USATFCCCA announced today the qualifiers to the 2020 NCAA DIII Indoor Track and Field Championships will be recognized as All-Americans for the 2020 indoor track and field season. From the University of Wisconsin – Platteville track and field team, we honor seniors Noah Steiner, Charlie Gifford, and Johanna Meister with this cherished award.

Normal policies would declare student-athletes All-Americans when they place within the top eight in the final of an event. But due to the cancellation of the national indoor championships, the Executive Committee has adopted the change. Read the full article from the USATFCCA here. 

Each of these talented seniors had the dreams of battling for the All-American title, putting their skills and training to the test on championship weekend. There is no doubt Steiner, Gifford, and Meister had the potential to score within the top eight of their respective events. The All-American recognition reconciles a situation that has no precedence in recent history.

Noah Steiner – High Jump

Senior Noah Steiner (Monticello, IA) qualified in the men's high jump with a season best mark of 2.07m (6-9.5) at the UW-Platteville Invitational on February 1. Steiner was tied with the tenth best mark going into the indoor national championships.

Steiner had qualified in 2018 and 2019 to the NCAA DIII Indoor Track and Field Championships. In 2018, Steiner finished in 13^th place with a jump of 1.97m (6-5.5). In 2019, Steiner placed third and became an All-American clearing 2.09m (6-10.25).

Steiner was recognized by the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) for the Max Sparger Men's Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete Award. Steiner maintains a 3.76 GPA while majoring in industrial technology management with a minor in drafting and product development.

Charlie Gifford – 60-meter Hurdles

Gifford was tied with the tenth best time going into the men's 60-meter hurdles at the indoor national championships. The senior from Menasha, Wisconsin, ran 8.13 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles at the UW-Platteville Qualifying Meet to secure his qualifying spot to the indoor championships.

Gifford had qualified in 2019 to the indoor national championships in the 60-meter hurdles. Following a messy final heat, he became an All-American taking seventh place. Gifford has plans on returning for the 2021 season at UW-Platteville.

Johanna Meister – 800-meter

A senior from Darlington, Wisconsin, Johanna Meister qualified in the 800-meter. Meister ran an indoor lifetime best time of 2:14.85 at the Wartburg Qualifier on March 7 to solidify her spot at the 2020 indoor national championships. Meister qualified with the 12^th fastest time in the event.

Meister ran in the 800-meter at the 2019 indoor national championships, where she finished in tenth place with a time of 2:14.89.

Recognized by the WIAC, Meister received the Judy Kruckman Women's Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete Award. Meister maintains a 3.87 GPA while majoring in mechanical engineering with a minor in Spanish.