Track and field returns for the 2021 indoor season

Whitewater, Wis. – It had been 337 days since the University of Wisconsin – Platteville track and field team competed in a meet. Without a doubt, student-athletes and coaches alike were excited to take to the track today and get back into competition mode. The Pioneers traveled to the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater Saturday, Feb. 6 to compete in a dual meet against the Warhawks. Given the nature of the small setting, it was a perfect opportunity for underclassmen as well as upperclassmen to become in tune with their current fitness levels.

PIONEER WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD TEAM

In the weight throw, upperclassmen Paulina Wienke and Paige Taylor took the top two places, throwing lifetime bests of 14.44m (47-4.5) and 13.57m (44-6.25) respectively. Wienke took third in the shot put with a mark of 11.30m (37-1). Other notable shot put marks came from freshman Lydia Helle and Taylor. Helle finished in fourth place with 10.65m (34-11.25), and Taylor threw a lifetime best of 10.44m (34-3).

On the track, Gwen Orr won the 60m dash as well as the 200m dash. Orr crossed the finish line in 8.22 seconds in the preliminaries of the 60m dash. Unfortunately, a timing error prevented an official time in the finals. Orr clocked 27.01 seconds in the 200m dash to finish the day. Teammates Jenna Guddie and Kat Holter finished in second and third place, running 27.89 and 27.97 seconds respectively in the 200m dash. Jessica Buss ran the 400m dash opening the season with a time of 1:03.73 for third place.

Kaitlyn Galgon and Caitlin Gorge took to the mile in stride. Galgon won the race with a time of 5:25.63. Gorge followed up in third place with a time of 5:37.04. In the 3,000m run, Pioneers Natalie Kreier and Samantha Meyer worked together to finish in 11:16.29 and 11:16.71 respectively.

Making their collegiate debut, several newcomers to the team performed for the first time in the Pioneer uniform. Freshmen Kayla Lipsey and Mia Schroeder competed in the 60m hurdles; Lipsey finished in 10.65 seconds in the finals, while Mia ran 11.05 seconds in the preliminaries. Grace Elvert competed in both the high jump and long jump; she cleared 1.43m (4-8.25) in the high jump and 4.63m (15-2.25) in the long jump. Long jumper Lexie Healey's best jump of the day was 4.83m (15-10.25), and triple jumper Kelli Schneider marked 10.04m (32-11.25). Autumn Montgomery cleared 2.73m (8-11.5) in the pole vault.  

PIONEER MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD TEAM

On the track, Caleb Christiansen won the 3,000m run with a time of 9:25.62. Freshman Riley Coulter crossed the finish in 9:35.80. In the mile, freshman Joey Madsen finished as the top Pioneer in 4:37.45. In the 800m run, Ryan Cherry and Zach Flitsch finished in 2:05.75 and 2:05.82 respectively.

Cade VanHout won the 200m dash with a time of 23.49 seconds, followed up by teammates Dane Adams and Josh Katers who finished in 23.94 and 24.09 respectively. VanHout took fifth place in the 60m dash final heat with 7.22 seconds, and Adams finished in 7.49 seconds. In the 60m hurdles, Cole Stugelmeyer finished in second place with a time of 8.78 seconds.

Among the field events, high jump veteran Bryce Bierman cleared 2.01m (6-3.5) for second place. Freshman Isaac Nouansacksy took second place in the pole vault, clearing 4.10m (13.5.25). In the long jump, Jacob Rice and Owen Miller marked jumps of 6.32m (20-9) and 6.20m (20-4.25) respectively. Freshman Weston Pink won the triple jump with a mark of 13.89m (45-7).

Winning the shot put, Ben Veverka threw 13.95m (45-9.25). Veverka placed second in the weight throw, marking a throw of 16.38m (53-9). Notable throws came from teammate Justin Eichler, who took second in the shot put with 13.95m (45-9.25) as well, and 15.33m (50-3.5) in the weight throw.

The indoor track and field season feels very different this year as there will be no WIAC Conference Championships nor NCAA DIII Indoor Track and Field Championships. Not to mention the fact that student-athletes and coaches are wearing masks, no spectators are allowed, and weekly COVID testing procedures.

However, the Pioneers look forward to fine tuning their skills and techniques, chasing down times and marks to land them on our program's All-Time Top-Ten List. There is plenty of work yet to be done, so next up for the Pioneers will be a dual at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Points against the Pointers on Saturday, Feb. 13.