Pioneers sending nine to the NCAA Division III National Outdoor Championship

Platteville, Wis.- The University of Wisconsin-Platteville will be represented by nine student-athletes at the 2022 NCAA Division III National Outdoor Championship in Geneva, Ohio, starting on Thursday, May 26 and finishing on Saturday, May 28. 

The women's team will send three individuals to the meet, headlined by seniors Brianna Leahy and Gwen Orr. Leahy won the WIAC Championship in the shot put, while Orr was a two-time champion, winning the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Orr was the first Pioneer to sweep the 100-and 200-meter dash in school history. 

Leahy, the school record holder in the shot put, will enter as the top seed with a nation best toss of 15.34 meters (50' 4"). She will look to add another All-American trophy to her collection after finishing second at the 2022 NCAA Division III Indoor Championship. 

Leahy will be joined by freshman Brenna Noon in the shot put event. Noon's best toss of 14.06 meters (46' 1.5") sits 10th nationally. Leahy will also compete in the discus, currently ranked 17th with a toss of 44.07 meters (144' 7"). 

Orr's 100-meter time of 11.89 seconds with a 1.2 wind currently sits fourth in the nation, while her 200-meter time of 24.44 seconds sits 12th nationally. Both times are school records for Orr, she also holds the 60- and 200-meter indoor records.

The Pioneer men's team will send six individuals to the meet, headlined by juniors Justin Eichler and Cade VanHout. Eichler won the WIAC championship in the hammer throw, while VanHout finished second in a loaded 100-meter field which saw five WIAC runners qualify for the national meet. 

Eichler tossed a school record 60.39 meters (198' 1") at the Ashton May Invitational on April 9 and currently sits fourth in the national ranks in the hammer throw.

VanHout's 10.29 100-meter dash at the WIAC championship broke his own school mark. He currently sits fourth nationally. VanHout finished seventh at the NCAA Division III indoor meet in the 60-meter to earn All-American honors. He currently sits 10th in the national rankings in the 200-meter after a second-place finish at the WIAC Outdoor Championships. 

When freshman Will Lawrence appears at the national meet in the javelin, it will be a family reunion, as his older sister Emma, from UW-La Crosse, also qualified for the meet. Will Lawrence won the WIAC Outdoor Championships with a toss of 60.69 meters (199' 1"). He is currently 11th nationally and third in school history.

Senior Jacob Rice will compete in the decathlon after scoring 6,495 points at the WIAC Outdoor Championships. He sits 12th on the national rankings. Rice competed in the heptathlon at the 2022 NCAA Division III Indoor Championships. 

Senior Alexander Walechka returns to the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships in the discus after finishing sixth in the 2021 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships and earning All-American honors. Walechka is working on his master's in engineering while also being employed full-time at Cardinal Glass Automation Group in Spring Green, Wisconsin. 

Senior Alex Girard entered the discus throw at the Augustana College Twilight Qualifier on May 19, ranked outside of the top 20. He left the meet with a personal best toss of 52.83 meters (173' 4") and qualified for the national meet, where he enters with the fourth best toss in the nation.

You can follow the Pioneers at the 2022 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships at ncaa.com and letsgopioneers.com.