Titans Aim For Third Straight WIAC Title

UW-Oshkosh goes for its third consecutive title when it competes at this weekend's WIAC Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship in Stevens Point.

Action begins Friday (Feb. 22) at 4 p.m. and Saturday (Feb. 23) at 9 a.m. in UW-Stevens Point's Multi-Activity Center. This is the 37th chapter of the women's championship, which will be held in harmony with the 45th episode of the men's meet.

This year's women's championship features 18 student-athletes who have combined to win 12 WIAC individual and 12 relay first-place medals. It also showcases four of the top teams in the NCAA Division III in top-ranked UW-Oshkosh, eighth-ranked UW-La Crosse, 16th-ranked UW-Whitewater and 24th-ranked UW-Stout.

A year ago, UW-Oshkosh scored 152 points to earn the 13th first-place trophy in school history. UW-Eau Claire finished second with 121 points, while UW-La Crosse placed third 108, UW-Whitewater fourth with 84, UW-Stevens Point fifth with 67, UW-River Falls sixth with 60, UW-Stout seventh with 52, UW-Platteville eighth with 43 and UW-Superior ninth with 15.

The meet's most decorated returnee is Christy Cazzola (Sr. • Kaukauna) of UW-Oshkosh. She is the two-time defending champion in the 800-meter and mile runs. Cazzola was a member of last year's first-place distance medley relay team and the winning 1,600-meter relay squad in 2011.

Another Titan looking to defend her title is Breanna Strupp (Sr. • Slinger) in the shot put. Last Saturday (Feb. 16) at the Eastbay Invitational, Strupp surpassed the existing WIAC Championship record with her distance of 51-4 1/2.

UW-Oshkosh has the potential to break three other WIAC Championship records. Cazzola's 800-meter (2:07.21) and mile (4:44.73) times from earlier this season would establish meet bests. And the time of 11:43.46 in the distance medley relay by Cazzola, McKenzie Kelly (Sr. • New Richmond), Stephanie Jahn (Jr. • Deerfield) and Kylee Verhasselt (So. • Freedom) is eight seconds faster than the current WIAC mark.