Titans To Perform At WIAC Outdoor Championship

Titans To Perform At WIAC Outdoor Championship

UW-Oshkosh aims for another top-three finish when it competes at this weekend's Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver's) in Platteville.

Competition at the 46th edition of the championship begins at noon on Friday (May 5) and 10 a.m. on Saturday (May 6) at UW-Platteville's Track & Field Complex. The meet will be held in unison with the 99th version of the men's championship.

UW-Oshkosh, an 11-time champion, has finished in the top three at every WIAC Outdoor Championship held since 1986. The Titans placed second last year, third in 2015 and second from 2012-14. UW-Oshkosh captured titles in 1988-91, 1994-97, 2004, 2006 and 2011.

Last year, UW-La Crosse scored 238 points to win its fifth straight WIAC title and 31st overall. UW-Oshkosh finished second to the Eagles with 141 points while UW-Stout placed third with 103 and UW-Whitewater fourth with 90.33.

Completing last year's team standings were fifth-place UW-Eau Claire with 87.5 points, sixth-place UW-Stevens Point with 85, seventh-place UW-Platteville with 62.66 and eighth-place UW-River Falls with 11.5.

This year's championship features 12 student-athletes who have combined to win eight individual and seven relay first-place medals at previous league meets. It will also showcase a pair of teams ranked nationally in the NCAA Division III by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association in 10th-ranked UW-Eau Claire and 13th-ranked UW-Whitewater.

UW-Oshkosh returns the defending hammer throw champion in Elizabeth Abhold.

The Titans are also looking to receive strong performances from Kristen Linzmeier in the 800- and 1,500-meter run; Isabella Samuels in the discus and shot put; Cara Volz in the 100-meter hurdles and triple jump; Emily Reichenberger and Olivia Seeley in the 100- and 200-meter dash; Brenna Martyn and Alexandria Steger in the javelin; Abhold and Ellie Infante in the hammer throw; Cheyenne Moore in the 5,000-meter run; Erica Munyan in the 3,000-meter steeplechase; Megan Leahy and Alyssa Ryan in the pole vault; and Karina Marchan and Lauren Wrensch in the long jump.

UW-La Crosse's Kaitlyn McDaniel is the defending champion in the 5,000-meter run while Mallory Hall and Autumn Miller won the 400-meter hurdles and shot put, respectively, a season ago. Hall also was a member of last year's winning 1,600-meter relay team while Courtney Purcell and Maggie Slatter contributed to last year's first-place 400-meter relay squad.

UW-Platteville's Amber Williams has been selected the Track Performer of the Meet three consecutive seasons and is the second individual in conference history to accomplish the feat, joining UW-Oshkosh's Susan Burke (1989-91). Williams is the two-time defending champion in the long jump and captured the triple jump at the 2014 championship. She could become the first performer to win three consecutive long jump titles.
 
UW-Eau Claire's Tommie Brenner is the defending champion in the pole vault. At the 2015 Championship, Jessie Reineck and Kelsey Worachek helped the Blugolds' 400-meter relay team to victory, while Sarah Glidden and Jess Rupnow were members of the school's winning 1,600-meter relay squad.

2017 WIAC Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championship Website