Titans To Perform At WIAC Outdoor Championship
UW-Oshkosh owns the top seed in four events, including a pair by Lauren Wrensch, for this weekend's Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver's) in Platteville.
Competition at the 48th version of the championship begins at 2:30 p.m. Friday (May 3) and 11 a.m. Saturday (May 4) at UW-Platteville's Track & Field Complex. The meet will be held in conjunction with the 101st edition of the men's championship.
UW-Oshkosh is seeking its 32nd top-three finish in 34 seasons after placing sixth with 54 points in the team standings at last year's championship in River Falls.
UW-La Crosse scored 228.75 points to win last year's team title for the seventh straight season and 33rd time overall. UW-Eau Claire finished second to the Eagles with 149.25 points while UW-Stevens Point placed third with 111.75, UW-Stout fourth with 111, UW-Whitewater fifth with 96.5, UW-Platteville seventh with 43.75 and UW-River Falls eighth with 23.
UW-Oshkosh, an 11-time champion, finished fifth at the 2017 championship to snap a string of 31 straight top-three finishes. The Titans previously placed second in 2016, third in 2015 and second from 2012-14. UW-Oshkosh claimed league titles in 1988-91, 1994-97, 2004, 2006 and 2011.
Wrensch is the meet's top seed in both the long jump and 400-meter run. She ranks first nationally (NCAA Division III) in the long jump with a season-best measurement of 19-4 and 15th in the 400-meter run with a time of 57.38 seconds. Wrensch won both the long jump and 400-meter run at the WIAC Indoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver's) held Feb. 22-23 in Whitewater.
UW-Oshkosh's Hannah Lohrenz is seeded first in the 800-meter run with a season-best time of 2:17.32. She is also seeded fourth in the 1,500-meter run with a performance of 4:44.24.
The Titans own the fastest time in the 1,600-meter relay with their season-best run of 3:54.27.
Seeded second for UW-Oshkosh are Isabella Samuels in the shot put with a season-best measurement of 47-4 1/4 and Alexandria Steger in the javelin with a throw of 133-2. Samuels currently ranks third nationally and Steger 15th. Both Samuels and Steger placed second in their respective events at last year's championship.
UW-Oshkosh also has Ashton Keene seeded third in the 10,000-meter run with a season-best time of 37:37.48 and Mikaela Zolecki third in the hammer throw with a mark of 166-1. Zolecki currently ranks 18th in the country for her event.
The top finisher in each event receives all-conference first team status while the runner-up secures second team accolades and the third-place performer honorable mention recognition.