WIAC Track & Field Championship Awaits Titan Women

UW-Oshkosh strives for its third title in four years at the WIAC Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 28 – March 1) in Whitewater.

Activity in the 38th version of the championship starts at 11:30 a.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. on Saturday in UW-Whitewater's Kachel Fieldhouse.

Last year, UW-La Crosse scored 178.5 points to secure its 21st WIAC indoor title. UW-Oshkosh finished second with 153 points, UW-Whitewater third with 93.5, UW-Eau Claire fourth with 90.5 and UW-Stout fifth with 51.

UW-Oshkosh, which owns 13 WIAC indoor titles on its resume, enters this weekend's meet ranked second in the NCAA Division III by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. UW-La Crosse is the top-ranked team in the country, while UW-Whitewater grades fifth, UW-Stout 24th and UW-Platteville 25th.

This year's championship features 16 student-athletes who have combined to win 15 individual and 16 relay first-place medals.

UW-Oshkosh's Christy Cazzola, the Track Performer of the Meet honoree from a year ago, is the most decorated returnee with six individual and three relay first-place finishes to her credit. She is the three-time defending champion in the mile run/1,500-meter run and could become the first person in conference history to win the event four times. Cazzola was victorious in the 5,000-meter run last season and secured the 800-meter run in 2011 and 2012.

In relay competition, she has won consecutive titles in the distance medley relay and was joined on last year's team by Stephanie Jahn and Alexandria Mahoney. This year's distance medley relay team owns best time in the NCAA Division III at 11:51.13. Cazzola also claimed a victory in the 1,600-meter relay in 2011.

In the throwing events, UW-Oshkosh's Melanie Brickner and Jecel Klotz expect to compete for titles. Brickner placed third in both the shot put and 20-pound weight throw at the 2013 WIAC Championship. Klotz leads the NCAA Division III with her shot put of 47-7 3/4.

The Titans' Kasey Ederer finished second in the high jump with a leap of 5-4 1/2 at last year's meet, while Kylee Verhasselt took third in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:13.43.

UW-Stout's Jessika Smith is the reigning two-time Field Performer of the Meet and has captured consecutive titles in the pentathlon. In 2012, she was victorious in the long jump.

UW-La Crosse's Jaime Ludwigson is the defending champion in the 60-meter dash and triple jump. She also contributed to the winning 800-meter relay team in 2012. The Eagles' Kayla Ashland posted a first-place finish in the high jump last year.

UW-La Crosse's Jenna Halvorson has been a member of the victorious 800-meter relay squad the past two seasons and was joined on the 2013 group by Jennifer Angster, Meg Heafy and Crystal Oravis. Halvorson also won the 1,600-meter relay competition at last year's championship and received help from Claire Elliott and Shannon Klein.

UW-Whitewater' Lexie Sondgeroth won the 200-meter dash and long jump a season ago, while Melanie Pilon claimed the pole vault.

UW-Platteville's Stephanie Wyss contributed to the triumphant 1,600-meter relay team in 2012, while UW-Eau Claire's Halley Ahler earned a first-place finish in the distance medley relay in 2011.

By Jon Feyen