Matt Kovnesky (Fort Atkinson/Fort Atkinson)'s win in the 800 meters led UW-Whitewater to a third place finish in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championship at UW-Oshkosh May 1-2.

complete results

Team scores were:  UW-La Crosse 176.5, UW-Stevens Point 157, UW-Whitewater 129.5, UW-Oshkosh 106, UW-Platteville 99, UW-Eau Claire 89, UW-Stout 61, UW-River Falls 38, and UW-Superior 2.

Kovnesky won the event in 1:56.39.  He is the fourth Warhawk to win the 800 outdoors, preceded by Kjell Kaashagen in 1975, Steve Travis in 1992, and Joe Bobberschmidt in 2005.  Teammate Alek Konopacki (Madison/Madison West) added more points in the 800 with a seventh place finish (1:58.11).

Marcus Smith (Milwaukee/West Allis Central) placed in two events Saturday, jumping to second place in the triple jump (47-1) and placing fifth in the 110 hurdles (15.39).  Smith had already contributed points with his second place finish in the long jump Friday. 

Shaun Davis (Edgerton/Edgerton) had his second second place finish in the meet, earning runner up status in the discus (163-1) Saturday after taking the second spot in the hammer Friday.  UW-W's Ben Stringer (Assumption, IL/Central A&M) finished fourth in the discus, giving him points in three throws after placing second in the javelin and sixth in the hammer Friday. 

Luke Buchholz (Whitewater/Whitewater) was second in high jump (6-6.75) and Pat Lockington (Two Rivers/Two Rivers) second in the decathlon (5724).  Buchholz's jump is the best on the team this season.  UW-W's Darin Kuhnke (Adams Friendship/Adams Friendship) added more team points in the decathlon, placing fifth (5397).

Joe Schneider (Wausau, WI/Wausau) rounded out the throws, and field events, finishing eighth in the shot put (47-7.75). 

UW-W gathered more points on the track, with Ernest Downing (Cleveland, OH/Glenville) third in the 400 meters (55.48), Peter Schroeder (Ripon/Ripon) third in the 400 hurdles (55.48), and the 4x100 relay sixth in 43.0.

Lee Stratman (Middleton/Dodgeville) was UW-W's top finisher in the 1500 (4:04.44), the best time on the team this season.

Josh Ireland (South Milwaukee/South Milwaukee) was named UW-W's representative on the WIAC's Sportsmanship Team, which honors one member of each team for those qualities.

For additional information:  Darren Schneider, UW-W coach, 262-472-1367, schneidd@uww.edu