The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women enjoyed their best finish since 1999, placing fourth in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by UW-Platteville Friday-Saturday, May 6-7.

complete results

Team scores were UW-Oshkosh 185, UW-Eau Claire 143, UW-La Crosse 133, UW-Whitewater 102, UW-Stevens Point 96, UW-River Falls 83, UW-Stout 63, UW-Platteville 48, and UW-Superior 5.

Shelby Demos (Janesville/Parker) won the high jump Saturday, leading a strong team showing in the event.  Demos went 5-6 to win, with teammate JoLyn Owen (Middleton/Middleton) fifth at 5-3.75 and Warhawk Lauren Strohmaier (Genoa, IL/Kingston) was eighth at 5-1.75.  Demos also won the high jump at the 2011 WIAC Indoor Championship.

Demos added to Whitewater's team total with a fourth place finish in the 100 hurdles, crossing the line in 14.92.  Owen, the busiest UW-W athlete over the two day meet, contributed a fourth place finish in the heptathlon with 4,203 points, which is a provisional qualifying mark for the NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championship.

Sara Poppe (Germantown/Kettle Moraine Lutheran) and Madeline Roznos (Reedsburg/Reedsburg) followed up their strong performances Friday with more team points Saturday.  Poppe, who was second in the long jump Friday, also took second in the triple jump with her leap of 38-5.5.  Roznos, second in the 3000 steeplechase on day one, came back to place third in the 5000 in 18:12.88.

Jessa Luebke (Tomah/Tomah) was the only Warhawk to score in three individual events.  In addition to a fourth place in the hammer throw Friday, Luebke placed eighth in the shot put (40-9.5) and eighth in the discus (118-1) on day two.  Warhawk Dana Thompson (Belleville/Belleville) placed second in the discus at 142-7, and UW-W's Jenny Winkler (St. Cloud/New Holstein) in seventh at 121-9 gave Whitewater three of the top eight in that event.

Simone Koenen (Burlington/Burlington) also contributed points Saturday, finishing seventh in the 400 in 1:00.72.

UW-W will compete in several "last chance" meets over the next two weeks.  The meets provide additional opportunities for athletes to meet NCAA III qualifying standards, and some athletes use them to stay sharp or work on something in their event.  Ohio Wesleyan University will host the NCAA III Outdoor Track and Field Championship May 26-28 in Delaware, Ohio.

For additional information:  Josh Ireland, UW-W coach