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The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's and women's track and field teams kicked off competition Thursday at the three-day NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships at Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio.
 
Gracie Holland (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield) highlighted the day for the Warhawks with a national runner-up showing in the women's pole vault. Her height of 12-11.50 (3.95 meters) broke her own school record and helped the Warhawk women to a tie for seventh in the team standings after Day 1.
 
Abigail Missiaen (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) is 14th in the women's heptathlon through four events. She finished seventh in the shot put with a distance of 34-08.25 (10.57 meters), her highest finish in the four events.
 
On the men's side, Justin Krause (Ixonia, Wis./Pewaukee) and Christian Patzka (Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) qualified for finals in the 1,500-meter run and 3,000-meter steeplechase, respectively. Krause finished third in his heat in the 1,500 with a time of 3:50.05, while Patzka recorded the best time among qualifiers with a 9:05.57. Both finals are scheduled for Saturday morning.
 
David Fassbender (Slinger, Wis./Slinger) and Gunner Schlender (Brillion, Wis./Brillion) recorded top 10 finishes in the 10,000-meter run. Fassbender crossed the finish line in 30:47.06 to place ninth, wrapping up his fantastic UW-W career with another top 10 showing. Schlender posted a 31:00.31 to finish 10th.
 
Action continues Friday at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Missiaen will compete in her final three events in the women's heptathlon starting at 10 a.m. Central Time. Landon Keefover (Antioch, Ill./Antioch) will run the men's 110-meter hurdles prelims at 1:30 p.m., and Paige Fassbender (Slinger, Wis./Slinger) will race in the women's 800-meter run prelims at 3 p.m.