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Results

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's track and field team tied for seventh at the 2023 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Rochester, New York that wrapped up Saturday. The Warhawk women tied for 18th. Saturday's final day of competition saw a number of Warhawks produce All-America performances as Christian Patzka (Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) highlighted the day with an individual national title in the steeplechase. 

Patzka set a Division III record, a Division III championship record, a facility record and a program record with a time of 8:42.46 to claim the national title in the 3,000 steeplechase. He joins Dawson Miller (2015) as the only national champions in program history in the steeplechase. Patzka is not a two-time individual national champion after also claiming the 5000 title indoors this season. He is also a three-time All-American in the steeplechase after finishing seventh in 2021 and as the runner-up a year ago. 

Shelvin Garrett II (Beloit, Wis./Memorial) finished as the national runner-up in the triple jump with a huge leap of 15.34 meters (50-4) on his third attempt. He is now a two-time outdoor All-American in the event (5th in 2022). 

Tina Shelton (Janesville, Wis./Parker) led the UWW women in Saturday's slate of finals claiming a pair of All-America honors. In the 100, she was clocked in 11.85 to finish fifth. Just a few events later, she returned to the track for the 200, crossing the line in 24.41 to finish seventh. 

A number of additional Warhawks were in action Saturday. Kenni Czarnecki (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) just missed the podium in the women's hammer throw. Her toss of 54.41 maters (178-10) was ninth. Justin Krause (Ixonia, Wis./Pewaukee) also just missed the podium in the 1500. He was clocked in 3:47.33 crossing the line ninth. Gunner Schlender (Brillion, Wis./Brillion) posted a time of 14:31.68 in the 5000 while Patzka crossed the line in 14:37.69. They finished 10th and 14th respectively in a very fast field where the top 14 all bested the facility record. 

Brayden Zettle (Monroe, Wis./Monroe) joined Garrett in the triple jump. His leap of 14.48 meters (47-6.25) was 14th Saturday. Josh Krystosek (Palmyra, Wis./Palmyra-Eagle) registered a height of 1.92 meters (6-3.5) to finish 21st in the high jump. 

MIT won the men's team title with a total of 60.5. UW-Whitewater was one of three WIAC institutions among the top seven as UW-La Crosse finished second and UW-Eau Claire was fifth cementing the league as the best in the nation. UWL won the team title on the women's side. UWW was the next-highest finishing league program at the championship meet. 

*More photos will be added to the gallery below along with All-America graphics in the next few days. 

FRIDAY RECAP
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's and women's track and field program continued competition in the 2023 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Rochester, New York Friday. Gracie Holland (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield) was fourth in the pole vault to secure All-America honors. 

Holland, the indoor national champion in the event, recorded a height of 3.90 meters (12-9.50) to secure fourth place and All-America honors. Teammate Margaret Helbig (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park and River Forest) also competed in the event tying for 13th. 

Tina Shelton (Janesville, Wis./Parker) qualified for the finals of a second event Friday. Her clocking of 11.89 in the 100 qualifies her for the finals of the event slated for Saturday. She will compete in the finals of both the 100 and 200. 

A number of other Warhawks made their 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championship debuts Friday evening in Rochester. Marlon Cystrunk (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) recorded a time of 14.79 in the 100 hurdles to finish 19th, Kobe Chandler (Beloit, WI/Memorial) was clocked in 48.17 in the 400 to finish 17th and Paige Fassbender (Slinger, Wis./Slinger) crossed the line in 2:12.53 to finish 16th in the 800. 

The final day of competition in the outdoor championships is slated for Saturday. The day will feature finals in the 3,000 steeplechase, 1500, 100, 200, and 5000 that all feature Warhawk athletes. Kenni Czarnecki (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) will also make her debut competing in the hammer throw. 

THURSDAY RECAP
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's and women's track and field program opened competition in the 2023 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track Championships in Rochester, New York Thursday evening. Gunner Schlender (Brillion, Wis./Brillion) claimed bronze in the 10,000 in program record time to secure All-America honors.

The final event of the night on the track was a thriller as Schlender ran an incredible race to break his own program record in the 10,000. Fluctuating between fourth and fifth through the first half of the race, Schlender turned it on for the final three laps. Two of those he registered sub 67 second laps followed by a big push on the final lap that took just 64 seconds, one of the fastest in the race. Schlender's late push had the sophomore crossing the line with a time of 29:05.05 to break the record he already held by 15 seconds and secure All-America honors. 

Three other Warhawks were in action in preliminaries Thursday - all three advanced to the finals of their respective events. Justin Krause (Ixonia, Wis./Pewaukee) was the first to compete for UWW Thursday. He finished third in his heat of the 1500 with a time of 3:48.68. He will run in the finals Saturday at 12:25 p.m.

Tina Shelton (Janesville, Wis./Parker) advanced to the finals of the 200 with the sixth-best time in the prelims, 24.59. The 200 finals are slated for 2:50 p.m. Saturday. Christian Patzka (Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) opened his championship meet with a clocking of 8:52.01 in the first heat of the 3,000 steeplechase. That mark won the heat and qualifies Patzka for the finals onn Saturday at 11:30 a.m.

UW-Whitewater is back in action tomorrow. Shelton returns to the track for the prelims of the 100, Marlon Cystrunk (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) will compete in the 110 hurdles prelims followed by Kobe Chandler (Beloit, WI/Memorial) in the prelims of the 400 and Paige Fassbender (Slinger, Wis./Slinger) will wrap up the Warhawks on the track tomorrow night in the prelims of the 800. 

Gracie Holland (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield) and Margaret Helbig (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park and River Forest) will represent UWW in the women's pole vault Friday scheduled for a 5 p.m. start.