The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's and women's track and field teams finished third in the 2023 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships Saturday in Whitewater. The finish for the Warhawk women equals the best in program history (2000).
Tina Shelton (Janesville, Wis./Parker) claimed a pair of golds to lead the Warhawk women Saturday. She was the top finisher in the 100 and 200, the first UWW champion in the two events in a single year since Celeste Madda in 2018. Her 11.54 in the 100 is a school record and currently is the best time recorded in Division III this season. Shelton was clocked in 24.45 in the 200 to capture her second gold of the meet, a top 15 time in Division III this season.
On the men's side,
Gunner Schlender (Brillion, Wis./Brillion) won gold in the 5000. He was clocked in 14:30.44 with teammate
Christian Patzka (Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) coming in close behind with a time of 14:31.00 for silver.
Dan Anderson (Eau Claire, Wis./McDonell) contributed points to the team total with a sixth place time of 14:56.64.
Ari De La Cerda (Milwaukee, Wis./Pewaukee) crossed the line second in the 5000 to claim silver for the women with a time of 18:06.34. She also added fifth place points to the team total with a time of 4:40.04 in the 1500.
Paige Fassbender (Slinger, Wis./Slinger) was seventh with a time of 4:40.12. On the men's side
Justin Krause (Ixonia, Wis./Pewaukee) was the runner-up with a clocking of 3:57.50.
Two Warhawks finished back-to-back in the triple jump with
Shelvin Garrett II (Beloit, Wis./Memorial) posting a leap of 15.27 meters (50-1.25) for second and
Brayden Zettle (Monroe, Wis./Monroe) registering a jump of 15.05 meters (49-4.50) for bronze.
Josh Krystosek (Palmyra, Wis./Palmyra-Eagle) claimed bronze in the high jump with a height of 1.95 meters (6-4.75).
Kenni Czarnecki (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) added eighth place points for the UWW women with a discus throw of 40.31 meters (132-3).
In th 110 hurdles, Marlon Cystruck and
Tamir Thomas (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) finished in third and fourth respectively. Cystrunk was clocked in 14.50 followed by Thomas just .08 back.
Kobe Chandler (Beloit, WI/Memorial) and
Cam Hughes (St. Charles, IL/North) secured bronze finishes in the 400 and 100 respectively. Chandler crossed the lin in 47.83 while Hughes was clocked in 10.62.
Carsen Rindt (Appleton, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) claimed fifth in the closely contested 100 just .05 behing Hughes.
Katie McNamara (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) finished sixth in the 400 with a time of 58.49 while
Jacqueline Kornowski (Green Bay, Wis./Preble) added eighth place points to the women's total with a clocking of 12.28 in the 100.
In the 800, Fassbender was fifth with a time of 2:17.42 while Krause was seventh for the men after crossing the line in 1:54.56. Thomas addded seventh place points for the Warhawk men with a clocking of 56.51 in the 400 hurdles.
Jack McGinn (Madison, Wis./McFarland) represented UWW in the decathlon finishing seventh with a total of 6299.
In the relays, the Warhawk men secured bronze in the 4x100 as Cystrunk was followed by Hughes, Rindt and Garrett for a clocking of 41.37. The women's combination of
Hannah Bilodeau (Machesney Park, IL/Harlem), Shelton, Kornowski and
Daja Pryor (Milwaukee, Wis./Martin Luther) crossed the line in 48.14 for fourth.
The women's 4x400 relay featured Fassbender, McNamara, Bilodeau and Sarah Nieheuser claimed bronze with a time of 3:56.28. The men's foursome of Chandler,
Luke Zanis (St. Charles, Ill./North), Cystrunk and
Will Kaashagen (Cambridge, Wis./Cambridge) registered a time of 3:17.62 for fourth.
The Warhawks will compete in last chance meets next week to prepare for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
FRIDAY RECAP
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's and women's track and field program opened competition in the 2023 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships Friday in Whitewater. The Warhawk men and women are both third in the team standings after day one.
UWW claimed a pair of golds as several Warhawks claimed podium spots Friday.
Christian Patzka's (Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) pace in 3,000 steeplechase bested the competition and set a Rex Foster Track record. His time of 8:58.23 was just a second off of the conference record as he claimed the gold for the second consecutive season. Teammate
Brandon Gang (Waukesha, Wis./West) added points to the team total with a seventh-place time of 9:22.51 in the event.
Gracie Holland (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield) made it a 2023 sweep of the pole vault after claiming the indoor title earlier this season. Her height of 3.86 meters (12-8) was good for gold Friday and makes her a back-to-back outdoor champion in the event.
Margaret Helbig (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park and River Forest) secured silver in the event with a height of 3.76 meters (12-4).
Zoe Jenks-Recker (Cottage Grove, Wis./Monona Grove) added seventh-place points to the team total with a height of 3.46 meters (11-4.25).
Kenni Czarnecki (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) captured her first medal of the outdoor championships with a bronze in the hammer throw. Her toss of 55.26 meters (181-3) added third place points to the team total.
Ari De La Cerda (Milwaukee, Wis./Pewaukee) finished fourth in the women's 3,000 steeplechase with a time of 11:11.47.
Dan Anderson (Eau Claire, Wis./McDonell) and
Nick Hardin (Greenfield, Wis./Whitnall) capped Friday's running events with fourth (31:02.52) and seventh (31:32.87) place finishes in the 10,000 meter run.
In the javelin,
Marlon Cystrunk (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) claimed fourth in his second time competiting in the event with a heave of 51.25 meters (168-2) while
Tina Shelton (Janesville, Wis./Parker) was eighth for the women with a throw of 33.65 meters (110-5). A pair of long jumpers contributed to the team total with
Shelvin Garrett II (Beloit, Wis./Memorial) taking fifth with a leap of 6.95 meters (22-9.75).
Christian Crump (Kenosha, Wis./Bradford) was eighth in the event with a jump of 6.81 meters (22-4.25).
Chris Bitz (Brookfield, Wis./East) wrapped up the point contributors Friday with a height of 4.40 meters (14-5.25) to tie for seventh in the men's pole vault.
Several Warhawks qualified for finals in their events to be competed Saturday. Shelton headlined the prelim races with a facility record in the 200 and a school record that also tops the Division III outdoor performance list if it stands due to the wind. Her clocking of 24.41 in the 200 and 11.50 were the best in each event respectively.
Also advancing to finals were
Lena Becker (Toulon, Ill./Stark County) (100 hurdles);
Tamir Thomas (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) and Cystrunk (110 hurdles);
Katie McNamara (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) and
Kobe Chandler (Beloit, WI/Memorial) (400); Kornowski,
Cam Hughes (St. Charles, IL/North) and
Carsen Rindt (Appleton, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) (100);
Paige Fassbender (Slinger, Wis./Slinger) and
Justin Krause (Ixonia, Wis./Pewaukee) (800); Thomas (400 hurdles); Kornowski (200)
Men's Standings: UWL (86), Stout (32), UWW (30), UWO (27), Platteville (21), UWEC (18), UWRF (10), UWSP (10)
Women's Standings: UWL (101), UWEC (41.5), UWW (31.5), Stout (28), UWSP (12), UWRF (10), UWO (7), Platteville (3)
Competition will resume at 11 a.m. Saturday.
