The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's and women's track and field teams competed in three meets this week as the student-athletes prepare for outdoor nationals. The Warhawks competed at the Eagle Open hosted by UW-La Crosse, the NCC Carius/Gregory Invitational in Naperville, Illinois and the Fighting Chance Invite hosted by St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois.
A number of UWW athletes bettered their national marks including the women's 4x100 meter relay squad that moved into sixth in Division III.
Hannah Bilodeau (Machesney Park, IL/Harlem) led off the group that featured
Tina Shelton (Janesville, Wis./Parker),
Jacqueline Kornowski (Green Bay, Wis./Preble) and
Danielle Pouska (Algonquin, IL/Jacobs). The foursome crossed the line in 46.69 in the Eagle Open to move into the top ten nationally. In the same meet,
Kenni Czarnecki (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) moved up to 20th in the discus with a mark of 44.46 meters (145-10). She also competed in the hammer throw at the meet, but did not improve upon her national ranking of 11th in the event.
On the men's side at the Eagle Open, the Warhawk 4x100 combination of
Ben Bojar (Pewaukee, Wis./Pewaukee),
Andy VanZile (New Berlin, Wis./West),
Nick McFadden (Waukesha, Wis./Pewaukee) and
Carsen Rindt (Appleton, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) were clocked in 41.41 - a top 40 mark nationally.
Tyler Jensen's (Hilbert, Wis./Hilbert) distance of 49.08 meters (161-0) moved him into the top 35 in Division III.
Also competing in La Crosse were Hannah Buehler, Pouska and Bojar in the 100,
Brad Heller (Brookfield, WI/East) in the 400,
Paige Fassbender (Slinger, Wis./Slinger) in the 800,
Marlon Cystrunk (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) and
Tamir Thomas (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) in the 110 hurdles,
Brynn Fuerstenberg (New Berlin, Wis./Eisenhower) and
Rebecca Lawrence (Rhinelander, Wis./Rhinelander) in the high jump,
Zoe Jenks-Recker (Cottage Grove, Wis./Monona Grove) and
Brady Schaller (Winnebago, Ill./Winnebago) in the pole vault and
Sean Larsen (Waukesha, Wis./South) in the hammer throw.
Justin Krause (Ixonia, Wis./Pewaukee) highlighted the Warhawks competing in the pair of Illinois meets. He crossed the line in 3:49.47 in the 1500 at the St. Francis Fighting Chance Invite - the 24th-fastest time in Division III this season. Fellow distance runners
Dan Anderson (Eau Claire, Wis./McDonell) and Conner Murphy competed in the 5000 while
Brandon Gang (Waukesha, Wis./West),
Chris Allen (Downers Grove, Ill./North),
Jonah Block (Whitefish Bay, Wis./Whitefish Bay) and
Keegan Bratt (Waukesha, WI/West) represented UWW in the 3000 steeplechase.
On the women's side,
Katie Erb (Winnebago, Ill./Winnebago) ran in the 1500 while
Payton Scoggin (Kenosha, Wis./Indian Trails) and
Ari De La Cerda (Milwaukee, Wis./Pewaukee) competed in the 3000 steeplechase.
At the Carius/Gregory Invitational hosted by North Central College, Czarnecki and Jensen competed in the discus.
Max Wallace (West Allis, Wis./Hale) represented UWW in the long jump and
Colin Lewandowski (Elmhurst, Ill./York) ran the 1500. A contingent of four Warhawks were in the triple jump field.
Shelvin Garrett II (Beloit, Wis./Memorial) won his signature event but did not better his top five national ranking.
Jordan Hall (Elkhorn, Wis./Elkhorn),
Aiden Neduzak (Nekoosa, Wis./Nekoosa) and
Connor Anderson (Waukesha, Wis./North) joined Garrett in the event.
UW-Whitewater will have two more weeks to prepare for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships. The national meet is slated for May 23-25 at the Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium in Myrtle Beach, SC.
