UW-La Crosse Holds Advantage At Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship
PLATTEVILLE, Wis.--Twenty-time defending champion University of Wisconsin-La Crosse leads the 2011 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championship following the first of two days of competition at UW-Platteville’s Track and Field Complex May 6.
The Eagles have compiled 82 points to exceed the second-place sum of 57 points by UW-Oshkosh. UW-Whitewater is third with 34 points, UW-Platteville fourth with 26.50 points, UW-Stout fifth with 25 points, UW-Eau Claire sixth with 21.50 points, UW-River Falls seventh with 14 points and UW-Stevens Point eighth with 13 points. UW-Superior is also competing in the event.
UW-La Crosse secured two individual titles and one relay crown during the opening day. Kellen McCrary successfully defended his title in the long jump with a leap of 24-1, while Brian Shonat claimed the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:14.40.
The Eagles’ 4x800-meter relay team of Eric Smits, Tom Isaacs, Bruce Schmitz and Sean Royer produced a first-place time of 7:41.34.
UW-Stout’s Daniel Drewek became the third individual in WIAC listings to win the pole vault three times after springing to a height of 16-5 1/2. He also captured the event in 2008 and 2009, and joins UW-Whitewater’s Gary Schell (1976-78) and UW-La Crosse’s Mike Schnur (1994, 1995, 1997) as three-time winners.
UW-Oshkosh’s Tony Baker secured the hammer throw with a fling of 190-7, while UW-Platteville’s Nathan Petesch produced a winning time of 30:41.65 in the 10,000-meter run and UW-Whitewater’s Ben Stringer’s was triumphant in the javelin with a toss of 179-0.
Petesch’s title was the first-ever for a Pioneer in the event, while Stringer’s crown was the first for a Warhawk in the discipline since 1978.
Day One Champions:
10,000-Meter Run: Nathan Petesch (UW-Platteville), 30:41.65
3,000-Meter Steeplechase: Brian Shonat (UW-La Crosse), 9:14.40
Long Jump: Kellen McCrary (UW-La Crosse), 24-1 (7.34m)
Pole Vault: Daniel Drewek (UW-Stout), 16-5 1/2 (5.02m)
Javelin: Ben Stringer (UW-Whitewater), 179-0 (54.57m)
Hammer Throw: Tony Baker (UW-Oshkosh), 190-7 (58.08m)
4x800-Meter Relay: UW-La Crosse (Eric Smits, Tom Isaacs, Bruce Schmitz, Sean Royer), 7:41.34
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