The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh track and field team participated in the WIAC Track & Field Championship over the weekend. The women’s team placed third with a score of 103, and the men placed fifth with a score of 87.5.
The two-day event took place in Menomonie, WI on Friday and Saturday at UW Stout’s Sports and Fitness Center.
The women competed this weekend with many athletes ranking among the national top-20.
Distance Coach Eamon McKenna said he was thrilled with the performance of the women’s team this past weekend.
“As a coaching staff, we were impressed with the competitive spirit and confidence our women displayed during the meet,” McKenna said. “Despite having one of the smallest teams in the conference, our women continue to train hard and compete with purpose.”
Junior Emily Reichenberger has the third-fastest time in the nation in the 60-meter dash this season with a time of 7.72 and the eighth-fastest mark in the 200-meter dash with a time of 25.36.
Freshman Cara Volz is also ranked in two events. She is ranked 11th nationally in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.96 seconds and 13th in the triple jump with a distance of 37-6 3/4.
Linzmeier ranks fourth in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:14.03. Sophomore Cheyenne Moore is ranked seventh in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 17:17.72.
Junior Kristen Linzmeier won the mile, while also finishing in second in the 800-meter dash to score 18 points total.
Senior Erica Munyan finished fifth in the mile and came back to win the 3000-meter dash to get a total score of 14 points. Sophomore Cheyenne Moore finished second in the 5000-meter dash and third in the 3000-meter run to score 14 points.
McKenna said the three distance runners all have what it takes to perform at a high level.
“These three feed off of each other’s competitiveness, work ethic, and desire to perform at a high level, as students, as runners and as people,” McKenna said. “The rest of our distance group helps bring a positive attitude that pushes the entire group to new heights, which is fun to see. The conference meet was a demonstration of the work and time these women have put in to improve and excel.”
Freshman Sydney Rau said there are errors that need to be fixed prior to their next meet.
“We feel as a team that we performed very well,” Rau said. “Even though there were mistakes, we had many people [set personal records] and end up placing on the podium that were not expected to.”
For the men, junior Joe Zack added a second-place finish in the mile run with a time of 4:13.71. Junior Devan Gertschen placed second in the men’s pole vault as he recorded a jump of 4.91m.
Junior Dakota Griffith said being a part of a strong conference like the WIAC has its pay-offs.
“I think as a team we did really well,” Griffith said. “The WIAC is one of the hardest conferences in the nation, so it definitely makes the conference meet tough, but I think everyone likes to be pushed so much because it makes us all better.”
The Titans will have just a few more indoor events before switching to outdoor competition. UWO will compete at the Carthage College Final Qualifier on Friday and the UW-Stevens Point Open on Saturday.
McKenna said there is still much to look forward to during the indoor season.
“Before the outdoor season begins, we have a ‘last chance’ meet and indoor nationals,” McKenna said. “We hope to have several All-Americans for both the men and the women at that meet.”
