Pioneer Track & Field

May 19, 2008
NCAA Track & Field Championship

Eight experienced UW-Platteville track and field standouts will compete in the NCAA Division III national championships Thursday through Saturday at UW-Oshkosh's Titan Stadium.

Both Marcia Taddy (Sr., Two Rivers) and Tyler Sigl (Sr., Seymour) will compete in two events in their last-ever appearances in the orange and blue. Taddy, a 15-time NCAA III All-American, is ranked second in the 1,500-meter run (4:28.37) and third in the 800 (2:08.88). Sigl, an 11-time all-American, is ranked fifth in the 5,000 (14:26.97) and sixth in the 10,000 (30:18.42). Taddy is the defending national champion in the 1,500, while Sigl is out to defend his 10,000 title.

Taddy will have UWP company in the 800, as Jessica Scott (Jr., Kiel) is currently ranked ninth in 2:11.95. Scott is the reigning indoor national champion, while Taddy won the outdoor 800 in 2005 and the indoor in 2007.

Kyle Stangel (Sr., Sheboygan/North) returns to compete in the 1,500-meter run. Stangel brings in the 12th fastest time this season at 3:52.85 in an event in which he finished sixth last year to earn all-American honors. (The top eight in each event earn national honors.)

Ben Zizis (Sr., Cudahy) will also compete for all-America accolades for the second straight year. He was third in the 110-meter hurdles in 2007 and this year comes in 10th with a best run of 14.53. Mitch Spees (Jr., Poynette) joins his teammate in a hurdle event. Spees will compete in the 400-meter hurdles, where he is ranked 13th (53.71).

Cam Klein (Sr., Monroe), who was part of the national championship distance medley relay team in the indoor season, returns to nationals in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Klein is ranked 14th in the event at 9:15.62.

Scott Howard (Sr., Princeton, Ill.) will compete in the pole vault after earning all-America honors in the indoor season. Howard is ranked 12th outdoors with a best vault of 15-11.