The UW-Platteville track and field teams had strong showings in two different states Friday and Saturday.
Most of the Pioneers competed in the Eastbay Invitational at UW-Stevens Point, where the men placed third among 10 teams, and the women were fifth out of 12.
Another contingent competed against primarily NCAA Division I athletes at the Iowa State Classic.
The Pioneers had four NCAA Division III qualifying marks at Iowa State, including automatic bids by Marcia Taddy and Jessica Scott. Taddy placed eight of our 97 runners in the mile run in 4:53.69. Her time was just three-tenths of a second off her own school record but almost two full seconds faster than the qualifying mark. Scott broke the school record in the 800-meter run, finishing in an automatic qualifying mark oe 2:13.64.
Jackie Mulrooney almost automatically qualified in the 5,000-meter run, but her time of 17:10.43 is .43 off the auto mark but will almost certainly get her to the national championships. Mulrooney finished 14th of 68 runners.
The Pioneer distance medley relay team was 12th of 15 teams in a provo time of 12:10.51.
Two of the men who competed in Iowa State Friday night made the trip over to Stevens Point Saturday and won their events.
Ben Zizis took the 55-meter hurdles in 7.90 at Eastbay, while Jim Uppena led a Pioneer sweep in the weight throw, winning in 59-4.25.
Nick Fix captured the triple jump in 44-11, while Russell Goessl won the 5,000-meters in 15:26.95.
Coach Jim Nickasch's crew took second in five events and third in seven more to complete a solid day in Stevens Point. Minnesota-Duluth won both team titles.
Related Links
Eastbay Invitational Results: http://www.uwplatt.edu/athletics/track/2006/eastbay06.htm