The UW-Platteville track and field team held their annual alumni meet Dec. 6 in the Williams Fieldhouse.

The alumni meet is held as an open meet so it does not reflect any athletes’ eligibility. The meet is also held to determine what male athletes make the cut for the Pioneer team and it serves as a yardstick to see how the team’s training has been going since starting practice Oct. 20.

“We have a roster limit of 55 and currently we have about 90 men trying to make the team,” head track and field coach Jim Nichasch said.

It also allows the athletes a chance to compete in a low-key environment. The competition serves as a motivation for the athletes to continue to train while home on semester break, head cross country coach Tom Antzack said.

The alumni meet is an opportunity for the track alumni to come back to campus and reconnect with the program.

“Our current athletes see how much the program means to the alumni and how the alumni feel about their past involvement with the program, and their desire to stay connected,” Antzack said.

Nickasch also feels it’s a great opportunity to stay in touch with the Alumni Track and Field family.

“We generally have about 50 people come back and compete at the meet and then we do a social after the meet where about 150 people attend,” Nickasch said. “It’s great for our alumni to meet the current team members and to have them see our progress.”

Cody Helgeson, Pioneer track and field high jumper alumni, said the meet gives former athletes the chance to come back and compete again as well as to visit with old friends.

The Pioneers take off running in their season home opener Saturday, Jan. 17 in the Williams Fieldhouse as they host the Nike Impact Sports Platteville Open.