The Loras Open served several purposes for the UW-Platteville’s outdoor track and field team. For some team members it was to qualify for the WIAC Championships and Nationals, for others the meet served to keep their skills sharp, and for the rest of the team it was a time to recoup and rest for the WIAC championships on May 1-2 in Oshkosh.

Photograph by Anthony Bauer
The outdoor track team spends the week preparing for the WIAC Championship meet. Sophomore April Kalepp hurdles at the outdoor track during afternoon practice.

The women’s 4×400 relay finished first with a time of 3:54.31 and broke the UW-P outdoor record set in 2006. That time allowed them to reach NCAA Division III provisional marks.

This relay team consisted of senior Alison Glendenning, junior Liz Baker, freshman Ann Tank and senior Jessica Scott. This is Scott’s third event that has the UW-P outdoor track record.

The 4×400 team earned WIAC track athletes of the week for their performance in the Loras Open.

According to the UW-P Sports Information Web site, two pole vaulters also reached NCAA D-III provisional marks. Senior Scott Howard, a 2008 NCAA D-III outdoor All-American, and junior Jon Balciar tied for second place at the meet with a jump of 15 feet 5 inches in the pole vault.

Photograph by Anthony Bauer
Sophomore Taylor Fry hurdles at the outdoor track during afternoon practice.

When asked how the team is training for the WIAC Championship and Nationals, Coach Jim Nickasch said, “Training isn’t just about our practice schedule (which is Mon.-Fri. from 3-5 p.m.), it’s also the athletes eating right, sleeping enough, limiting social activities and even down to wearing the right shoes during the day.”

“In order to go to the WIAC Championships, you have to be on their honor roll. The honor roll consists of top athletes with the best times or distances and only the kids on that honor roll will get to compete in Oshkosh,” Nickasch said.

NCAA D-III National Championships will be held May 20-23 in Marietta, Ohio. Athletes that have automatic marks guaranteeing them a spot at nationals are Scott in the 800-meter and senior Corey Digman in the discuss.

After automatic marks are given their spots, the remainder of spots available are given to athletes with provisional marks. Those students who currently have provisional marks are the women’s 4×400-meter relay team consisting of Baker, Glendenning, Tank and  Scott;  Pole vaulters Howard, Balciar and senior Tony Fontanini; freshman Andrew Melby in the 110-0meter hurdles; sophomore Jason Garvens in the 10,000- meter and Scott in the 1,500-meter.

Other top finishes at Loras, according to the UW-P Sports Information Web site, were freshman Lynn Oyawiri who took first in the men’s 100-meter dash with a time of 11.08, Glendenning who finished second in the women’s 100-meters with at 13.12 and sophomore teammate, Cassie Schneider finished third at 13.17.

Schneider also finished third in the long jump at 16.25 feet. Senior Mitch Spees finished second in the 200-meter with a time of 22.66.

The Pioneers participate in the WIAC championship meet at UW-Oshkosh May 1 and May 2. The Last Chance meets in Naperville, Ill. and Madison on May 7-9 and May 14-16.