Track Teams Well Represented at NCAA Division III
Outdoor Championships
There will be plenty of purple and gold at the NCAA Division III
outdoor track and field championships in Decatur, Ill. this weekend as
UW-Stevens Point has qualifiers in 21 events for the three-day meet.
The Pointer men's team aims to build off its fourth place finish at
the indoor nationals with 15 qualifiers, which is the second-most of any
school. UW-La Crosse has the most representation with 24 qualifiers.
UW-Stevens Point was sixth at last year's outdoor meet.
UW-Stevens Point's women's team has a good chance at its first top 10
finish since 1993 after finishing fourth at the indoor nationals. Senior
Leah Juno is the favorite to repeat as champion in the 800 meters and is
attempting to become the first Pointer female to win back-to-back outdoor
national championships.
Top contenders for the men's team are Jesse Drake, who won the indoor
5,000 meters and has two of the nation's best outdoor times in the 5,000 and
10,000 meters. Chris Horvat won the indoor 800 meters and will join teammate
Ben Treptow as contenders for the outdoor crown. Shane Suehring has the
nation's third-best time this season in the 3,000 meter steeplechase.
Luke Hilgers has the nation's fifth-best hammer throw this season and
will also compete in the shot put this weekend. Noah Eschenbauch also will
compete in both the hammer and shot put. Jeremiah Rolfs is also a contender
to place in the discus and Craig Gunderson will contend in the 400 meters
after a fifth place finish at indoor nationals. Joel Schult will compete in
the discus and Aaron Carley will compete in the triple jump.
On the women's side, Becky Lebak won both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters
at the WIAC championships and will compete in both events this weekend.
Stevens Point native Jody Butkowski is contender to place in the triple jump
and Jenny Todd will compete for a top eight finish in the long jump after
winning the WIAC title. Megan Lundahl will compete in the discus.
The meet begins Thursday at 10:30 a.m. and runs through Saturday.
Molski, Jagler Earn First Team All-Midwest Region
Honors
UW-Stevens Point senior rightfielder Sam Molski and junior first baseman Jon Jagler both were selected to the All-Midwest Region first team
baseball squad after leading the Pointers to the NCAA Division III
tournament for the fourth time in five years.
UW-Stevens Point also had two third team
selections in junior pitcher Bill
Verbrick and junior centerfielder Randy
Reed.
Molski hit a single-season school record 12
home runs this season while hitting for a .358 average. Molski also had 10
doubles and three triples to rank third in a single season with 106 total
bases. He scored 38 runs and driven in 39 to earn All-Region honors for the
first time.
Jagler has pounded out 68 hits this season,
which was one short of the school's single-season record. He posted
team-highs 12 doubles, 44 RBI's and .402 batting average. Jagler had two
14-game hitting streaks this season and went 11-for-21 in the conference
tournament.
Reed hit .348 with six home runs and a
school-record four triples. He also stole a team-high 10 bases and was the
only player to start all 44 games.
Verbrick finished 4-4 with a 4.13 ERA. He
had 56 strikeouts and seven walks in 76 1/3 innings pitched. His walks per
inning ratio ranks 15th in Division III history.
The Pointers were 30-14 this season,
marking their third 30-win season in school history.
UW-Stevens
Point Outdoor Track and Field Championships Qualifiers
Men
Name
Event
Time/Distance
Eric Miller
200 Meters
21.53
Craig Gunderson
400 Meters
47.69
Ben Treptow
800 Meters
1:51.28
Chris Horvat
800 Meters
1:51.53
Jesse Drake
5,000 Meters
14:29.22
Jesse Drake
10,000 Meters
30:44.65
Shane Suehring
3,000 Steeplechase
9:02.11
Matt Buska, Gunderson,
Miller, Treptow
1600 Meter Relay
3:14.31
Luke Hilgers
Hammer Throw 183-1
Luke Hilgers
Shot Put
52-2
Noah Eschenbauch
Hammer Throw
181-1
Noah Eschenbauch
Shot Put
52-4 1/2
Jeremiah Rolfs
Discus
168-6
Joel Schult
Discus
162-11
Aaron Carley
Triple Jump
47-4 1/2
Women
Name
Event
Time/Distance
Leah Juno
800 Meters
2:10.49
Becky Lebak
5,000 Meters
17:20.68
Becky Lebak
10,000 Meters
36:53.60
Jody Butkowski
Triple Jump
38-3 1/4
Jenny Todd
Long Jump
18-10
Megan Lundahl
Discus
143-8
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