The UW men’s track and field team traveled to Iowa to compete in the Loras Open and the prestigious Drake Relays. In three days of competition, the Badgers recorded five NCAA regional qualifying marks. Meanwhile, the UW women’s track team won 15 events at the Loras Open.
At the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, freshman Demi Omole improved his regional qualifying time with a personal best of 10.29 to win the 100-meter dash. Omole also led the Badgers’ 4×100-meter relay to a third-place finish, as the team of Omole, Levonne Rowan, Jvontai Hanserd and Gustin Smith finished in 40.74.
Wisconsin also placed third in the sprint medley relay with the team of Chad Melotte, Dan Goesch, Joe Detmer and Dan Murray finishing in 3:23.72. Melotte and Goesch ran the 200-meter legs, Detmer took the 400-meter leg and Murray ran 800 meters in the relay.
In addition to the impressive relay finish, Detmer took home fifth place in the 400-meter hurdles with a regional mark of 52.31.
Led by freshman Paul Hubbard, the Badgers won seven events at the Loras Open in Dubuque, Iowa. Hubbard, who is a wide receiver on the UW football team in addition to his track and field exploits, won a pair of events at the tournament.
The versatile Hubbard took home the long jump with a personal best and regional qualifying mark of 24-5 3/4 and won the 100-meter dash in 10.66. He also placed third in the triple jump at 46-5 1/2.
Teammate Rick Bellford won the triple jump at 50-2 and placed second in the long jump with a regional qualifying mark of 24-1. Bellford also took third in the 100-meter dash, finishing in 10.88.
The Badgers swept the top three spots in the long jump, as sophomore Joe Conway chipped in with a third-place finish in the long jump at 23-3 1/4.
Another two-time winner, Ryan Tremelling, won the pole vault in 15-2 1/4 and was a member of the victorious 4×100-meter relay that crossed the line in 41.36.
With a personal best of 58-5 3/4, freshman Joe Thomas won the shot put. His toss moved him into fourth on Wisconsin’s all-time list and improved his regional qualifying mark by more than a foot. Another versatile athlete, Thomas also placed second in the discus with a toss of 163-0.
Redshirt freshman Mike Sracic grabbed third in the discus at 154-0 and fourth in the hammer at 160-6, while sophomore Brandon Houle took third in the shot put at 53-7 3/4.
On the track, Jon Mungen won the 110-meter high hurdles in 14.45.
In addition to the pair of meets in Iowa, the Badgers competed in the Oregon Invitational, where freshman Chris Solinsky won the 5000 meters in a personal best and NCAA regional qualifying time of 13:42.44. The run ranks eighth on the UW all-time list.
Three other Badgers also grabbed top-10 finishes in the 5000 meters. Sophomore Simon Bairu placed fourth in a personal best and regional qualifying mark of 13:45.50, junior Tim Keller improved his personal best by almost 47 seconds to take fifth in 13:47.40, and freshman Tim Nelson finished 10th with a personal best of 14:03.20.
Led by three double-event winners, the UW women’s track and field team won 15 events at the Loras Open. Sophomore Lisa Oikarinen won the 100-meter dash in 12.40 and took home the 200-meters in 25.36.
Senior Greta Bauer took home the 100-meter hurdles with a season-best time of 14.90. Bauer also won the 400-meter hurdles in 1:05.10.
With an NCAA regional qualifying mark of 47-1 3/4, sophomore Jamae Grjermo won the shot put. Her throw was a personal best and moves her into fourth on the UW all-time list. The versatile Gjermo also placed first in the discus with a personal best of 151-2. That mark moves Gjermo into fourth on the UW all-time list for the discus.
With the exception of the pole vault and the hammer, the Badgers won all of the field events on the day. Sophomore Melissa Talbot tied for first in the high jump at 5-3 3/4, junior Christina Taylor won the long jump at 18-10 3/4 and senior Yael Peled won the triple jump at 35-10 3/4.
?compiled from staff reports
