2016 WIAC Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver's) Preview

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will strive for a fifth consecutive first-place finish at the 2016 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver’s) at UW-Whitewater’s Rex Foster Track Complex and Fiskum Field May 6-7. The 45th version of the women’s championship will be held in unison with the 98th gathering of the men’s teams.
 
The Eagles secured the 30th championship trophy in program history last year with 233.83 points to exceed UW-Eau Claire’s second-place total of 131 points. UW-Oshkosh placed third with 121 points, UW-Stevens Point fourth with 105, UW-Whitewater fifth with 98.33, UW-Platteville sixth with 74.5, UW-Stout seventh with 66 and UW-River Falls eighth with 16.33. Former member UW-Superior took ninth with 11.
 
This year’s championship features 11 student-athletes that have combined to win 13 individual and four relay first-place medals at previous league meets. It will also showcase four teams ranked in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Top 25 computer rankings distributed on April 26. UW-La Crosse is ranked fourth, while UW-Oshkosh is fifth, UW-Stout 14th and UW-Platteville 17th.
 
UW-La Crosse senior Meg Heafy has posted consecutive first-place finishes in the 100-meter dash and could become just the third three-time winner of the event in conference history. She also contributed to the winning 4x100-meter relay team in 2013. Seniors Bria Halama and Meaghan Howell are the defending champions in the triple jump and pole vault, respectively.
 
Senior Claire Gordee and junior Rachel Atchison were members of the first-place 4x400-meter relay team at the 2014 championship.
 
UW-Oshkosh senior Kasey Ederer is aiming to become the first performer in league history to win four straight titles in the high jump. Five individuals have won the event three times. Senior Kylee Verhasselt is the defending champion in the 800-meter run.
 
UW-Eau Claire senior Katryna Williams won the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2014 championship, while sophomore Kelsey Worachek helped the 4x100-meter relay squad to victory in 2015.
 
UW-Platteville junior Amber Williams has won the Field Performer of the Meet honor in back-to-back seasons. She was victorious in the long jump last year and claimed the triple jump in 2014.
 
UW-Stevens Point senior Kadie Flynn has captured the discus at the 2013 and 2015 championships.
 
Conference mentions among the top five of the NCAA Division III Honor Roll include: UW-La Crosse sophomore Kaitlyn McDaniel (4th - 10,000-meter run/35:31.64), junior Autumn Miller (5th - shot put/45-8), Bria Halama (3rd - triple jump/39-8.5) and the 4x100-meter relay team (3rd/47.08); UW-Oshkosh’s 4x100-meter relay team (4th/47.13); UW-Platteville’s Amber Williams (1st - long jump/19-11.5 and 1st - triple jump/40-2); UW-Stevens Point’s Kadie Flynn (5th - discus/154-9); UW-Stout junior Lydia Meier (2nd - hammer throw/185-1); and UW-Whitewater junior Genny Stringer (4th - discus/154-10).
 

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