2018 WIAC Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship Preview

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will aim for a sixth consecutive first-place finish at the 2018 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver’s) at UW-Stevens Point’s Multi-Activity Center Feb. 23-24. The 42nd gathering of the women’s teams will be held in unison with the 50th edition of the men’s championship.
 
The Eagles won the 25th title in program archives a season ago with 144.50 points to exceed UW-Stevens Point’s second-place total of 103.50 points. UW-Oshkosh finished third with 103 points, UW-Whitewater fourth with 84.50, UW-Stout fifth with 81.50, UW-Eau Claire sixth with 76.50, UW-Platteville seventh with 60.50 and UW-River Falls eighth with nine.
 
This year’s championship features 11 student-athletes that have combined to win four individual and 11 relay titles at previous WIAC championships. It will also showcase four teams ranked in the Top 25 of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division III rankings distributed on Feb. 13. UW-Eau Claire is 12th, while UW-La Crosse is 16th, UW-Whitewater 22nd and UW-Oshkosh 23rd.
 
UW-La Crosse’s Valerie Jones has contributed to the winning distance medley relay team the last three years. She was joined on last year’s squad by Whitney Ebert and Sarah Ziolkowski, while Rachel Atchison helped the squad to victory in 2015 and 2016.
 
UW-Oshkosh’s Emily Reichenberger is the returning champion in the 60-meter dash and was selected the Track Performer of the Meet at last year’s championship. UW-Stevens Point’s Sylviann Momont will look for a repeat title in the pentathlon. UW-Whitewater’s Celeste Madda posted a first-place finish in the 200-meter dash a year ago, while teammates Enyo Amet and Abbie Felton helped the 4x400-meter relay team to a winning performance.
 
At the 2016 championship, UW-Eau Claire’s Sarah Glidden won the high jump and was joined on the victorious 4x400-meter relay team by Ashleigh Buergi.
 
Additional individuals producing strong marks and times this season include:  UW-Platteville’s Rachel Beuthin (shot put), Brittany Ehlen (pole vault) and Johanna Meister (800-meter run); UW-River Falls’ Abigail Bakken (20-pound weight throw) and Linsey Tolkkinen (5,000-meter run); UW-Stevens Point’s Angela Breunig (pole vault) and Adrienne Lewis (long jump); and UW-Stout’s Kaitlin Mallek (60-meter dash), Kayla Pabst (20-pound weight throw) and Stephanie Pladies (high jump).
 

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