2022 WIAC Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship Preview

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will strive for a second consecutive title at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver’s) at UW-Platteville’s Williams Fieldhouse Feb. 25-26. The 45th version of the women’s meet will be held in conjunction with the 53rd gathering of the men’s programs.
 
The 2021 championship was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the Eagles won the 27th title in program history with 230 points. UW-Eau Claire placed second with 127.50 points, UW-Oshkosh third with 92, UW-Stevens Point fourth with 64, UW-Whitewater fifth with 49, UW-Stout sixth with 48.50, UW-Platteville seventh with 36 and UW-River Falls eighth with 15.
 
UW-Oshkosh ranks second in WIAC history with 13 championships, while UW-Eau Claire has one. Former conference members UW-Milwaukee and UW-Madison collected two and one, respectively.
 
Competition at this year’s meet will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 25, and 10 a.m. on Feb. 26. Medals will be awarded to the top-eight finishers in each of the individual events and the individuals comprising the top-six relay teams.
 
This year’s championship includes 10 student-athletes that have combined to win nine individual and six relay first-place medals at previous league meets. It will also include three teams ranked in the Top 24 of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division III Track & Field Rating Index distributed on Feb. 22. UW-La Crosse is ranked second, while UW-Oshkosh is 11th and UW-Stout 24th.
 
UW-La Crosse’s Skye Digman is the defending champion in the shot put and 20-pound weight throw, while teammate Mara Schroeder was victorious in the 400-meter dash in 2020 and contributed to the winning 4x400-meter relay team. Schroeder was joined on the relay by Emma Lawrence, who also won the 60-meter hurdles. Schroeder helped the 4x400-meter relay squad to a first-place finish at the 2019 championship.
 
The Eagles’ Madeline Sweeney will aim for consecutive titles in the 5,000-meter run. Melanie Kunze and Maddie Hannan were members of the conference champion distance medley relay squad in 2020, and Claire Koenecke helped the distance medley relay team to victory in 2019.
 
UW-Oshkosh’s Cara Volz is a two-time champion in the triple jump, securing titles in 2018 and 2020. The Titans’ Libby Geisness will seek back-to-back first-place finishes in the 800-meter run.
 
At the 2019 championship, UW-Stevens Point’s Brooke Wellhausen emerged with the 800-meter run title.
 
Individuals from remaining conference programs ranking high on this year’s WIAC Honor Roll include: UW-Eau Claire’s Catie Fobbe (shot put, 20-pound weight throw), Katie Faris (3,000-meter run, 5,000-meter run) and Kady Kochendorfer (60-meter dash, 200-meter dash, triple jump); UW-Platteville’s Grace Elvert (pentathlon), Brianna Leahy (shot put) and Gwen Orr (60-meter dash, 200-meter dash); UW-River Falls’ Lexi LeFever (60-meter dash, 200-meter dash, long jump) and Kimi Robertson (pole vault); UW-Stout’s Emily Cunningham (3,000-meter run, 5,000-meter run), Mackenzie Huber (shot put, 20-pound weight throw), Grace Maurer (400-meter dash) and Hannah Zastrow (60-meter hurdles, high jump); and UW-Whitewater’s Gracie Holland (pole vault).
 

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