2022 WIAC Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championship Preview

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will pursue a 10th straight first-place finish at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver’s) at UW-La Crosse’s Roger Harring Stadium at Veterans’ Memorial Field Sports Complex May 6-7. The 50th version of the women’s championship will be held in conjunction with the 103rd gathering of the men’s teams.
 
The Eagles captured the 35th conference crown in program archives last season with 276 points. UW-Eau Claire placed second with 164.50 points, while UW-Stevens Point was third with 106, UW-Oshkosh fourth with 101, UW-River Falls fifth with 49.50, UW-Stout sixth with 48, UW-Platteville seventh with 45 and UW-Whitewater eighth with 26.
 
UW-Oshkosh ranks second behind UW-La Crosse with six league titles, while UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater own four and UW-Stout one. Former member UW-Milwaukee collected 34 first-place finishes.
 
Competition at this year’s championship will begin at 1:00 p.m. on May 6, and 10:30 a.m. on May 7. Medals will be awarded to the top-eight finishers in each of the individual events and runners comprising the top-six relay teams.
 
This year’s meet features 15 student-athletes that have combined to win 12 individual and seven relay first-place medals at previous WIAC Championships. 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 Rating Index distributed on May 3. UW-La Crosse is the top-ranked team, while UW-Eau Claire is 14th and UW-Platteville 24th.
 
UW-La Crosse’s Emma Lawrence was selected the Track Performer of the Meet at last year’s championship after winning the 100-meter high hurdles and 400-meter intermediate hurdles. The Eagles’ Emma Malooly was victorious in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, while Skye Digman placed first in the hammer throw and Emily Dawidowich won the 200-meter dash. Dawidowich was selected the conference’s Newcomer of the Year. Amber Johnson and Katie Banie helped the 4x400-meter relay to a first-place finish.
 
Additional returning championships from the 2021 meet include: UW-Eau Claire’s Megan Best (4x100-meter relay), Katie Faris (5,000-meter run), Kady Kochendorfer (triple jump and 4x100-meter relay) and Gianna Kornaus (4x100-meter relay); UW-Oshkosh’s Zanzie Demco (800-meter run and 1,500-meter run); UW-River Falls’ Lexi LeFever (long jump); and UW-Stevens Point’s Abigail Nelson (pole vault).
 
UW-Stevens Point’s Brooke Wellhausen helped the 4x400-meter relay to a first-place finish at the 2018 and 2019 championships. In 2018, UW-Oshkosh’s Cara Volz was victorious in the triple jump.
 
Additional individuals from conference programs ranking high on this year’s WIAC Honor Roll include:  Kayla Behnke (discus), Emilee Booker (heptahlon), Katie Faris (10,000-meter run), Catie Fobbe (shot put), Gabby Hicks (discus), Anna Schueth (800-meter run, 1,500-meter run), Carolyn Shult (1,500-meter run, 5,000-meter run), Evelyn Walker (discus) and Emily Williams (high jump); UW-La Crosse’s Rachel Amoth (high jump), Samantha Barrett (triple jump), Maddie Hannan (800-meter run, 1,500-meter run), Rachel Jeffers (10,000-meter run), Gabby Johnson (second), Miah Keller (triple jump), Abby Meidl (pole vault), Liz Missiaen (pole vault), Ashley O’Connell (pole vault), Olivia Owens (high jump), Mara Schroeder (400-meter dash), Jessica Stelzner (long jump), Macie Todd (high jump) and Hannah Zenkovich (long jump, heptathlon); UW-Oshkosh’s Brenna Masloroff (hammer throw), Ashton Keene (5,000-meter run, 10,000-meter run), Riley Kindt (100-meter hurdles, high jump, long jump, heptathlon) and Cara Volz (javelin); UW-Platteville’s Jessica Buss (400-meter hurdles), Brianna Leahy (shot put, discus) and Gwen Orr (100-meter dash, 200-meter dash); UW-River Falls’ Kimi Robertson (pole vault and 100-meter hurdles); UW-Stevens Point’s Leyna Herzog (100-meter dash, 200-meter dash), Rachel Krouse (5,000-meter run, 10,000-meter run) and Esme Reinders (400-meter dash); UW-Stout’s Grace Maurer (200-meter dash, 400-meter dash), Hannah Miller (long jump, triple jump, javelin), Demi Ploor (hammer throw) and Hannah Zastrow (100-meter hurdles, high jump); UW-Whitewater’s Gracie Holland (pole vault), Abigail Missiaen (javelin) and Tina Shelton (100-meter dash).
 

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