2023 WIAC Women's Indoor Track & Field Championship Preview University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will attempt for a third straight first-place finish at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver’s) at UW-Stout’s Johnson Fieldhouse Feb. 24-25. The Eagles secured the 28th league title in program history a year ago with 244 points. The point total is the second-highest mark in conference archives, trailing UW-Oshkosh’s 261 points in 1996. At the 2022 championship, UW-Eau Claire finished second with 115 points, UW-Oshkosh third with 97, UW-Stout fourth with 62, UW-Platteville fifth with 52, UW-Stevens Point sixth with 32, UW-Whitewater seventh with 31 and UW-River Falls eighth with 29. 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. 24, and 10 a.m. on Feb. 25. 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 18 student-athletes that have combined to win 16 individual and 11 relay first-place medals at previous league meets. It will also include three teams ranked in the Top 15 of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division III Track & Field Rating Index distributed on Feb. 21. UW-La Crosse is the top-ranked team, while UW-Whitewater is 14th and UW-Eau Claire 15th. UW-La Crosse’s Skye Digman is the two-time defending champion in the shot put and 20-pound weight throw. She was tabbed the Field Performer of the Meet at the 2020 championship. A season ago, the Eagles’ Olivia Owens claimed the high jump title, while Miah Keller was victorious in the triple jump. Amber Johnson, Lilly Halvorson, Melanie Kunze and Brooke McDowell combined to win the 4x400-meter relay. At the 2020 championship, UW-La Crosse received first-place performances from Mara Schroeder in the 400-meter dash and Emma Lawrence in the 60-meter hurdles. The duo also helped the 4x400-meter relay team to victory, while Melanie Kunze and Maddie Hannan were members of the triumphant distance medley relay team. Schroeder contributed to the winning 4x400-meter relay team in 2019. UW-River Falls’ Lexi LeFever is the defending champion in the 200-meter dash and long jump. She was selected the Track Performer of the Year in 2021. UW-Eau Claire’s Carolyn Shult will aim for the back-to-back titles in the 3,000-meter run. UW-Oshkosh’s Riley Kindt was victorious in the 60-meter hurdles a year ago and established a conference championship record of 8.64 seconds. Libby Geisness and Cyna Madigan helped the distance medley relay team to a first-place finish a season ago, and Geisness won the 800-meter run at the 2020 championship. UW-Stevens Point’s Rachel Krouse secured the 5,000-meter run crown last year and was selected the Newcomer of the Year, while Brooke Wellhausen claimed the 800-meter run in 2019. UW-Whitewater’s Gracie Holland won the pole vault a season ago. The Warhawks’ Tina Shelton broke the conference record (for all meets) in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.55 seconds at the UW-Whitewater ELITE Invitational earlier this season. Individuals from remaining conference programs ranking high on this year’s WIAC Honor Roll include: UW-Platteville’s Brenna Noon (shot put); and Lexi Cole (high jump). # # # # #