Both the UW-Whitewater men’s and women’s track teams split up this weekend with some members of each team heading out to Des Moines, Iowa for the 108th edition of the Drake Relays track meet. The remaining members of the two teams stayed in Whitewater and competed in the Drake alternative meet at the Rex Foster track.
The weather was less than ideal for the meet with a steady dose of rain and wind making the competition environment all the more interesting.
“It’s one of those things where the more you think about it the worse it gets,” junior sprinter Parker Witt said. “It’s more mental than physical”
Despite the windy, rainy weather in Des Moines there were several Warhawk athletes who competed well against the heightened competition including Witt.
Witt reset his own school record in the 100 meter race with a 10.42 in the preliminary round April 28 and was the only Division III athlete to advance to the final. Witt ran a 10.63 in the final the following day to place fifth in the event.
On the women’s side the 4×400 meter relay team of freshman Abbie Felton, junior Enyo Amet and seniors Leah Richter and Meredith Porter qualified for the finals by finishing with the eighth best time in the first round. In the finals the team took sixth place with a time of 3:49.58 and finished second among the Division III teams at the meet.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Witt said. “It’s always cool to race against Big 10 schools.”
Back in Whitewater, several Warhawks set career bests as they competed in their final meet before the WIAC championships.
In the throwing events freshmen Julio Perez set a career best in the discus with a throw of 163-08 (49.90 meters) to place first at the meet.
Senior Levy Perry also threw a career best in the hammer throw with a throw of 183-04 (55.89 meters) to finish third at the meet.
Junior Theron Baumann also placed in the shot put with a throw of 54-04 (16.56 meters).
Over on the track, junior Robert Martin won the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 15.13 and set a new career best of 15.01 in the preliminary round.
Freshman Quentin Mendez also set a new career best in the event with a time of 15.65 to finish fourth. Freshman Alec Masters, Tyler Theel and sophomore Connor Arneson finished second, fourth and fifth respectively in the 400 meter dash.
In the 200 meter dash freshman Justin Prostinak set a new career best with a time of 22.37 in a third place finish in the event, and in the 100 meter dash sophomore Leonard Carson also finished third with a time of 10.98 in the event.
In the pole vault freshman Zach Jasinski took second place with a leap of 15-09 (4.80 meters). Sophomore Cole Trumble placed fourth with a new career best in the javelin throw with a throw of 152-09 (46.55 meters)
On the women’s side freshman Sydney Rossow won the 100 meter hurdles event with a time of 14.97 in the event. Rossow also had ran a time of 14.86 in the preliminary round which is currently the third fastest in the WIAC.
Sophomore Jordan Tokarski ran a 12.72 in the hundred meter dash which set a new career best. Freshman Alissa Korslin’s new career best time of 26.85 in the 200 meter dash was good for a second place finish.
Junior Courtney Pohlman and senior Ana Liska placed third and fourth respectively in the pole vault.
In the discus throw, seniors Genny Rose Stringer and Amanda Strupp finished third and fourth respectively with throws of 143-04 (43.69 meters) and 142-07 (43.45 meters). Stringer also placed fourth in shot put with a throw of 39-10.75 (12.16 meters).
Head coach Mike Johnson was unable to respond to repeated interview requests by press time.
Both teams return to action May 5-6 at UW-Platteville for the WIAC outdoor championship meet.