With only one chance left to qualify for the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships, the men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams attended last chance meets last weekend at University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Three members of the men’s team competed at the UW-Madison meet on Friday, March 1.
For some competitors, this meet meant a chance to get in a good practice run in their event before the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championship next week.
Senior pole vaulter Chas Spangenberg was one of those athletes practicing for nationals, and was trying to move up in the national qualifier list, where he is already ranked fourth.
On Saturday, March 2, the Pioneers sent five athletes to UW-Stevens Point for their last chance meet. While no new national qualifiers came out of this meet, there were some stand out performances. Sophomore Matt Kocak ran a personal best in the 800-meter dash with a time of 1:55.48, and junior John Petrie threw a personal record in the shot put.
Now that qualifying meets are over, the team is focused on preparing for the national championships.
Head coach Chris Rotzenberg said he was pleased that five competitors from University of Wisconsin-Platteville are going to nationals. Those five include senior Chas Spangenberg in the pole vaulting event, freshman Ian LaMere in the 60-meter dash, junior TJ Valley in the 60-meter hurdles, senior Aaron Hrubes in the 60-meter dash, and senior Deidre Dillman in the 800-meter dash.
The championships will take place on March 8 and 9 in Naperville, Ill.