Men’s, women’s track run at Augustana’s Meet of Champions

 The Pioneer men’s track team took second at the Meet of Champions in Rock Island, Ill., Friday.  Senior Aaron Hrubes tied a university record with a 10.65-second performance in the 100-meter dash.  Hrubes also helped the 4×100-meter relay take first place, finishing in 41.40 seconds.  Junior T.J. Valley won the 110-meter hurdles in 14.76 seconds, and freshman Malachi Romportl tied for first in the pole vault with a jump of 15-feet, one-inch.

For the women’s team, Senior Kristen Wiley took second in the triple jump with 34 feet and three inches.  Freshman Kiera Depies took third in the 10,000-meter run and junior Lynea Axelson placed fifth in the 400.

The Pioneers will be splitting up for three different meets next weekend.  Some athletes will head to Des Moines, Iowa, for the Drake Relays, a highly-competitive meet featuring teams ranging from NCAA Division I schools to NAIA.  Some will go to the Gina Relays at Hillsdale College in Michigan, while others will go to the Loras Invitational at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa.

Pioneers swept by Yellowjackets

The Pioneers softball team was swept by University of Wisconsin-Superior Saturday, falling 4-0 and 13-6.  Both games were played in Onalaska as field conditions at UW-Superior were too poor.

In game one, University of Wisconsin-Platteville was held to just three hits, and junior pitcher Jeni Freiburger was tagged with her fifth loss on the season.

In game two, the Pioneers fell behind quickly, allowing five runs in the first inning. After the Pioneers got onto the board with two runs in the third, UW-Superior answered with two of their own in their half of the inning. The Pioneers rallied back in the sixth, bringing the score to 7-6. The Yellowjackets again responded in their half, this time with six runs to dash any comeback hopes.

The Pioneers doubleheader with University of Wisconsin-Whitewater was postponed on Tuesday.

Hrubes named Athlete of Week

 University of Wisconsin-Platteville senior sprinter Aaron Hrubes  was named the WIAC Track Athlete of the Week on Tuesday.

Hrubes tied a university record for the 100-meter dash with a 10.65 second run, which also ranked him eighth in NCAA Division III this year.

Hrubes also runs on the Pioneers’ 4×100-meter relay team which will run at the Drake Relays this Saturday.

UW-Platteville assistant gets head coaching job at St. Mary’s

 University of Wisconsin-Platteville assistant men’s basketball coach Jamison Rusthoven was named the head coach of the St. Mary’s University of Minnesota Cardinals men’s basketball team.

Rusthoven leaves UW-Platteville after three years as an assistant under head coach Jeff Gard.

Rusthoven has his work cut out for him, as last season the St. Mary’s University of Minnesota went 4-21 in men’s basketball.