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RIPON, Wis. – De Pere, Wis. will be the host for the 90th annual Midwest Conference Track and Field Championships at the newly constructed Donald J. Schneider Stadium on the campus of St. Norbert College. The Green Knights will be joined by the other eight outdoor track teams in the conference to battle for team and individual honors which are set to start on May 11 and will run through May 12.
Monmouth returns after winning the 2011 championships and competes for the sweep for the seventh consecutive season. The events will kick off on Friday at 11:00 a.m. with the field events and will start at 9:00 a.m. on Friday. A total of 20 gold medals will be given out on both the men’s and women’s side with athletes also competing for a chance to participate at the 2012 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
For the second straight year Beloit picked up a pair of seventh place finishes at the championships and they will battle to move up in 2012. On the men’s side Ken Williams will contend for a medal in the 400-dash and 400 intermediate hurdles as he ranks fourth and second, respectively in the conference in each event. The Bucs also have a strong trio of field participants where each ranks in the top five in the MWC in their events. Darth Winkler is third in the discus with a toss of 138’08” while Myles Schneider is fifth in the hammer throw (151’08”) and Travis Townes is tops in the javelin (181’08.50”). Sara DeLong leads the women in the 3,000 steeplechase with a time of 12:43.03 which ranks ninth in the conference while Amani Edwards headlining the field events with top-5 performances in the shot put (39’10.75”) and hammer throw (142’08.50”).
Carroll was the last team to hold a MWC Outdoor Track Championship not named Monmouth when they did so in 2004 and look to replicate that performance in 2012. L.J. Hyland defends his 2011 gold medal in the 100-dash as he ranks second in the event this season (10.82) just behind teammate Cooper Witt (10.78). Hyland also holds the top time in the 200-dash (21.65) while Witt is fifth in the event (22.08). Joseph Pliner leads all league runners in the 1,500-run with a time of 4:00.19 while holding the third fastest time in the 3,000 steeplechase (9:16.60). Brent Samuelsen will challenge in the pole vault after clearing the second highest mark during the regular season (15’03”). Lindsay Gruenke earned the 2011 Women’s Track Performer of the Year award last year after winning the 200 and 400-dash and ranks in the top-5 in both events this season. Megan O’Grady is a top competitor in the distance events (5,000 – fourth, 10,000 – first) while Amanda Trieloff will defend her javelin championship and ranks tops in the league entering the championships.
Grinnell is chasing its first title since the 2004 season and should be right in the thick of the championship race after a pair of third place finishes in 2011. Franklin Canady leads the Pioneers in the distance events with the second best time in the 5,000-run (15:32.98) and third fastest mark in the 10,000-run (32:37.34). Sam Krauth ranks fourth in the 1,500-run while Kyle Moorehead will contend for a medal in the 800-dash. Gavin Warnock ranks fourth in both the long jump and triple jump to lead the Pioneers in the field events. On the women’s side Sarah Burnell has a top-5 ranking in both the 800-dash (second) and 1,500-run (first) with teammate Christine Ajinjeru running the second fastest 400-dash time in the conference. Isabelle Miller will challenge for the 400 intermediate hurdles championship where she holds a top-5 make this year. Jordan Young leads the field events with top-10 marks in the shot put (tenth) and hammer throw (ninth) while Eloise Miller has the fifth best triple jump mark (36’01.75”).
Illinois Col. earned a fifth place finish on both the men’s and the women’s side in 2011 and returns a talented core to make a run at the 2012 championship. The Blueboys will contend for gold in both hurdle events as Josiah Norville holds the third best time in the 110 hurdles (15.13) and Brendan Kimble also is third in the 400 intermediate hurdles (56.59). Caleb Cox will compete in a multitude of events where he ranks in the top-10 in the conference that includes the 100-dash, 110 hurdles, high jump, javelin, long jump and pole vault. Cox was also a gold medal winner in the javelin in 2011. Missy Norville won three championships last season (100 hurdles, long jump, triple jump) en route to being named Women’s Field Performer of the Year. Norville holds top marks in the 100 hurdles, long jump and triple jump while Chimidiofuma Eze-Echesi ranks in the top-6 in both the 100- and 200-dashes. Julia Wykoff also holds top-10 marks in the 3,000 steeplechase and 800-dash to round out the Lady Blues roster.
The Prairie Fire competed for a pair of ninth place finishes last season and can only go up when they travel to De Pere for the 2012 championships. On the men’s side Joseph Puntoriero will be in contention in a the 200- and 400-dash as he holds top-10 times in the MWC in both events while Kevin Box headlines the Knox mid-distance runners with the seventh and fifth best times in the 1,500-run and 3,000 steeplechase, respectively. Weston Chenoweth ranks in the top-10 in three separate field events which include the discus (ninth), javelin (sixth) and shot put (sixth) to balance out the men’s roster. Emma Swanson will contend in the hurdle events as she holds the sixth fastest time in the 400 intermediate hurdles and the tenth best time in the 100 hurdles while teammate Kristine Weller will compete in the sprint events holding the team’s top times in the 100- and 200-dash. Caitlin McLaughlin posted the ninth best javelin throw during the regular season and also leads the Prairie Fire in the shot put.
Lawrence held ninth- and eighth-place finishes, respectively, on the men’s and women’s side last year but will push to move up in the standings and make noise in 2012. Sam Stevens is a favorite in multiple events as he ranks seventh in the conference in the 800, second in the 1,500 and second in the 3,000 steeplechase (9:19.38) while Kyle Dockery will pace the distance events, finishing first in the league in the 10,000 (31:53.78) and fifth in the 5,000. Nick Kerkman holds the fourth-best hammer throw (153’07.75”) to lead the field participants. Emily Muhs holds top-5 times in the 10,000 (fifth, 40:23.15) with teammate Anna Bolgrien has the fastest time in the 400 intermediate hurdles (1:06.63) and is sixth in the 100 hurdles. Rose Tepper is a top contender in the high jump with the fourth-highest jump in the MWC this season (5’02.25”).
Monmouth has a stranglehold on the men’s and women’s championship in the most recent past as they enter the 2012 championships with a seven year championship run of winning both the men’s and women’s side. Despite graduating a majority of its 2011 champions Monmouth is primed and ready on the men’s side to continue the championship tradition. During the regular season the men hold top spots in nine different events led by Jake Barr who holds top marks in both the 5,000- (15:16.12) and 10,000-run (31:53.19). DeAndre Smith and Brock McAnnally both return after winning gold in 2011 and will defend titles in the discus and pole vault, respectively. Both ended the season tops in their respective events with Smith also topping the charts in the shot put. Logan Hohl set new conference championship records in the 100- and 400-hurdles and will defend his titles this weekend. The Fighting Scot women’s team, not to be outdone, hold eight top marks with Mary Kate Beyer aiming to defend her title in the 5,000-run where she holds the top time this season (18:09.35). Amanda Streeter (discus, hammer throw) and Allison Devor (shot put) will also compete for consecutive titles as Streeter is tops in the discus while Devor leads in the hammer throw.
Ripon finished runner-up on the men’s side and sixth place on the women’s and will be looking to take the next step as the Red Hawks are in search of their first men’s title since 1924 and the first women’s championship in school history. On the men’s side Matt Wood will lead the way as he holds three top-5 rankings among MWC sprinters. Wood has the top time in the 400-dash (49.51), the second fastest time in the 200-dash (21.97) and is fifth in the 100-dash (11.07) to headline the sprint events. Cory Zimmerman returns to defend his titles in the 800-dash and 1,500-run as he checks in with the fourth (1:56.28) and third (4:05.10) fastest times, respectively. Adam Sellner also will defend a title in the hammer throw and he had the top mark in the conference during the regular season (188’01.75”). Lexie Schaffer represents Ripon in the sprints on the women’s side with the third fastest time in the 200-dash (25.68) and eighth best 400-dash time. Michelle Matter will compete in the mid-distance events as she holds top-5 times in the 1,500-run (second) and 3,000 steeplechase (third). Jessica Brungardt leads the throwers with the fourth best hammer throw (156’04.50”) while Jenna Breaker is runner up in the high jump (5’05”).
St. Norbert earned a runner-up finish on the women’s side and a fourth place finish on the men’s side in 2011 and bring a talented group of student-athletes to the 2012 championships. Leading the men will be a mix of runners and throwers led by Justin Johnson, Taylor Pasterski and Randy Hill. Johnson checks in with the best 110 hurdle time (14.41) in the conference in only his first season and also ranks fourth in the 200-dash. Pasterski has top-5 times in both the 100- (10.90) and 400-dashes (50.21) while Hill has performed better than any other competitor in the high jump (6’05.25”) and triple jump (44’11.00”). Emily Schudrowitz defends titles in the 800-dash and 1,500-run where she ranks tops in the league in the 800-dash and the 400-dash. Kelsey Timm rank top-10 times in three events including the 1,500-run (tenth), 10,000-run (fourth, 39:01.63) and 3,000 steeplechase (second, 11:27.90) with teammate Amanda Whipple holding the third best time in the 10,000-run (38:59.10).
For all information regarding to the 2012 Midwest Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships please vist the championships page.