The UW-Stevens Point Qualifier meet this past Saturday, March 7th was the last chance members of the Stout track and field team had to qualify for Nationals. This year Nationals will be on March 13th and 14th in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Women’s Track and Field
On Saturday, the 4×400 meter relay team of Molly Brion, Alex Titterud, Laurisa Titterud, and Jada Hamilton cut four seconds off of their season’s best time, advancing them to Nationals. Just last week, the 4×400 meter relay team took the WIAC conference title and made school history. Going into Nationals, the 4×400 meter relay team is seeded fifth for all of Division III teams.
Laurisa Titterud did not only qualify in the 4×400 meter relay event, but also the 400 meter dash in which she also won the conference title for. This will be her first time competing at Nationals in an individual event. Overall, Titterud is ranked 13th and will be competing on Friday.
Other individuals also traveling to North Carolina this weekend are Lydia Meier and Michelle Brandt. Meier and Brandt will both be competing in the weight throw Friday afternoon. For both Sophomore throwers, this will be their first time competing at Nationals. Meier and Brandt are seeded third and sixteenth, respectively.
Senior Meagan Ward will be ending her indoor track and field career this year at Nationals. This will be her third year competing at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championship meet in the pentathlon. Last year, Ward took home a fourth place finish. All five events will take place on Friday.
Men’s Track and Field
The men’s track and field team will be sending only two distance runners to Nationals this year, Patrick Jenkins and Paul VanGrinsven.
This will be VanGrinsven’s first time competing at the National meet for indoor. VanGrinsven will be competing in the 5000 meter run on Friday. Going into the meet, he is seeded fifth.
Patrick Jenkins qualified for Nationals in the 3000 and 5000 meter runs again this year. He is looking to improve from last year’s fifth and sixth finishes at Nationals. Overall, this will be his third time at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championship meet. Jenkins is seeded fourth and sixth in the 5000 and 3000 meter runs, respectively.
For more news on Stout sports, be sure to check out this week’s Athlete Spotlight!
Photo Credit: Matt Schauf