Written by: Eileen McGuine
LA CROSSE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Pioneers competed in the first day of three at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Chas Spangenberg, a senior from Appleton, Wis., captured sixth place vaulting 15 feet, 11 inches earning All-American honors. "As long as I'm an athlete, I'm going to want more," said Spangenberg. "I am still happy with what I did today, but I wish I had done better."
Aaron Hrubes, a senior from Madison, Wis., ran a time of 21.49 seconds in the 200-meter dash preliminary race, securing him a seventh place seed going in to the final race. The men's 200-meter dash finals will run Saturday, May 25, at 5:20 p.m.
Hrubes and the rest of the 4x100-meter relay team, Jordan Olp, Casey Goffinet and Caleb Mertens finished 10th in the prelims with a time of 41.44. The Pioneers were less than a quarter of second of beating out eighth seeded UW-Whitewater to qualify for the finals.
"The first day of nationals has been a mix of really good and disappointing," said UW-Platteville head track and field coach
Chris Rotzenberg. "I am however looking forward to the rest of the weekend. We have some good opportunities to do some really great things."
In day two of the NCAA DIII Track and Field Outdoor Championships four Pioneers will compete in their respective events. Jacob Dailey, a senior from Platteville, Wis., will begin the day competing in the finals of the hammer throw at 2:05 p.m. T.J. Valley, a junior from Prairie du Chien, Wis., will compete in the 110 high hurdle preliminaries at 5:25 p.m. Lynea Axelson, a junior from Oregon, Ill., will compete in the 800 meter preliminaries at 7:10 p.m. Matt Ziegler, a senior from Madison, Wis., will round out the night competing in the 400 meter preliminaries at 6:10 p.m.
Dan Poh, a sophomore from Crivitz, Wis., and Mark Niemann of Crystal Lake, Ill., will compete in the men's javelin throw at 12:40 p.m. on Saturday, May 25.
