Several Compete at NCAA Qualifying Meet at La Crosse

May 19, 2006

Several members of the Falcon men's and women's track & field teams competed at the NCAA Qualifier on Thursday at UW-La Crosse. Several best performances and school records were established giving some of the Falcons a better chance at qualifying for the NCAA Div. III Championships that will be held next week at Benedictine University.

Shannon Zweifel improved her time in the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:01.96 on Thursday. Her previous best was 1:02.39. The 1:01.96 is a school record and ranks her in the top three of all times in the event this year. Brittany Smith also had a season best time of 1:02.33 in the race. Both provsionally qualify for the race (1:04.3). The automatic qualifying time is 1:01.9.

In the 100 hurdles Jessica Reed finished in 14.81, her season's best and a school record. It is a provisional qualifying time. Smith ran a 15.34 and Zweifel a 16.05. Smith's best time this year is 15.26 while Zweifel's is 15.92. The NCAA provisional time is 15.1 and the automatic qualifying time is 14.43.

Krista Hasselquist improved her best throw of the season in the shot put. She threw the shot 44-6 1/4 at La Crosse and that is a school record. Her previous best and school record was 44-6. The NCAA provsional distance is 42-2 and the automatic distance is 46-10 1/4.Vicki Cooper competed in the discus and had a throw of 132-10 at La Crosse. Her best effort this year is 140-7. Holly Kromray competed in the pole vault and leaped 10-10. Her best effort this year is 11-0 1/4.

The team of Julie Markfort, Amy Peirsak, Smith and Zweifel ran the 4x400 relay and finished in 3:56.93 and that set a school record. The effort broke the previous mark of 3:59.21 set in 1995. The effort is a provisional qualifying time (3:58). The automatic time is 3:49.2.

Jason Phillippi ran a season best 9:19.64 in the 3,000 steeplechase at La Crosse. His previous best was 9:26.57. His time is a provisional mark (9:23) and the automatic time is 9:06.4.

Ben Kirmse and Scott Degner both ran season best times in the 1,500. Kirmse finished in 4:01.38 and Degner in 4:03.71. Kirmse's previous best was 4:02.98 and Degner's previous best was 4:03.36.The NCAA provisional time is 3:56 and the automatic time is 3:50.6.

In the 200, Rick Stewart ran a 23.67 and Matt Chadwick had a season best time of 24.07. His previous best was 24.36.The NCAA provisional time is 21.8 and the automatic time is 21.25.

The NCAA Championships are in Lisle, Ill., at Benedictine University from May 25-27.