The last two weeks have run their course well for the UW women's track team. The steamroller of momentum from the Boise State Invitational earlier this month kept moving for the Badgers at the Mt. SAC relays in Walnut, Calif. April 17. Melissa Talbot continued her strong sophomore season, placing second in the university/open long jump with a jump of 19 feet-four inches. Junior Christina Taylor was only two inches behind her teammate, winning third place for her jump of 19-2. The high jump tandem of senior Angie Kolanko and sophomore Danielle Ohmen tied for third with a jump of 5-6.
April 17 saw the Badgers create a lot of drama in the LBC as the 4x400-meter relay team, consisting of senior Kym Hubing and sophomores Tara Halls, Erica Schoeller and Talbot, won the event at the Long Beach Invitational. That same team, sans Halls, and with the addition of freshman Shuntia Lucas took second in the 4x100.
The next event for the Badgers is the Loras Open in Dubuque, Iowa, April 24 where they will look to continue the momentum gathered in the last two weeks.
Men's track update
The Wisconsin men's track team earned high honors last week as it earned five bids to the NCAA Regional meet on top of junior Matt Tegenkamp's record-setting time in the 5,000-meter run. Junior Josh Spiker and freshman Chris Solinsky took sixth and seventh respectively, in the 1,500-meter run last week at the Mt. SAC Relays. Senior Dan Murray qualified in the 800-meter run and freshman Demi Omole also qualified in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.35. The 4x400 meter relay team consisting of the sophomore quartet of Dan Goesch, Chad Melotte, Joe Detmer and Scott Hogseth also finished strong at the meet.
The Badgers will divide forces and hope to conquer in three places this coming week. The distance runners will head to the Oregon Invitational in Eugene, Ore., Friday and Saturday while about 15 others will compete in the Loras Open.
Elite Badgers will compete in the illustrious Drake Relays Thursday as well. The Drake Relays are internationally renowned as one of the finest amateur meets and will host athletes from 34 states and Australia. In this, the 95th year of the meet, the relays will consist of 675 collegiate men, 727 collegiate women, 8,512 athletes overall and 116 events.
The Badgers will send a formidable cadre of Omole in the 100-meter dash, Dan Murray in the 800-meter run, Paul Check and Jon Mungen in the 110-meter hurdles, Joe Detmer in the 400-meter hurdles, 4x100 and 4x200-meter relays and sprint medley relay.
