The UW women's track and field team improved its standing in the Big Ten with a fifth place finish in the 2006 Big Ten indoor championships Saturday and Sunday in Madison. Placing fifth is quite an improvement over last year's eighth-place finish, and head coach Jim Stintzi was quick to point that out.
'I think we were pretty close to hitting everything we could hit. I would say that it was a good day for us,' Stintzi said.
The Badgers came into Sunday in third place, behind only Minnesota and Michigan, but Illinois and Penn State were able to pass the team.
But the talk of the championship has to be Michigan's dominance in the 5,000-meter run.
Michigan pulled a hat trick on the medal stand, a feat that is sure to be remembered. With Michigan and Illinois in an extremely close battle between first and second, the 5,000-meter run gave Michigan a point total of 126 compared to Illinois' 107. The 5,000-meter run gave Michigan a lead that would never be challenged. Wisconsin placed fourth in the 5,000-meter run, with Katrina Rundhaug running a time of 16:15.03.
Shuntia Lucas finished second in the 60-meter dash and third in the 200-meter dash. Everyone knows that Lucas can compete, but some were surprised at how fast she ran this weekend.
The highlight for the Badgers had to come Saturday, when Blair Luethmers won the pole vaulting competition with a Big Ten meet record of 13'1 and 3/4.\
'I was a little speechless on Saturday but it is finally sinking in,' Luethmers said.
'On Saturday I just relaxed and used what I learned at practice and tried to get the job done.'
