The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women’s track and field team emerged victorious at the NCAA Division III Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship held at Roger Harring Stadium. This achievement marks the fifth national title in the program’s history, contributing to the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s (WIAC) impressive record of 15 championships in women’s outdoor track and field.
Championship Highlights
UW-La Crosse clinched the championship with a total of 53 points, surpassing Washington University in St. Louis, which finished second with 42 points. Johns Hopkins University, Calvin University, and Centre College rounded out the top five.
The Eagles’ success was highlighted by standout performances, including Maddy Habberstad’s victory in the pole vault, where she became the first individual in the program’s history to win a national title in this event. Additionally, the 4×100-meter relay team, consisting of Julie Yang, Anika Reiland, Makenna Zak, and Anna Paultz, secured a win with a time of 45.57 seconds. Paultz also contributed to the 4×400-meter relay team’s triumph, alongside Macy Reybrock, Zoe Lain, and Andie Otto, with a time of 3:40.69.
WIAC All-America Honors
Several athletes from the WIAC received All-America recognition. Notable mentions include Isabel Peterson from UW-Platteville, who secured second place in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes, and Allyson Kakes from UW-Eau Claire, who finished tenth in the 200-meter dash. Other top performers included Anna Plautz from UW-La Crosse, who placed third in the 400-meter dash, and Bella Hooker from UW-Eau Claire, who finished fourth in the 1,500-meter run.
In field events, Maddy Habberstad’s pole vault victory was complemented by strong performances from other WIAC athletes, such as Leah Zastrow from UW-Stout, who finished third, and Araceli De Leo Lopez, who placed fourth in the same event.
The championship showcased the depth and talent within the WIAC, with athletes from various institutions earning top honors and contributing to their teams’ overall success.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
