Outdoor Season Gets Underway For Panthers This Weekend
MILWAUKEE, Wis. (March 27, 2008) - The 2008 outdoor season gets underway this weekend for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's track and field team as the Panthers head to Carbondale, Ill., for the Spring Classic. UWM will compete at the meet Friday and Saturday. Milwaukee is coming off a fifth-straight Horizon League indoor championship and have now won the last nine league championships, including outdoors. A number of athletes had standout indoor seasons in leading the Panthers to another league title. Heading that list was sophomore Tyler Bucholz. Bucholz won league titles in the 60m, 200m and 400m. His 400m time of 47.61 set both a school and league record. In addition to taking first in all three events on the meet's second day, he capped the day by running a leg on the first-place 4x400m relay. Joined by senior Lynn Koepke, junior Patrick Casey and sophomore Isaiah Adams, the quartet broke school and league marks, as well. Koepke also earned all-league second-team honors behind Bucholz in the 200m, while Adams was step-for-step with Bucholz in the 400m. He also eclipsed the former league and school marks, but took second in 47.74. The Panthers also got two first-place finishes from junior Adam Schleis and championships from senior Darren Cole and sophomore Quinn Mongoven. Schleis successfully defended his indoor 60m hurdles and long jump championships. Mongoven also defended a title, winning a third league title in the high jump. He had swept the high jump at both the indoor and outdoor meets last season.
Cole picked up his sixth career league championship by winning the triple jump. He has won the last three indoor triple jump crowns, adding to a pair of outdoor titles in the event. More school records fell during the regular season, including a record performance by Schleis in the long jump. He leapt 23-10 ¾ at the UWM Panther Tune-Up to set the record in that event. Senior Justin Bohler also broke his own heptathlon record twice, finally scoring 4,995 points at the Iowa State Classic. Bucholz, Casey and Koepke also combined on a school record in the 4x200m relay early in the season. The trio was joined by freshman Jared Foerch for a time of 1:29.86 at the Division I Invitational. After the Spring Classic, UWM heads to the Big Blue Classic, April 4-5, in Charleston, Ill. That meet is hosted by Eastern Illinois. |
