Men's Track & Field Shares National Title at NCAA III Indoor Championships; Riley Captures Third Consecutive Shot Put

For Immediate Release: Saturday, March 14, 2009

Terre Haute, Ind. – The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men’s track and field team captured its 15th NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championship Saturday at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. The Eagles and UW-Oshkosh tied for the national crown with 32.0 points. Whitworth University placed third (24.0 points) followed by McMurry University (23.0) and Buena Vista University (21.0) to round-out the top-five. A total of 73 teams scored points.

UW-L has now captured eight of the last nine indoor championships, including two straight. The 15 overall titles are the most in NCAA III history. UW-L also has a nation-leading 26 national titles overall (15 indoor, 11 outdoor). The school has 21 top-three finishes at the indoor national meet.

The Eagles’ Bobby Riley captured his third consecutive national indoor shot put title Saturday afternoon (57-5 1/2). He becomes the second student-athlete in NCAA Division III history to win three shot put championships, joining UW-L’s Terry Strouf (1986, 1987, 1988). Riley was also seventh in the shot put in 2005.

Bill Warren was seventh in the shot put Saturday (52-7 1/4) for his first career All-America recognition.

Dallas Vincent placed second in the 5,000-meter run Saturday (14:33.76) for his second career All-America recognition. He was a member of the Eagles’ second-place distance medley relay Friday.

UW-L’s 4x400-meter relay also earned All-America awards Saturday. The relay of Alex Rooker, Paul Yerhot, Terrence Thigpen and Ryan Mendez placed fifth overall (3:19.44). Yerhot and Mendez were also members of the Eagles’ second-place distance medley relay Friday.

David Stauder finished 13th in the high jump Saturday (6-6 3/4).