UW-L Wins Esten Challenge; Eagles Capture Nine Individual Events

For Immediate Release: Friday, April 18, 2008

La Crosse, Wis. – The UW-La Crosse men’s track & field team captured the Phil Esten Challenge Friday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Eagles finished 257.0 team points. UW-Eau Claire was second (159.50) followed by UW-Stout (106.50), Wartburg (79.0) and UW-River Falls (54.0) to round out the top-five. St. Mary's placed sixth (25.0).

The meet was held with a steady rain throughout the day and night.

UW-L won nine individual events Friday. On the track, Matt Gordy took the 100-meter dash (10.68), David Kolbe the 200 (22.14) and 400-meter dash (48.30), Andrew Boldt the 800-meter run (1:55.83), John Heitzman the 5,000-meter run (15:24.57) and Brett Schendel the 10,000-meter run (31:55.24). Gordy and Kolbe (400-meter dash) both provisionally qualified for the NCAA III Outdoor Championships with their performances.

In the field events, Dave Stauder captured the high jump (6-1 ½), Jessie Dengsavang the triple jump (45-3 ½) and Alex Tapplin the pole vault (16-0 ½). Tapplin provisionally qualified for the national meet.

Other top-finishers on the track for UW-L included: Alex Rooker was second in the 100 (10.73) and 200 (22.15) meter dashes, Dylan Randolph placed second in the 400-meter dash (49.26), Pat Bryan second in the 110-meter hurdles (16.09), Adam Kleinmaus second in the 800-meter run (1:56.19) and Josh Hohensee second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:50.52). Rooker provisionally qualified for the national meet in the 100-meter dash.

Kyle Coghlan placed second (31:59.88) and Scott Hayden third (32:00.32) in the 10,000-meter run.

Ryan Mendez was third in the 400-meter dash (50.42) while Kevin Oelstrom was third in the 1,500-meter run (4:08.51).

In the field events, Dengsavang was second in the long jump (21-1 ½) while Clark Lundquist was second in the high jump (5-11 ½). Anthony Hasse and Christophe Johnson tied for third in the high jump (5-9 ¾) for the Eagles while Hasse was also third in the triple jump (42-8 ¾). Bill Warren was second in the shot put (48-8) and Jeremiah Burish third in the pole vault (15-0 ¾).

For complete results, click here.

UW-L returns to action Thursday, April 24 at the Gina Relays in Hillsdale, Michigan and at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa.