2006 WIAC Cross Country Championship Preview

The men’s WIAC Championship race features three teams ranked in the top-nine in NCAA Division III. UW-La Crosse, the defending national and conference champions, are ranked second while UW-Oshkosh is sixth and UW-Platteville ninth. UW-Stevens Point is also in the top-20, ranked 18th.

UW-La Crosse won last year’s conference title with 25 points while UW-Oshkosh was second with 78. The Eagles, who have won a league-high 27 titles in school history, have won five of the last eight WIAC Championships. The Titans have captured nine conference titles, including three in the last six seasons.

UW-Platteville junior Tyler Sigl looks to become the second Pioneer to win back-to-back conference titles in the last five years. Ryan Kleimenhagen won consecutive WIAC Championships in 2002 and 2003. Sigl broke UW-Platteville’s cross country record when he completed the 8,000-meter Jim Drews Invitational in 24:23 October 14 at Maple Grove Golf Course. He finished fourth overall in the race. Sigl placed third as a freshman at the 2004 conference championships.

The other runner returning who earned all-conference first honors last season is UW-La Crosse’s Kevin Oelstrom, who placed seventh. Sophomore Travis Nechuta of UW-Stevens Point (12th), junior Nick Fulton of UW-Platteville (13th) and junior Dominick Meyer of UW-Stevens Point (14th) earned All-WIAC second team honors last year.

UW-Platteville senior Kyle Stangel was 15th last season after placing ninth in 2004. Junior Willy Kaul of UW-Oshkosh was 13th in 2004 and senior Mike Ormond of UW-Stevens Point was 15th two seasons ago. Other runners expected to battle for the all-conference team include: senior Cory Hayden and freshman Paul Moran of UW-La Crosse; junior Matt Kramer of UW-Superior; junior Brian Butzler of UW-Whitewater; senior Brian Kelley of UW-Oshkosh as well as sophomore Aaron Whalen of UW-Platteville. Butzler was 24th and Oelstrom 27th at the Drews Invite this season. Others to watch are UW-Eau Claire senior Ted Lillie; UW-River Falls freshman Jose Rojas and UW-Stout junior David Schonscheck.

The women’s WIAC Championship race features three teams in the NCAA III rankings. UW-La Crosse is fifth, UW-Eau Claire 19th and UW-Platteville 28th. The Eagles captured their fifth conference title in school history last year in Superior with 38 team points. UW-La Crosse has won three of the last five league crowns. UW-Stevens Point placed second last season with 55 points.

UW-Oshkosh has won a league-high 15 women’s cross country titles, all coming from 1986-1999. UW-Stevens Point has won two of the last three WIAC championships.

UW-L senior Kristen Painter is the top-returner from last season after finishing fourth to earn All-WIAC first team honors. UW-Platteville senior Marcia Taddy was fifth a year ago and also earned all-conference first team accolades. Painter finished third and Taddy fourth at the Tori Neubauer Invite held at Maple Grove Golf Course October 14.

Also returning from last season that earned All-WIAC Second Team honors are junior Rosa Alvarez of UW-Oshkosh (8th-place); senior Jenny Graef of UW-Oshkosh (9th), junior Kristen Howe of UW-La Crosse (10th) and senior Meagan Herlache of UW-La Crosse (11th).

Other runners expected to battle for the all-conference team include: junior Molly Warner of UW-Eau Claire (16th at WIAC last season); seniors Christina Locke and Cassie Haak of UW-Eau Claire; freshman Becca Jordahl of UW-River Falls; junior Lindsay Vick and sophomore Jessica Scott of UW-Platteville and junior Hannah Dieringer of UW-Stevens Point. At the Neubauer Invitational earlier this month, Werner (10th), Herlache (11th), Jordahl (14th), Locke (16th), Howe (18th) and sophomore Emma Dreis of UW-Platteville (19th) all finished in the top-20. Others to watch are UW-Stout senior Amanda Rau; UW-Superior freshman Jenna Halverson and UW-Whitewater senior Lisa Nylander.

The NCAA Division III Midwest Regional is Saturday, November 11 at Credit Island in Rock Island, Illinois while the NCAA III Championships are Saturday, November 18 at Voice of America Park in West Chester, Ohio.