Women’s track, field excels at conference

The UW-River Falls women’s track and field team is doing well in the 2008 outdoor season, with several of the team members already qualifying for the NCAA Div. III Championships. Nationals will take place at UW-Oshkosh May 22-24.

The women’s track and field team competed in the WIAC Outdoor Championship at UW-Eau Claire May 2-3.

Senior thrower Vicki Cooper was named Field Athlete of the Meet, adding 22 points to the team’s overall score of 118 points. Cooper won the shot put with a toss of 44-11 3/4, her best distance of the season. Her score provisionally qualifies for the national meet, and Cooper said she thinks the mark will be high enough for her to compete there.

Cooper stresses the vitality of each and every member on the team. “We have a really good chance at doing well at nationals,” Cooper said. “The more I can do as a thrower, the more I can help the team.”

Cooper also placed in the other three events she competes in at the meet: the discus, javelin and hammer throws. She placed third in the discus with a distance of 145-5, which also earned her a provisional qualification for nationals. Cooper threw a 103-2 1/2 in the javelin, placing fifth and 148-6 in the hammer throw.

Falcon Becca Jordahl was named Track Athlete of the Meet, adding 20 points to the team’s total with two first-place finishes. According to the Falcon Athletics Web site, she won the 10,000-meter run with a time of 36:53:43. She also won the 5,000-meter run in 17:01.58. Both times provisionally qualify her for the NCAA meet.

Senior Krista Hasselquist won the discus competition with a throw of 154-6. She also placed third in the shot put with a throw of 41 11-1/2.
The women’s track and field team has been set back in its outdoor season by poor weather, which has caused the cancellation of several meets.

“Our women’s team has made some huge improvements in specific areas and as a team as a whole,” Cooper said.

Several last-minute meets will give the team a chance to make its final scores for the season before nationals.

The Falcons will compete at the University of Minnesota Friday. The team will also compete at the La Crosse Last Chance Meet May 15, and will host the UWRF Multi-Qualifier May 15-16.