Blue Devils close out regular season at La Crosse, Augustana

UW-La Crosse NCAA Final Qualifier | Augustana College Twilight Qualifier

LA CROSSE/ROCK ISLAND, Ill (May 17, 2018) - The UW-Stout track and field teams closed out the regular season by competing at both the UW-La Crosse NCAA Final Qualifier and at the Augustana College Twilight Qualifier Thursday.

Several of the Blue Devil throws competed at Augustana and several improved on their marks in advance of the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championship scheduled for May 24-26 at Veterans Memorial Stadium at UW-La Crosse.

Sam Elsner won the discus throw at Augustana with a career-best toss of 184-feet, 11-inches, a mark that is currently tops in Division III. On the women's side, Heidi Lieffort won the discus with a season-best mark of 157-feet, 8-inches, moving up to the third seed nationally. Lydia Meier finished fourth in the discus with a career-best toss of 153-2, a distance that moves her up to 10th nationally.

Meier won the hammer throw at Augustana with a mark of 187-9. She is currently seeded second nationally in the hammer with a mark from earlier in the season of 193-5.

Kayla Pabst also popped a career-best with a third place in the hammer throw with a toss of 175-2, placing her 12th nationally. Pabst placed 14th in the discus (132-1).

Kevin Ruechel placed third in the shot put with a career-best mark of 52-6.50 and was fourth in discus with a mark of 162-10. Anton Proksch closed out his career with a 10th place finish in the discus (157-1).

At the UW-La Crosse Qualifier, freshman Brent Heilman was second in the 100m (11.17) and also placed seventh in the 200m (22.49). Josh Freyholtz was sixth in the long jump (21-5.25) and Spencer Wilhelm was sixth in the triple jump (43-7).

Shanna Laehn was fourth in the 100-hurdles (14.86). Davia Clarke was sixth in the 200m (25.97), Raelin Sorensen was seventh in the high jump (5-2.25) and Sylvia Lechnir was eighth in the 800m (2:25.76).

UW-La Crosse NCAA Final Qualifier Results
Men
100m:  3. Brent Heilman, 11.17
200m: 7. Brent Heilman 22.49
4x400-relay: 7. Stout 3:19.85;
Pole vault: 9. Christian Lucchesi 15-1; 11. Robert Mesenburg 15-1; 11. Josh Freyholtz 15-1;
Long jump: 6. Josh Freyholtz 21-5.25;
Triple jump: 6. Spencer Wilhelm 43-7; 10. Isaac Lee 41-2.24;

Women
100m: 15. Nikki Nelson, 13.37; 17. Sam Smith 13.64;
200m: 6. Davia Clarke 25.97; 9. Nikki Nelson 27.32; 10. Claire Zais 27.37; 12. Sam Smith 28.66
800m: 8. Sylvia Lechnir 2:25.76
100-hurdles: 4. Shanna Laehn, 14.86
4x100-relay: 4. Stout 48.07
4x400-relay: 6. Stout 4:04.18
High jump: 7. Raelin Sorensen 5-2.25;