Zastrow breaks hurdles record; track and field teams wrap up regular season

UW-La Crosse NCAA Final Qualifier Results: Men's | Women's | Augustana Twilight Qualifer Results

LA CROSSE/ROCK ISLAND, Ill (May 19, 2022) - The regular season for the 2022 UW-Stout track and field season came to an end with the last of the final qualifying meets and Hannah Zastrow broke the school 100-meter hurdles again and Kevin Ruechel moved up in the national standings in the discus with a career-best toss in the event.

The Blue Devils competed at the UW-La Crosse NCAA Final Qualifier and the Augustana Twilight Qualifer Thursday as a few other Blue Devils improved their lot for the NCAA championship next week.

Zastrow found herself in a battle with a familiar nemesis at La Crosse in the 100-hurdles, setting a new mark with a time of 14.01 seconds, breaking her own mark of 14.05 that she set at the Phil Esten Challenge in La Crosse, April 23 and is on the verge of becoming the first Stout woman to break the 14-second mark. But Zastrow, who is now fifth nationally in the event, finished second to the Eagles' Emma Lawrence who clocked a time of 13.99. In the national rankings for the 100-hurdles, five of the top six times come out of schools from Wisconsin, Minnesota or Illinois.

Ruechel unleashed a career-best toss in the discus Thursday at Augustana, letting go with a distance of 178-feet, 7-inches, a mark that places him third nationally and third on Stout's all-time discus list.

Ruechel, who is ranked first nationally in the shot put, finished second to Carthage's Joseph White. Ruechel marked a throw of 58-10.25, while White took the event at 58-11.75. The day did not produced a season-best for either competitor in the event. Ruechel's top distance is a school record 60-0.25, while White's best throw is 59-1.25. White is seeded second nationally. White has more than a foot advantage over the third-best qualifer.

Grace Maurer set a career-best in winning the 400-meter at La Crosse, running a time of 56.60-seconds, a time that as of Friday morning had her ranked 21st nationally. The NCAA accepts 22 women into the national field per event and 20 men.

Hannah Miller had an up and down meet at La Crosse in the horizontal jumps. In the triple jump, she set a career-best with a mark of 39-3.75 to place second in the event and move up to 14th nationally. In the long jump, Miller was unable to improve on her best distance, jumping 18-4.50 and was sitting at 23rd nationally.

At Augustana, Hayden Wagner ran a career-best in the 400-hurdles in a time of 53.41 to finish third and moved up to 23rd nationally. 

In the pole vault at La Crosse, Raegan Sorensen set a career-best with a leap of 11-11.75, a mark that moves her to 27th nationally. Jacob Backes was third on the men's side with a mark of 15-11.25. Backes is currently ranked 15th nationally with a mark of 16-0. Mason Barth, who has qualifed to the national meet in decathlon, was sixth in the pole vault with a height of 15-5.50, less tha two inches shy of his career-best.

Former Blue Devil pole vaulter Noah Zastrow competed unattached and won the pole vault at La Crosse with a height of 17-0.75, a mark that would have won the national championship last year, is nearly four inches better than the top national mark this year and is six inches short of his school record. 

Hannah Zastrow came up short in her attempt to reach the national meet in the high jump, despite winning the event at La Crosse. Zastrow cleared 5-3.25 and went out at 5-5.50.

Also at La Crosse, Sorensen was fifth in the javelin (116-3) and Mitch Koeckeritz was fourth in the men's javelin (161-9). Jenna Driscoll was 14th in the long jump (17-0) and 10th in the triple jump (35-5.25). Daniel Nesja was 11th in the men's triple jump (43-10.75). Michael Volz was sixth in the javelin (153-8). 

On Wednesday night at La Crosse, Lance Pfrimmer was eighth in the 1500-meter (3:52.48), only four-tenths of a second short of a career-best, and Calvin Fiala was 17th (4:03.86), two seconds short of a career-best.

At Augustana, Nate Karau set two career-bests when he was third in the javelin (181-4) and ninth in the discus (153-9). He finished 21st in the hammer (151-1). Jacob Bugella was second in the hammer throw (193-6) and 18th in the discus (142-8). Connor Walechka was 11th in the discus (148-6). Logan Garski was ninth in the shot put (49-6.50) and 13th in the hammer (169-4). Tony Kuehl was 25th in the discus (137-6), 24th in the hammer (134-8) and 33rd in the shot put (39-11.75). Kaden Martin finished sixth in the 110-hurdles in a time of 14.77. Martin is seeded eighth nationally in the 110-hurdles in a school record time of 14.29.

On the women's side at Augustana, Demi Ploor won the hammer throw with a toss of 176-7, two inches short of her season best. Ploor is ninth nationally in the hammer. Ploor was eighth in the shot put (41-8) at Augustana. Payton Schneider was 15th in the hammer (135-4) and 21st in the discus (120-3). 

Brandon Dick and Hayden Zachgo competed at the St. Olaf Multi Qualifier Wednesday, but both withdrew from the event.

The bids for the national meet are expected to be released late Friday, May 20. The NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championship is scheduled for May 26-28 at Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio, near Cleveland.