Claremont, Calif. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's track & field team completed first day action at the 2012 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Outdoor Championships Thursday night at Burns Track Complex. The Eagles lead after the first three events of the meet with 12.0 team points while UW-Stout and Whitworth University (Wash.) are tied for second with 10.0. UW-Eau Claire, Wartburg College (Iowa) and Middlebury College (Vt.) are tied for fourth with 8.0.
UW-L's
Isaac Vazquez captured the national title in the long jump Thursday night with a mark of 24-11 3/4, becoming the first student-athlete in school history to win the crown. It is the second career NCAA Division III outdoor title for Vazquez after he captured the triple jump last season. He now has five career outdoor All-America awards. Along with the national title in the triple jump a year ago, Vazquez was fifth in the long jump in 2011 and placed sixth in the triple jump and seventh in the long jump in 2010.
He will compete in the triple jump Saturday, May 26.
The Eagles had four other student-athletes compete in the long jump Thursday.
Troy Brooks placed 10th (23-5 1/2);
Brett Davis 14th (23-1 1/4);
Clark Lundquist 16th (22-11) and
Chris Haase 20th (22-4 1/2).
UW-L's
Grant Havard earned his first career NCAA III All-America honor in the discus throw Thursday with a seventh-place finish (171-6).
Andy Novak fouled in the discus throw Thursday.
UW-L's
Andy Grossman is in 15th-place (3,289) after the first day of the decathlon. He compete in the final five events of the decathlon Friday, May 25.
In preliminary track action Thursday, the Eagles'
Terrence Thigpen advanced to Saturday's 200-meter dash final (21.37).
UW-L's relays advanced to the finals Saturday. The 4x100-meter relay of
Jared Sitte, Thigpen,
David Sikorski and Brooks (41.21) and the 4x400-meter relay of
Nick Tehan,
Tyson Young,
Christian Wendland and
Aric Hoeschen (3:12.63) both advanced.
Action continues Friday at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges.
