CLAREMONT, Calif. (Blugolds.com) – Tyler Genovese (Sr.-Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH) led the UW-Eau Claire men's and women's outdoor track & field teams with a national runner-up finish on the first day of the 2012 NCAA Division III Championships today.
Genovese captured the runner-up finish in the discus throw with a school record distance of 55.51 meters (182-01). He broke his own school record of 53.57 meters (175-9), which he accomplished just one week ago. The national champion in the discus was Carter Comito from Whitworth, finishing with a mark of 57.86 meters (189-10).
In the only other final event the Blugolds competed in today, the men's 10,000-meter run, Thomas Breitbach (Sr.-Muskego, Wis.) took 18th with a time of 32:37.74. UW-Stout's Tim Nelson won the national title with a time of 30:16.07.
In the heptathlon after day one, Michelle Baranek (Sr.-Port Washington, Wis.) is in 18th place with 2,628 points after four events. After day one of the pentathlon, Bart Mestelle (Jr.-Sun Prairie, Wis.) is fourth with 3,568 points after five events.
The Blugolds did well in preliminary events today, advancing to finals in seven out of eight.
Thurgood Dennis (Fr.-Allouez, Wis./Green Bay Notre Dame) had the second fastest time in the men's 200-meter dash, setting a new school record of 21.10 seconds. He broke his own school record of 21.11, set three weeks ago.
The women's 4x100-meter relay team of Megan Mulligan (Fr.-Lake Geneva, Wis./Badger), Talisa Emberts (Sr.-Sussex, Wis./Sussex-Hamilton), Lindsey Laufenberg (Fr.-Waunakee, Wis.) and Jordanne Greenup (Sr.-Fridley, Minn.) set a school record as the group came in with the fourth best time overall (47.20). The same group set the previous school record of 47.47 just one week ago.
Greenup also advanced to the finals of the women's 200-meter dash as she finished with a time of 24.54 seconds, the eighth best time overall.
In the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase, Ashlyn Mauer (Jr.-Sheboygan Falls, Wis.) had the 12th best time (10:55.18) to advance to finals while Jeremy Kieser (Jr.-Verona, Wis.) had the 11th best time in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:15.88) to also move on to finals.
In the women's 4x400-meter relay, the team of Steph Rouse (Fr.-Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins), Emberts, Baranek and Greenup advanced to the finals after coming in with the sixth best time overall (3:48.37).
The men's 4x400-meter relay team will also move on to finals. The group of Cody Prince (Fr.-Appleton, Wis./North), Marty Richardson (Sr.-Appleton, Wis./Kimberly), Patrick Mackin (Sr.-Green Bay, Wis./Notre Dame Academy) and Dennis had the fifth best time overall (3:11.91).
The men's 4x100-meter relay team also competed in prelims but missed qualifying for finals by one spot. The group of Seth Friedrich (So.-Pine Island, Minn.), Prince, Cory White (Fr.-Tomah, Wis.) and Dennis finished in 10th place with a time of 41.33 seconds.
As a team, the Blugold men are tied for fourth place with eight points. The women didn't score any points today.
Day two of the championships will get underway at 2 p.m. (Pacific) Friday. Nationals will conclude Saturday.
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