MENOMONIE, Wis. (blugolds.com) -  The indoor track facility at UW-Stout was lit on fire this past weekend by the Blugold track and field teams. The multis started the weekend off strong with a 1-2-3 finish from Jane Kautz, Emilee Booker, and Emma Gruen in the pentathlon on Friday. The next morning the heptathletes finished their multi event competition also finishing 1-2-3. Mitch Stegemans' mark of 5388pts ranks him 1st in the Nation in the event and juniors Max Foland and Tommy Mestnik finished right behind him with marks that will surely qualify them for the National Meet in March as well.

The Blugold throws squad kept that same energy as they brought their magic to the throws rings Saturday afternoon. Raina Stecher (18.04m), Kayla Behnke (18.03m), and Teagan Jones (17.40m) all set personal records in the women's weight throw with Raina and Kayla earning marks that will rank them top 5 in the nation in the event. The mens throwers also showed up in both throwing events, highlighted by Yakob Ekoue (17.90m) and Adam Stroufs (17.60m) performances in the shot put. These marks would place Yakob and Adam 2nd and 3rd in the nation in the event as things stand currently around the nation.

2023 All-American Stefan Klechefski showed his dominance in the 60m dash running a season best time of 6.85s, finishing in front of fellow Blugold, Colin McClowry, who came in 2nd with a time of 6.93s. Colin won the 200m dash in a time of 22.27s in his 200m season opener. Connor Jankuski finished close behind with a time of 22.56s.

The Blugolds distance squad finished first in 3 different events highlighted by Sam Verkerke's (1:53.98s) electric 800m run. Though the 800m is not his primary focus on the season, Sam showed plenty of potential to drop serious time in the event. Mason Shea also took the win in his secondary event, the 3k, with a time of 8:28.47s. Mikayla Hady won her event for the second straight week, this time the 800m run with a time of 2:19.07s.

Top Men's Performances
1st: Mitch Stegeman (Sr. - Coleman, Wis./Suring): Decathlon (5388pts)
1st: Josiah Ziebell (Sr. - Mauston, WIs.): 600m Run (1:21.10)
1st: Stefan Klechefski (Sr - River Falls, Wis.): 60m Dash (6.85s)
1st: Colin McClowry (Jr. - Neenah, Wis.): 200m Dash (22.27s)
1st: Jack Schreiber (Fr. - Kimberly, Wis.): 400m Run (50.98s)
1st: Yakob Ekoue (Sr. - Hopkins, Minn.): Shot Put (17.90m)
2nd: Max Foland (Jr. - Middleton, WIs.): Decathlon (4876pts)
2nd: Nathan Johannsen (So. - Frazee, Minn.): 600m Run (1:25.26)
2nd: Colin McClowry (Jr. - Neenah, Wis.): 60m Dash (6.93s)
2nd: Wes Keller (Jr. - Richland Center, Wis.): High Jump (2.00m)
2nd: Connor Jankuski (So. - Glenbeulah, Wis./Plymouth): 200m Dash (22.56s)
2nd: Jacob Eickhoff (Fr. - Saint Cloud, Minn./Cathedral): 400m Dash (51.40s)
2nd: Yakob Ekoue (Sr. - Hopkins, Minn.): Weight Throw (19.24m)
2nd: Adam Strouf (Sr. - Rice Lake, Wis.): Shot Put (17.60m)
2nd: Brad Roe (So. Burlington, Wis.): Long Jump (6.39m)
 
Top Women's Performances
1st: Jane Kautz (Sr. - Port Washington, Wis.): Pentathlon (3351pts)
1st: Grace Viesselman (Fr. - Grafton, Wis.): 200m (26.99s)
1st: Raina Stecher (Stewartville, Minn.): Weight Throw (18.04m)
1st: Kayla Behnke (Jr. - Kimberly, Wis.): Shot Put (13.81m)
1st: Mikayla Hady (Sr. - Mount Auburn, Ill./Sacred Heart-Griffin): 800m Run (5:16.28s)
2nd: Emilee Booker (Jr. - Genoa City, Wis./Badger): Pentathlon (3281pts)
2nd: Hope Schueller (Fr. - Saint Cloud, Minn./Cathedral): 60m Dash (7.95s)
2nd: Hope Schueller (Fr. - Saint Cloud, Minn./Cathedral): 200m Dash (27.14s)
2nd: Kelsie Minkie (So. - Dekotah, Ill.): 400m Dash (1:01.01)
2nd: Paige Morrell (Fr. - Greenville, Wis./Hortonville): 800m Run (2:20.26)
2nd: Reagan Zimmerman (So. - Sun Prairie, Wis./East): 3k (10:23.85s)
2nd: Ella Williamson (Jr. - Amery, Wis.): High Jump (1.63m)
2nd: Molly Kallenbach (Jr. - Hudson, Wis.): Long Jump (10.52m)
2nd: Ayden Fleeharty (Sr. - Viola, Wis./Kickapoo): Pole Vault (3.47m)
2nd: Kailee Sellen (Sr. - Crivitz, Wis.): Shot Put (12.51m)
2nd: Kayla Behnke (Jr. - Kimberly, Wis.): Weight Throw (18.03m)

The Blugolds travel to the school two hours South of Eau Claire for the Mark Guthrie Legacy Invitation next weekend, February 3rd.