LOCAL COLLEGES: Blugold track and field athletes win 2 national titles
· Yahoo Sports
LA CROSSE — UW-Eau Claire’s Blake Postler made history as the Blugold men’s track and field team finished fifth in the NCAA Division III Championships on Saturday.
Before Saturday, only one NCAA Division III student athlete clocked a 400 meter hurdle time under 50 seconds. The NCAA record holder, Edwin Moses from Morehouse College, was the lone member of the exclusive club for almost 50 years.
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On Saturday, Moses gained a companion as Postler etched his name in the record books as just the second student athlete to finish the 400 hurdles under 50 seconds since 1979.
After winning the prelims on Thursday, Postler posted a personal, program, and conference record time of 49.88 seconds to not only join the historic company, but also earn his first national title.
Prior to his record setting performance, Postler earned a podium placement in the 110 high hurdles. His third place finish was a personal best time of 13.88 seconds.
Adding to Saturday’s podium placements was Reilly Templeton in the 200 meter race. Templeton finished sixth overall with a time of 21.24 seconds.
Reilly wasn’t done there as he and the Blugolds’ 4x400 relay team of Templeton, Cameron Pease, Fischer Wait, and Postler hit a season best time of 3:08.54, earning fourth place and All-America honors.
On Friday, Blugold thrower Gage Stankiewicz took home the national title in the shot put.
After winning his first national championship at the NCAA Indoor Championships in March, Stankiewicz came into the Outdoor meet as the third ranked competitor.
Stankiewicz saved his best for last with a career long 18.77 meter throw on his final throw to earn his second national championship of his career.
He is the sixth Blugold in the last 12 years to win the shot put in both Indoor and Outdoor Championships.
The Blugolds conclude their season having finished in the top six in each of the last seven NCAA Outdoor Championships.