2001 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships

2001 Men's Championship Recap

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's track and field team retrieved its claim as national champion following its first-place finish at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championship held Friday and Saturday (March 9-10) at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh's Kolf Sports Center. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, one of 70 schools represented at the meet, scored 58 points to win its NCAA Division III-record eighth indoor championship. The Eagles flew to their first title since 1997 with the aid of two event champions and five other top-six event finishes. The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh finished second with 44 points, recording one event champion and six other top-six event finishes. The Titans also finished second at the meet in 1999. Completing the top-five teams in the standings were third-place Lincoln University (Pa.) with 38 points, fourth-place University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with 34 points and fifth-place Wheaton College (Mass.) with 25. Lincoln University was the three-time defending champion. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse fell behind momentarily after 10 events to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 42-40, but regained the lead for good after a pair of top-four finishes in the 11th event, the 400 meter dash. The Eagles closed their scoring with 16 points in the final two events that they were entered in, the 55 meter dash (6 points) and the 1,600 meter relay (10 points). Driving the Eagles to the championship were first-place finishes by freshman Jim Nelson in the shot put with a toss of 57-5 3/4 and the 1,600 meter relay team that ran to a winning time of 3:17.15. Members of the 1,600 meter relay quartet were Adam McKahan, Jesse Reed, Charlie Wittleder and Kevin Yarbrough. Also scoring for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse were Tyler Foos with a third-place finish in the 5,000 meter run, Mike Koenning with a third-place finish in the 35 pound weight throw, McKanan with a fourth-place finish in the 400 meter dash, freshman Andrew Rock with a second-place finish in the 400 meter dash, freshman Hans Schmidt with a second-place finish in the pole vault and Dan Tutskey in the 55 meter dash. Nelson, Rock and Schmidt were the meet's only freshmen to score in the individual events, combining for 26 points. Shannon King accounted for a meet-high 24 points to spirit the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh's second-place performance. King won the high jump with a leap of 6-11 3/4, placed second in the long jump with a leap of 49-9 3/4 and placed third in the long jump with a distance of 24-2 1/4. In 1999, King won the high jump and triple jump events at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championship. The Titans also placed in four other events as the distance medley relay corps finished second, Matt Groose third in the 1,500 meter run, Chris McKenna fourth in the 800 meter and Jeremy Dobbe fifth in the 35 pound weight throw. The next five teams in the order of finish after the two Wisconsin schools united together for seven event titles. Third-place Lincoln University had Chaz Clemons win the 55 meter dash with a time of 6.26 and Christopher Cobbs the 55 meter hurdles with a time of 7.37. Fourth-place University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point had Jesse Drake win the 5,000 meter run with a time of 14:27.89 and Chris Horvat the 800 meter run with a time of 1:52.39. Fifth-place Wheaton College had Raheim Greenridge win the triple jump with a leap of 51-8 1/2, while sixth-place Lynchburg College (Va.) had James Goss win the long jump with a leap of 24-4 1/2 and Kevin Smith the 400 meter dash with a time of 48.54. Other event champions were Ryan Dirks of Pacific Lutheran University (Wash.) with a toss of 60-8 3/4 in the 35 pound weight throw, Mark Miller of Keene State College (N.H.) with a time of 3:49.77 in the 1,500 meter run and Brad Parris of McMurry University (Texas) with a height of 16-10 3/4 in the pole vault. The United States Track Coaches Association (USTCA) also announced three award winners at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championship. They were King as the Outstanding Field Athlete and Smith as the Outstanding Track Athlete of the 2001 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championship and assistant coach John Zupanc of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh as the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year. The paid attendance for the two-day NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championship, which was also hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 1994 and 1997, was 2,336 people.

2001 Men's Championship Recap

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's track and field team retrieved its claim as national champion following its first-place finish at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championship held Friday and Saturday (March 9-10) at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh's Kolf Sports Center.

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, one of 70 schools represented at the meet, scored 58 points to win its NCAA Division III-record eighth indoor championship. The Eagles flew to their first title since 1997 with the aid of two event champions and five other top-six event finishes. The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh finished second with 44 points, recording one event champion and six other top-six event finishes. The Titans also finished second at the meet in 1999.

Completing the top-five teams in the standings were third-place Lincoln University (Pa.) with 38 points, fourth-place University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with 34 points and fifth-place Wheaton College (Mass.) with 25. Lincoln University was the three-time defending champion.

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse fell behind momentarily after 10 events to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 42-40, but regained the lead for good after a pair of top-four finishes in the 11th event, the 400 meter dash. The Eagles closed their scoring with 16 points in the final two events that they were entered in, the 55 meter dash (6 points) and the 1,600 meter relay (10 points).

Driving the Eagles to the championship were first-place finishes by freshman Jim Nelson in the shot put with a toss of 57-5 3/4 and the 1,600 meter relay team that ran to a winning time of 3:17.15. Members of the 1,600 meter relay quartet were Adam McKahan, Jesse Reed, Charlie Wittleder and Kevin Yarbrough.

Also scoring for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse were Tyler Foos with a third-place finish in the 5,000 meter run, Mike Koenning with a third-place finish in the 35 pound weight throw, McKanan with a fourth-place finish in the 400 meter dash, freshman Andrew Rock with a second-place finish in the 400 meter dash, freshman Hans Schmidt with a second-place finish in the pole vault and Dan Tutskey in the 55 meter dash. Nelson, Rock and Schmidt were the meet's only freshmen to score in the individual events, combining for 26 points.

Shannon King accounted for a meet-high 24 points to spirit the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh's second-place performance. King won the high jump with a leap of 6-11 3/4, placed second in the long jump with a leap of 49-9 3/4 and placed third in the long jump with a distance of 24-2 1/4. In 1999, King won the high jump and triple jump events at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championship.

The Titans also placed in four other events as the distance medley relay corps finished second, Matt Groose third in the 1,500 meter run, Chris McKenna fourth in the 800 meter and Jeremy Dobbe fifth in the 35 pound weight throw.

The next five teams in the order of finish after the two Wisconsin schools united together for seven event titles. Third-place Lincoln University had Chaz Clemons win the 55 meter dash with a time of 6.26 and Christopher Cobbs the 55 meter hurdles with a time of 7.37. Fourth-place University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point had Jesse Drake win the 5,000 meter run with a time of 14:27.89 and Chris Horvat the 800 meter run with a time of 1:52.39. Fifth-place Wheaton College had Raheim Greenridge win the triple jump with a leap of 51-8 1/2, while sixth-place Lynchburg College (Va.) had James Goss win the long jump with a leap of 24-4 1/2 and Kevin Smith the 400 meter dash with a time of 48.54.

Other event champions were Ryan Dirks of Pacific Lutheran University (Wash.) with a toss of 60-8 3/4 in the 35 pound weight throw, Mark Miller of Keene State College (N.H.) with a time of 3:49.77 in the 1,500 meter run and Brad Parris of McMurry University (Texas) with a height of 16-10 3/4 in the pole vault.

The United States Track Coaches Association (USTCA) also announced three award winners at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championship. They were King as the Outstanding Field Athlete and Smith as the Outstanding Track Athlete of the 2001 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championship and assistant coach John Zupanc of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh as the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year.

The paid attendance for the two-day NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championship, which was also hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 1994 and 1997, was 2,336 people.