Defending champion UW-La Crosse is expected to receive a strong challenge from host UW-Oshkosh when the 35th Annual Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship takes place on Friday and Saturday at the Oshkosh Sports Complex.

The 2006 WIAC Championship is the second collegiate track and field meet to be held at the 9,800-seat facility, with the other being the UW-Oshkosh Invitational on April 8. The Oshkosh Sports Complex will also host the 2007 and 2008 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Since the first WIAC Championship was held in 1972, UW-La Crosse has compiled a league-best 22 titles, including seven in the past eight seasons. The Eagles also own a pair of NCAA Division III championships after winning titles in 1983 and 1984.

UW-Oshkosh has gone unbeaten in every indoor and outdoor meet scored this year. The Titans have collected nine WIAC championships, including a title in 2004. Additionally, UW-Oshkosh has captured NCAA Division III titles in 1990, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 2004.

Last year, UW-La Crosse finished first at the WIAC Championship with 177 points. UW-Oshkosh finished second in the team standings with 162 points, while UW-Stevens Point placed third with 120.5.

The 2006 WIAC Championship returns seven athletes who are out to defend their titles of a year ago, including UW-Oshkosh senior Robyn Jarocki who has won the discus, hammer throw and shot put the past two seasons to earn the Outstanding Field Performer of the Meet Award. UW-Oshkosh also returns the defending champion in the 200 meter dash, junior Nadine Pieske.

UW-Platteville sophomore Marcia Taddy earned a share of the Outstanding Track Performer of the Meet Award last year and is back to defend her titles in the 800 meter run and 1,500 meter run. Taddy also participated on the Pioneers' victorious 3,200 meter relay a year ago. In addition to Taddy, UW-Platteville also returns junior Jackie Mulrooney, the defending champion in the 5,000 meter run and 10,000 meter run.

UW-River Falls owns a returning defending champion in junior Jill Crandall. Crandall took first place in the heptathlon and high jump a year ago.

Other athletes back to successfully defend their titles won last season are junior Bethany Richter of UW-Stevens Point in the javelin and senior Julia Rudd of UW-La Crosse in the 3,000 meter steeplechase. Rudd also won the 5,000 meter run in 2004.

Members of last year's first-place relay teams returning are sophomore Whitney Franklin of UW-La Crosse in the 400 meter relay, senior Stephanie Martin and sophomore Lindsey Vick of UW-Platteville in the 3,200 meter relay, senior Kelly Runkle of UW-La Crosse in the 400 meter relay and 1,600 meter relay and sophomore Katie Steingraeber of UW-La Crosse in the 1,600 meter relay. Runkle also ran on UW-La Crosse's first-place 1,600 meter relay teams in 2003 and 2004.

Other athletes back after taking part in event championships prior to the 2005 season are sophomore Amanda Beard of UW-Oshkosh in the 3,200 meter relay (2004), junior Marie Burrows of UW-Stevens Point in the 400 meter run (2004), seniors Megan Craig and Jenna Mitchler of UW-Stevens Point in the 3,200 meter relay (2003) and senior Teresa Stanley of UW-Stevens Point in the 5,000 meter run and 3,000 meter steeplechase.

This weekend's meet also features several athletes who rank among the finest in the NCAA Division III. Leading the 2006 NCAA Division III honor roll are UW-Oshkosh's Jarocki in the discus with a cast of 169-7 and the shot put with a toss of 51-11 1/4 and UW-Eau Claire junior Stephanie Barnes in the pole vault with a leap of 12-11.