Regina Pierce continued her impressive freshman year, winning the triple jump. She leapt 36-6 ½ for the win, making it her second-straight victory in the event and third in two weeks.

Some school records were broken and both the mens and womens track and field teams for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee finished in third place at the Big Blue Classic this past weekend in Charleston, Ill.

Junior Amber Curtis broke two of her own school records on Saturday to help lead the Panthers with 171 points and a third-place finish. Host Eastern Illinois took the top honors.

Curtis broke her own school discus throw after eclipsing her hammer throw mark on Friday. She threw 164-5 to win the discus and overcame her mark of 158-2 set two weeks ago. In the hammer, she took fourth with a throw of 140-4. She had set her previous mark at that same meet with a throw of 139-11.

Regina Pierce continued her impressive freshman year, winning the triple jump. She leapt 36-6 ½ for the win, making it her second-straight victory in the event and third in two weeks.

Sophomore Jenni Saarinen completed off a very successful weekend by taking second in the high jump, clearing 5-3 ¾, after winning the long jump on Friday.

UWM also posted second-place finishes in the pole vault and 100 meter. Freshman Erin Havener and sophomore Jes Weyandt each cleared 11-5 ¾ in the pole vault, with Havener taking second and Weyandt finishing fourth. In the 100m, senior Timeka Walker took second with a time of 12.25.

On Friday, Saarinen and junior Angie Huebner each won events as the Panthers were in first place with 80 points. Saarinen won the long jump and took third in the javelin with a throw of 125-4.

In the long jump, Pierce took fifth at 18-3 ¾. Sophomore Kory Olson finished fifth in javelin with a distance of 123-10.

In the 5000m, it was all UWM as Huebner won the event, crossing the line in 18:24.89. Senior Kourtney Nault was second in 18:35.69 and sophomore Liz Brothen rounded out the top three in 18:50.54.

Men continue setting personal records

For the men, senior Nick Gretz broke two school records to help lead Milwaukee with 142 and a third-place finish. Indiana State edged host Eastern Illinois for first place.

Gretz broke school records in the discus and shot put on Saturday, recording distances that put him first in the region in each event. His discus throw of 181-3 toppled Jon Mankes record of 172-10 and won the event. Gretz also won the shot put with a throw of 57-9 ½, clipping his own school record of 57-1 set a week ago.

Senior Trentin Edwards won the 100m, while three more Panthers took second in their respective events. Edwards crossed the line in 10.76 to capture the event.

In the 110m hurdles, sophomore Adam Schleis ran a time of 14.90 for second, while junior Darren Cole was second in the triple jump with a leap 46-10. Freshman Quinn Mongoven also tied for second in the high jump with a final height of 6-4.

On Friday, senior Nick Wichert continued his very successful career at UWM after breaking his own school record in the hammer throw to win the event.

Wichert threw 194-1 to win the hammer throw and break his own school record that he set two weeks ago at the Southern Illinois Invitational. With the throw, Wichert bettered his previous record (189-2) by almost five feet and will likely climb the national rankings into the top 35. Gretz finished second with a throw of 167-4.

Sophomore Adam Schleis also placed third in the long jump with a leap of 22-7 ¾.

The Panthers return to action April 13 and 14 across town in the Marquette Invitational.

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