MIAC Track and Field Athletes-of-the-Week

http://www.miac-online.org/news/2012/2/13/MITRACK_0213120816.aspx

 

MIAC Men's Indoor Track Athlete-of-the-Week

 

Rick Wolke, Augsburg
Belle Plaine, Minn. / Belle Plaine

The Augsburg men's track and field team had a solid showing Saturday at the Saint John's University Invitational, led by a standout performance by sprinter Rick Wolke (Belle Plaine, Minn.). The Auggie senior led the team with two individual first-place finish and also anchored a winning relay team as well, while recording times that rank among the best in the conference this season. For his performance, Wolke has been named the MIAC Men's Indoor Track Athlete-of-the-Week.

Wolke's two individual wins came in the 60- and the 200-meter dash, while he also anchored Augsburg's 4x400-meter relay team to a first-place finish as well. He finished the 200 in 22.54 seconds, which is not only a new personal best, but also the fastest time in the MIAC in 2012. His time of 7.02 seconds in the60 was a new personal best, as well as the second-fastest time in the MIAC this season. The 4x400 team finished its race with a time of 3:31.89 to claim its first victory of the young season.

The Auggies and their star sprinter will look for even lower times and more first-place finishes next week when they compete Saturday at the University of Minnesota Parent's Day Open, hosted on the U of M campus in Minneapolis.

MIAC Men's Indoor Field Athlete-of-the-Week

 

Andrew Schlichting, Hamline
North Oaks, Minn. / Mounds View


The Hamline men's track and field team has found a lot of success in throwing events in recent years, and it appears that 2012 will be no exception. At Saturday's St. Thomas showcase, senior thrower Andrew Schlichting (North Oaks, Minn./Mounds View) not only won the weight throw with a strong performance, but he made a splash in the MIAC and nationally with his winning distance. Thanks to his first-place finish and standout performance, Schlichting has been named the MIAC Men's Indoor Field Athlete-of-the-Week.

Schlichting finished first in the hammer throw at the St. Thomas Showcase across town in St. Paul Saturday thanks to a winning distance of 18.03 meters, or 59-02 feet, to edge out teammate Brennan McKeag for first place. Schlitchting's throw wasn't just the best at that particular meet, it is the top throw in the MIAC this season, and he is currently ranked No. 12 in all of Division III in the weight throw. His winning throw came on the fourth of his six attempts.

The Hamline track team and its talented throwers will have two opportunities to continue their strong season this week with a pair of meets on the schedule. Friday, the Pipers will compete at the University of Minnesota Snowshoe Open, which will be held on the U of M campus in Minneapolis at 4 p.m., and Saturday they will take on St. Olaf at 11 a.m.

MIAC Women's Indoor Track Athlete-of-the-Week

Simone Childs-Walker, Carleton
Seattle, Wash. / Lakeview

During her stellar career, Carleton's Simone Childs-Walker (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) has established herself as one of the top runners in the MIAC and all of Division III, but Saturday she proved her talent transcends even her division. Running against primarily Division I runners, Childs-Walker turned in the best performance this season in the conference and a Top-10 performance nationally in the 5K. For her latest heroics, Childs-Walker has been selected as the MIAC Women's Indoor Track Athlete-of-the-Week.

Childs-Walker finished sixth in a 40-runner field at the Iowa State Classic Saturday in Ames, Iowa, where there were just four Division III and four Division II runners in a field of Division I athletes with a time of 17:10.71. That time is the fastest of her career at this point in the season, and it ranks No. 1 in the MIAC and No. 9 in all of Division III this season. Childs-Walker has now won 13 total MIAC Athlete-of-the-Week honors in her career - four in indoor track, three in outdoor track and six in cross country.

 

The Knights and their star distance runner will look for their success to continue next week when they compete Saturday at the University of Minnesota Parent's Day Open, hosted on the U of M campus in Minneapolis.

MIAC Women's Indoor Field Athlete-of-the-Week

 

Becky Culp, Hamline
Lino Lakes, Minn. / Centennial

The Hamline women's indoor track and field team had several standout performances at Saturday's St. Thomas Showcase with six first-place finishes, but the most impressive may have been a second-place performance. Junior Becky Culp finished second in the shot put to an unattached athlete, but her distance was a new personal record, the top throw in the MIAC by a considerable margin and almost in the Top 10 nationally. For her standout throw, Culp has been named the MIAC Women's Indoor Field Athlete-of-the-Week.

On her very first attempt, Culp unleashed a throw that traveled 13.6 meters, or 43-02 feet, to earn her second-place finish behind an impressive throw of 13.48 meters. Culp's new distance beat her previous personal record by eight inches, and it's the best distance recorded in the MIAC in 2012 by a full foot-and-a-half. In addition to climbing to the top of the MIAC performance list, Culp is now ranked No. 11 in all of NCAA Division III.

The Pipers will try to continue their hot start to the 2012 indoor season against some great competition this week when they compete Saturday at the University of Minnesota Parent's Day Open, hosted on the U of M campus in Minneapolis.