History in the Hep: Ellenwood rewrites record books at Big Ten championships

Saturday, May 12

Bloomington, IN

9:30 AM

Wisconsin Badgers

Big Ten Outdoor Championships

Photo by: Walt Middleton

History in the Hep: Ellenwood rewrites record books at Big Ten championships

May 12, 2018 | Women's Track & Field

UW senior scores 6,173 points to win her third conference title

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – When Wisconsin's women's track and field standout Georgia Ellenwood began her senior season this year, she had a couple of goals for her finale in the Cardinal and White.

One of her goals was to win a Big Ten outdoor title, another one was to break the 6000-point barrier in the heptathlon and she also wanted to break the conference record in the event.

She accomplished all three of those goals on Saturday by scoring an amazing 6,173 points, the best score in the NCAA this year and the No. 3 tally in the world, in the heptathlon en route to winning her first Big Ten title outdoors.

"I think sometimes I have a hard time believing that I can reach the Olympic standard or even break 6,000 points," Ellenwood said. "Even my teammate Casie [Pawlik] said "I predict that you'll skip 6,000 and go straight to 6,100". And so she was right, and I think it's that I either put a decent heptathlon together or I go all out in all of the events. This time, coming to the Big Ten championship, feeling good, competing in hot weather, and I just put it together. And it's nice because I put it together, but I still look at each event and know that there's room to improve.

"I'm really happy with how it went today."

TFW when you realize you not only win the #B1GTF heptathlon title, but you just scored 6??1??7??3?? points!

Congrats @Geeorrgiaa on making history at the @bigtenchamps pic.twitter.com/k5ZLxdProI
— Wisconsin Track & Field (@BadgerTrackXC) May 12, 2018

Ellenwood's score places the senior as the No. 10 performer in NCAA history in the heptathlon.

"6,173 points in any conditions is spectacular," UW Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne said. "When you look at these heptathletes and decathletes out here today, what they've had to endure the last two days, that's world-class right there. I'm really proud of both Georgia and Casie. I know Casie finished in ninth, and that's a great performance also. For Georgia, that's a huge personal best. I know she's been knocking on the door of 6,000 points for quite a while and she really wanted to do it. To do it in these conditions and at the Big Ten Championships, that's a world-class performance."

The Langley, British Columbia, native was clutch in the first two events on Saturday, earning stellar marks on her final attempts in both the long jump and javelin to put her in position for history.

Ellenwood soared 20 feet, 1/2 inch on her final attempt in the long jump to score 884 points and to finish second in the event behind PSU's Madeline Holmberg, who was the runner-up in the competition.

In the javelin, Ellenwood launched a PR of 150-9, a mark that ranks sixth in school history, to score 782 points before winning the 800 meters in 2 minutes, 16.37 seconds.

We ?? you @Geeorrgiaa!

She launches a PR of 150-9 on her final attempt in the javelin! pic.twitter.com/2qcZVWxfke
— Wisconsin Track & Field (@BadgerTrackXC) May 12, 2018

Joining Ellenwood in the heptathlon this weekend was fellow senior Casie Pawlik, who placed ninth with a score of 4753 points. Pawlik earned a mark of 17-9 3/4 in the long jump and threw the javelin 87-2 before placing seventh in the 800 meters in 2:26.20.

Freshman Alissa Niggemann also had an outstanding showing on Saturday, finishing fourth in the steeplechase in a personal-best time of 10:18.89. That time ranks third in program history as only Badgers Ashley Beutler and 'A Havahla Haynes have run faster for the Cardinal and White.

"Alissa competed well tonight," Byrne said. "There are no easy points handed out at this meet. When you set a huge PR, you truly did your best and I'm delighted for her. That is what we asked from all of our student-athletes competing this weekend."

Erin Wagner also competed in the steeplechase and finished in 17th in 10:52.34.

Junior Ebony McClendon came close to advancing to Sunday's 100-meter final as the Chicago, Illinois, native was the last runner out of the final, finishing in 10th in 11.74.

In the women's shot put, freshman Sophia Rivera placed 11th in the event with a mark of 50-8 3/4 while Banke Oginni and Josie Schaefer finished 14th and 18th, respectively.

A pair of Badgers were in action in the 400 meters as Gabby DesRosiers placed 19th in 55.42 while Bianca Stubler was close behind in 56.01.

Up Next:
Wisconsin wraps up the 2018 Big Ten Outdoor Championships on Sunday as the women's discus and triple jump get underway at 10 a.m.

2018 Big Ten Outdoor Championships
Bloomington, Ind.
May 12, 2018
Women's Results

100 Meters
10. Ebony McClendon: 11.74

400 Meters
19. Gabby DesRosiers: 55.42
22. Bianca Stubler: 56.01

3000 Steeplechase
4. Alissa Niggemann: 10:18.89
17. Erin Wagner: 10:52.34

Long Jump
15. Meagan Blair: 19-4 (5.89m)
Mary Bartelson: No Mark

Shot Put
11. Sophia Rivera: 50-8 3/4 (15.46m)
14. Banke Oginni: 50-0 (15.24m)
18. Josie Schaefer: 48-9 1/2 (14.87m)

Heptathlon
1. Georgia Ellenwood: 6,173
9. Casie Pawlik: 4,753

Heptathlon Long Jump
2. Georgia Ellenwood: 20-0 1/2 (6.11m)
8. Casie Pawlik: 17-9 3/4 (5.43m)

Heptathlon Javelin
2. Georgia Ellenwood: 150-9 (45.94m)
8. Casie Pawlik: 87-2 (26.56m)

Heptathlon 800 Meters
1. Georgia Ellenwood: 2:16.37
7. Casie Pawlik: 2:26.20