GENEVA, Ohio – After the first day of the Big Ten Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Spire, the Wisconsin women's track and field team are in first place with 38 points, tied with Penn State. Illinois is a distant third with 30 points.
Willemse wins Big Ten title
Wisconsin scored 14 points in the 5,000 meters behind individual champion Leane Willemse. Willemse took the lead with 1800 meters to go, she kicked past all other runners for her first Big Ten title, crossing with a personal best time of 16 minutes, 05.68 seconds. Alexa Westly finished with a personal best time of 16:16.29. Vivian Hacker was close behind Westley, taking eighth in 16:23.18.
The DMR squad of Victoria Heiligenthal, Maggie Munson, Ruby Madden, and Mya Bunke finished seventh with a time of 11:23.07.
Badgers battle in the weight throw
Graduate student Olivia Roberts and redshirt senior Chloe Lindeman both earned medals in the weight throw. Roberts was off to hot in the event after she threw 72 feet, 9 ¼ inches (22.18m) in the fourth round, earning herself second place. Lindeman finished fourth with a distance of 71-11 ½ (21.93m), and Chikere Oduocha also scored for the Badgers, finishing sixth with a throw of 68-2 ¼ (20.78m).
Pair of Badgers score in Pentathlon
Sophomore Shaina Zinter continued her successful season, finishing fourth in the pentathlon with a score of 3,915 points. Freshman Kyla Slaeh also collected points in the pentathlon, posting a personal best of 3,737 points for eighth place, and Maddie Hogan finished 17th with 3.334 points.
Zinter led the group in the 60-meter hurdles, finishing second in the event in 8.50 seconds. Hogan and Saleh finished 13th and 14th, respectively. Hogan finished in 9.11, while Saleh followed in 9.13. Saleh bounced back and led the group, finishing second in the high jump with a personal best clearance of 5-9 ¼ (1.76m). Zinter finished with a 14th place showing, clearing a distance of 5-2 ¼ (1.58m), with Hogan coming in 18th at 5-1 (1.55m).
The group then headed into the third event of the day, Zinter earned herself a seventh-place showing in the shot put with a distance of 36-5 (11.10m). Saleh came in 11th with a personal best distance of 34-5 ¾ (10.51m), and Hogan 17th with a toss of 30-7 ½ (9.22m). In the final field event of the pentathlon, it was Zinter once again leading the group, she finished 13th in the long jump with a distance of 17-7 (5.36m). Saleh earned herself a 15th-place finish with a jump of 17-2 ¼ (5.24m), and Hogan finished 18th with a distance of 16-1 ½ (4.91m).
Zinter rallied late to score, winning the pentathlon 800 meters in a personal best time of 2:12.82, while the two freshmen ran personal best times Hogan finished 11th in 2:25.68, and Saleh finished 12th in 2:26.56.
Qualifying for the finals
The Badgers have two athletes who advanced to Saturday's finals.
Senior Kiley Robbins qualified for Saturday's final in both the 60-meter dash and the 200 meters. Robbins finished first overall in the 60 meters, crossing in 7.26 seconds, and finished fourth in the 200 meters with a personal best time of 23.77.
Graduate student Madison Mooney will make a finals appearance in the 800 meters. Mooney crossed in 2:05.64 and is seeded fifth going into the final on Saturday.
Straight From the Course
UW Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne
"I think we had a great day on both sides. Kylie Robbins had a fantastic run in the prelims, and she's in the big final tomorrow. In the 5k, we had a Big Ten Champion in Leanè, and that was a great run and a personal best. Alexa Westley shows up every year at this meet and gets points for us. we made a big deal about athletes doing their best, getting PRs or season bests; that's all you can ask for as a coach, and lots of kids did that today," said Byrne. "Right now, we're a couple of points up on what we predicted at the start of the day, and that's exciting. A lot of PRs and season bests, so we're in a great position going into Day 2 and just have to keep it going."
Up Next
The Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships wrap up on Saturday. Events begin at 10 a.m. CT from The Spire. Fans can watch live on B1G +, follow the action on Twitter and Instagram @BadgerTrackXC, and live results can be found on PTTiming.
Big Ten Indoor Championships
Friday, Feb. 23, 2024
The Spire
Geneva, Ohio
Friday Results
Team Scores
1. Penn State - 38 points
1. Wisconsin - 38 points
3. Illinois - 30 points
4. Rutgers - 26 points
5. Minnesota - 24 points
6. Michigan State - 20 points
7. Indiana - 16 points
8. Michigan - 12 points
9. Purdue - 11 points
10. Iowa - 9 points
11. Ohio State - 7 points
12. Nebraska - 3 points
60 meter Prelims
1. Kiley Robbins - 7.26 Q
200 meter Prelims
4. Kiley Robbins - 23.77 q PR
Mile Prelims
21. Mya Bunke - 4:59.63
22. Kylie Finger - 5:01.34
800 meters Prelims
5. Madison Mooney - 2:05.64 Q
5000 meters
1. Leane Willemse - 16:05.68 PR
6. Alexa Westly - 16:16.29 PR
8. Vivian Hacker - 16:23.18
17. Bella Jacobsen - 17:00.0
DMR
7. V. Heiligenthal, M. Munson, R. Madden, and M. Bunke - 11:23.07
Pole vault
20. Julia Moore - 12-3 ½ (3.75m)
Weight Throw
2. Olivia Roberts - 72-9 ¼ (22.18m) SB
4. Chloe Lindeman - 71-11 ½ (21.93m)
6. Chikere Oduocha - 68-2 ¼ (20.78m)
14. Abby Peeler - 63-7 (19.38m)
18. Asia Rave - 61-5 ½ (18.73m)
Pentathlon
4. Shaina Zinter - 3915
8. Kyla Saleh - 3737 PR
17. Maddie Hogan - 3334
800 meters
1. Shaina Zinter - 2:12.82
11. Maddie Hogan - 2:25.68 PR
12. Kyla Saleh - 2:26.56 PR
60m Hurdles
2. Shaina Zinter - 8.50
13. Maddie Hogan - 9.11
14. Kyla Saleh - 9.13
High jump
2. Kyla Saleh - 5-9 ¼ (1.76m) PR
14. Shaina Zinter - 5-2 ¼ (1.58m)
18. Maddie Hogan - 5-1 (1.55m)
Shot put
7. Shaina Zinter - 36-5 (11.10m)
11. Kyla Saleh - 34-5 ¾ (10.51m) PR
17. Maddie Hogan - 30-7 ½ (9.22m)
Long jump
13. Shaina Zinter - 17-7 (5.36m)
15. Kyla Saleh - 17-2 ¼ (5.24m)
18. Maddie Hogan - 16-1 ½ (4.91m)
