Women's Track Hands Out Annual Awards

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Posted: Wednesday, May 17, 2006

EAU CLAIRE - Many members of the UW-Eau Claire women's track team received honors recently at the team's banquet.

The Track MVP went to Liz Faller (Jr.-Marinette). Faller was the champion at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Indoor Championships for the 55-meter hurdles with an 8.36 time, fastest in the conference for the indoor season. She even moved on to the NCAA Division III Indoor Nationals but did not place. She continued her excellence to the outdoor season, where she claimed the WIAC Outdoor Championship in the 100-meter hurdles in 14.68. Her 14.46 prelim run at that event is fastest this year in the conference.

Erin Kokta (Sr.-Brookfield/East) claimed the Field MVP. Kokta had a record-breaking year. She took first in the long jump at the WIAC Indoor Championships when she broke the Eau Claire record for longest jump with 5.72 meters (18?91/4"). She also took second in the triple jump at 11.41 meters (37?51/4") along with a third-place showing in the high jump on 1.62 meters (5?33/4"). Kokta marched on to the indoor nationals, where she took fifth in the nation with 5.57 meters (18?31/4") in the long jump and eighth in the triple jump on 11.26 meters (36?111/2"). Kokta's outdoor season has been just as good. Kokta won the WIAC Outdoor Championship for the long jump on a display of 5.77 meters (18?111/4"). She then went on to place third in the next day's triple jump with 11.71 meters (38?5"). This outdoor season, Kokta is first in the conference with 5.68 meters (18?73/4") for the long jump and second in the triple jump with 11.53 meters (37?10"). Her 1.60 meters (5?3") in the high jump rank fourth.

The Rookie of the Year was Liz Kooistra (Fr.-Lakeville, MN). Kooistra tied for third at the WIAC Indoor Championships with a 58.46 400-meter dash. She also took eighth in the 200-meter dash while clocking in at 26.71. Kooistra went to nationals but did not place in the 400-meter dash. However, she did make Eau Claire history this year by recording the indoor record for the 400-meter dash with a 57.28 time. Kooistra performed well at the WIAC Outdoor Championships, taking third in the 400-meter dash in 56.53, which is tops for the WIAC this year. Her 2:14.25 in the 800-meter run is good for third in the conference, as well.

Shalene Huth (Jr.-Appleton/West) won the Golden Shoe Award and has been a very versatile performer. For the indoor season, Huth was in the top five for Eau Claire in the 200-meter dash, the 55-meter hurdles, the shot put, the high jump, the long jump, and the pentathlon. Huth in the outdoor season ranks in the top five Blugolds for the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, the shot put, the long jump, the javelin, the 4x100-meter relay, the 4x400-meter relay, and the heptathlon. For the conference in the outdoor season, Huth is fifth in the 100-meter dash at 12.66.

Paula Crossfield (Jr.-Madison/East) was deemed Most Improved. Crossfield claimed sixth in the shot put at the indoor conference championships with a throw of 11.82 meters (38?91/2"). In the conference outdoor championships, she grabbed fifth in the hammer throw on 44.15 meters (144?10"). Then she finished fourth in the discus throw with 38.22 meters (125?5"). This outdoor season, her 43.24 meters (141?10") in the hammer throw is sixth and her 43.30 meters (142?1") in the discus throw is third.

Stephanie Barnes (Jr.-Sauk City/Sauk Prairie) earned the Most Dedicated Award. Barnes defended her crown at the WIAC Indoor Championships with a pole vault of 3.86 meters (12?8"), which became the new WIAC record. Barnes then won a national championship in the indoor pole vault with a display of 3.85 meters (12?71/2"). That made her the fifth Blugold ever to take an indoor championship and the second one ever to have an indoor and outdoor one. Barnes took second at the WIAC Outdoor Championships with 3.73 meters (12?23/4"). Her 3.94 meters (12?11") in the