Results

MADISON, Wis. (Jan. 15, 2011) - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's track and field won three events and posted a number of other strong finishes as it opened the 2011 indoor season at the Badger Track Classic Saturday in Madison.

Event winners included Erin Havener in the pole vault, Elise Sigg in the 3000m Samia Taylor in the triple jump.

"The kids started off really well this year," Milwaukee head coach Pete Corfeld said. "Samia won the triple jump and Elise won the 3k with nice marks. Overall, the team came out strong and that's nice to see a younger team with an opening performance like that. We'll keep getting better and we are looking forward to getting after it next week against Marquette at home."

Havener cleared 12-1 1/2 to claim her win in her first meet since 2009 after redshirting last season. Courtney Fisher was fourth in the event with a height of 11-1 3/4. Sigg ran 10:08.84 for top honors in the 3000m. The time was just a hair of her personal-best time (10:08.57), which is ranked eighth in school history.

In the triple jump, Taylor cleared 40-3 1/4 for first place. She is the only Panther woman in school history to clear 40 feet indoors. Reigna Pierce, who also redshirted 2010, took third with a jump of 38-11 1/2. Erika Suchla was fifth in the event, jumping 38-0 3/4 for a PR and the fifth-best distance in school history.

Chia Okonkwo had an outstanding showing in the 60m hurdles, taking third in 8.93. That time ties her for second in school history.

Milwaukee had third-place finishes over three more events. In the high jump, Laura Hamel and Moriah Myles tied for third with a height of 5-2 1/2, while Ashlee Mongoven also cleared that height, but tied for fifth on attempts. Chantel McConville was ninth in the event with a height of 5-0 1/2, while Mongoven added a ninth-place finish over her own in another event--jumping 16-3 in the long jump.

Brittany Alsum and Nancy Harmon competed in a discus throw exhibition, where Alsum placed third with a throw of 140-5. Harmon was fourth, throwing 120-10. Harmon posted the third-best weight throw in school history, tossing 47-0 1/4 for ninth. Alsum took 10th in that event (45-0 1/4). Harmon also had a top-10 finish in the shot put, throwing 37-5 1/4 for 10th.

Tanaiya Fisher, Erika Hanson, Kristi Schuette and Shannon Brown formed a distance medley relay that rounded out UWM's third-place finishers. The quartet finished in 12:41.92. Milwaukee also ran a 4x400m relay, with Okonkwo, Angie Kaufmann, Calanetta Burrows and Lauren Grant finishing seventh in 4:13.74.

Individually, Kaufmann placed fifth in the 400m and Grant was sixth. Kaufmann ran a time of 59.18 and Grant was close behind in 59.28. Burrows ran in the 600m, finishing eighth in 1:43.83.

The Panthers return to action at home next Saturday, hosting Marquette in their annual indoor dual meet. The meet gets underway at 10 a.m. with field events.