April 13, 2003

MACOMB, Ill. - Katie Slamka, Stephanie Kenesie and Lynda Thiel each grabbed a win to lead the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's track and field team to a third-place showing at the Lee Calhoun Memorial Invitational on the campus of Western Illinois University. Slamka won the 400m hurdles, while Kenesie took first in the long jump and Thiel had top honors in the pole vault.

Slamka won her event with a time of 1:03.67, her top time on the season to this point. She was joined by Jodi Hrdina in fifth place in 1:06.35 and Jill Naus in eighth in 1:07.47.

Thiel cleared 3.35m (10-11.75) in the pole vault to give her the win in that event. She also was joined by a pair of teammates, as Stephanie Ray was fifth after clearing 2.59m (8-6) and Nikki Castona was seventh, vaulting 2.44m (8-0).

Kenesie also was joined by two other Panthers in scoring in the long jump. The senior took first after measuring 5.58m (18-3.75), with Kalin Konop in third after jumping 5.26m (17-3.25). Michelle Fritsch was sixth after her best jump of 5.20m (17-0.75).

In other events, Nicole Frey took home a pair of fourth-place finishes, one in the 100m and one in the 200m. In the 100m, she finished in 12.21, followed by Sara Vanderloop in sixth in 12.38. In the 200m, Frey finished in 25.00, just off her career best in the event. In the 400m, Tenia Fisher was third in 57.67, followed by Teresa Braunreiter in fourth in 57.85. Anna Christian took eighth in the 5,000m in 18:51.70.

Kenesie added a fourth-place mark in the 100m hurdles, finishing in 15.41, with Slamka eighth in 15.84. Abby Hurst finished sixth in the 3,000m steeplechase, finishing in 11:40.03.

The Panther relays also had an excellent day, as the 4x100m relay team of Kristy Naef, Vanderloop, Iris Perez and Frey finished third in a season-best 47.75. Meanwhile, the 4x400m relay team of Katie Seep, Braunreiter, Slamka and Fisher was second in 3:52.60, the third-best ever time in UWM history.

Kenesie also finished third in the triple jump, measuring 11.32m (37-1.75), with Fritsch right behind in fifth place after jumping 10.85m (35-7.25). Thiel added a seventh-place finish in the high jump, clearing 1.52m (4-11.75). In the javelin, Thiel was second after throwing 37.95m (124-6), while Naef was sixth with a toss of 31.85m (104-6) and Kenesie seventh after throwing 30.74m (100-10).

The women's team will resume competition next weekend at the Indiana State Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind. The one-day meet will be held on Saturday.