Gabe Wagoner

Panthers Set For Indoor Championship Defense

Feb. 22, 2005

Complete Release in PDF Format

Panthers All-Time League Champions

MILWAUKEE, Wis.-The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's track and field team heads to Greencastle, Ind., to defend its indoor league championship this weekend (Feb. 26-27) at the 2005 Horizon League Championships. The Panthers returned to the top of the league last season by winning its first indoor crown since winning five straight from 1997-2001.

A Look At The UWM Panther Tune Up
Jeremy Majors won the 800m, Justin Gorman won the 1000m and the pair helped UWM's 4x400m to a first-place finish in helping Milwaukee to a 3-0 record at the UWM Panther Tune Up last weekend. In double dual-meet scoring, the Panthers trounced league foes Loyola and Illinois-Chicago, while also topping crosstown rival Marquette. UWM won four more events on the night including freshman Darren Cole's first collegiate triple jump event.

Last Year's Horizon League Indoor Championships
Chris Cox won both the long jump and triple jump and Eric Wheeler topped the 60m hurdles to lead the Panthers to their first indoor league championship since 2001 when it had won five straight. Both Cox (Field) and Wheeler (Track) earned League Newcomer of the Year honors. Gabe Wagoner, in the 800m, and Nick Davis, in the high jump, also won individual crowns for Milwaukee.

Freshman Fenom
In a very talented cast of Panther newcomers this season, freshman Jay Schweitzer has done his best to set himself apart in his first season. Schweitzer continues to move up the school's 400m list, while providing a solid leg on the team's 4x400m relay. At the UWM Panther Tune Up, he moved to third on the school's all-time list in the 400m with his time of 48.93 for second place. So far this season he has run with the school-record 4x400m relay and improved his 400m time at every meet this season. This week, he also earned Horizon League Athlete of the Week honors for the second time (Jan. 25).

Wasting Little Time
Competing in just his second collegiate meet, and first triple jump event, freshman Darren Cole leapt to a first-place finish in the event and up to third on UWM's top-10 list with his distance of 48-5 1/2. It was to be expected, as Cole set the Wisconsin Division 3 record in the event in winning his second state title as a senior. But, what was unexpected was that his jump Friday is over 14 inches longer than his prep state record (47-3 1/4).

Now, That's Fast
Sophomore transfer Trentin Edwards continues to quietly work his way up the school's all-time lists in the sprint events, doing so in both the 60m at last weekend's UWM Panther Tune Up. In the 60m, he turned in a time of 7.14 for second in the event and tied for third in school history. Finishing on his heels, was junior Dan Schultz, who is better known for tying the school pole vault record Feb. 12. Schultz posted the fifth-fastest time in school history as he took third in 7.15.

Impressive 800 Numbers
One of UWM's most successful events this year has been the 800m. Last weekend Panthers went first and second in the event, just a week after UWM runners posted three of the school's five fastest times ever. At the ISU Classic, Justin Gorman crossed the line in 1:50.85, just ahead of Gabe Wagoner in 1:51.42 and Jeremy Majors 1:52.28 on Feb. 12. This season, Wagoner has won twice and taken second once this season, Gorman owns a second and fourth-place finish, while Majors was the victor last weekend. Junior Elliot Enright has also cracked the top-10 in the event, running 1:53.69 for 10th all-time.

Horizon League Championship Fast Tracks
The Panthers have taken either first or second at every indoor league meet, but one, since 1996 ... UWM boasts 53 individual indoor champions in its 10 years in the league, averaging over five champions per season ... Milwaukee has claimed seven of the last nine indoor pole vault champions, in addition to every outdoor championship ... This season, Dan Schultz leads the league in the pole vault with a height of 15-9, junior Jeremiah Snyder is second at 15-7, while the third-best league height is 14-6.

Up Next
UWM will head to the Alex Wilson Invitational, March 4-6, in South Bend, Ind. The Wilson Invite, hosted by Notre Dame, is a last chance qualifier for the NCAA Championships.