Former Roselle (Lake Park) standout Zach Ziemek consults with his coach Nate Davis during the Division 1 Heptathlon championship. Ziemek won his first national title with 6173 points (Michael Scott Photo)
University of Wisconsin Athletic release:
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Fifth-year senior Zach Ziemek knew his chances of an NCAA championship in the heptathlon would come down to the pole vault - the second-to-last event in the seven-event classic. The Itasca, Illinois, native won the vault and went on to win his first national title, scoring a Big Ten Conference-record 6,173 points at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday.
"It means everything to be able to do it for Wisconsin, myself, my coach, family, friends, (and) supporters," said Ziemek. "I want to thank all of them for this. It was awesome. I want to say thank you and On, Wisconsin!"
After opening the day with a ninth-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles in 8.31 seconds to remain in second place overall, Ziemek won the pole vault, tying his indoor personal best at 17 feet, 8 ½ inches. The win gave him a 111-point advantage over second-place Garrett Scantling of Georgia, heading into the final event - the 1000 meters.
"I knew pole vault was my money maker," Ziemek said. "I knew coming in, I had to make some bars for the competition. I went out there and made it happen."
Ziemek made it happen in the 1,000 meters as well, running a smart race and staying in the middle of the pack. He finished fifth in two minutes, 53.53 seconds, more than 10 seconds ahead of Scantling to win the two-day event.
"Just to run what I've always been able to do because I can't control what (the other competitors) do," said Ziemek of the 1,000 race. "I went out there and ran and made it hurt."
Ziemek broke the old Big Ten record of 6,165 points set by the Badgers' Japheth Cato in 2013. Ziemek is UW's first NCAA heptathlon champion after Cato finished second twice - by agonizingly close margins in 2012 and 2013. Ziemek's total is also the seventh best all-time among collegians and the fourth-best score in meet history.
"Incredible day," said Mick Byrne, the director of cross country and track and field, of Ziemek's performance. "When you look at his progression over the last couple of years, it has just been phenomenal. He's been to this championship, he knows what it takes to win. Overall, his experiences last couple of major championships has really helped him the last two days."
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March 06, 2016 - March 12, 2016
NCAA DI Indoor Track and Field Championships
March 11, 2016 through March 12, 2016 in Birmingham, AL
1,000 Meter Run
- Men - Zach Ziemek (University of Wisconsin) 2:53.53 SB;
200 Meter Dash
- Women - Morlake Akinosun (University of Texas) 23.35; Aaliyah Brown (Texas A&M University) 23.46;
400 Meter Dash
- Women - Shamier Little (Texas A&M University) 51.74 SB; Margaret Bamgbose (University of Notre Dame) 52.12 SB; Margaret Bamgbose (University of Notre Dame) 52.35; Shamier Little (Texas A&M University) 52.50;
400 Meter Dash
- Men - Kahmari Montgomery (University of Missouri) 46.78;
5,000 Meter Run
- Women - Chelsea Blaase (University of Tennessee) 15:42.47 SB;
60 Meter Hurdles
- Women - Paige Knodle (University of Northern Iowa (UNI)) 8.42;
60 Meter Hurdles
- Men - Zach Ziemek (University of Wisconsin) 8.31;
60 Meter Dash
- Women - Morlake Akinosun (University of Texas) 7.19 SB; Morlake Akinosun (University of Texas) 7.21;
60 Meter Dash
- Men - Zach Ziemek (University of Wisconsin) 6.75 SB;
800 Meter Run
- Women - Paige Knodle (University of Northern Iowa (UNI)) 2:17.95;
Heptathlon
- Women - Paige Knodle (University of Northern Iowa (UNI)) 3912 SB;
Heptathlon
- Men - Zach Ziemek (University of Wisconsin) 6173 SB;
High Jump
- Women - Paige Knodle (University of Northern Iowa (UNI)) 5-2.5; Kandie Bloch (University of Illinois) 5-9.25;
High Jump
- Men - Zach Ziemek (University of Wisconsin) 6-8.25 SB; Jonathan Wells (University of Illinois) 7-1.75 SB;
Long Jump
- Women - Paige Knodle (University of Northern Iowa (UNI)) 18-5.25; Savannah Carson (Purdue University) 19-8.25;
Long Jump
- Men - Julian Harvey (Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville) 23-11.5; Zach Ziemek (University of Wisconsin) 24-6.5;
Pole Vault
- Women - Carolina Carmichael (University of Memphis) 13-5.25; Emily Grove (University of South Dakota) 14-1.25;
Pole Vault
- Men - Nate Richartz (University of Notre Dame) 17-6.5; Zach Ziemek (University of Wisconsin) 17-8.5 SB;
Shot Put
- Women - Paige Knodle (University of Northern Iowa (UNI)) 34-7.5; Emmonnie Henderson (University of Louisville) 52-1.25; Kelsey Card (University of Wisconsin) 57-9;
Shot Put
- Men - Zach Ziemek (University of Wisconsin) 47-8 SB;
Weight Throw
- Women - Kelsey Card (University of Wisconsin) 64-10.5; Precious Ogunleye (University of Miami) 65-5.5;
NCAA DII Indoor Track and Field Championships
March 11, 2016 through March 12, 2016 in Pittsburg, KS
1,000 Meter Run
- Men - Dan Lentz (Lewis University) 2:58.43 SB;
200 Meter Dash
- Women - Chantel Stennis (Lewis University) 24.27 SB; Chantel Stennis (Lewis University) 24.39;
200 Meter Dash
- Men - Demontez Mccray (McKendree University) 21.49 SB; Demontez Mccray (McKendree University) 21.62;
400 Meter Dash
- Women - Chantel Stennis (Lewis University) 55.36;
400 Meter Dash
- Men - Andre Barnes (Lewis University) 47.60 SB; Andre Barnes (Lewis University) 47.82; Chris Wilson (Lewis University) 48.47 SB;
5,000 Meter Run
- Women - Kristen Bonsor (Lewis University) 17:20.70;
60 Meter Hurdles
- Men - Marlon Britton (Academy of Art University) 8.09; Dan Lentz (Lewis University) 8.22;
60 Meter Dash
- Men - Dan Lentz (Lewis University) 7.31;
800 Meter Run
- Women - Moriah Palmer (UW-Parkside) 2:16.75;
800 Meter Run
- Men - Sergio Miranda (Lewis University) 1:49.48 SB; Sergio Miranda (Lewis University) 1:50.62;
Heptathlon
- Men - Dan Lentz (Lewis University) 5046 SB;
High Jump
- Women - Natalie O'keefe (Southwest Baptist University) 5-8.75 SB;
High Jump
- Men - Dan Lentz (Lewis University) 5-10.5;
Long Jump
- Men - Dan Lentz (Lewis University) 20-5.25;
One Mile Run
- Women - Moriah Palmer (UW-Parkside) 4:52.60 SB; Moriah Palmer (UW-Parkside) 4:53.96;
Pole Vault
- Women - Skylar Schoen (Grand Valley State University) 12-2;
Pole Vault
- Men - Dan Lentz (Lewis University) 14-9;
Shot Put
- Men - Dan Lentz (Lewis University) 41-7.75; Jake Mahin (University of Central Missouri) 56-10.75 SB;
Triple Jump
- Women - Cierra Pulliam (Lewis University) 40-10.25 SB;
Triple Jump
- Men - Samora Nesbitt (Grand Valley State University) 48-6.75;
NCAA DIII Indoor Track and FIeld Championships
March 11, 2016 through March 12, 2016 in Grinnell, IA
1,000 Meter Run
- Men - Alex Arteaga (Washington University in Saint Louis) 3:04.49 SB;
200 Meter Dash
- Men - Ethan Reschke (Monmouth College) 22.05; Ethan Reschke (Monmouth College) 22.46;
3,000 Meter Run
- Women - Erin Herrmann (Hope College) 10:01.21;
3,000 Meter Run
- Men - Tanner Osing (Augustana College) 8:28.85; Zach Plank (North Central College) 8:37.39;
400 Meter Dash
- Women - Maddison Zimmer (Illinois Wesleyan University) 56.48 SB; Maddison Zimmer (Illinois Wesleyan University) 56.51;
400 Meter Dash
- Men - Ethan Reschke (Monmouth College) 48.42 SB; Ethan Reschke (Monmouth College) 48.63;
5,000 Meter Run
- Men - Tim Vazquez (North Central College) 14:25.39; Zach Plank (North Central College) 14:32.78 SB;
60 Meter Hurdles
- Women - Madison Renfro (North Central College) 8.55 SB; Madison Renfro (North Central College) 8.60; Rebecca Ridderhoff (Washington University in Saint Louis) 9.04; Elizabeth Brandenburg (Loras College) 9.13; Talia Sheedlo (Aurora University) 9.26;
60 Meter Hurdles
- Men - Alex Arteaga (Washington University in Saint Louis) 9.02;
60 Meter Dash
- Women - Nia Joiner (Illinois Wesleyan University) 7.49 SB; Nia Joiner (Illinois Wesleyan University) 7.56; Angela Herrmann (Illinois Wesleyan University) 7.79;
60 Meter Dash
- Men - Alex Arteaga (Washington University in Saint Louis) 7.55 SB;
800 Meter Run
- Women - Michelle Dobbs (University of Chicago) 2:11.34; Michelle Dobbs (University of Chicago) 2:11.44; Talia Sheedlo (Aurora University) 2:25.34 SB;
800 Meter Run
- Men - Wal Khat (UW-Oshkosh) 1:55.34; Wal Khat (UW-Oshkosh) 1:55.91;
Heptathlon
- Women - Talia Sheedlo (Aurora University) 3320 SB;
Heptathlon
- Men - Alex Arteaga (Washington University in Saint Louis) 4585;
High Jump
- Women - Talia Sheedlo (Aurora University) 5-1 SB;
High Jump
- Men - Alex Arteaga (Washington University in Saint Louis) 5-11.25; Eric Rydell (Illinois Wesleyan University) 6-6.25;
Long Jump
- Women - Talia Sheedlo (Aurora University) 16-8.75; Nia Joiner (Illinois Wesleyan University) 17-8; Amelia Glueck (Illinois Wesleyan University) 18-6;
Long Jump
- Men - Alex Arteaga (Washington University in Saint Louis) 20-0.5; Calvin Jordan (Benedictine University) 21-3.5;
One Mile Run
- Men - Aron Sebhat (North Central College) 4:15.46;
Pole Vault
- Women - Jamie Gradishar (Illinois Wesleyan University) 11-1.75; Elizabeth Brandenburg (Loras College) 12-7.5 SB;
Pole Vault
- Men - Alex Arteaga (Washington University in Saint Louis) 14-3.25; Dan Evers (Monmouth College) 16-2.75 SB; Luke Winder (North Central College) 18-1.25 SB;
Shot Put
- Women - Talia Sheedlo (Aurora University) 28-7.75;
Shot Put
- Men - Alex Arteaga (Washington University in Saint Louis) 37-1 SB;
Weight Throw
- Women - Mia Bennett (Carthage College) 52-7.25;
Weight Throw
- Men - Blaze Murfin (University of Dubuque) 56-1.25; Sam Gilly (Trine University) 57-11.75; Levi Perry (UW-Whitewater) 59-7 SB;
NJCAA Indoor Championships
March 06, 2016 through March 07, 2016 in Winston-Salem, NC
200 Meter Dash
- Women - Ona Giles (Butler Community College) 25.22;
3,000 Meter Run
- Men - Cody Baele (Iowa Central Community College) 8:51.76 SB;
5,000 Meter Run
- Men - Cody Baele (Iowa Central Community College) 14:51.71 SB;
60 Meter Dash
- Women - Ona Giles (Butler Community College) 7.80 SB;
60 Meter Dash
- Men - Andre Mcgill (Garden City Community College) 6.98;
Shot Put
- Women - Janeah Stewart (Iowa Central Community College) 48-11.75;
Shot Put
- Men - Ricky Nelson (Barton County Community College) 50-7.5 SB; Kyrin Tucker (Coffeyville Community College) 51-3;
Weight Throw
- Women - Reneese Batson (Iowa Central Community College) 47-5.75; Janeah Stewart (Iowa Central Community College) 64-10.5 SB;
Weight Throw
- Men - Ricky Nelson (Barton County Community College) 53-9; Kyrin Tucker (Coffeyville Community College) 55-6.5;