2013 NAC Indoor Track & Field Championships Preview
The 2013 Northern Athletics Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships are set to take place this Saturday, Feb. 23, at Petretti Fieldhouse on the campus of UW-Parkside in Somers, Wis. Aurora will serve as the host school for the championships. The events begin at 10:30 a.m. Saturday morning.
Reigning champion Concordia Wisconsin looks to defend the men's title, its third title in the last four years. The Falcons totaled 126 points at least year's championship, ahead of the 109.5 total by runner-up Aurora.
Three conference records have been broken so far this season including Billy Sipek of Benedictine in the high jump (2.01 meters on Jan. 18), Matt Weach of MSOE in the pole vault (4.51 meters on Feb. 16) and rookie Nick Williams of Aurora in the long jump (7.16 meters on Jan. 18). Each eyes the NAC Championship record on Saturday.
Concordia Chicago took home the women's championship trophy in 2012 for the second time in three years. The Cougars just edged out Concordia Wisconsin by 2.5 points with a 119.5 total. The Cougars won the high jump, 55-meter dash, mile run, 3,000-meter run and 5,000-meter run on their way to the title.
Four records have been broken this year, and one tied. Wisconsin Lutheran has three record marks including Mary Erickson's time of 5:09.18 in the mile run on Feb. 16, Amanda Markham's 9.48 seconds in the 60-meter high hurdles on Feb. 16, and Amanda Bregger's mark of 3.20 meters in the pole vault on Jan. 25, which tied the league mark.
Aurora set a new top time in the distance medley relay on Jan. 18, with a finish of 12:54.22 and the Spartans' Elise Hinson holds the pentathlon record with 2,773 set on Feb. 2.