Senior Dawson Miller and freshman Robert Starnes captured national championships in record-setting fashion Saturday to lead the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men’s track and field team to third place, matching the best finish in program history at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Merrick-Pinkard Track & Field Complex.
The Warhawks totaled 42 points to finish 11 ahead of Salisbury (Md.). UW-W last finished third in 2006. Two other Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference members – UW-La Crosse and UW-Eau Claire – placed 1-2 in the nation.
Miller posted a school and facility record time of 8:46.58 to win the 3,000-meter steeplechase. After placing third in 2013 and second in 2014 in the event, Miller posted the fourth-best time in NCAA Division III history Saturday, claiming the championship by more than 11 seconds. He entered the week with the No. 1 time in the field.
Starnes set a school and facility record in the high jump with a 7-00.25 (2.14 meters) to claim his second All-America honor of the meet. He finished third in the long jump Thursday. Starnes entered Saturday with the seventh-best mark in the high jump.
Miller and Starnes picked up individual national titles No. 11 and 12 for the Warhawks. Both are the first-ever NCAA outdoor champions in program history in their respective events.
Freshman Mike Cournia also tallied All-America accolades Saturday with a third-place finish in the triple jump. His mark of 49-07.75 was nearly a foot better than fourth place. Cournia also clinched his second All-America medal of the meet, finishing fifth in the long jump May 21. He entered Saturday second in the triple jump.
Competing in his second throwing event of the week, freshman Theron Baumann finished third in the shot put with a result of 57-02.25 (17.43 meters). He placed 13th in the discus May 21.
