Titan track secures second

With one event remaining, UW-Oshkosh was in first place at the NCAA Division III Women's Indoor Track and Field Championship held Friday and Saturday in Greencastle, Ind.

In the 15th and final event, defending champion Wartburg College (Iowa) rallied to edge out the Titans and win their second straight national championship.

The Knights were in third place after 14 events and relied on a strong finish from their 1,600-meter relay team in the final event.

That is exactly what they got, finishing first in the event and propelling their team to a first-place finish in the tournament with 33 points.  Oshkosh did not compete in the 1,600-meter relay.

"We had to sit back and watch Wartburg and hope they finished third or worse," UW-Oshkosh head coach Pat Ebel said. "You can't control it as a coach, so all you could do is sit back and watch."

The Titans were still happy with its second consecutive second-place finish at nationals.

All five of the athletes competing for Oshkosh left the tournament with All-American honors by finishing in eighth place or better in their events.

"At the Championships, our goal was to be a trophy team," Ebel said.

"When you're only taking five women to nationals, everyone has to be on their ‘A' game. They had their best performances of the year at the national meet." 

Junior Holly Ozanich accounted for 16 of the Titans' 29 team points, highlighted by finishing first in the 20-pound weight throw with a distance of 64 – 5 1/4. Ozanich also placed third in the shot put with a distance of 46 – 3 1/2.