Rochelle's Sondgeroth Earns All-America Honors in Track and Field at UW-Whitewater

2015 May 26

Lexie Sondgeroth, a physical education major and member of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater track and field program, was one of six student-athletes to take home nine All-America accolades as a result of their performances at last week's NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y.

The Warhawk men tied for their highest finish at the national outdoor meet in program history, placing third with a total of 42 points, just four behind runner-up UW-Eau Claire. The women tied for 22nd with 11 points.

Men

Senior Dawson Miller (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) 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.

Freshman Robert Starnes (Green Bay, Wis./Preble) 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. Miller and Starnes are also the first duo in program history to win national titles at the same championship meet.

Freshman Mike Cournia (Waukesha, Wis./South) 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 Thursday. He entered Saturday second in the triple jump.

Competing in his second throwing event of the week, freshman Theron Baumann (Monona Grove, Wis./Monona Grove) finished third in the shot put with a result of 57-02.25 (17.43 meters). He placed 13th in the discus Thursday.

Women

Senior Shelby Mahr (Boyd, Wis./Stanley-Boyd) finished as the national runner-up in the discus throw Thursday. Mahr's toss of 165-07 (50.47 meters) shattered the school record and is the No. 9 mark in NCAA Division III Outdoor Championship history. She bested the program's previous top result of 161-08 (49.28 meters), set in 2008 by Dana Thompson. Mahr entered the weekend with the sixth-best discus throw in the nation.

Mahr, a captain, wrapped up her standout career Saturday with her ninth All-America accolade. She placed eighth in the shot put with a toss of 46-01.50 (14.06 meters). She placed 19th Friday in the hammer throw.

Senior Lexie Sondgeroth (Rochelle, Ill./Township) concluded one of the most impressive careers of any UW-Whitewater student-athlete with All-America medal No. 14. She finished seventh in the 400-meter dash, crossing the finish line in 55.86 seconds. Sondgeroth also competed Thursday in both the 200-meter dash and the long jump, placing 16th and 11th, respectively, in the events.

Sondgeroth and Mahr finish their careers as two of the three most decorated student-athletes in program history. Sondgeroth is a 14-time All-American, while Mahr is a nine-time All-American.