EM
Elizabeth Mielke
  • physical education
  • Class of 2018
  • Whitewater, Wisc.

Whitewater's Mielke Earns Spot On 2017 UW-Whitewater Women's Cross Country Roster

2017 Sep 13

Liz Mielke, a native of Whitewater, WI, and graduate of Whitewater High School, will compete for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women's cross country team during the 2017 season, which begins this Saturday with the Tom Hoffman Invitational in Whitewater.

Mielke, a junior at UW-Whitewater, is majoring in physical education .

Five returners enter the 2017 season with sub-25 minute personal bests in the 6-kilometer race for the women, who placed 25th at the NCAA Midwest Regional last fall.



Junior Liz Mielke (Whitewater, Wis./Whitewater) led the Warhawks in four races last season and owns the team's top personal best, a 24:15.5. Junior Manda Slaback (Janesville, Wis./Parker) and sophomore Sydney Prestifilippo (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) each finished among the top three on the team at both the conference and regional meets and own personal bests of 24:25.5 and 24:36.1, respectively.



Senior Monica Sweet (Franklin, Wis./Franklin) led the team at both the WIAC and NCAA Midwest Regional Championships and enters the season with a personal best result of 24:24.0. Senior Mara Wiebke(Onalaska, Wis./Onalaska) was a regular among varsity finishers in 2016 and owns a personal best time of 24:19.4.



Other regional competitors from a year ago include seniors Sara Fuller (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield), Emma Knudtson (Aurora, Ill./Rosary) and sophomore Hailey Van Ells (Greendale, Wis./Martin Luther). All three placed among the top seven at both the conference and regional races. Van Ells was fourth in both.



Other returners include seniors Ashley Paulick (Union Grove, Wis./Union Grove), Olivia Woyak (Onalaska, Wis./Onalaska), juniors Elizabeth Considine (Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove), Grace Drake (Elburn, Ill./Kaneland), Lauren Oleniczak (Oak Creek, Wis./Oak Creek), Madison Wargowsky (Wentzville, Mo./Wentzville Holt), Margaret Wehde (Grayslake, Ill./Grayslake Central), sophomores Abby Ferguson (Rockford, Ill./Boylan Catholic), Claire Gorham (Rockton, Ill./Hononegah) and Brenda Sweet (Franklin, Wis./Franklin).

After this Saturday's meet, which is also Senior Day and Parents Day at UW-Whitewater, the Warhawks visit Saukie Golf Course in Rock Island, Ill., for Augustana's Brissman-Lundeen Invitational on Sept. 22.



UW-Whitewater is also scheduled to compete at the Blugold Invitational on Sept. 29 at Whitetail Golf Course in Colfax, Wis., and Principia's Cowbell Classic on Oct. 14 at the North Farm Course in Elsah, Ill., the site of this year's NCAA Championships.



Following a trip to the Oshkosh Open on Oct. 20, the Warhawks will host the WIAC Championships on Oct. 28. UW-Whitewater last hosted the conference meet in 2009.



After a two-week break, the teams will return to Rock Island, Ill., for the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships on Nov. 11. One week later, any national qualifiers will make a return trip to Elsah, Ill., for the NCAA Division III Championships.