College notebook: Clarke hires Winzer to run cross country program

Along with the cross country responsibilities at Clarke, Winzer will also coach and train the track and field distance runners as an assistant coach for the Director of Track and Field/Cross Country and Track and Field Head Coach Bradley Johnson.

“Coach Winzer is exactly what the XC/T&F program needs to continue it’s progress toward the top of the conference,” Johnson said. “His expertise and work ethic are going to help fill a huge hole that our team currently has on the men’s and women’s teams. On top of that he is extremely personable and is great with connecting with the athletes. Can’t wait to see what kind of impact he makes on the team in the upcoming years.”

Prior to his time at Park-Gilbert, Winzer was an assistant coach/recruiting coordinator and athletic academic advisor at Division I Mississippi Valley State in Itta Bena, Miss., where he recruited the athletes who won the 2017 SWAC cross country title and finished runner up in 2016. The 2017 team also finished second in the 2017 SWAC Indoor Championships. At Mississippi Valley State, he formulated the program’s recruiting standards as well as advised student-athletes on academic policies and procedures. He also designed and conducted academic success workshops.

Prior to his time at MVS, he was the head cross country coach and assistant track coach in charge of recruiting at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Mo. He was in charge of designing programming and practice plans for the distance program and led the cross-country program to its best finish in school history at the conference championships and had a NAIA national qualifier in the 800 meters.

Winzer also coached at the high school level in Kansas and Louisiana.

Griebel wins 800 at UNI — University of Northern Iowa sophomore distance runner Brady Griebel, a former Bellevue High School state champion, won the men’s 800-meters in 2:00.84 in the Jack Jennett Invitational inside the UNI-Dome this weekend. The meet featured athletes from Hawkeye Community College, Mount Mercy, NIACC, Upper Iowa and Wartburg, and the Panthers won 18 of the 30 contested events.

UNI’s Lauren Klein, a sophomore from Western Dubuque ran a 5:24.18 to finish third in the mile run. The Panthers’ Ariana Yaklich, a freshman from Dubuque Wahlert, took second in the 60-meter dash in 7.77.

Hannah grabs WIAC honor — The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference named the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Tyler Hannah as its wrestler of the week. The 197-pound sophomore from Prairie du Chien, Wis., didn’t allow a point while winning a pair of matches and defeated top-ranked Ben Kawczynski, of UW-La Crosse, 2-0.

WIAC honors Mackiewidz — UW-Platteville’s Ella Mackiewidz landed the WIAC women’s basketball player of the week on Tuesday. The freshman guard from Shawnee, Kan., scored a season-high 31 points as the Pioneers upset No. 19-ranked UW-Whitewater, 65-49, on Jan. 18. She converted 10 of 17 shots from the field, along with 10 of 11 from the free throw line, while pulling down nine rebounds in the victory. Mackiewicz added 14 points against UW-Stevens Point on Jan. 21, to average 22.5 points on 53.6 percent shooting on the week.

Murphy collects A-R-C honor — The American Rivers Conference named Loras College junior Holden Murphy as its men’s indoor field performer of the week on Monday. The Benton, Wis., native set a school record in the weight throw at 17.69 meters to place second at the Kenneth “Moco” Mercer Open hosted by the University of Dubuque. He ranks 13th in the country in the event. In the shot put, Murphy threw for 14.87 meters to finish third out of 24 competitors.

Wilder throws way to honor — Kaitlyn Wilder, a University of Dubuque junior from Dunkerton, Iowa, landed the A-R-C women’s field athlete of the week honor. At Dubuque’s home event, Wilder finished on top out of 15 competitors by throwing 13.08 meters in the shot put and picked up another win with a weight throw of 17.61 meters for the sixth best performance in Division III this season. At the University of Iowa Larry Wieczorek Invitational, Wilder competed in the weight throw premier and finished 10th of 16 competitors with a throw of 16.67 meters.

Liegel claims weekly award — Loras senior Shane Liegel went 4-0 during the A-R-C duals this weekend to earn the league’s weekly wrestler of the week award. The No. 2-ranked 184-pounder in the country defeated Sam Weaver of Nebraska Wesleyan by fall (1:09), Simpson’s Andrew Wolff by fall (0:35), Coe’s Tristin Westphal by major decision (13-2), and No. 4 Donovan Corn of Luther by Decision (5-3) to improve to 25-1 this season.

CCIW honors Loras hitter — Loras sophomore Corey Mayotte earned the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin’s men’s volleyball hitter of the week award on Monday. The Geneva, Ill., native tallied 40 kills and 11 digs, six total blocks, two assists, and two service aces in three matches for the No. 15-ranked Duhawks. He has 46 points this season to rank third in the league despite playing fewer sets than the two players ranked ahead of him.

Day leads Duhawks to win — Brian Day, a junior who prepped at Dubuque Senior, won a pair of races on Saturday to lead the Loras men’s swimming team to a 147-62 victory at Beloit College. Day won the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke and helped the 200 medley relay team to a runner-up performance.

Molly Strohmeyer, a sophomore from Dubuque Senior, swam on the winning 200 freestyle relay as the Loras women beat Beloit, 124-92.