WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Yellowjacket track and field teams have a long tradition of sending their throwers, both on the men's and women's side, to compete at the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships, both for the indoor season as well as the outdoor season.
 
Names like Thomas Udenberg, Katie Capriglione, Vicki Vinokur and CJ Pillath, among others, have all qualified to compete at nationals during their UW-Superior careers. In 2022, Gage Stankiewicz (Esko, Minn./Esko) became the latest Yellowjacket in the long line of throwers to advance to the national meet.
 
Stankiewicz, a freshman from nearby Esko, qualified for nationals in the shot put on the strength of a personal record heave of 16.07 meters, which he earned last Saturday at the Ripon NCAA Final Qualifier. Stankiewicz was already among the top 20 in the nation and in position to receive a berth in the national meet heading into last week's competition, but his PR moved him up and he entered competition Saturday ranked 12th in NCAA Division III.
 
And that's exactly where he finished.
 
The second thrower to go off in the first flight, Stankiewicz finished the 12th, outside the window to compete in the finals and to potentially be named All-American.
 
Stankiewicz hit a mark of 14.70 meters on his first throw, and went backward slightly on his second, reaching a mark of 14.20 meters. He closed out his preliminary throws with a mark of 15.05 meters. He would have needed to hit a mark of 15.33 meters to advance to the finals.
 
"It wasn't the finish we wanted, but this was a great opportunity and a great introduction to what nationals is all about," said Yellowjacket head coach Glen Drexler. "The door was left open for Gage to advance and to be an All-American, but with the limited preparation we were able to do, Gage did very well."
 
Kevin Ruechel of UW-Stout claimed the national championship in the event, finishing with a mark of 17.78 meters, bettering the rest of the field by nearly a full meter.
 
"Gage is hungry. He knows he is ready to take the next step and he knows what it will take now," Drexler said. "I look forward to watching how far he is going to take it."