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University of Wisconsin-Superior Athletics

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Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Nils Hansen

Men's Track & Field

Hansen places 20th in discus at nationals

Nils Hansen


2013 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Hosted by UW-La Crosse
La Crosse, Wis.
Thursday Results

For the second time this year, Yellowjacket senior thrower Nils Hansen (Rib Lake, Wis./Rib Lake) found himself competing at the NCAA national meet. During the indoor season Hansen made the field in the weight throw, but didn't get the result he desired at the event. With some experience on the national stage under his belt, Hansen was looking to improve on his performance this weekend at the outdoor nationals.

"We know coming out of the WIAC that if we have someone qualify for nationals that they have as good a chance as anyone at bringing home a medal and being named an All-American," head coach Glen Drexler said. "The WIAC has the best track and field participants in the country and if you get out of the conference meet and can compete at nationals, you've done something and you belong here.

"That being said, you have to continue to build coming out of the conference meet and keep getting better because the field at nationals is so good."

Hansen qualified for the national meet in the discus, being carried there by a strong performance last weekend in Rock Island, Ill. Hansen hit a mark of 49.54 meters (162 feet, 6 inches), a personal best that got him into nationals.

On Thursday afternoon Hansen didn't fare quite as good as he had hoped, placing 20th in the meet with a mark of 43.69 meters (143 feet, 4 inches). He needed a big throw, one bigger than his personal record, to jump out of preliminaries and into the finals on Friday.

"The qualifying mark to get into the finals 50.86 meters, so there were some really monster throws out there today in the men's discus," Drexler said. "That being said, Nils ended up in the top 20 in the nation in the discus and that's a tremendous achievement. He worked extremely hard over the past few years and getting to nationals twice was his reward. I'm proud of him and all that he accomplished at UW-Superior, whether it was winning a meet or breaking a school record. I'm very proud of Nils."
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