MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee track & field teams are set for two meets this week, starting with the Drake Alternative on Thursday, and the Fighting Illini Twilight on Saturday.
 
The Drake Alternative will be hosted by UW-Whitewater on Thursday at Rex Foster Track Complex in Whitewater, Wis. The meet will begin with field events at 11:00 a.m., and continue with action on the track getting underway at 1:00 p.m.
 
On Saturday, Illinois will play host to the Fighting Illini Twilight at Demirjian Park in Champaign, Ill. The event will kick off with competition on the track and in the field starting at 1:00 p.m.
 
LAST TIME OUT WOMEN
 
The Panthers are coming off a busy weekend highlighted by Olivia VanZeeland at the Gibson Invitational. VanZeeland took down the program's previous best mark of 1.75m in the high jump, clearing 1.80m and being named the Horizon League Co-Field Athlete of the Week.
 
Making her return to the 100m hurdles was Natalie Block, running to an impressive time of 13.68.
 
In the 1500m run, Cailin Kinas climbed the school's all-time ranks to ninth, coming in at 4:37.57 to take seventh in the race.
 
Katie Burns led the way in the 400m dash with a third-place finish at 55.87 to bump her up to eighth on the program's outdoor leaderboard.
 
Burns was also instrumental in two outstanding relay performances, first in the 4x100m with Angelica Refinski, Isabel Roloff, and Victoria Evtimov, making their way around in 46.69, good for fourth in school history.
 
Then in the 4x400m relay, Burns combined with Leah Handshoe, Brooke Crosby, and Alexandria Simmons to win the event at 3:52.52.
 
Handshoe had her best 400m hurdle race on Saturday of the season taking third place after crossing the finish line in 1:02.43. Also, at last Thursday's Green & White Invite she won the 400m dash at 57.90.
 
Crosby had a fantastic showing herself at the Green & White Invite, taking the top spot in the 100m (14.45) and 400m (1:09.20) hurdles.
 
LAST TIME OUT MEN
 
Saturday at the Gibson Invitational, Divine Aniamaka picked up a victory for Milwaukee's men in the triple jump with a winning leap of 15.11m.
 
The day prior, Josh Cygan hurled a discus 51.61m, moving the freshman up to seventh on the program's all-time list.
 
Improving on his outdoor career-best in the high jump, Caden Thomas cleared 2.03m to put himself in a tie for tenth in school history in the event and finish third place on the day.
 
Anthony Campbell added another third-place performance in the long jump, reaching 6.88m.
 
On the track, Iyimi Fagbamiye had a strong showing in the 110m hurdles flying through for a time of 14.45 and fourth place.
 
At Friday's Phil Esten Challenge in La Crosse, the Panthers were in action for the 10,000m run, with Bryce Tome leading the way at 30:59.31 to earn the eighth spot on the program's all-time rankings.
 
Cullen Boyle was next to finish for the Black & Gold, his time of 31.09.71 also enough to crack the school's top-10 at number nine.
 
UP NEXT
 
Milwaukee will split for two more meets next weekend with Kentucky's Jim Green Invitational from May 2-3 at Shivley Track & Field Stadium in Lexington, Ky. Wisconsin's Badger Challenge will be taking place May 2 at 1:00 p.m. at McClimon Track Complex in Madison.
 
The weekend will be the last competition the teams see before the Horizon League Championships Scheduled for May 9-11 at Farmers National Bank Field in Youngstown, Ohio.