MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee track & field teams will compete in a pair of meets this week as they travel to Ames, Iowa, for the Iowa State Classic Friday and La Crosse, Wis., for the Mark Guthrie Legacy Invite Saturday.
 
LAST TIME OUT
 
Last week's action featured two meets for the Panthers. The women's multis competed at Louisville's Lenny Lyles Invitational, while the other team members battled at Notre Dame's Meyo Invitational.
 
After recording the second-fastest 4x400 meter relay time in Panther history just a week prior, the team of Victoria Evtimov, Taylor Thimmesch, Katie Burns, and Leah Handshoe bested that effort. They broke the Panther program record in the event, a record that has stood since 2015, with their 3:48.06 outing. The team's effort currently ranks second in the Horizon League in the 4x400 relay top times.
 
In Louisville, Anna Szepieniec turned in a solid performance in the A Division pentathlon, finishing fifth with 3741 points. Her top outing came in the long jump where she cleared 6.07 meters, ending in second place. Szepieniec also notched a fourth-place effort in the 60-meter hurdles (8.56).
 
On top of the 4x400 relay success, Burns continued putting together a dominant day in the sprint events. The senior surged to victory in the 200-meter dash with a personal-best 24.87, good for sixth in the Panther record books. Burns followed that effort with a strong 56.04 in the 400-meter dash championship, the fourth-fastest time in school history.
 
For the men, Ty Bauchelt led the way in the high jump. He finished second with his season-best 2.02-meter clearance.
 
Lucas Picco registered two top-10 performances across the two-day meet, placing fourth in the 800-meter dash (1:51.89), and seventh in the 600-meter (1:20.21).
 
Other notable performances included Zac Schmidt securing twelfth with his season-best 200-meter dash performance (22.49), Karsten Grundahl cracking the top-10 in the 800-meter (1:53.43), and Matt Scardina crossing the line seventh in the 60-meter dash finals (7.01).
 
PANTHER TOP 10
 
The Panthers have secured 13 spots in the Panther Top 10 record books this indoor season.
-60m – Isabel Roloff – 7.76 (T-9^th)
-200m – Anna Szepieniec – 24.68 (3^rd)
-200m – Katie Burns – 24.87 (6^th)
-400m – Katie Burns – 56.04 (4^th)
-600m – Lucas Picco - 1:19.81 (5^th)
-60m Hurdles – Anna Szepieniec – 8.49 (2^nd)
-60m Hurdles – Victoria Spagnola – 8.82 (9^th)
-4x400 Relay – Evtimov, Thimmesch, Burns, Handshoe – 3:48.06 (1^st)
-High Jump – Kallie Volk – 1.70m (T-5^th)
-Pole Vault – Emma Johnson – 3.75m (8^th)
-Long Jump – Anna Szepieniec – 6.30m (1^st)
-Long Jump – Anthony Buford – 7.29m (5^th)
-Weight Throw – Josh Cygan – 17.45m (6^th)
 
SOARING SZEPIENIEC
 
Anna Szepieniec shattered the Panther program record in the long jump at the 13th annual Tierney Classic. Her leap of 6.30 meters bested the previous record of 6.06 meters set by Samia Taylor in 2013. Szepieniec has earned Horizon League Women's Field Athlete of the Week twice for her high jump efforts, and she currently ranks first in the event across the Horizon League.
 
A SEASON THAT BURNS BRIGHT

Katie Burns has turned it up a notch during senior campaign. Burns currently ranks in the Horizon League top ten for the 400-meter dash, 200-meter dash, and the 4x400 relay.
 
THE FANTASTIC FOUR
 
The team of Victoria Evtimov, Taylor Thimmesch, Katie Burns, and Leah Handshoe broke the 4x400 relay program record at Notre Dame's Meyo Invitational with their 3:48.06 effort, besting the previous record of 3:48.88 set in 2015 by A. Okonkwo, Clausen, Garner, and Novacek.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Panthers look ahead to a pair of meets, with Grand Valley State's Big Meet Friday and DePaul's Blue Demon Alumni Classic Friday, Feb. 13. The Black & Gold will wrap up indoor regular season action when it hosts the Panther Tune Up Saturday, Feb. 21.