Thursday State Sports Briefs: UW tracksters competing at NCAA meet

• University of Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin

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DES MOINES, Iowa - Seven University of Wisconsin athletes are in action today at the NCAA Division I track and field finals at Drake University.

Sophomore Japheth Cato is 10th in the men’s decathlon after five events, with the final five events today at Drake Stadium. Badgers’ senior Dave Grzesiak is 11th at the halfway point. Dorcas Akinniyi, Deanna Latham, and Jessica Flax are starting to compete in the women’s heptathlon today. Also, Wisconsin’s Caitlin Comfort is running in the women’s 10,000 meters, and Rob Finnerty is competing in the men’s 1500. Yesterday, Badgers’ junior Elliot Krause finished sixth in the 10,000 and earned All-American honors. Three other Wisconsin athletes failed to advance after national preliminaries in their events – Austin Mudd in the 800, Danny Block in the men’s discus, and Kelsey Card in the women’s discus.

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Former University of Wisconsin men’s basketball forward Jarrod Uthoff says he’ll transfer to Iowa. Uthoff surprised Badgers’ coach Bo Ryan by deciding in April to leave after just one year in Madison – and Ryan responded by denying him permission to talk to over two dozen schools. That created a national controversy, and the UW eventually backed off. But they still barred Uthoff from talking to other Big Ten schools. He told the Wisconsin State Journal last night that he has not spoken to anyone at Iowa – and based on his contacts before joining the Badgers, Uthoff assumes Hawkeyes’ coach Fran McCaffery will take him. Under Big Ten rules, he cannot officially transfer until after he enrolls at Iowa in the fall. There have been reports that the Uthoff and the coach have talked about his transfer. He cannot play until the fall of 2013. Uthoff told the State Journal he chose Iowa because he would have more freedom in an up-tempo style of play. He said Ryan’s deliberate style on offense and a lack of freedom were major reasons he left the Badger program.

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Five Brewers’ prospects have been named to the All-Star Game in the Double-“A” Southern League. Pitcher Tyler Thornburg tops the Huntsville Stars’ contingent for the North Division All-Stars. Huntsville pitcher Jesus Sanchez was also named, along with second baseman Scooter Gennett, first baseman Hunter Morris, and pitcher Evan Anundsen. The Southern League All-Star Game will be played June 19th in Kodak, Tennessee.

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SCORES

In the Midwest League…

Wisconsin 6, Clinton 4

Burlington 5, Beloit 0

Kane County 4, Quad Cities 3

Peoria 4, Cedar Rapids 0

West Michigan 6, Fort Wayne 1

Lansing 4, Bowling Green 4, suspended by rain

South Bend 5, Great Lakes 4

Dayton 5, Lake County 2

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In the Northwoods League…

La Crosse 9, Eau Claire 1

Wisconsin Rapids 8, Wausau 6

Madison 2, Green Bay 1

Battle Creek 11, Lakeshore 4

Duluth 3, Rochester 2

Mankato 6, Thunder Bay 2

Willmar 13, Waterloo 8

Saint Cloud 15, Alexandria 7

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A five-million-dollar plan was scheduled to be unveiled today to expand Fox Cities’ Stadium near Appleton. A Grand Chute Town Board member told Green Bay’s WLUK-TV that the improvements will include a new concourse, more suites and club seats, more restrooms, and some other upgraded amenities. Fox Cities Stadium was built in 1995 for around five-million. Among other things, it hosts the Brewers Class-“A” Wisconsin Timber Rattlers baseball team, plus the state high school spring baseball tournament and the NCAA Division III College World Series. The firm which owns the stadium was expected to unveil the expansion today, along with the Timber Rattlers and the Fox Cities’ Convention-and-Visitors’ Bureau.

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In the Northwoods League, Wisconsin Rapids has moved into sole possession of first place in the South Division, with an 8-6 win over the Wisconsin Woodchucks in Wausau. Six other teams are tied for second at 4-4, and Green Bay is last in the eight-team division at 3-5. Green Bay fell at Madison last night 2-1. La Crosse crushed Eau Claire at home, 9-1. And the Lakeshore Chinooks fell in Mequon to Battle Creek 11-to-4. All those series continue tonight. Elsewhere, Waterloo plays at Willmar again, after Waterloo became the last team in the league to lose its first game. The Bucks fell at Willmar 13-8 last evening. Also, Mankato hosts Thunder Bay. Duluth hosts Rochester. And Saint Cloud is at Alexandria.

Tags: wisconsin sports, sports, proam