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Angela Elise Riniker (1992-95)
Angela Riniker’s dream of becoming the NCAA champion in the 400-meter hurdles was almost just that – a dream. The Sparta High School state-champion hurdler had high hopes of collegiate success, but found that goal come crashing down quickly when she was injured her freshman year.
With the frustration of a longer than anticipated recovery and having lost touch with the “track life”, she decided to hang up her spikes for good and focus on academics. That retirement, however, was short-lived due to the continued urging by her brother, Wade, to take advantage of her gift and get back on the track. He knew someday she would regret it if she didn’t.
So, with a laser focus on the 400-meter hurdles and 4x400 meter relay, she put her spikes back on to train and compete in UW-L’s Veterans Memorial Stadium - alongside her brothers Tom and Wade, both of whom were playing on the UW-L football team.
Over the course of her career she was a nine-time NCAA All-America and nine-time conference champion in the 400-meter hurdles, 400-meter dash, and 4x400-meter relay. Riniker was a three-time WIAC Scholar-Athlete, and two-year team captain. The pinnacle of her career was her senior season in 1995 when she earned herself the 400-meter hurdle national title – running a time that still holds today as the school record.
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