UW-La Crosse Claims 25th Consecutive Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Title
LA CROSSE, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse claimed its 25th consecutive Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship following two days of competition at Roger Harring Stadium at Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex on May 2.
The Eagles collected the 51st conference championship in program history with 215.83 points to easily exceed UW-Whitewater’s second-place total of 124 points. UW-Eau Claire was third with 120.50 points, UW-Stout fourth with 114, UW-Stevens Point fifth with 90, UW-Oshkosh sixth with 80.33, UW-Platteville seventh with 54, UW-River Falls eighth with 41.33 and UW-Superior ninth with 18.
UW-La Crosse had six first-place performances during the second day of events. Ross Denman won the 400-meter dash for the second straight year with a time of 47.60 and Daniel Otto claimed his second consecutive 110-meter hurdles crown with a time of 14.31.
Sean Royer won the 800-meter run for the second time in his career with a time of 1:55.65. He also won the event in 2013. Dominique Neloms claimed the high jump for the second consecutive year with a height of 6-10 3/4. Garrett Kerska emerged with a time of 3:54.86 to capture the 1,500-meter run, while Zak Wallenfang posted a first-place time of 53.30 in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles.
UW-Eau Claire’s Thurgood Dennis joined UW-La Crosse’s Dan Tutskey (1999-2002) as the only four-time winners of the 100-meter dash in WIAC history. Dennis had a conference meet record time of 10.12. He also secured the 200-meter dash with a conference meet record clocking of 20.61. Dennis also won the event in 2012 and 2013.
Joining Dennis on this year’s first-place 4x100-meter relay unit were Jake Pientok, Cory White and Connor Drexler. The Blugolds also received winning efforts from Roger Steen in the shot put with a heave of 59-2 3/4 and Brandon Zarnoth in the decathlon with 6,986 points. Steen’s title was his second in as many years.
UW-Stout’s Patrick Jenkins successfully defended his title in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 15:15.18, while Austin Zett won the discus with a toss of 177-11.
UW-Whitewater’s Mike Cournia was victorious in the triple jump with a leap of 49-6 1/4.
UW-Oshkosh’s 4x400-meter relay team of Kallen Bentz, Danny Trimner, Reid Zanoya and Brian Beaudo combined for a first-place time of 3:13.87.
UW-Eau Claire’s Cory White received the Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award.
Named to the Larry Zirgibel All-Sportsmanship Team were: UW-Eau Claire’s Greg Peterson; UW-La Crosse’s Bryan Klister; UW-Oshkosh’s Nick Grosskopf; UW-Platteville’s Darren Hudziak; UW-River Falls’ Matthew Pechacek; UW-Stevens Point’s Tate Yulga; UW-Stout’s Paul VanGrinsven; UW-Superior’s Ed Martin; and UW-Whitewater’s Eric Baber. The team was chosen for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each school.
Day Two Champions
100-Meter Dash: Thurgood Dennis (UW-Eau Claire), 10.12*
200-Meter Dash: Thurgood Dennis (UW-Eau Claire), 20.61*
400-Meter Dash: Ross Denman (UW-La Crosse), 47.60
800-Meter Run: Sean Royer (UW-La Crosse), 1:55.65
1,500-Meter Run: Garrett Kerska (UW-La Crosse), 3:54.86
5,000-Meter Run: Patrick Jenkins (UW-Stout), 15:15.18
110-Meter High Hurdles: Daniel Otto (UW-La Crosse), 14.31
400-Meter Intermediate Hurdles: Zak Wallenfang (UW-La Crosse), 53.30
Discus: Austin Zett (UW-Stout), 177-11 (54.22m)
High Jump: Dominique Neloms (UW-La Crosse), 6-10 3/4 (2.10m)
Shot Put: Roger Steen (UW-Eau Claire), 59-2 3/4 (18.05m)
Triple Jump: Mike Cournia (UW-Whitewater), 49-6 1/4 (15.09m)
Decathlon: Brandon Zarnoth (UW-Eau Claire), 6,986 points
4x100-Meter Relay: UW-Eau Claire (Jake Pientok, Cory White, Connor Drexler, Thurgood Dennis), 41.50
4x400-Meter Relay: UW-Oshkosh (Kallen Bentz, Danny Trimner, Reid Zanoya, Brian Beaudo), 3:13.87
*Conference Meet Record
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