UW-La Crosse Wins Third Straight Men’s Indoor Track & Field Championship

STEVENS POINT, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Indoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver’s) for the third consecutive season following two days of competition at Skyward Fieldhouse on March 1.

The Eagles claimed the 48th championship in program history with 217.50 points to surpass UW-Oshkosh’s second-place total of 133.50 points. UW-Whitewater finished third with 89 points, UW-Eau Claire fourth with 75.50, UW-Stevens Point fifth with 49, UW-Stout sixth with 40.50, UW-Platteville seventh with 35, and UW-River Falls eighth with 23.

UW-La Crosse secured four titles during the second day of events. Sam Blaskowski won the 60-meter dash for the third consecutive season with a time of 6.62 seconds. He established an NCAA Division III record and conference championship mark with a time of 6.60 seconds in the prelims.

Cal Schoemann was victorious in the 800-meter run for the second straight year with a time of 1:52.15, while Gabe Olson claimed the triple jump with a leap of 48-4 (14.73m). The 4x400-meter relay team of Chase Doornink, Collin Conzemius, Andrew Hackbarth and Jacob Hohmann posted a winning time of 3:18.04.

UW-Whitewater’s Christian Patzka set a conference championship record of 8:14.63 enroute to placing first in the 3,000-meter run for the second time in his career. He also won the event in 2023. Marlon Cystrunk was victorious in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.10 seconds.

UW-Oshkosh’s Caleb Cornelius became the first individual in conference history to win four titles in the high jump, posting a height of 6-8 3/4 (2.05m). The Titans’ Gavin Fritsch claimed the 35-pound weight throw with a toss of 64-10 (19.76m), while Nolan Milas secured the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.17 seconds.

UW-River Falls’ Jacob Balcome won the heptathlon with 5,208 points. He is the first Falcon to win the event and it is the first individual title for UW-River Falls since David Paynotta claimed the 60-meter dash in 2016.

UW-Whitewater’s Gunner Schlender received the Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award.

An All-Sportsmanship Team was announced for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each school. Named to the squad were: UW-Eau Claire’s Jesse Peterson; UW-La Crosse’s Logan Powers; UW-Oshkosh’s Weston Lerdal; UW-Platteville’s Beau Kopp; UW-River Falls’ Cooper Hennemann; UW-Stevens Point’s Logan Lutz; UW-Stout’s Jack Roeber; and UW-Whitewater’s Kobe Chandler.

Day Two Champions
60-Meter Dash: Sam Blaskowski (UW-La Crosse), 6.62 (6.60 prelims)*
200-Meter Dash: Nolan Milas (UW-Oshkosh), 22.17 seconds
800-Meter Run: Cael Schoemann (UW-La Crosse), 1:52.15
3,000-Meter Run: Christian Patzka (UW-Whitewater), 8:14.63*
60-Meter Hurdles: Marlon Cystrunk (UW-Whitewater), 8.10 seconds
High Jump: Caleb Cornelius (UW-Oshkosh), 6-8 3/4 (2.05m)
Triple Jump: Gabe Olson (UW-La Crosse), 48-4 (14.73m)
35-Pound Weight Throw: Gavin Fritsch (UW-Oshkosh), 64-10 (19.76m)
Heptathlon: Jacob Balcome (UW-River Falls), 5,208 points

4x400-Meter Relay: UW-La Crosse (Chase Doornink, Collin Conzemius, Andrew Hackbarth, Jacob Hohmann), 3:18.04

*Conference Championship Record

# # # # #