Men's Outdoor Track and Field

WIAC Sweeps USTFCCCA Men’s North Region Awards

Official USTFCCCA Release

NEW ORLEANS--Individuals from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) have swept the men’s North Region awards from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for the 2025 outdoor track & field season.
 
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Sam Blaskowski was tabbed the Track Athlete of the Year, while UW-Eau Claire’s Yakob Ekoue received Field Athlete of the Year honors. UW-La Crosse’s Josh Buchholtz was named the Coach of the Year and UW-Eau Claire’s Paul Conlin secured Assistant Coach of the Year distinction.
 
Blaskowski received the award for the fourth consecutive year. He rewrote the NCAA Division III record book in the 100- and 200-meter dash and as part of UW-La Crosse’s 4×100-meter relay. Blaskowski ended the season with five of the top-10 fastest marks in NCAA Division III history in the 100-meter dash (including the top time of 10.05 seconds), four of the top-10 fastest marks in the 200-meter dash (including the No. 2 time of 20.33 seconds) and helped the Eagles better their own record in the 4×100-meter relay. He scored 22.5 points at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships with victories in both the 100- and 200-meter dash, as well as a tote on the winning and meet record-setting 4×100-meter relay.
 
Ekoue scored 22 points in throwing events at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championship. He won the discus and placed third in both the hammer and shot. Ekoue won the NCAA title in the discus by more than six meters. Earlier in the season, he put up 26 points in those same events at the WIAC Championship, winning the discus and taking runner-up honors in both the hammer and shot.
 
Buchholtz claimed the honor for the ninth time in his career (2012-21, 23-24) after leading the Eagles to the team title at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championship, scoring 84 points and winning four events. UW-La Crosse also won the team title at the WIAC Championship, securing eight events.
 
Conlin coached the Blugolds’ throwers to combine for 36 of the team’s 56 points in finishing second at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championship. His athletes earned national individual titles in the shot put (Adam Strouf) and discus (Yakob Ekoue).
 
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