University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh will aim for a second straight title when the nine conference teams gather at the 2012 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Cross Country Championship.  The 52nd edition of the league event will be held at Cole Acres Golf Course in Cuba City, Wis., on Oct. 27, and hosted by UW-Platteville.

The Titans earned the 10th conference crown in program history a season ago with 51 points to exceed UW-La Crosse’s second-place total of 64 points.  UW-Platteville finished third with 81 points, UW-Stevens Point fourth with 93, UW-Eau Claire fifth with 130, UW-Whitewater sixth with 141, UW-River Falls seventh with 171, UW-Stout eighth with 175 and UW-Superior ninth with 265.

Six teams are ranked among the finest in the NCAA Division III based on Oct. 17 rankings distributed by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.  UW-La Crosse leads the grouping in sixth, while UW-Eau Claire is eighth, UW-Stevens Point 14th, UW-Platteville 20th, UW-Oshkosh 31st and UW-Stout 34th.

A year ago, UW-Stout senior Tim Nelson became the first individual in program history to claim the WIAC individual crown and he is poised to repeat as champion in 2012.  He produced a time of 23:54 at the Wisconsin adidas Invitational and is thought to be the only individual in WIAC archives to break the 24-minute mark on an 8,000-meter course.  Nelson also won the Maroon III race at the Roy Griak Invitational and took fourth at the Michigan State Spartan Invitational.  At the 2010 WIAC championship, he finished eighth.

Returning runners that have secured All-WIAC honors at previous conference championships include:  UW-Eau Claire seniors Aaron Easker (18th-2011) and Connor Rafferty (12th-2011); UW-La Crosse seniors Josh Kaul (3rd-2011) and Mark Punzenberger (6th-2011), junior Jacob Peterson (17th-2011), and sophomore Nate Routhier (16th-2011); UW-Oshkosh senior John Dewitt (8th-2011, 12th-2010); UW-Platteville seniors Matt Borneman (10th-2011) and Derek Fahrenkrug (13th-2011); UW-Stevens Point senior Evan Cooper (19th-2011) and junior Dan Sullivan (20th-2011); and UW-Whitewater junior Aron Kehoe (16th-2010, 16th-2009).

The top seven runners in the race will receive All-WIAC first team recognition, while runners placing eight through 14 earn All-WIAC second team accolades.  Individuals finishing 15 through 20 claim honorable mention laurels.

All nine WIAC teams will return to action Nov. 10, and participate in the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional at Lake Breeze Golf Club in Winneconne, Wis.  The regional event will be hosted by UW-Oshkosh.  The NCAA Division III Championship is scheduled for Nov. 17, at LaVerne Gibson Course in Terre Haute, Ind., and will be hosted by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Ind.).