University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will strive for a 13th straight first-place finish at the 2014 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Indoor Track & Field Championship at UW-Whitewater’s Kachel Fieldhouse Feb. 28-March 1.  The 46th version of the men’s meet will be held in conjunction with the 38th edition of the women’s event.

The Eagles claimed the 38th first-place finish in program history a year ago with 171.50 points to surpass UW-Oshkosh’s second-place total of 141 points.  UW-Eau Claire placed third with 109 points, UW-Whitewater fourth with 106, UW-Platteville fifth with 68.50, UW-Stevens Point sixth with 48, UW-Stout seventh with 23, UW-River Falls eighth with 18 and UW-Superior ninth with 16.

This year’s championship features 16 student-athletes that have combined to win nine individual and 15 relay first-place medals.  It will also showcase five teams that appear in the top 25 of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division III computer rankings distributed on Feb. 19.  UW-La Crosse is first, UW-Oshkosh second, UW-Eau Claire fifth, UW-Stout ninth and UW-Whitewater 12th.

UW-La Crosse senior Sean Royer has claimed the 800-meter run in consecutive years and is aiming to become the first person in WIAC history to earn three straight titles in the event.  Junior Bryan Klister was victorious in the pole vault a season ago, while senior Jacob Peterson was a member of the winning distance medley relay squad in 2011 and 2013.  He was joined on last year’s team by sophomore Cyrus Mason.

UW-Eau Claire junior Thurgood Dennis has claimed the Track Performer of the Meet award in consecutive seasons.  He has won back-to-back titles in both the 60-meter dash and 200-meter dash.  Dennis could become the conference’s first three-time winner in the 60-meter dash since UW-Oshkosh’s Jeff Forslund (1972-74).

Dennis was a member of last year’s victorious 4x200-meter relay team, along with senior Seth Friedrich and junior Cody Prince.  In 2012, Dennis and Prince participated on the winning 4x400-meter relay foursome.

UW-Whitewater returns all four members of the last year’s victorious 4x400-meter relay team in juniors Jared Denu, Kevin Gorman and Devin Grainger, along with sophomore Bryce Rudebeck.  In 2012, junior Mike Judd earned the 60-meter hurdles title, while junior Dylan Crafton contributed to the triumphant 4x200-meter relay squad.

UW-Stout senior Zach Anderson is the defending champion in the heptathlon.

UW-River Falls senior Scott Jensen helped the distance medley relay unit to victory in 2012, while UW-Oshkosh senior Corey Wilch was a member of the first-place 4x400-meter relay team in 2011.