2014 WIAC Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championship Preview University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will aim for a 24th straight first-place finish at the 2014 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship at the Oshkosh Sports Complex May 2-3. The 96th edition of the men’s championship will be held in unison with the 43rd gathering of the women’s teams. The Eagles secured the 49th league title in program history a season ago with 223 points to exceed UW-Oshkosh’s second-place total of 206 points. UW-Eau Claire and UW-Platteville tied for third with 110 points, UW-Whitewater fifth with 90, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Stout tied for sixth with 42, UW-River Falls eighth with 31 and UW-Superior ninth with 4. This year’s championship features 18 student-athletes that have combined to win 18 individual and 13 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 rankings distributed on April 30. UW-La Crosse is the top-ranked team, while UW-Oshkosh is second, UW-Eau Claire third, UW-Whitewater eighth and UW-Stout 10th. UW-La Crosse senior Sean Royer won the 800-meter run a year ago, and was a member of the winning 4x800-meter relay team in 2011 and 2012. In 2013, senior David Stilin was victorious in the 5,000-meter run and teamed with senior Jacob Peterson and sophomore Tom Linner to win the 4x800-meter relay. Senior Rob Rohe is the defending champion in the pole vault, while senior Jerry Kerksa and junior Garrett Kerska helped the 4x800-meter relay squad to victory in 2012. UW-Eau Claire junior Thurgood Dennis is the reigning two-time Track Performer of the Meet. He has won back-to-back titles in both the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash. UW-Stevens Point senior Dan Sullivan also owns four individual titles. He has claimed the 1,500-meter run the past two years and won the 800-meter run in 2011 and 2012. UW-Oshkosh junior Reid Zanoya claimed the 400-meter dash a season ago and was a member of the triumphant 4x400-meter relay team, along with senior Corey Wilch, and juniors Mike Servais and Brian Beaudo. Wilch is also the two-time defending champion in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles. Senior Brett DeNure contributed to the winning 4x800-meter relay team at the 2010 championship. UW-Whitewater junior Dawson Miller is the returning champion in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, while junior Mike Judd claimed the 110-meter high hurdles in 2012. UW-Stout senior Zach Anderson has won consecutive crowns in the decathlon and is looking to become just the second three-time winner in conference history, joining UW-Oshkosh’s Aaron Nett (1999-2001). UW-Platteville sophomore Caleb Mertens was a member of the victorious 4x100-meter relay team a season ago. # # # # #