2016 WIAC Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver's) Preview

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University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will aim for a 26th straight first-place finish at the 2016 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver’s) at UW-Whitewater’s Rex Foster Track Complex and Fiskum Field May 6-7. The 98th version of the men’s championship will be held in conjunction with the 45th edition of the women’s meet.
 
The Eagles captured the 51st first-place trophy in program history a year ago with 215.83 points to exceed UW-Whitewater’s second-place total of the 124 points. UW-Eau Claire was third with 120.5 points, UW-Stout fourth with 114, UW-Stevens Point fifth with 90, UW-Oshkosh sixth with 80.33, UW-Platteville seventh with 54 and UW-River Falls eighth with 41.33. Former member UW-Superior finished ninth with 18.
 
This year’s championship features 11 student-athletes that have combined to win eight individual and five relay first-place medals at previous league meets. It will also showcase seven teams ranked in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Top 25 computer rankings distributed on April 26. UW-La Crosse is ranked second, while UW-Whitewater is fourth, UW-Platteville seventh, UW-Oshkosh 12th, UW-Stevens Point 14th, UW-Eau Claire 17th and UW-Stout 19th.
 
UW-La Crosse junior Ross Denman is the two-time defending champion in the 400-meter dash, while senior Daniel Otto has won consecutive titles in the 110-meter high hurdles. Junior Zak Wallenfang will aim for his second straight first-place finish in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles.
 
UW-Eau Claire juniors Jake Pientok and Connor Drexler helped the 4x100-meter relay team to victory last year, while senior Matt Hartje was a member of the triumphant 4x100-meter relay squad in 2014.
 
UW-Oshkosh sophomore Kallen Bentz and junior Danny Trimner aided in the 4x400-meter relay first-place finish a season ago.
 
UW-Stevens Point junior Jerry Williams was victorious in the triple jump in 2014, while UW-Stout sophomore Christian Lucchesi claimed the pole vault a season ago and UW-Whitewater senior Mike Judd won the 110-meter high hurdles in 2012.
 
Conference mentions among the top five of the NCAA Division III Honor Roll include: UW-Eau Claire senior Josh Thorson (1st - 5,000-meter run/14:07.89), sophomore Darin Lau (5th - 10,000-meter run/29:45.82) and the 4x400-meter relay team (5th/3:14.13); UW-La Crosse’s 4x400-meter relay team (1st/3:11.30) and 4x100-meter relay team (4th/41.26); UW-Oshkosh graduate student Jordan Carpenter (1st - 3,000-meter steeplechase/8:57.57) and senior Zachary Baehman (1st - shot put/57-10.5); UW-Platteville junior Ian LaMere (1st - 10,000-meter run/28:38.63) and sophomore Dan Arnold (2nd - 110-meter hurdles/14.16); UW-Stevens Point’s Jerry Williams (4th - triple jump/47-9.75) and senior Jordan Richards (5th - long jump/23-10.75); UW-Stout junior Ethen Schoen (1st - decathlon/6,932 points); and UW-Whitewater sophomores Parker Witt (3rd - 200-meter dash/21.38), Theron Baumann (3rd - shot put/56-11.25 and 3rd - discus/168-8) and Robert Starnes (4th - long jump/24-2.5).