2018 WIAC Men's Cross Country Championship Preview

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University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will aim for a second consecutive first-place finish at the 2018 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Cross Country Championship (presented by Culver’s). The 58th version of the league event will be hosted by UW-Eau Claire at Whitetail Golf Course in Colfax, Wis., on Oct. 27. The men’s race will begin at 1 p.m. and be preceded by the women’s competition at noon.
 
The Eagles captured the 33rd conference crown in program history a season ago with 35 points. UW-Stout placed second with 64 points, UW-Eau Claire third with 81, UW-Platteville fourth with 113, UW-Whitewater fifth with 129, UW-Stevens Point sixth with 133, UW-Oshkosh seventh with 165 and UW-River Falls eighth with 260. UW-Oshkosh ranks second in league archives with 10 first-place finishes, while UW-Stevens Point has five, UW-Eau Claire and UW-Platteville four and UW-Whitewater two.
 
Two 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 is fifth, while UW-Stout is 13th.
 
Returning runners that have secured All-WIAC honors at previous conference championships include: UW-Eau Claire’s Sam Kuhlmann (15th-2016) and Patrick Treacy (eighth-2016); UW-La Crosse’s Matt Bourland (12th-2017), Samuel Hinz (11th-2017, 12th-2016), Tyler Nault (ninth-2017), Josh Schraeder (third-2017, 16th-2016) and Thomas Schultz (second-2017, fourth-2016); UW-Oshkosh’s Michael Juarez (19th-2017); UW-Platteville’s Zach Lee (fourth-2017); UW-Stevens Point’s Alex Egbert (13th-2017) and Matt Stelmasek (20th-2017); UW-Stout’s Tyler Ellefson (eighth-2017), Alexander Ilyushev (sixth-2017), Dan Ressler (15th-2017), Joe Van Grinsven (17th-2017) and Nick Zolondek (18th-2017).
 
Also producing top times for their teams this fall have been: UW-River Falls’ Braydon Johnson and UW-Whitewater’s David Fassbender.
 
The top seven runners in the 8,000-meter 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 eight WIAC teams will return to action on Nov. 10, and participate in the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional, which will also be held at Whitetail Golf Course. UW-Oshkosh will host the NCAA Division III Championship at Lake Breeze Golf Club in Winneconne, Wis., on Nov. 17.
 
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