2018 WIAC Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championship Preview University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will aim for a 28th straight title at the 2018 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver’s) at UW-River Falls’ Ramer Field May 4-5. The 100th gathering of the men’s teams will be held in conjunction with the 47th edition of the women’s championship. The Eagles secured the 53rd first-place finish in program history last year with 214 points to beat UW-Whitewater’s second-place total of 151.5 points. UW-Stevens Point finished third with 99.5 points, UW-Eau Claire fourth with 93, UW-Oshkosh fifth with 89, UW-Platteville sixth with 70, UW-Stout seventh with 63 and UW-River Falls eighth with 35. This year’s meet features 14 student-athletes that have combined to win 11 individual and six relay first-place medals at previous WIAC championships. It will also showcase five teams ranked in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Top 25 computer rankings distributed on April 25. UW-Whitewater is ranked seventh, UW-Stout ninth, UW-La Crosse 10th, UW-Platteville 21st and UW-Stevens Point 23rd. Competition begins at noon on May 4 and 10 a.m. on May 5. A brief awards ceremony will be held after events are completed on May 5. The top finisher in each event receives all-conference first team recognition, while the runner-up secures second team accolades and the third-place performer claims honorable mention recognition. UW-La Crosse’s Ernest Winters claimed Track Performer of the Meet honors at the 2016 championship after winning the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and contributing to the first-place 4x100-meter relay team. He was joined on the 4x100-meter relay squad by Ryan Send. At last year’s championship, Brendan Deiss was victorious in the high jump, while Justin Donkin won the javelin. UW-Whitewater’s Parker Witt is the reigning Track Performer of the Meet after securing the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash a season ago. Brett Harms is the defending champion in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. UW-Eau Claire’s Kyler Lueck was victorious in the 1,500-meter run a season ago, while Brandon Christnovich and Hunter Henk were members of the winning 4x400-meter relay team. UW-Oshkosh’s Devan Gertschen secured the pole vault title at the 2017 championship and UW-Platteville’s Cody Faust will aim for back-to-back first-place finishes in the decathlon. At the 2016 championship, UW-Oshkosh’s Ryan Powers and Garrison Greist helped the 4x400-meter relay team to victory. UW-Stout’s Christian Lucchesi claimed the pole vault crown at the 2015 championship. Conference mentions among the top five of the NCAA Division III Honor Roll on April 29 include: UW-Eau Claire’s David Kornack (1st - shot put/59-6.25); UW-La Crosse’s Eli Temansen (5th - pole vault/16-5.25); UW-Oshkosh’s Erik Schwandt (4th - 100-meter dash/10.52); UW-Platteville’s Rodrick McMiller (1st - 200-meter dash/21.07); UW-Stevens Point’s Calden Wojt (3rd - 200-meter dash/21.17); UW-Stout’s Sam Elsner (2nd - discus/181-7 and 4th - shot put/55-7.5 and 4th - hammer throw/195-11); and UW-Whitewater’s Alex Duff (5th - 110-meter hurdles/14.42), Matt Green (3rd - triple jump/48-10), DuVaun Goodlow (3rd - high jump/6-11), Christian Jackson (2nd - 110-meter hurdles/14.27) and Parker Witt (1st - 100-meter dash/10.42). UW-River Falls has received strong performances from Colton Sorensen in the pole vault. # # # # #