2019 WIAC Men's Cross Country Championship Preview

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will strive for a third straight first-place finish at the 2019 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Cross Country Championship (presented by Culver’s). The 59th edition of the conference meet will be hosted by UW-Platteville at Cole Acres Golf Course in Cuba City, Wis., on Nov. 2. The men’s race will begin at noon and be followed by the women’s competition at 1 p.m.
 
The Eagles collected the 34th league title in program archives a year ago with 38 points. UW-Eau Claire finished second with 69 points, UW-Stout third with 86, UW-Stevens Point fourth with 119, UW-Oshkosh fifth with 127, UW-Platteville sixth with 134, UW-Whitewater seventh with 138 and UW-River Falls eighth with 255. UW-Oshkosh ranks second in WIAC history with 10 first-place finishes, while UW-Stevens Point has five, UW-Eau Claire and UW-Platteville four and UW-Whitewater two.
 
Three teams are ranked among the finest in the NCAA Division III based on Oct. 23 rankings distributed by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. UW-La Crosse is 16th, while UW-Stevens Point is 21st and UW-Eau Claire is 35th.
 
Returning runners that have secured All-WIAC honors at previous conference championships include: UW-Eau Claire’s Connor Dolan (17th-2018); UW-La Crosse’s Matt Bourland (16th-2018, 12th-2017), Tyler Nault (seventh-2018, ninth-2017), Chris Pahnke (19th-2018) and Josh Schraeder (third-2018, third-2017, 16th-2016); UW-Oshkosh’s Cody Chadwick (12th-2018); UW-Stevens Point’s Alex Egbert (13th-2017), Matt Stelmasek (20th-2017) and Tyler Tanko (20th-2018); UW-Stout’s Tyler Ellefson (eighth-2017), Mike Friedman (ninth-2018) and Nick Zolondek (18th-2017); and UW-Whitewater’s David Fassbender (sixth-2018).
 
Also producing top times for their teams this fall have been: UW-Platteville’s Zack Klokow and UW-River Falls’ Adam Jacobi.
 
The top seven runners in the 8,000-meter race will receive All-WIAC first team recognition, while runners placing eighth through 14th earn All-WIAC second team accolades. Individuals finishing 15th through 20th claim honorable mention status.
 
All eight WIAC teams will return to action on Nov. 16, and participate in the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional, which will be held at Lake Breeze Golf Club in Winneconne, Wis., and hosted by UW-Oshkosh. Spalding University (Ky.) will host the NCAA Division III Championship at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky., on Nov. 23.
 

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