2019 WIAC Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championship Preview

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will target a 29th consecutive first-place finish at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver’s) at UW-Platteville’s Track & Field Complex May 3-4. The 101st edition of the men’s championship will be held in unison with the 48th gathering of the women’s teams.
 
The Eagles claimed the 54th league championship in program archives a season ago with 190 points. UW-Whitewater finished second with 155.50 points, UW-Platteville third with 119, UW-Stout fourth with 109, UW-Oshkosh fifth with 100, UW-Eau Claire sixth with 77, UW-Stevens Point seventh with 60 and UW-River Falls eighth with 8.50.
 
UW-Oshkosh ranks second behind UW-La Crosse with six league titles, while UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater own four and UW-Stout one.
 
Competition will begin at this year’s championship at 2:30 p.m. on May 3 and 11 a.m. on May 4. Medals will be awarded to the top-eight finishers in each of the individual events and the runners comprising the top-six relay teams.
 
This year’s meet features 23 student-athletes that have combined to win 16 individual and 11 relay first-place medals at previous WIAC championships. It will also showcase five teams ranked in the Top 22 of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division III Rating Index distributed on April 23. UW-Eau Claire is ranked first, while UW-Oshkosh is fourth, UW-Platteville 10th, UW-La Crosse 13th and UW-Whitewater 22nd.
 
Returning champions in individual events from a season ago include: UW-Eau Claire’s David Kornack (shot put); UW-La Crosse’s Samuel Hinz (800-meter run), Zachary Shoemaker-Allen (3,000-meter steeplechase) and Jacob Teunas (long jump); UW-Oshkosh’s Ryan Powers (400-meter dash); UW-Platteville’s Cody Faust (decathlon) and Zach Lee (1,500-meter run); UW-Stout’s Mike Friedman (10,000-meter run) and Walker Olson (javelin); and UW-Whitewater’s Alex Duff (400-meter intermediate hurdles). Faust also won the decathlon at the 2017 championship and could become the third individual in league history to win the event three consecutive seasons.

In relay competition last year, UW-Eau Claire’s Brandon Christnovich, Kyle Groven and KJ Munn helped the 4x400-meter relay team to victory, while UW-La Crosse’s James Hoesley, Josh Koenecke and Robert Wilson were members of the first-place 4x100-meter relay team.
 
At the 2017 championship, first-place finishers included UW-Eau Claire’s Darin Lau (5,000-meter run) and Kyler Lueck (1,500-meter run), along with UW-La Crosse’s Justin Donkin (javelin). UW-Eau Claire’s Brandon Christnovich, Hunter Henk and Aaron Zmolek were part of the triumphant 4x400-meter relay team, while UW-La Crosse’s Matthew Foster contributed to the winning 4x100-meter relay team.
 
At the 2016 championship, UW-Whitewater’s Robert Starnes was victorious in the high jump and long jump, while UW-Oshkosh’s Ryan Powers was a member of the first-place 4x400-meter relay squad.
 
Additional individuals producing strong times and marks for their teams this season include: UW-River Falls’ Alan Hehr (110-meter hurdles), Adam Kasper (800-meter run) and Peter Place (hammer throw); and UW-Stevens Point’s Jeremy Lee (decathlon), Axel Treinen (3,000-meter steeplechase) and Calden Wojt (200-meter dash).
 

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