2020 WIAC Men's Indoor Track & Field Championship Preview University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will aim for a 19th straight title at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Indoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver’s) at UW-Oshkosh’s Kolf Sports Center Feb. 28-29. The 52nd gathering of the men’s teams will be held in conjunction with the 44th edition of the women’s championship. The Eagles collected the 44th league championship in program history a year ago with 189.50 points to outdistance UW-Oshkosh’s second-place total of 104 points. UW-Platteville finished third with 90 points, UW-Whitewater fourth with 88, UW-Eau Claire fifth with 74.50, UW-Stevens Point sixth with 61, UW-Stout seventh with 52 and UW-River Falls eighth with three. UW-Oshkosh ranks second behind UW-La Crosse with five league titles, while UW-Stevens Point owns two. Competition at this year’s meet will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 28 and 10 a.m. on Feb. 29. Medals will be awarded to the top-eight finishers in each of the individual events and individuals comprising the top-six relay teams. This year’s championship features 23 student-athletes that have combined to win 14 individual and 13 relay first-place medals at previous league meets. It will also include five teams ranked in the Top 18 of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division III Track & Field Rating Index distributed on Feb. 25. UW-Oshkosh is the top-ranked team in the country, while UW-La Crosse is second, UW-Whitewater seventh, UW-Eau Claire ninth and UW-Stout 18th. UW-La Crosse’s Andrew Jarrett has won consecutive titles in the 35-pound weight throw and could become the first individual in league history to secure three straight first-place finishes in the event. He claimed Field Performer of the Meet distinction a season ago. The Eagles’ Seth Holden is the defending champion in the 60-meter dash, while Joshua Schrader and Jacob Teunas will aim for back-to-back titles in the 3,000-meter run and long jump, respectively. Sam Hinz was a member of the victorious distance medley relay team at the 2017 championship. UW-Whitewater’s Zach Jasinski will attempt to become just the third individual in WIAC archives to win three consecutive championships in the pole vault. UW-Whitewater’s Tom Plummer (1978-80) and UW-La Crosse’s Mike Schnur (1994-96) are the previous three-time winners. The Warhawks’ Brian Kuehl claimed the 800-meter run in 2018. UW-Oshkosh’s Jonathan Wilburn is the reigning champion in the triple jump, while UW-Platteville’s Charlie Gifford looks for his second straight 60-meter hurdles crown. The Pioneers’ Noah Steiner secured the high jump at the 2018 championship. UW-Stevens Point’s Calden Wojt, Matt Cieslak, Evan Torgerson and Sam Welch teamed to win the 4x400-meter relay a season ago. Wojt finished first in the 200-meter dash at the 2018 championship, while Torgerson was victorious in the 400-meter dash. UW-Eau Claire’s Connor Dolan, Will Ullrich and Alex Winn contributed to the first-place distance medley relay last year. Dylan Cooper won the heptathlon in 2018, while Hunter Henk, KJ Munn, Dietrich Schwoerer and Aaron Zmolek teamed to place first in the 4x400-meter relay, and Bailey Wilson helped the distance medley squad to victory. Additional conference individuals producing strong performances this season include: UW-River Falls’ Joseph Wananda (high jump) and Dylan Watcher (800-meter run); and UW-Stout’s Kevin Ruechel (shot put) and Noah Zastrow (pole vault). # # # # #