2021 WIAC Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championship Preview

 

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will strive for a 30th straight first-place finish at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver’s) at UW-River Falls’ David A. Smith Stadium at Ramer Field May 7-8. The 102nd gathering of the men’s teams will be held in conjunction with the 49th women’s championship.
 
The Eagles captured the 55th conference title in program history at the 2019 championship with 184 points. UW-Oshkosh placed second with 138 points, UW-Eau Claire third with 114, UW-Whitewater fourth with 104.50, UW-Platteville fifth with 94.50, UW-Stevens Point sixth with 94, UW-Stout seventh with 88 and UW-River Falls eighth with two.
 
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. Former member UW-Milwaukee collected 34 first-place finishes.
 
Competition will begin at this year’s championship at 1 p.m. on May 7, and 9:30 a.m. on May 8. 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 12 student-athletes that have combined to win six individual and eight relay first-place medals at previous WIAC championships. It will also showcase seven teams ranked in the Top 22 of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division III Rating Index distributed on May 4. UW-La Crosse is ranked second, while UW-Oshkosh is fourth, UW-Eau Claire sixth, UW-Stout seventh, UW-Whitewater 10th, UW-Stevens Point 16th and UW-Platteville 22nd.
 
Returning champions from the 2019 championship include: UW-La Crosse’s Charlie Handrick (400-meter hurdles) and Samuel Sadowski (long jump); UW-Oshkosh’s Benjamin Jung (100-meter dash); UW-Platteville’s Alex Walechka (discus); UW-Stevens Point’s Tom Kohn (triple jump); and UW-Whitewater’s David Fassbender (10,000-meter run).
 
In relay competition in 2019, UW-Eau Claire’s Hunter Henk and Arik Skifstad helped the 4x400-meter relay team to victory, while UW-Oshkosh’s Jung and Robert Ogbuli were members of the first-place 4x100-meter relay team. Henk also contributed to the winning 4x400-meter relay squad at the 2017 championship.
 
In 2018, UW-Eau Claire’s Dietrich Schwoerer and Kyle Groven were part of the triumphant 4x400-meter relay team, and UW-La Crosse’s Josh Koenecke helped the 4x100-meter relay team to a first-place finish.
 
Additional individuals producing strong times and marks for their teams this season include: UW-River Falls’ Dylan Wachter (400-meter dash, 800-meter run); and UW-Stout’s Brent Heilman (200-meter dash), Kevin Ruechel (shot put, discus) and Noah Zastrow (pole vault).
 

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