2022 WIAC Men's Indoor Track & Field Championship Preview

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will seek a 20th consecutive first-place finish at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Indoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver’s) at UW-Platteville’s Williams Fieldhouse Feb. 25-26. The 53rd edition of the men’s championship will be held in unison with the 45th gathering of the women’s teams.
 
The 2021 championship was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the Eagles compiled 169 points for the 45th title in program history. UW-Oshkosh placed second with 148.50 points, UW-Eau Claire third with 119.66, UW-Whitewater fourth with 74.33, UW-Stevens Point fifth with 64.50, UW-Stout sixth with 46, UW-Platteville seventh with 39 and UW-River Falls eighth with two.
 
UW-Oshkosh ranks second behind UW-La Crosse with five WIAC titles, while UW-Stevens Point owns two.
 
Competition at this year’s meet will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 25, and 10 a.m. on Feb. 26. Medals will be awarded to the top-eight finishers in each of the individual events and the individuals comprising the top-six relay teams.
 
This year’s championship includes 10 student-athletes that have combined to win seven individual and six relay first-place medals at previous league meets. It will also include five teams ranked in the Top 21 of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division III Track & Field Rating Index distributed on Feb. 22. UW-Oshkosh is the top-ranked team, while UW-Eau Claire is fifth, UW-Whitewater ninth, UW-La Crosse 14th and UW-Stout 21st.
 
UW-Oshkosh’s Jonathan Wilburn is the two-time defending champion in the triple jump, while teammate Jamyle Brantley will aim for a repeat title in the long jump.
 
UW-Stout has a pair of individual champions from the 2020 meet as Brent Heilman won the 200-meter dash and Kevin Ruechel was victorious in the shot put.
 
UW-Whitewater’s David Fassbender is the defending champion in the 3,000-meter run and contributed to the first-place distance medley relay unit. He was joined on the relay by Will Kasshagen and Andrew Lohse.
 
UW-Eau Claire’s Arik Skifstad contributed to the first-place 4x400-meter relay team in 2020 that established a conference meet record time of 3:15.80, while Connor Dolan was a member of the triumphant distance medley relay squad.
 
In 2018, UW-Stevens Point’s Evan Torgerson posted a first-place time in the 400-meter dash and helped the 4x400-meter relay team to victory.
 
Individuals from remaining conference programs ranking high on this year’s WIAC Honor Roll include: UW-La Crosse’s Sam Blaskowski (60-meter dash, 200-meter dash, long jump), Ethan Gregg (3,000-meter run, 5,000-meter run), Michael Madoch (one-mile run) and Carson Reilly (60-meter hurdles); UW-Platteville’s Bryce Bierman (high jump) and Alex Girard (35-pound weight throw); and UW-River Falls’ Charlie Thies (triple jump) and Carter Aakre (heptathlon).

In addition, UW-Eau Claire's Marcus Weaver set the NCAA Division III record in the heptathlon, scoring 5,533 points at UW-Stout's Warren Bowlus Open held Jan. 28-29.
 

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