2022 WIAC Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championship Preview

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will try for a 31st consecutive title at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver’s) at UW-La Crosse’s Roger Harring Stadium at Veterans’ Memorial Field Sports Complex May 6-7. The 103rd edition of the men’s championship will be held in unison with the 50th gathering of the women’s teams.
 
The Eagles won the 56th conference title in program history a season ago with 185 points. UW-Whitewater placed second with 130 points, while UW-Oshkosh was third with 122.50, UW-Eau Claire fourth with 110.50, UW-Stout fifth with 106.50, UW-Stevens Point sixth with 98.50, UW-Platteville seventh with 50; and UW-River Falls eighth with 15.
 
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 at this year’s championship will begin at 1:00 p.m. on May 6, and 10:30 a.m. on May 7. Medals will be awarded to the top-eight finishers in each of the individual events and runners comprising the top-six relay teams.
 
This year’s meet features 17 student-athletes that have combined to win 14 individual and six relay first-place medals at previous WIAC Championships. It will also include five teams ranked in the Top 17 of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division III Rating Index distributed on May 3. UW-Eau Claire is ranked sixth, while UW-Oshkosh is 11th, UW-La Crosse 12th, UW-Stout 15th and UW-Platteville 17th.
 
UW-Whitewater’s David Fassbender is the defending champion in the 5,000-meter run and won back-to-back titles in the 10,000-meter run. He could become the first three-time 10,000-meter run champion in conference archives.
 
UW-Oshkosh’s Steven Potter is the defending champion in the 800-meter run and 1,500-meter run, while Andrew George and Jonathan Wilburn won the 3,000-meter steeplechase and triple jump, respectively. The Titans’ Bo Koehn, Amitai Wheat and Ryan Potter helped the 4x400-meter relay team to victory in 2021, while Robert Ogbuli was a member of the triumphant 4x100-meter relay unit in 2019.
 
Additional returning champions from the 2021 meet include: UW-Eau Claire’s Abraham Schroedl (decathlon) and Marcus Weaver (javelin); UW-La Crosse’s Justin Kotarak (4x100-meter relay); UW-Stevens Point’s Jared Schrang (400-meter intermediate hurdles); UW-Stout’s Jacob Bugella (hammer throw) and Kevin Ruechel (shot put); and UW-Whitewater’s Josh Krystosek (high jump).
 
At the 2019 championship, UW-Platteville’s Alexander Walechka finished first in the discus, while UW-Eau Claire’s Arik Skifstad helped the 4x400-meter relay to victory.
 
Additional individuals from conference programs ranking high on this year’s WIAC Honor Roll include: UW-Eau Claire’s Yakob Ekoue (shot put, discus), Wes Keller (high jump), Sam Verkerke (1,500-meter run) and Josiah Ziebell (400-meter hurdles); UW-La Crosse’s Sam Blaskowski (100-meter dash, long jump), Evan Daley (high jump), Corey Fairchild (3,000-meter steeplechase), Ethan Gregg (5,000-meter run, 10,000-meter run), Logan Larson (pole vault), Michael Madoch (800-meter run) and Aiden Williams (hammer throw); UW-Oshkosh’s Leslie Fisher (triple jump), John Ford (400-meter hurdles) and Londyn Little (400-meter dash); UW-Platteville’s Bryce Bierman (high jump), Justin Eichler (hammer throw), Will Lawrence (javelin), Jacob Rice (decathlon) and Cade VanHout (100-meter dash, 200-meter dash); UW-River Falls’ Peter Place (hammer throw) and Dylan Wachter (400-meter dash); UW-Stevens Point’s Ian Lillquist (triple jump and long jump) and Blake Orr (shot put, discus, hammer throw); UW-Stout’s Jacob Backes (pole vault), Mason Barth (decathlon), Grant Magnuson (800-meter run), Kaden Martin (110-meter hurdles), Jack Roeber (long jump) and Spencer Schultz (1,500-meter run, 5,000-meter run, 10,000-meter run); and UW-Whitewater’s Landon Keefover (110-meter hurdles), Josh Krystosek (high jump), Christian Patzka (5,000-meter run, 3,000-meter steeplechase), Luke Zanis (400-meter dash) and Brayden Zettle (triple jump).
 

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