2023 WIAC Men's Outdoor Track & Field Championship Preview

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh will strive for a second straight first-place finish at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver’s) at UW-Whitewater’s Rex Foster Track Complex May 5-6. The 104th version of the men’s championship will be held in conjunction with the 51st edition of the women’s meet.
 
The Titans claimed the seventh conference title program archives a year ago with 174 points to nip the second-place total of 173 points by 30-time defending champion UW-La Crosse. The one-point margin of victory matched the closest in meet history. UW-La Crosse beat UW-Oshkosh 175-174 in 2011.
 
A season ago, UW-Eau Claire placed third with 131.50 points, UW-Stout fourth with 109, UW-Whitewater fifth with 88, UW-Platteville sixth with 87.50, UW-Stevens Point seventh with 42 and UW-River Falls eighth with 13.
 
UW-La Crosse owns a league-high 56 championships, while UW-Oshkosh has six, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater four and UW-Stout one. Former member UW-Milwaukee collected 34 first-place finishes.
 
Competition at this year’s championship will begin at 2:30 p.m. on May 5, and 11:00 a.m. on May 6. 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 25 student-athletes that have combined to win 22 individual and 10 relay first-place medals at previous WIAC Championships. It will also include five teams ranked in the Top 23 of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division III Rating Index distributed on May 2. UW-La Crosse is ranked second, while UW-Whitewater is seventh, UW-Platteville ninth, UW-Oshkosh 11th and UW-Eau Claire 23rd.
 
UW-Oshkosh’s Steven Potter is the two-time defending champion in the 800-meter run, while Jonathan Wilburn will aim for a third straight title in the triple jump. Both individuals could become the first three-time winners in their events in WIAC history. Potter added the 1,500-meter run crown in 2021.
 
The Titans also received first-place performances a year ago from John Ford in the 400-meter hurdles and Caleb Cornelius in the high jump, while Joey Kean, Aaron Richardson and Jaylen Grant were members of the triumphant 4x100-meter relay team.
 
UW-La Crosse’s Sam Blaskowski was tabbed the Track Performer of the Meet and Newcomer of the Year a season ago after winning the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash, as well as the long jump. Ethan Gregg was victorious in the 5,000-meter run and 10,000-meter run.
 
Additional returning champions from last year include: UW-Eau Claire’s Colin McClowry (400-meter dash and 4x400-meter relay), Sam Schreiber (4x400-meter relay), Mitch Stegeman (pole vault), Sam Verkerke (1,500-meter run), and Josiah Ziebell (4x400-meter relay); UW-Platteville’s Justin Eichler (hammer throw) and Will Lawrence (javelin); UW-Stout’s Kaden Martin (110-meter hurdles); and UW-Whitewater’s Christian Patzka (3,000-meter steeplechase). Patzka claimed Newcomer of the Year recognition in 2021.
 
First-place winners from the 2021 championship that will compete this year consist of: UW-Eau Claire’s Abrahm Schroedl (decathlon); UW-La Crosse’s Spencer Reichart (4x100-meter relay); UW-Oshkosh’s Andrew George (3,000-meter steeplechase), Bo Koehn (4x400-meter relay), Ryan Potter (4x400-meter relay), and Amitai Wheat (4x400-meter relay); and UW-Whitewater’s Josh Krystosek (high jump).
 
Additional individuals from remaining conference programs ranking high on this year’s WIAC Honor Roll include: UW-River Falls’ Yaih Marial (high jump), Isaiah O’Connor (long jump), and Alex VanGundy (javelin); and UW-Stevens Point’s Austin Rennhack (shot put).
 

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