2025 WIAC Men's Indoor Track & Field Championship Preview University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will strive for a third straight first-place finish at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men’s Indoor Track & Field Championship (presented by Culver’s) at UW-Stevens Point’s Skyward Fieldhouse Feb. 28-March 1. This will mark the 56th edition of the event. The Eagles secured a conference-leading 47th title in program history a season ago with a WIAC championship record 242.5 points. UW-Oshkosh placed second with 161 points, UW-Eau Claire third with 85, UW-Whitewater fourth with 73, UW-Stout fifth with 48.5, UW-Stevens Point sixth with 23, UW-Platteville seventh with 20 and UW-River Falls eighth with nine. UW-Oshkosh ranks second with six conference championships, while UW-Stevens Point owns two. Competition at this year’s meet will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 28, and 10:00 a.m. on March 1. 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 features three teams ranked in the Top Seven of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division III Track & Field Rating Index distributed on Feb. 25. UW-La Crosse is the top-ranked team, while UW-Oshkosh is second and UW-Whitewater seventh. Returning champions in individual events include: UW-Eau Claire’s Max Foland (2024/heptathlon); UW-La Crosse’s Sam Blaskowski (2022/200-meter dash and long jump; 2023/60-meter dash and 200-meter dash; 2024/60-meter dash), Chase Doornink (2024/400-meter dash), Aidan Matthai (2024/5,000-meter run), Cael Schoemann (2024/800-meter run), and Luke Schroeder (2023/60-meter hurdles; 2024/200-meter dash and 60-meter hurdles); UW-Oshkosh’s Caleb Cornelius (2022/high jump; 2023/high jump; 2024/high jump), Ryan Potter (2022/400-meter dash), Joshua Rivers (2024/long jump), Davian Willems (2022/60-meter dash) and Zach Zirgibel (2024/pole vault); and UW-Whitewater’s Christian Patzka (2022/5,000-meter run; 2023/3,000-meter run; 2024/1,500-meter run) and Gunner Schlender (2024/3,000-meter run). Blaskowski was selected the Kwik Trip Track Performer of the Meet in 2022 and 2023, while Schroeder received the honor last year. Blaskowski added Kwik Newcomer of the Year distinction in 2022, while Patzka secured the award in 2021. Individuals that have claimed first-place relay medals at previous championships include: UW-Eau Claire’s Colin McClowry (2022/4x400-meter relay); UW-La Crosse’s Tyler Backes (2023/4x400-meter relay), Chase Doornink (2023/4x400-meter relay; 2024/4x400-meter relay), Addison Hill (2024/4x400-meter relay), and Jacob Hohmann (2024/4x400-meter relay); UW-Stevens Point’s Adam Eiden (2024/distance medley relay), Aiden Leist (2024/distance medley relay), Logan Lutz (2024/distance medley relay), and Derek Penzkover (2024/distance medley relay); and UW-Whitewater’s Christian Patzka (2023/distance medley relay), Rhett Reuter (2023/distance medley relay), and Gunner Schlender (2022/distance medley relay; 2023/distance medley relay). Individuals from remaining conference programs ranking high on this year’s WIAC Honor Roll include: UW-Platteville’s Daniel Inyang (high jump) and Nicholas Walechka (shot put); UW-River Falls’ Jacob Balcome (long jump, pole vault and heptathlon) and Yaih Marial (high jump); and UW-Stout’s Lewis Dawson (high jump) and Karter Rashke (shot put). # # # # #