USATF Indoor Championships Website

La Crosse, Wis. - Sophomore Sam Blaskowski of Oshkosh (West) is set to compete in the 60-meter dash at the 2023 USA Track & Field (USATF) Indoor Championships Thursday-Saturday, February 16-18. Competition is scheduled for the Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

Blaskowski will run in the preliminaries Friday, February 17 at 2:05 p.m. (Central). He is currently ranked 15th out of 23 individuals entered in the event with a time of 6.68 and will run in the first of three heats. The semifinals of the 60-meter dash are set for Saturday, February 18 at 2:44 p.m. (Central) and the finals at 4:50 p.m. (Central). The top-four in each heat plus the next fastest four times advance to two rounds in the semifinals. The top-three in each semifinal and the next fastest two times will run in the final.  

"From my perspective this opportunity means everything to me to be able to go compete on a stage this high and represent this University," said Blaskowski.  "No matter who I going to be lined up on that starting line next to me, whether it is the American record holder or just another college athlete, I will be filled with excitement to see what I can do at this level."

He says the success this season stemmed from how his freshman year went to summer training and the talent on UWL's roster in 2023.  "I feel like this team has a lot to bring to the table everyday at practice causing not only me but also my teammates to push each other every single day," added Blaskowski.

Currently ranked first on the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Honor Roll with his time of 6.68, Blaskowski tied the NCAA III record at the UWL Mark Guthrie Legacy Invitational on February 4. He tied the record set by UW-Eau Claire's Thurgood Dennis set in 2014. 

Blaskowski broke his own school record of 6.70 set at the UWL Pat Healy Classic on January 21. Blaskowski broke Alex Koenen's school record of 6.73 set in 2016. 

He set an NCAA Division III record in the 200-meter dash at the Aurora University (Ill.) Grand Prix on January 27 with a time of 21.13, breaking Dennis' record of 21.27 in 2014. Blaskowski's time of 21.13 currently leads NCAA Division III and broke Andrew Rock's school record of 21.34 set in 2003. 

UWL sprints coach Matt Gordy says the USATF Indoor Championships is an opportunity for Blaskowski to represent UWL and himself on a very different stage.  "He will compete against an American record holder in Noah Lyles, among other elite sprinters from around the country," said Gordy.  "We get a chance to compete under different conditions and in an exciting venue.  We want to enjoy this experience and get a taste for this stage with the idea of competing at future USATF championship meets.  We have chosen to train through this meet and minimize the disruption to our season-long plan, so the objective is to get reps against challenging competition and learn to perform when pressed by people who have a history of excellence in their craft.  This will serve as a great trial to our upcoming championship season at the conference and national levels."

Gordy says Blaskowski dedicates himself to developing and learning.  "He enjoys being pushed in training and is eager to learn from his mistakes.  He has high expectations of himself and those around him.  Sam does not understand limitations and I hope he never comes to understand them.  Every time I develop a plan or trajectory for Sam, he expedites it and surpasses my expectations.  He has helped raise the bar for me, the sprinters, and our program."

Blaskowski is looking forward to the rest of the indoor season.  "After this meet is over there are only two meets left with our conference and national championship, so the USATF will do nothing but get me more than prepared for the championship season and give me a confidence boost."

"For most, competing at this meet is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," added Gordy.  "For Sam, it is our goal to make this the first step of a larger journey of being a competitor in future USATF championship meets.  I want this experience to keep Sam hungry to achieve more and find new limits.  We continue to develop when we are pushed outside our comfort zone, and racing against this field on this stage will certainly do that.  I trust that Sam will draw confidence and excitement from this meet and bring that back to our college championship season."