Men's Track & Field Team Set for WIAC Championships

WIAC Indoor Track & Field Championships (presented by Culver's)

La Crosse, Wis. – The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men's track and field team will strive for its 20th title in the last 21 years at the 2023 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Indoor Championship (presented by Culver's) hosted by UW-Stout in Johnson Fieldhouse. The 54th edition of the league meet is scheduled to start Friday, February 24 and run through Saturday, February 25 in unison with the 46th gathering of the women's teams.

This year's championship starts Friday, February 24 at 11:30 a.m. and continues Saturday, February 25 starting at 10 a.m. Logo

UWL enters the meet ranked third in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Rating Index distributed by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on February 21. UW-Oshkosh is ranked second, UW-Eau Claire seventh and UW-Whitewater 11th.

At the 2022 Indoor Championships, the Eagles finished second with 128.5 points behind UW-Oshkosh's 172.0 points. UW-Eau Claire took third with 110.33 points, UW-Whitewater fourth with 104.0, UW-Platteville fifth with 56.66, UW-Stout sixth with 56.0, UW-Stevens Point seventh with 33.5 and UW-River Falls eighth with 2.0.

UWL (1969-70, 1972, 1975-77, 1979-88, 1990-98, 2000, 2002-20) has won a league record 45 titles including 19 in the last 20 years. UW-Oshkosh (1971, 1973, 1989, 1999, 2001, 2022) has won six league crowns and UW-Stevens Point (1974, 1978) two.

On the WIAC Honor Roll, UWL's Sam Blaskowski is ranked first in the long jump (23-8), first in the 200-meter dash (21.51) and first in the 60-meter dash (6.70). Blaskowski is the defending champion in the long jump and 200-meter dash while finishing third last year in the 60-meter dash. Luke Schroeder (21.96) sits third in the 200-meter dash while having the fastest time in the 60-meter hurdles (8.18). The Eagles have the top three times in the 400-meter dash as Addison Hill ranks first (49.22), Tyler Backes second (49.42) and Chase Doornink third (49.42).

Ethan Gregg ranks third in the mile (4:10.77) while ranking second in both the 3,000-meter (8:09.94) and 5,000-meter (13:52.59) runs. Gregg's time in both the 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter are school records. Isaac Wegner sits third in the 3,000-meter with a time of 8:15.03. In the relays, UWL has the fastest time in both the 4x400 (3:15.97) and the distance medley relay (school record 9:54.29).

Nathan Andringa sits third in the high jump (6-8 3/4) while Aiden Williams has the second best mark in the weight throw (60-9 1/2).

Josh Buchholtz is in his 15th season as UWL's head coach. The Eagles have won the WIAC Indoor Championship 12 times under Buchholtz. UWL has also won 12 outdoor league titles.. The 2020 outdoor and 2021 indoor WIAC Championships were canceled. Buchholtz has led UWL to eight NCAA Division III titles, including four indoor (2009, 2013, 2014, 2017) and four outdoor (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017).

The NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships are scheduled for March 10-11 in Birmingham, Alabama.