New Orleans, La. - University of Wisconsin-La Crosse sophomore Sam Blaskowski of Oshkosh (West) and men's track & field head coach Josh Buchholtz have been recognized by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), the organization announced Tuesday. Blaskowski has been named the 2023 USTFCCCA North Region Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year while Buchholtz was named the North Region Outdoor Coach of the Year. 

Blaskowski has also earned the 2022 USTFCCCA North Region Indoor and Outdoor and 2023 Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. Buchholtz was named 2023 USTFCCCA National Men's Indoor Coach of the Year. 

Blaskowski broke a longstanding National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III record in the 100-meter dash with his wind-legal 10.16 clocking at the UWL Qualifier on May 18. He broke the record of 10.18 set by Derrick Rippy of the University of Mount Union (Ohio) in 1983. That gave Blaskowski two all-time top-five marks in the event, adding to his 10.20 effort from earlier in this season. In addition to being ranked third on the Descending Order List in the 200 meter-dash, Blaskowski carried the baton on UWL's 4×100-meter relay that notched the third-fastest mark in NCAA Division III history.

Earlier in the 2023 outdoor season, Blaskowski traveled out to California to compete at an NCAA Division I and II meets on the same day. He finished second out of 83 competitors in the 100-meter dash (10.35) at the Azusa Pacific University (Calif.) Invitational at the Cougar Athletic Stadium. Blaskowski then traveled to Long Beach State University (Calif.) Invitational where he finished fourth (10.36) out of 69 competitors at the Jack Rose Track. He also ran in the 200-meter dash at Long Beach State (Calif.), placing third (21.05) among 56 sprinters.

Blaskowski will compete in the 100, 200 and 4x100-meter relay and long jump at the NCAA Division III Championships May 25-27 in Rochester, N.Y. 

Buchholtz, in his 15th year as head coach at UWL, led the Eagles to the team title at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Outdoor Championships and a No. 1 ranking in the North Region. His athletes lead the region in six events and have 12 top-15 national rankings, including national-leading marks in the 100-meter and 4x100-meter relay.

It is the sixth time Buchholtz has been selected the USTFCCCA North Region Outdoor Coach of the Year (2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2021, 2023) while being named North Region Indoor Coach of the Year four times (2012, 203, 2024, 2019).

 

After leading the Eagles to the 2023 NCAA Indoor National Championship in March, Buchholtz was named the USTFCCCA National Coach of the year. This marks the third time Buchholtz has earned the national indoor honor (2013, 2014, 2023). He has also earned the outdoor national honor four times (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017). 

He led UWL to its WIAC leading 57th championship in school history on May 6 at UW-Whitewater. The Eagles totaled 245.0 points and captured five individual and one relay crown at this year's league championships. At the conclusion of the WIAC Championships, UWL earned the WIAC Outdoor Coaching Staff of the Year Award for the third time in the last four seasons under Buchholtz. Prior to the award switching to Staff of the Year, Buchholtz had been named WIAC Coach of the Year 10 times (2009-18). 

Eighteen members of the UWL track & field team will compete at this week's NCAA III Championships. The Eagles will be trying to win their fifth NCAA III Outdoor Championship since Buchholtz took over and NCAA III record 16th title in school history ((1988, 1991-93, 1997, 2001-04, 2006-07, 2013, 2015-17).