Men's Track and Field | 5/4/2026 1:57:00 PM

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Aidan Matthai has been named the recipient of the 2026 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men's Outdoor Track & Field Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award.

Matthai, a graduate student from Wauwatosa, Wis. (Wauwatosa East), is pursuing a master's degree in applied statistics and sustains a 4.0 grade point average. During his undergraduate studies, he majored in statistics with a minor in computer science and accumulated a 3.96 grade point average. Matthai is a three-time U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic honoree and four-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. Matthai has appeared on UW-La Crosse's Dean's List numerous semesters and received an academic scholarship.

Matthai finished fifth in the 10,000-meter run at the 2025 NCAA Division III Championship to secure All-America accolades. He won the conference title in 10,000-meter run a year ago with a WIAC championship record performance of 29:37.27, and took third in the 5,000-meter run this season. A team captain this year, he has helped UW-La Crosse secure two straight national championships (2024, 2025) and four consecutive WIAC titles (2023, 2024, 2025, 2026).

Matthai has served an actuarial internship at Society Insurance. He is Co-President of UW-La Crosse's Actuarial Club and an organizer for the UW-La Crosse Athletics Food Drive. Matthai has volunteered with Steppin' Out in Pink, Walk To End Alzheimer's, Annual Marsh Clean Up and Hixon/ORA trail maintenance.

Also nominated for this year's scholar-athlete award were: UW-Eau Claire's Brad Roe (Sr., Burlington, Wis./Burlington); UW-Oshkosh's Kieran Maude (Sr., Palatine, Ill./Palatine); UW-Platteville's Chris Wier (Sr., Janesville, Wis./Janesville Craig); UW-Stevens Point's Joseph Adams (Sr., Oconto Falls, Wis./Oconto Falls); UW-Stout's Karter Rashke (Grad. Student, Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH); and UW-Whitewater's Alex Metko (Sr., Brillion, Wis./Brillion).

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Max Sparger, who served as commissioner of the Wisconsin State University Conference for 22 years from 1971-93. He oversaw the transition of the conference from NAIA to full NCAA membership. Sparger arrived at UW-Stout in 1959 and served the institution in a variety of capacities, including an assistant football and basketball coach, head wrestling coach and head football coach. He served as UW-Stout's athletics director from 1969-71 and was inducted into the WIAC Hall of Fame in 2012.

In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average. In addition, he must be in his last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years. The award is based on academic achievements, athletics accomplishments and involvement in other campus activities, organizations and community service projects.