Titans To Compete At WIAC Cross Country Championship

UW-Whitewater will serve as the host for the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships at its campus course on Saturday (Oct. 31). This year’s spectacle will represent the 49th running of the men’s meet and 32nd edition of the women’s event.

In the men’s race, UW-Stevens Point will seek back-to-back league titles for the first time since 1996-97. The Pointers achieved a first-place finish a year ago with 52 team points to nip UW-Oshkosh’s second-place total of 55 points. UW-La Crosse placed third with 62, UW-Eau Claire fourth with 117, UW-Whitewater fifth with 127, UW-River Falls sixth with 172, UW-Platteville seventh with 174, UW-Stout eighth with 180 and UW-Superior ninth with 295.

The three-point victory was the slimmest margin at the championship since UW-La Crosse outscored the Titans 34-37 at the 2001 event. UW-La Crosse owns a league-best 29 first-place trophies, while UW-Oshkosh has secured nine.

Six teams are ranked among the finest in the NCAA Division III based on the Oct. 21 rankings conducted by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). UW-La Crosse ranks third to lead all WIAC mentions, while UW-Stevens Point lists fifth, UW-Platteville 11th, UW-Oshkosh 18th, UW-Whitewater 25th and UW-Eau Claire 30th.

Runners expected to compete for a top-14 finish in this year’s 8,000-meter race are: UW-Eau Claire seniors Brent Kann and Chris Wirtz, UW-La Crosse freshman Zach Wilhelmy and seniors Connor Lonning, Paul Moran and Dallas Vincent, UW-Oshkosh sophomore Nate Stymiest (Oconto Falls) and senior Josh Hoff (Boyceville), UW-Platteville juniors Jason Garvens and Nate Petesch, UW-River Falls senior Chad Ernst, UW-Stevens Point senior Brandon Dworak, junior Joel Heroux and sophomore Terry Witkowski, UW-Stout junior Peter Johnston, UW-Superior freshman Scott Behling and UW-Whitewater sophomore Aron Kehoe and junior Dan Machmueller.

In the women’s race, UW-Eau Claire will aim for a third consecutive crown. If successful, the Blugolds would become the first team to garner three straight first-place finishes since UW-Oshkosh won 15 consecutive titles from 1986-2000.

A year ago, UW-Eau Claire totaled 42 team points to outdistance UW-Oshkosh’s second-place sum of 62. UW-La Crosse placed third with 65, UW-Stevens Point fourth with 112, UW-Platteville fifth with 159, UW-River Falls sixth with 173, UW-Whitewater seventh with 178, UW-Stout eighth with 220 and UW-Superior ninth with 249.

Three squads are ranked in the USTFCCCA women’s poll led by UW-Eau Claire’s fourth-place showing. UW-La Crosse is 12th, while UW-Oshkosh is tied for 14th.

UW-Oshkosh senior Ayla Mitchell (New Richmond) claimed the WIAC individual title in 2007 and will attempt to become the sixth two-time champion in league archives. Also expected to compete for a top-14 finish in this year’s 6,000-meter race are: UW-Eau Claire sophomore Alyssa Sybilrud, juniors Beth Easker, Margaret Ho and Elly Prunty and senior Hannah Humbach, UW-La Crosse seniors Zoe Brown, Stephanie Perleberg and Katelynn Williams, UW-Oshkosh freshman McKenzie Kelly (New Richmond) and junior Jennifer Piskor (Eagan, Minn.), UW-Platteville junior Alli Tank, UW-River Falls senior Leah Korf, UW-Stevens Point sophomore Claire Roberts, UW-Stout sophomore Alexa Ahler, UW-Superior senior Jenna Halverson and UW-Whitewater senior Katie McCabe.

The top seven runners in each race will receive All-WIAC first team recognition, while runners placing eighth through 14th earn All-WIAC second team accolades. Individuals finishing 15th through 20th claim honorable mention recognition.

All nine WIAC teams will return to action on Nov. 14 and participate in the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional at the Lake Breeze Golf Club in Winneconne. The regional event will be hosted by UW-Oshkosh. The NCAA Division III Championship is scheduled for Nov. 21 in Highland Hills, Ohio, and will be hosted by Baldwin-Wallace College (Ohio).