Titans Begin Men's Cross Country Season In Somers
The UW-Oshkosh men's cross country team begins its quest for the 24th NCAA Division III Championship appearance in program history when it travels to Somers for the 2017 season-opening Vic Godfrey Open on Saturday (Sept. 9).
The Titans, who own four national titles, are seeking their first NCAA postseason bid since finishing 13th at the 2015 national meet. UW-Oshkosh won national titles in 1988, 1989, 1990 and 2002.
After the season-opening meet, UW-Oshkosh travels to Whitewater for the Tom Hoffman Invitational on Sept. 16 and to Falcon Heights, Minn., for the Roy Griak Invitational on Sept. 23.
The Titans close out September in Colfax for UW-Eau Claire's Blugold Invitational before voyaging to Appleton for the Gene Davis Invitational on Oct. 7.
UW-Oshkosh wraps up the regular season by hosting consecutive meets at the Lake Breeze Golf Club in Winneconne. The Titans host the UW-Oshkosh Kollege Town Sports Invitational on Oct. 14 and the UW-Oshkosh Open on Oct. 20.
The WIAC Championship will be held at UW-Whitewater on Oct. 28 and the Division III Midwest Regional in Rock Island, Ill., on Nov. 11. This year's national meet is set for Nov. 18 at the Principia College North Farm Cross Country Facility in Elsah, Ill.
The Titans began last season with a fourth-place finish at the 12-team Midwest Open (now called Vic Godfrey Open) in Somers before placing sixth among 12 teams at the Tom Hoffman Invitational.
UW-Oshkosh then defended its title at the seven-team Roy Griak Invitational, finished 15th of 24 teams at the Notre Dame Invitational and placed seventh at the nine-team Gene Davis Invitational before returning home to finish 11th among 37 teams at the UW-Oshkosh Kollege Town Sports Invitational and third at the five-team UW-Oshkosh Open.
The Titans concluded the 2016 season with a fourth-place showing at the WIAC Championship and a seventh-place effort at the 33-team Division III Midwest Regional.
At last year's WIAC Championship, UW-Eau Claire won the title with 41 points, followed by second-place UW-La Crosse with 50 points, third-place UW-Platteville with 100, fourth-place UW-Oshkosh with 129, fifth-place UW-Stevens Point with 144, sixth-place UW-Stout with 152, seventh-place UW-River Falls with 175 and eighth-place UW-Whitewater with 179.
Sixth-year UW-Oshkosh head coach Eamon McKenna returns nine letter winners but must replace Tyler Miletti, who was the Titans lone national qualifier as a senior last season. Miletti finished 114th among 278 runners at last year's NCAA Championship.
Headlining the returning runners for this year's squad are seniors Mitch Pauers and Trevor Damkot, who finished 69th and 78th, respectively, and last season's Midwest Regional.
UW-Oshkosh claimed WIAC championships in 1966, 1967, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2011.