No. 3 Titans Collect Eight Top-Five #EventSquads Before Final Qualifers
OSHKOSH, Wis.- In this week's review of national rankings, the UW-Oshkosh men's track and field team was ranked No. 3 in the nation, holds eight top-five #EventSquad rankings and 10 top-10 individual national rankings headed into final qualifiers weekend.
The Titans sit at second in the nation in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's (USTFCCCA) weekly poll. Other WIAC competitors UW-La Crosse (No. 2), UW-Eau Claire (No. 10) and UW-Whitewater (No. 11) are also ranked.
Oshkosh holds 10 top-10 #EventSquad rankings this week. In the 60-meter dash, sophomores Davian Willems and Keegan Cullison, senior Jaylen Grant and freshman Ja'siah Williams average a 6.81 second finish for first place. Sophomore Caleb Cornelius and freshmen Charlie Nolan, Matthew Ewens and Aden Sears also sit at first with a 1.99-meter mark in the high jump. In their third first place #EventSquad, senior Jonathan Wilburn, Nolan, junior Elijah Pena, and freshman Caleb Wright average a 14.24-meter jump in the triple jump. Moving up a spot and ranking second in the 200-meter dash, sophomore Londyn Little, juniors Rashaad Henderson and Jaylin Boatman and freshman Devin Williams average a time of 21.82 seconds. One of four third-ranked #EventSquads, senior Steven Potter, junior Ryan Potter, junior Reid Marquardt, and sophomore Dwight Hosni average a 1:51.93 time in the 800-meter run. National leader Eli Tranel leads the pole vault squad that averages 4.57 meters in the pole vault. The other three members are sophomore Zach Zirgibel, junior RJ Bosshart and Ewens. The long jump squad of sophomore AK Toheeb-Lawal, freshman Sebastian Jefferson, Bosshart and Wright combine for an average jump of 7.05 meters. Bosshart, Sears, junior Payton White and Ewens are the fourth squad ranked third with an average score of 4,665 points in the heptathlon.
Tranel leads the nation this season with his program record 5.07-meter pole vault. Wilburn is now at second in the triple jump with a mark of 15.38 meters. Sitting at third, Willems holds a 6.72 second finish in the 60-meter dash. The 4x400-meter relay team ranks fifth with an adjusted time of 3:13.70 and Cornelius is sixth in the nation with a 2.06-meter high jump. Bosshart and Sears rank sixth and seventh in the heptathlon with adjusted scores of 4,918 and 4,896 points, respectively. Holding the program record time, the distance medley relay squad ranks seventh nationally when their time of adjusted for qualification at 9:46.49. Steven Potter is in the top-10 in both the 800-meter run and mile run with adjusted times of 1:50.71 and 4:04.76, respectively.
Last Week's Highlights
The Titans placed first in three events at last weekend's WIAC Indoor Championships hosted by UW-Stout, finishing second in the meet with 141.33 points.
Steven Potter took home All-WIAC First Team honors in the 800-meter run (1:52.59) and mile run (4:10.19). Toheeb-Lawal earned All-WIAC First Team in the long jump, winning with a best jump of 7.21 meters. Wilburn and Cornelius also earned spots on the All-WIAC First Team with a 15.26-meter mark in the triple jump and a 2.04-meter mark in the high jump. Devin Williams finished the meet with an All-WIAC Second Team nod for his 49.27 second finish in the 200-meter dash. Cullison also collected All-WIAC Second Team, taking the runner-up spot in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.81 seconds. The distance medley squad and freshman Kieran Maude each took All-WIAC Third Team spots. The distance medley relay finished their race in 10:15.52 and Maude finished the shot put with a 15.36-meter effort.
Senior Jamyle Brantley was named the Max Sparger Indoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year (the full release can be found here) and senior Andrew Rathkamp was named to the All-WIAC Sportsmanship Team after the meet concluded.
Where the Titans are Competing
The Titans will compete in the final qualifying meets at Ripon College (Wis.) and Wartburg College (Iowa).