Henderson Named Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete

MADISON, Wis.- UW-Oshkosh's Rashaad Henderson has been named the recipient of the 2024 WIAC Men's Outdoor Track & Field Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award.
 
A senior from Racine, Wis. (Washington Park), Henderson is majoring in mechanical engineering tech and owns a 3.60 grade point average. He is a three-time member of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Team, as well as the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll. Henderson has been recognized on UW-Oshkosh's Honor Roll and Dean's List numerous semesters.
 
A team captain this season, Henderson helped the 4x100-meter relay team establish a conference record time enroute to a first-place finish at the WIAC Championship. He was also the runner-up in the 200-meter dash. Henderson Is a two-time All-American, posting a fourth-place finish in the 4x100-meter relay at the 2023 NCAA Division III Championship after a seventh-place finish in the 4x400-meter relay in 2022. He is a four-time All-North Region honoree from the USTFCCCA. Henderson helped UW-Oshkosh claim the WIAC title in 2022 – its first since the 1990 campaign. He is the school record holder in the 4x400-meter relay, and ranks in the top-five in school history in the 200-meter dash and 4x100-meter relay.
 
Henderson is an employee with the Mechanical Engineer Co-op for Mativ/Neenah Paper and previously served as an IT Intern in UW-Oshkosh's Information Technology Department. He had political science research published in the "Oshkosh Scholar" journal and has been a writing tutor on campus.
 
Also nominated for this year's scholar-athlete award were:  UW-Eau Claire's Josiah Ziebell (Sr., Mauston, Wis./Mauston); UW-La Crosse's Isaac Wegner (Sr., Durand, Wis./Durand); UW-Platteville's Caleb Christiansen (Sr., Springville, Iowa/Springville); UW-River Falls' Dylan Wachter (Sr., New Richmond, Wis./New Richmond); UW-Stevens Point's Dylan Jensen (Sr., McHenry, Ill./East); UW-Stout's Connor Walechka (Grad., Winona, Minn./Cotter); and UW-Whitewater's Shelvin Garrett II (Jr., Beloit, Wis./Memorial).
 
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.

Release Courtesy of Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference