Titans To Run For 10th WIAC Title

UW-Oshkosh strives for its 10th first-place finish when it competes at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Men's Cross Country Championship on Saturday (Oct. 29) in Colfax. The 8,000-meter race on Whitetail Golf Course will begin at noon.

UW-Stevens Point earned its second title in the past three seasons at the 2010 championship. The Pointers totaled 60 team points to nip the second-place sum of 63 by UW-Platteville. UW-Oshkosh finished third with 84 points, UW-Whitewater fourth with 98, UW-La Crosse fifth with 103, UW-Eau Claire sixth with 117, UW-Stout seventh with 167 and UW-River Falls eighth with 219. UW-Superior also competed in the event, but did not accumulate a team score.

Five teams are ranked among the finest in the NCAA Division III based on rankings distributed by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. UW-Oshkosh leads the quintet in eighth, while UW-La Crosse is 16th, UW-Platteville 17th, UW-Stevens Point 20th and UW-Eau Claire 29th.

UW-La Crosse's Zach Wilhelmy won the individual crown in 2009, but UW-Stout's Tim Nelson has dominated the competition this season, securing first-place finishes at a pair of meets. The Titans' Nate Stymiest (Sr. • Oconto Falls) and John Dewitt (Jr. • Oshkosh) expect to battle for the gold, while their main competition will come from UW-La Crosse's Sean Harrington and UW-Stevens Point's Terry Witkowski.

Other runners trying to fuel UW-Oshkosh's team score are Zach Adams (Jr. • Lake Geneva), John Block (So. • Madison), Jordan Carpenter (Fr. • Ashwaubenon), Matt Champan (So. • Waukesha), Erik Hofferber (So. • Neenah), Derek Johnsrud (So. • Fall River), Jake Keehan (Sr. • Green Bay), Sean Kutz (So. • Grantsburg), Tyler Morey (Sr. • Combined Locks) and Nick Newcomer (Sr. • Winnebago, Ill.).

The Titans are looking to capture their first WIAC title in eight years. UW-Oshkosh previously won the league championship in 1966-67, 1989-90, 1992, 1995, 2000 and 2002-03.

The top seven runners in the race will receive All-WIAC first team recognition, while runners placing eight through 14 earn All-WIAC second team accolades.