Bradford Named Winner Of WIAC Men's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete Award

UW-Oshkosh senior Mitchell Bradford is the 2021 recipient of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Max Sparger Men's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete Award.

Bradford owns a 3.95 cumulative grade-point-average as a major in political science.

A team captain this season, Bradford finished 17th with a personal-best time of 24:42.6 at the WIAC Championship held Oct. 30 at the Whitetail Golf Course in Colfax. His performance helped UW-Oshkosh to a third-place listing in the team standings.

In 2019, Bradford placed 46th at the WIAC Championship and 76th at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Midwest Regional.

Bradford transferred to UW-Oshkosh from Iowa State University following the 2018-19 academic year. He is a two-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and been recognized on UW-Oshkosh's Dean's List all four semesters of his attendance.

The Oswego (Ill.) High School graduate is a member of UW-Oshkosh's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Bradford has volunteered at an Oshkosh food pantry, the Fox Cities Marathon, the Titan 5K Charity Run/Walk, and as a mentor and tutor in the Oshkosh Area School District.

Bradford is the 10th Titan to earn the WIAC Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete award for men's cross country. Recent UW-Oshkosh winners of the award were Jordan Carpenter in 2015 and Charlend Howard in 2016.

Also nominated for this year's award were UW-Eau Claire's Dan Lau, UW-La Crosse's Ethan Thompson, UW-Stevens Point's Michael Kluz and UW-Whitewater's Samuel Uhrich.

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 also served as UW-Stout's athletics director from 1969-71.

To be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.50 grade point average. In addition, she must be in her 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.