UW-L men’s track and field continues dynasty at National Championships

Eagles win in dramatic fashion in last event

WAVERYLY, Iowa – Looking for back-to-back outdoor national titles, it came down to the last event for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse men’s track and field team.

That event: the 1,600-meter relay, a somewhat dicey race, where one bad handoff could decide who wins it all.

UW-L headed into the event leading the nation with 31 points. UW-Eau Claire came in second with 27. 

In Friday’s preliminaries, those two teams came in Nos. 1 and 2, though the Eagles won by over 1.2 seconds. 

But, of course, one bad handoff changes that.

Fortunately, there was no such thing, and the dominance that is UW-L track and field continued, winning the event and winning another Division III National Championship.

Zak Wallenfang, Sam Smith, Joe Smith and Ross Denman were on that relay team, winning in 3 minutes, 10.5 seconds. St. Norbert was second (3:10.63) and UW-EC, third (3:10.69).

The National Championship is the Eagles’ 14th. A ridiculous number that stands in the record books as most ever. The only number, perhaps, more ridiculous is UW-L’s record 17 indoor titles.

This was the third of those outdoor titles for UW-L coach Josh Buchholtz (2013, 2015, 2016). The Eagles’ other titles came in 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007.

The relay was UW-L’s only first-place finish at the national championships, but, in winning the whole thing, many have to contribute with at least a eighth-place finish to get points for their team. UW-L had a slew of those. 

While the relay won the meet in dramatic fashion, one could point to Ernest Winters’s contribution as the biggest for UW-L.

The sophomore placed second in the 100 dash (10.74) and fourth in the 200 (21.91).

He, along with Matt Adams, Ryan Send and Joe Koenecke, also too second in the 400 relay(40.56).

Teammates Cyrus Mason took third in the 800 (1:50.47), while Luke Sauerman finished seventh in the 110 hurdles (14.69).