Eagles Aim For Fifth Straight WIAC Men's Indoor Track and Field Title

     UW-La Crosse looks to make it five straight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men�s indoor track and field championships and there�s no reason to believe the Eagles aren�t on pace for another crown.

     With four returning conference individual champions, the five-time defending NCAA Division III champions appear loaded for another run at the title, though several other squads are prepared to make their own impact at this weekend�s championships in Stevens Point. The Eagles won all three relay events at last year�s meet and boast the conference�s best times in each event this season.

     Leading the way is last year�s field athlete of the meet in senior Kevin Becker, who achieved the longest 35-pound weight throw in Division III history earlier this year at 69 feet, 0.5 inches. Senior Nate Olson is the returning champ in the 200-meter dash and also boasts the nation�s best time in the 400-meter dash this season at 47.74 seconds after winning the national title in the event last season.

     UW-La Crosse senior Jon Heinz is the defending pole vault champion, but will receive plenty of competition from his own teammates as junior Matt Novak and senior Nick Pergande have the top two jumps in the country this season. Eagles� junior Marcus Walgrave is the favorite to repeat as champion in the 55-meter dash and could also challenge returning champion Joe Schmidt of UW-Whitewater in the 55-meter hurdles.

     Schmidt is UW-Whitewater�s lone returning champion from last year�s runner-up squad. Senior Ross Kapp was a runner-up in both throwing events last season and senior Cameron Austin returns after a second-place finish in the 55-meter dash a year ago. Junior Derek Stanley, the 2004 winner in the long jump, returns as a contender for titles in multiple events. Senior Mike Paddock was third in the triple jump last year and has the nation�s best leap this season at 48 feet, two inches.

     UW-Oshkosh has three returning champions from last season�s third-place team. Junior Brandon Houle is the returning champ in the shot put and ranks second in the country this year, while junior Jacob Gabrilska also has an NCAA automatic qualifying distance. Junior Zach Johnson, a contender in the pole vault, is the defending heptathlon champion and junior Steve Nowak has the league�s best heptathlon score this season. Senior Nick Boehlke, the defending champion in the 3000-meter run, is one of several Titans with impressive distance times this season. Seniors Cal Kromm and Brandon Lesky and sophomore Willy Kaul also will compete for championships.

     UW-Platteville sophomore Tyler Sigl and junior Cameron Klein are additional challengers for titles in distance events. Sigl posted runner-up finishes in the one-mile and 5000-meter run a year ago and was also the national runner-up in the one-mile. Pioneers� senior Jim Uppena has an automatic qualifying throw in the shot put this year.

     UW-Stevens Point features two of the nation�s top high jumpers. Defending conference champion junior Mitch Ellis has the best jump in the country at six feet, 10.25 inches and will be challenged by junior teammate Kyle Steiner, who was last year�s runner-up and is also a threat in the heptathlon.

     UW-Eau Claire returns last year�s 400-meter dash runner-up in junior Adam Koger, who finished second to UW-Stout junior Derek Gonzenbach. UW-Stout freshman Steven Leech ranks second in the conference this year in the 55-meter hurdles.

     UW-River Falls� top competitor is freshman Al Moore in the heptathlon and jumps. UW-Superior sophomore Matt Kramer has one of the nation�s best times in the 800-meter run this season.

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