RELEASED:  Saturday, October 31, 2009

UW-La Crosse Claims Men’s Cross Country Championship

WHITEWATER, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse claimed the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) men’s cross country championship at UW-Whitewater’s campus course on Oct. 31.

The league title for the Eagles is the conference-best 30th in program listings.  UW-La Crosse compiled 26 team points enroute to the crown, surpassing UW-Platteville’s and defending champion UW-Stevens Point’s second-place total of 64 points.  UW-Whitewater finished fourth with 97, UW-Eau Claire fifth with 135, UW-River Falls sixth with 192, UW-Oshkosh seventh with 196, UW-Stout eighth with 208 and UW-Superior ninth with 241.

UW-La Crosse’s Zach Wilhelmy secured the individual title, completing the 8,000-meter course in 25:28.77.  A total of 99 runners completed the 49th gathering of the conference meet. 

UW-Platteville’s Jason Garvens was second in 25:34.28, UW-Stevens Point’s Joel Heroux third in 25:46.19, UW-La Crosse’s Paul Moran fourth in 25:50.98, UW-La Crosse’s Connor Lonning fifth in 25:53.40, UW-Whitewater’s Dan Machmueller sixth in 25:55.22, UW-La Crosse’s Dallas Vincent seventh in 25:59.95, UW-Platteville’s Tony Kilburg eighth in 26:01.45, UW-La Crosse’s Scott Hayden ninth in 26:02.11, UW-Stevens Point’s Brandon Dworak 10th in 26:04.01, UW-Platteville’s Patrick Klein 11th in 26:06.68, UW-Stevens Point’s Tim Thornburg 12th in 26:07.55, UW-Stevens Point’s Shawn Hasenstein 13th in 26:13.62 and UW-La Crosse’s Kyle Coghlan 14th in 26:14.87.

The top seven runners received All-WIAC first team recognition, while runners placing eighth through 14th earned All-WIAC second team accolades.  Individuals finishing 15th through 20th claimed honorable mention recognition.

An All-Sportsmanship Team was chosen for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season.  Named to the squad were:  UW-Eau Claire’s Josh Wieland, UW-La Crosse’s Paul Moran, UW-Oshkosh’s Josh Hoff, UW-Platteville’s Greg Alleman, UW-River Falls’ Scott Degner, UW-Stevens Point’s Brian Finnel, UW-Stout’s Joey Merrill, UW-Superior’s Taylor Gombos and UW-Whitewater’s Kyle O’Rourke.

UW-River Falls’ Chad Ernst received the Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award.

All nine WIAC teams will return to action on Nov. 14, and participate in the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional at Lake Breeze Golf Course in Winneconne.  The regional event will be hosted by UW-Oshkosh.  The NCAA Division III Championship is scheduled for Nov. 21 in Highland Hills, Ohio, and will be hosted by Baldwin-Wallace College (Ohio).

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