RELEASED:   Tuesday, May 5, 2009

UW-La Crosse’s Peterson Named Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete

MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Brad Peterson has been named the 2009 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Max Sparger Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Scholar-Athlete.

A native of Hartland, Wis. (Arrowhead), Peterson is a senior and is majoring in biology with a biomedical science concentration and a minor in chemistry, while boasting a 3.95 grade point average.   He is a three-time member of the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll and has been recognized on UW-La Crosse’s Dean’s List every semester.  Peterson received the WIAC Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete Award for indoor track and field earlier this year.

A team captain this season, Peterson was the WIAC champion in the 400-meter hurdles and the 4x400-meter relay in 2007.  He is a three-time All-American in the 400-meter hurdles, including a career-best fourth-place national finish in 2007.  Peterson was a member of the conference champion teams in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009, as well as the 2006 and 2007 national champion squads.

He is involved with UW-La Crosse’s Winner’s Council and is the ninth individual in program history to win the conference’s men’s outdoor track and field scholar-athlete award.

Also nominated for this year’s scholar-athlete award were:  UW-Eau Claire’s Sam Johnson (Sr., Deer Park, Wis./Amery) and UW-Platteville's Scott Howard (Sr., Princeton, Ill.) and Tony Kilburg (Sr., Bellevue, Iowa/Marquette).

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Max Sparger, who served as commissioner of the Wisconsin State University Conference from July, 1971 - July, 1993.

In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.25 grade point average, be in their last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years.

WIAC All-Americans
NCAA Championship History
Academic All-Americans