By Angela Kelm
Asst. Athletic Director for Sports Information
River Falls, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men’s cross country team finished second while the Warhawk women were third in the 2023 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships in River Falls Saturday. Christian Patzka (Black Earth, Wis./Wisconsin Heights) paced the men winning the individual title. The UWW women registered the second-best finish in program history.
Patzka made a move mid-race and held off last year’s champion Ethan Gregg (UWL) to claim the individual title after crossing the line in 24:20.5. He is the sixth Warhawk to become a WIAC Individual Champion joining David Fassbender (2021), Gary Garcia (2004), Tom Hoffman (1968, 1967, 1966), Bud Duex (1965) and Phil Nordfren (1964) in the program record books. [Per WIAC, “Patzka topped the field of 91 runners, completing the 8,000-meter course in 24:20.5. He becomes the second Warhawk in the last three seasons to win the individual title.”]
Patzka led a contingent of seven Warhawks to earn All-WIAC honors, the most in program history. Gunner Schlender (Brillion, Wis./Brillion) posted a time of 24:49.3 to finish fifth and join Patzka with First Team honors. UWW runners garnering Second Team recognition included Dan Anderson (Eau Claire, Wis./McDonell) who finished ninth with a time of 25:00.6 and Craig Hundley (Grayslake, IL/North) who crossed the line 12th with a time of 25:06.9. Chris Allen (Downers Grove, Ill./North) (15th, 25:13.7), Justin Krause (Ixonia, Wis./Pewaukee) (18th, 25:25.9) and Tucker Johnson (Poynette, Wis./Poynette) (20th, 25:32.7) earned Honorable Mention honors.
Krause is the first UWW runner since Tom Hoffman in the late 1960s to earn All-WIAC honors four times.
Nick Hardin (Greenfield, Wis./Whitnall) (25:37.6), Alex Metko (Brillion, Wis./Brillion) (25:56.9), Jonah Block (Whitefish Bay, Wis./Whitefish Bay) (26:24.7) and Keegan Bratt (Waukesha, WI/West) (26:28.3) also represented UW-Whitewater in the men’s 8k race Saturday.
UW-La Crosse won the men’s team title with 22 points followed by UWW (41), UW-Stout (117), UW-Platteville (123), UW-Oshkosh (142), UW-Eau Claire (143), UW-Stevens Point (147) and UW-River Falls (260)
WOMEN’S RECAP
The Warhawk women’s third-place finish is the second-best in program history (1990, second place) and is the first time UWW has finished with bronze at the conference championship meet.
Katie Erb (Winnebago, Ill./Winnebago) was the first Warhawk to cross the finish line posting a time of 22:54.7 for 16th. Ari De La Cerda (Milwaukee, Wis./Pewaukee) was right behind in 17th with a time of 22:57.3. The pair earned Honorable Mention All-WIAC honors for their performances Saturday.
UWW’s Jocelyn Ramirez (Jefferson, WI) (23:22.9), Payton Scoggin (Kenosha, Wis./Indian Trails) (23:26.2), Abbey Wedwick (Westby, WI) (23:27.6), Paige Fassbender (Slinger, Wis./Slinger) (23:29.9) and Renee Forystek (Waukesha, WI/North) (23:41.3) all finished among the top 38. Also representing the Warhawk women were Marlee Nichols (Burlington, WI) (24:43.0), Miranda McNally (Downers Grove, Ill./North) (25:01.9), Emma Shingledecker (New Berlin, Wis./West) (25:58.0), Abby Motz (New Berlin, WI/Eisenhower) (26:02.0) and Kristan Larson (Rio, Wis./Rio) (26:14.0) in the field of 87 runners.
UW-La Crosse won the women’s team title with 29 points followed by UW-Eau Claire (46), UWW (115), UW-Stout (115), UW-Oshkosh (120), UW-Stevens Point (176), UW-Platteville (183) and UW-River Falls (207).
