NCAA

Five events to watch: Badgers head to Indiana and Illinois

Five events to watch: Badgers head to Indiana and Illinois


MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin men’s track and field team is sending its heptathletes, pole vaulters and jumpers to Champaign, Illinois, for the Illini Challenge on Friday and Saturday. Events begin at 11:15 a.m. on Friday and at 10:15 a.m. on Saturday.

The rest of the team travels to Bloomington, Indiana, for the IU Relays. Events begin at 4 p.m. CT on Friday and at 10:15 a.m. CT on Saturday. 

 

Here are the five events to watch:

 

1. THROW EM’ THE WAY: Badger Sam Coil is set to compete this weekend in the men’s weight throw after throwing a personal best of 72 feet, 1 ½ inches at the Badger Midwest Invitational on Jan. 14, ranking him second in the Big Ten, third all-time at UW, and seventh in the nation. Redshirt sophomore Jason Swarens and redshirt Andrew Stone are also set to compete at Indiana this weekend. Swarens is ranked fifth in the Big Ten this season in the shot put at 61-6 1/4, which sits third all-time at UW. He also threw a personal record of 67-9 in the weight throw, putting him sixth at Wisconsin and sixth in the Big Ten this season. Stone has a season best of 60-6 in the shot put, which ranks eighth in the conference.

 

2. HASSAN, SPENCER AND SHARP MAKE DEBUTS: Three of the Badgers outstanding middle and distance runners — Abdullahi Hassan, Adam Spencer, and Jackson Sharp — make their track debuts this weekend. Hassan is the reigning Big Ten champion in the outdoor 800 meters while Spencer is the reigning champion in the 1500 meters. Sharp led the Badger cross country team at the 2022 NCAA cross country championships, finishing 16th to earn All-America honors. He also finished sixth at the 2023 Australian Cross Country Championships.

 

3. BADGER ROOKIES MAKE IMPACT:  Freshmen Giovanni Wearing and Jalen Williams as well as senior transfer Justin Kiefel have been making their marks for the Badgers this season. Wearing finished third in the 60-meter hurdles at the Badgers Midwest Invitational, running a personal best of 8.05 seconds, ranking 15th in the Big Ten. Williams debuted his track season, running two personal bests — 34.67 in the 300 meters and 6.95 in the 60 meters. Kiefel is set to compete in the Illini Challenge after finishing second in the the triple jump at 48-9 last weekend, ranking him eighth in the Big Ten this season.

 

4. RUNNING THE SPRINTS: Competing in the sprints at…

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