Feb. 5, 2011
• Complete Results | Complete Results 
MADISON, Wis. -- Maverick Darling went four weeks into the season before beginning his sophomore campaign on the track.
Turns out it was worth the wait.
Darling set the tone for the Wisconsin men’s track and field team Saturday by laying down an automatic NCAA qualifying time to win the 3,000 meters at the GaREAT Collegiate Invitational in Geneva, Ohio.
Darling paced the field in 7:52.31 to earn his first-ever NCAA indoor championships bid, a time that ranks No. 4 nationally this season. Darling’s mark also ranks him No. 5 all-time at Wisconsin.
He claimed the win by nearly three seconds over Taylor Milne of Guelph, who finished in 7:55.14. Teammate Reed Connor knocked on the door of an NCAA championships bid himself, running a 7:56.77 that was good for third place.
Backing up his victory in the 800 meters at the Wisconsin Elite Invitational last week, sophomore Zach Mellon won the event Saturday with a time of 1:50.61. Senior Zach Beth finished right behind him with a second-place finish in 1:50.71.
The Badgers did well in multiple running events Saturday. Freshman Alex Hatz took third in the mile with a time of 4:05.18, while redshirt freshman Drew Simmons grabbed third place in the 400 meters by clocking in at 47.41.
Simmons’ time was the fourth-fastest by a Big Ten Conference athlete this season and ranks No. 9 all-time at UW.
Also in the 400 meters, junior Grant Bughman placed fourth by posting a time of 47.69, and junior Pat Plank earned a seventh-place finish at 48.63.
Juniors Adum Gross and Temi Ogunbodede both qualified for the finals in the 60-meter hurdles. Gross placed third at 8.19 seconds, and Ogunbodede crossed the line in 8.24 to finish fourth.
Gavin Robertson and Kyle Jefferson both qualified for the finals of the 200 meters. Robertson took the fourth-place spot at 21.50 and Jefferson finished sixth in 21.76.
In the field events, sophomore Josh Flax took fifth in the long jump at 22 feet, 1 inch, while senior Pat Nichols finished sixth in the high jump with a clearance of 6-6.
The Badgers will be on the road again next weekend to compete in the Iowa State Classic in Ames, Iowa. Events begin at noon on Friday, Feb. 11.
